What surprises me is Yusei's desire to move forward away from sadness and not let it engulf him like the other protagonists in the series. This trait of his really shocks me since it's very rare in most protagonists.
Wait, so Yusei is a self-sacrificing individual who wants to protect his friends, feels massively guilty about a past destructive event, and is also a survivor? Holy shoot, so that's not only why Stardust tributes itself to activate its effect, but also why it prevents destruction effects and returns during the end phase. Now that's brilliant card design Edit: I am so glad you broke down Red Dragon Archfiend and Stardust's effects. While these effects are janky, the reasonings behind them are amazing
When I started realizing that stuff too I was ABSOLUTELY MINDBLOWN as well! Just proves how 5D's truly cared about its cards both from a narrative and symbolic level so consisteintly throughout its stretch! Such an amazing aspect of the story that doesn't get talked about nearly enough!
Black rose as well explains the self-destructive nature early Aki had during the time she was conflicted with her powers. Life stream and ancient fairy dragon are way more subjective, but I like to interpret life stream as Leo's will to protect those around him (especially Luna) from any harm and Ancient Fairy as Luna leaving her own world of fantasies and waking up to reality (hence why it pops field spells) and how her power isn't meant to fight but rather to protect those around her (which is why it summons a monster in exchange for the battle phase). I feel like Armor master is a way more fitting boss for crow than Dragon but you can interpret it as you wish
Yeah, each signer dragon represents the signers, Yusei for what you said, Akiza/Aki for when she was the Black Rose Witch, Jack for is power plays and his old ways, Crow with his recklessness, Luna she's the youngest and ancient fairy is the weakest in terms of attack and Leo for how much he developed from when he started the show
I have to agree. I resonate with Yusei to an extent, and hearing this man's words made my heart skip, and my eyes cry tears. This is an essay that dives into one character's ultimate story and ultimate telling of said story. Take flight and shine, just as Stardust Dragon.
The writing in this show has no business being as amazing as it is. Such a hidden gem, and on top of everything in this video, there are so many other phenomenal character arcs with completely different angles. Aki for instance...
Yusei is still my fav protagonist in Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. Mature, calm and his personality is just too good. He is living embodiment of self-sacrifice: just like his ace monster stardust dragon.
The symbolism in monster effects continued even after 5D's end with the release of Ruddy Rose Dragon in 2021. While Black Rose Dragon represents Aki's state when she was first introduced - an emotionally wounded young woman lashing out at the world - Ruddy Rose Dragon represents her after her character development. Ruddy Rose Dragon is a Level 10 Fire Attribute Dragon type Synchro monster with 3200 ATK, 2400 DEF, and generic summoning conditions. When Synchro Summoned, Ruddy Rose Dragon can banish everything from both graveyards, then, if it was summoned using Black Rose Dragon or a Plant type Synchro monster as material, it can destroy all OTHER cards on the field. This change from Black Rose Dragon's board wipe isn't just power creep; Aki had been getting better at controlling her powers even as they grow stronger and is no longer a danger to herself, so naturally Ruddy Rose no longer blows itself up to reflect that. Instead of the additional offensive effect of BRD, Ruddy Rose instead opts to take a Stardust-esque defensive effect; When an effect is activated that would destroy a card(s), Ruddy Rose Dragon can tribute itself, negate that effect, and then summon a Black Rose Dragon from the graveyard or extra deck. The impact Yusei has had on Aki's life cannot be understated, and the fact that Ruddy Rose Dragon has a variant of Stardust Dragon's effect indicates just how much of an influence he is on her. Or it's just a nod to that pairing basically becoming canon with Aki stopping just short of confessing and Yusei not only seeming to catch on, but reciprocate at the end of the series.
I see it's ability to banish the GYs as it severing itself from it's past as well. Worth noting that it loses it's sadistic binding attack in exchange for Victim Sanctuary as well, retaining only Aki's determination combined with Yusei's self-sacrificing kindness which twice saved her
Z-One didn’t secretly hope to be oposed. He quite openly gave Yusei the tools to oppose him and Yusei even realises what he’s done. It’s not contradictory. It’s having two ways of solving the problem completely and hoping he won’t have to pick the one where everyone dies. And playing the badguy because that is the only way Yusei will grow past himself and do what Z-One couldn’t.
There's also the fact that he was of two minds of how to fix things, both taking the extremist route as well as holding out hope his hero would blow past him, reflecting his friends' names in action if not his own name: Paradox is obvious (reflected in trying to destroy the past while relying on it), Aporia is the same regarding equal yet conflicting premises (hatred of humanity but loving it), and antinomy is the conflict and incompatibility between two laws (Having to be both the means to power the Ark Cradle, yet also being the means to empower his friends). Z-One was a paradox in his own actions.
I always thought it was Z-One challenging Yusei to be better than what he couldn’t provide in the future, despite already being described as a legendary figure. I do think the idea of Z-One taking on Yusei’s identity while forsaking his and revealing this to Yusei himself was probably the push he needed to listen and think about any kind of action he takes will affect the future (BBT also shows this in some form with Paradox). The concept, however, does make me frustrated since this came across as a potential idea that in the future, Yusei went to extreme measures after not being being able to save everyone. It plays around with different ways you can visualize it, so even if 5D’s chose to go a safe route, it gave Yusei an opportunity to grow even more.
Not sure if it means as much, but we see some retroactive characterization in the mobile game Duel Links. When Z-One, antinomy, etc. Interact with each other, they clearly agree that there are multiple potential solutions and have each resolved themselves to pursue their attempts even if it goes against the others'. In a way, it shows how they are open minded and closed minded at the same time
This is such an amazing video! Also, fun fact, Yuusei in Japanese means “Comet” or a shooting star, which is something that in most cultures is a sign to make a wish for the future. And comets show their signature bright tail due to it burning in Earth’s atmosphere and gets dissolved. In other words, a star that sacrifices itself for other’s wish for a better future. Kind of a reverse Ikarus where the sun came too closed to the Earth and gets burnt out (in a poetic way)
Huh I never noticed that on Cosmic Blazar and Shooting Quasar, a minor thing to note is that quasar unlike Blazar is now Light instead of wind like stardust and shooting to show that Yusei had become the light that guided the way
It also reflects in the means to summoning it, Over Top Clear Mind. As we know Clear Mind involves the user mentality void of burden and negativity while running at top speed as their monster(s) follows in their Slipstream guiding the way to a Door of evolutionary posibilities aka Accel Synchro. Now that Yusei has achieved the peak state of Clear Mind (OTCM) he now glows and turns Golden as a direct correspondence to "Become the Path its Light Shines upon" guiding the way to Limit Over Accel Synchro. Its Exquisite Writing
@@SiNKarnage not to mention, the synchro monsters are evolutions of Duel Monsters, and the color scheme of the card being, 'white', is symbolic to how light is formed.
Damn. I liked yusei from the start but know i feel like he's the best protagonists in the entire yugioh series. I wish all yugioh protagonists where as well wry as him
Man you did not miss a single thing, even bringing up the duality of quasar and blazar. I also did some more digging and noticed that blazar shares its three effects with the T.G. accel synchros, with halberd cannon negating summons, shooting star expansion negating battles as well as it and blade blaster negating monster and spell/trap effects respectively, which to me signals the bond Z-one had with Antinomy, and how while halberd cannon required no sacrifice to negate summons, Antinomy sacrificed himself for Yusei, creating yet another duality. Top-notch editing, soundtrack choices, commentary and analysis!
I am amazed it took so long for this masterpiece to wind up in my recommended. 5ds is my favorite of the series by far (Sub of course), such amazing characters. You explained all this extremely well and pointed out things even I didn't pick up on. Like the monster effects. The music in this series is also awesome. My favorite being Yusei's original duel theme before he got Stardust. It starts off chill with guitar riffs, what sounds like an accordion, and then a 2nd guitar that build up into a fast pace that strides until the finale where the main part of it is the drums and guitar slowing down. Unfortunate since it's all of a sudden become super hard to find on RUclips. Then there are the opening songs, the only one I can really say I like less is 4th one. 2 and 3 are my favorites, and 1 and 5 are absolute bops. (as they are entire songs outside of the opening intro's, if you didn't know.) Sorry for going on that for so long. Amazing video, I'm gonna need to rewatch this series soon.
I had never before heard of you until seeing this video, but it has convinced me to subscribe. The amount of effort, passion, and understanding of this show and its characters put into this video is worth recognition. Growing up, I found myself relating to Yusei in many ways. But especially in how he put the value of others before himself, almost instinctively, time and time again. To the point where it soon became clear that he was forgetting about his own self worth. His journey to find that value in himself, learning to stand alongside others rather than giving himself up, that resonated with me as a kid and it still does now.
I haven't heard of this channel until now either. It's good to see 5Ds praise even though it's the best series IMO and people seem to sleep on yusei as a protagonist. I'm to actually find a video that's covers this topic to such an amazing degree. Btw, you've also earned another subscriber.
I actually loved antinomys or brunos dynamic as he helped yusei get back on track by teaching him clear mind. The clear mind sound track to this day is one of my fav ost from any anime. Amazing vid mate keep em comming!!
Yeah, i feel their dynamic seems to be kinda overlooked, probably because he's not the rival character and wasn't really an active duelist for plot reason. In some way he's arguably also Yusei's closest friend and fill the spot that Jack and Crow couldn't fill because they shares similar hobby of modifying D-Wheel. It's down to the point of him teaching Accel Synchro, and his death was one of Yusei's most emotional moment in the whole series.
This is by far one of the best analysis videos regarding 5D’s I have seen. Your reasoning while opinionated really did resonate with me. You were able to find not only the flaws and makings of these characters but their humanity that ties it together. I also loved your words for your ending to this video. You’ve really given me a lot to think about now when it comes to the bonds of friends, family, and those we carry with us. Can’t wait for your next video. Till next time. Riding Duel! Acceleration!!!
Agreed. I legit felt meh towards Yusei until this vid, now he's top 3. That stuff with Crow and Jack was thought provoking as well. I can't wait to see him cover Lua, Jack, Aporia, and Z-One.
It is lovely that Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is getting the love it deserves! Personally, I had always enjoyed Yusei, his maturity, understanding towards others, not to mention his duels, the situational cards he uses part of the fun. I haven't shared the discontent of many over the fact he never loses, since not only are his duels fun, but the opponents are also formidable and place him in predicaments it is frequently entertaining to see how he overcomes. Besides that, he is not invincible: his first duel with Kiryu, even with the bike braking, would have been a loss for him; additionally, despite his skillful plays, his victory over Team Unicorn was not guaranteed, but rather happened due to Jean's inner turmoil and, as a result, the spur of the moment (personally, this is among my favourite duels). Well backed-up exploration of his character and the editing is lovely as well, loved you linked character quotes with imagery from the show to further elaborate on it visually. It has definitely changed how I perceive Yusei. The passion that has went into it shines through indeed, my subscription and my looking forward to more of your work becoming a path its light shines upon! Great work! The Yu-Gi-Oh anime as a whole is quite interesting to me, as it is an incredibly effective commercial that contains not just spectacle, but fun characters, often interesting stories or something deeper to think about too. I feel that the theme of bonds/connections, which you brought up here, is nicely explored in Zexal, a series that also needs more love. In the case of Zexal it is apparent how the connections Yuma makes with others help him both become a better duelist and mature. Despite their differences in character, many characters also end up benefiting internally from their interactions with Yuma, from Shark to villains such as Tron. Thus, I feel the way Zexal handles the theme of friendship and connections comes off really natural and conveys how meaningful interactions with others can transcend the great differences in our personalities and be mutual beneficial. In short, interactions and bonds are really helpful and enriching for both sides, at least that is interpreted Zexal. Thus, it kind of complements 5Ds. I do wonder if videos on the other Yu-Gi-Oh! series are planned, cause there are interesting things in all of them. Once again, great essay!
That is honestly the best thing i've seen all year, and it will remain at that, i'll have you know that this video made me cry more than 5D's last episode, and man, holy shit, i've never felt something resonate within myself so much, thank you so much for this video, it really is one of my favourite things as now, and probably ever, (congratulations on having such a perspective that isn't resumed to "YusEI iS A gARy StT Cuz He NEvEr lOSes????" and also showing it to everyone else) you have a new loyal sub.
Your words are beyond humbling and almost tear-inducing. Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words! Yusei is a character who means the absolute world to me, and constantly seeing him be reduced to 'Gary Stu ha no lose duel" by so many people can honestly be frustrating at times ahaha! I'm happy that my thoughts on such an underrated character have reached so many people! And have touched you as much as they have! Hope you continue to enjoy what I produce be it Yu-Gi-Oh! or whatever else!
Putting it together was honestly even emotional for me, so to see someone else feel anything similar is incredible to see! Thank you so much for the kind words!
Just found this when looking for random yugioh analysis and jesus fucking christ this probably the best yugioh analysis iv'e seen to this day the music, the editing everything is perfect anyone can see how much love you've put into this video So yeah it's a really good analysis
A little bit late, but honestly your analysis made me realize the subtle things that make Yusei who he is. The parallels between him and other characters is something I did not pick up on until watching your video and it's spot on. Hope to see more analysis videos from ya
@@StardustNobody Stardust/Junk have always been one of my favorite archetypes for so many reasons. They’re so fun yet uniquely cool. Also Synchros are just fun with how extremely different they are. But that aside, I’ve actually talked to someone about the poetic nuance behind 5Ds. It’s a similar experience to how I feel when people say Jiren in Dragon Ball is unoriginal and boring. I completely disagree on that because he’s a reflection. He is what Goku could have become easily during the King Piccolo arc, and is the result of losing the battle and having no dragon balls.
I found this video last year while looking for 5Ds content and i was very impressed with how you did the video. I always come back just to watch it. I have even referred it to friends who want to get into Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds. This video deserve more views that it gets. You did an amazing job on this video.
i god damn loved 5d's man!!! like to this day i still feel like synchro summoning is the best type of summoning. it is easy enough to do but also hard enough to make summoning one special like it is just perfect like a better version of fusion
Thank you for an amazing analysis of an amazing character. To me 5Ds is the best not only cuz Synchro monsters are amazing but because of the amazing characters and story elements in the show, and Yusei is one of the reasons for that. Maybe a full show analysis one day? One can hope! Thanks my friend.
Thank you so much for the kind words! An Analysis of the entire story may come one day, but for now I think I'd probably just be repeating a lot of the stuff I said here so it's not 100% in the cards at the moment! But thank you so much for the support!
Well, just now found you, and I must say very well done. Love that you even stated the monster Stats and effects. Always loved that part in 5ds for some reason.
This is ridiculous how your video doesn’t have a million views, the way you articulate yourself and describe details of characters I failed to see is amazing I love the way you present your work and Chanel I’m a new subscriber thank you for this video I’ve always loved Yusei he helped me believe in myself a lot
Maybe the best video about yu gi oh i've ever see. That's why i love 5ds, this group of characters, their deck and their evolution we can see through their card (represent their user psychology and personality). I hope you will do more video about this license. Thank you
this is the most accurate and specific 5Ds' video I have found on the internet. Your analysis was absolutely magnificent, I love this video, I love 5Ds.
I’m honestly upset I didn’t find this sooner. This video is a masterpiece, and you should absolutely feel proud of all the work you put into it. The link you made between Shirou Emiya and Yusei really helped me to understand the point you were trying to get across throughout the entire video. I hope you’ll continue to make amazing works such as this in the future.
Excellent content. Really great analysis! Hope we can see more characters soon, especially Aki, such a great character that was unfortunately wasted. Although, her relationship with Yusei is one of the much beautiful in the Yugioh franchise.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Even though I do love Aki, I'm not sure if a video on her is in the cards at the moment! But ya never know what could happen!
Phenomenal video! I never considered all the constant characteristics & connections that yusei & jack represent throughout the show. I was shocked that you even included their duel runners and ace cards as primary examples to your main points. Overall, well done!
I just watch an hour vid talking about ONE character and how he effects others which, in turn, effects him in some kind of weird, heart wrenching cycle. Yusei is definitely THE Homie fr fr, Always would’ve sacrificed himself for others. Gotta say, the finale with him saying how he wished he could ask all the signers to stay forever, AFTER we get a flash forward scene of the signers after their journey, was some of the best ways to send us off. With the 2 duelists who start off 5D’s and give the first duel Yusei and Trudge. Edit: never thought about this sooner, but that small inner monologue that ends the first episode of Yusei Vs Jack’s fortune cup duel, is genuinely a great moment. The guy was seriously so upset that he gave up EVERYTHING for that life but was probably just trying to cope and see his choice through and see it be proved right. An amazing moment from the rival character, definitely puts Jack up there, above others (maybe Zane and Aster are close too)
Amazing analysis and so well executed! Love Yusei and 5d's as well! But goddamnit people when Z-one battle theme is on don't cut it out like that (another 5d's analysis that came out recently did the exact same thing cutting the ost at its very peak) :D
This is a beautiful analysis on YGO 5Ds, probably the best I've ever seen. The music choices, the clips... the words said, the explanations... it all reminded me why I loved 5Ds and why it's the best YGO series to date, and also my absolute favorite. Fucking Bravo.
This is so amazing and sums up all the characters so well not to mention this also shows us that no matter what true friends will always be there to help you no matter what and that sacrifice isn't always needed to get somewhere
Amazing video. I am glad I was able to find it. I'm sure everyone here can feel the passion you had for this project. Yusei has always been one of my favorite characters in anime and I always liked what he stood for. I try to emulate what he stands for and thanks to this video I have a much deeper understanding and much better appreciation. I can't wait to see your other videos as they come out.
Easily the best video you can find online about Yu-Gi-Oh. Finally someone that really grasps the beauty of 5ds without falling on mainstream statements. You just proved how 5ds is levels above the rest by far
4Kids robbed alot of our development by keeping us ignorant and greenhorned. Nowadays its acceptable cuz the franchise has gone a completely new direction becoming more childfriendly
Incredible video essay. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's - as an anime and era of the TCG - occurred at *exactly* the right time in my life (very beginning of middle school up through the end of 8th grade) and under the *exact* real-life socioeconomic conditions to capture my heart forever. I have no shame in admitting that I like 5D's much more than GX and consider its greatest episodes to equal DM's in quality.
Given that the Daedalus Bridge is named for the father of Icarus, I do heavily associate Icarus with 5Ds. There are a lot of people striving for a brighter future. But yeah, good analysis!!!
It's definitely interesting to go into the way a character's ace represents the character. I will point out that this trait doesn't just encapsulate Yusei and Jack, but it encapsulates Aki as well. Black Rose Dragon's effect destroys everything on the field, itself included, when it hits the field. If Stardust represents Yusei's self-sacrificial traits, and Red Demon's represents Jack's willingness to sacrifice anything that can't keep up with him, then Black Rose represents Aki's *self-destructive* rage. She lashes out as a result of her own pain and rage, aiming to destroy anything and everything around her, which just so happens to include herself. She then falls completely on others in order to do anything else, with Aki usually using the effects of other cards entirely to bring Black Rose back... representing how overly-dependent she was on Divine to the point of breaking down completely when he wasn't around. If Yugioh at the time actually gave a shit about female characters and gave a focus to Aki as the third main member of the group instead of Crow, it would've been nice to see further evolutions of Black Rose Dragon that would represent her growth as a character, hopefully in the direction of becoming independent and more of her own person with less of the self-destructive rage. (You could, however, argue that Blood Rose Dragon, which came out in 2021 iirc-and no, im not referring to it as it's localized name-kind of represents this? It banishes all cards in both graveyards, which you could say is being dependent on itself rather than the effects of other cards, destroys all other cards *but* not itself this time, and has an effect remarkably similar to Stardust Dragon's effect in negating a destruction effect and then summoning back Black Rose... but eh, could be better. Doesn't help that they didn't actually do anything like this with Aki afterwards, so oh well)
Aki’s still a really great character in the second half tbh, I’ve never been of the opinion she falls off But thanks for the comment anyways! Love your interpretations on Blood Rose :)
@@StardustNobody Agree to disagree, since she only really gets her moment in the second half when she's learning how to be a Riding Duelist, and is otherwise quite literally the Benchwarmer of the group (to the point where they have even labeled her both in the opening and in official material later as the Benchwarmer)... but otherwise, nice to see that my interpretation got noticed! Thanks for the acknowledgement.
Perfectly done video! A real master piece! Never noticed a lot of the connections with the characters and their Ace monsters. Very well well done! Learned a ton. I don’t entirely agree that he is the best protagonist I can 100% but your reasoning and either way he’s definitely Top 3 Protagonist! I would love to see you analyze other protagonist too, but I don’t want you to feel tied to doing that. I can feel you did this because of your love and passion for Yusei and 5DS. I feel you brother 👊🏻 Hoe you feel about Yusei is going I feel about Yuma and Zexal. ☺️
I agree. He's not the best character even tho he's my favorite character but he's definitely top 3 in my book. This video completely changed my previous thoughts about Yusei Fudo as a character. I thought of him as this perfect character but watching this and remembering the series of 5Ds, he is far from perfect, he's flawed and his growth is definitely evident.
Thank you so much! Absolutely humbling words! Glad I was able to expand some horizons on a character so precious to me! While as you said, this video definitely came from how passionate I am about specifically 5D's as a narrative. A Judai analysis is a very real possibility in the future! While I don't love him as much as Yusei, he is still undeniably phenomenal and has an undeniable amount of depth and meat to his character just waiting to be analyzed!
Really great analysis. I’ve always known that Jack and Yusei had amazing symbolism along with an excellent dynamic but I’ve never seen anyone go so in-depth on it before. Also raised my opinion on Godwin a lot as well. 5D’s is definitely one of my favourite series in anime and manga.
Brilliant video. There's quite a lot that I didn't even think about. I've always liked Yusei, but I've drank the Kool-Aid that views him as too perfect. I've gotten a new appreciation for him.
This video is one of the best video analyses I've seen. I loved seeing you give words to what I've felt while watching 5Ds. Makes me want to rewatch the series even. Will you ever do something similar for the other Yu-Gi-Oh spinoffs?
I miss Yugioh 5Ds. I wish they made more seasons of it. I love and hate how Yugioh gets us invested in these characters and then just moves on to the next story
Awesome job, StardustNobody. This is one of the best character analysis videos that I have ever seen, on RUclips. In This video, every part of Yusei's personality was explained in a proper manner and I loved that the original Japanese version of 5D's was used instead of the English dub, because it had kind of ruined the show for a good portion of the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom. I hope that this video can help convince more people to watch Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's.
I also find it kinda funny that Yusei is one of the few Yugioh Protags that didnt have an edgy/kinda evil phase. Atem in the beginning/season 0, his duelist kingdom duel with Kaiba and his mistake during the Atlantis arc. Jaden has the Supreme King of Darkness Yuma and Astral had Dark-Zexal Yuya's whole story with Zarc. Up until Vrains Yusei was the only protag to not walk down a dark path in the slightest.
Man, I really appreciate your insight on how each character connects to one another in some way, shape or form, (Yusei especially) all the while expanding how a decision that an individual makes for their future can affect others, like Jack for instance. Even if 5D’s had flaws (plans changing abruptly midway) and I will readily admit that, I do think that the showrunners behind it definitely did the best they could with bringing out a story that was not only interesting, but relatable with actual social issues, and even silly in mixing card games with motorcycle races as well LOL. Even if 5D’s did fall off slightly in the middle and had a different set-up with villains we thought were totally the opposite from what we’ve seen in the Fortune Cup and Dark Signers arcs, I personally see it as a build-up towards the Ark Cradle arc, and it was a nice change of pace to see how everyone settled following the Dark Signers battle and their internal struggles and desires that came with it. In some aspects, I can understand why people would see Yusei as a character who’s too perfect, but then again, most of 5D’s focused on high tension, high risk duels that determined the fate of the world, so it wasn’t like he could lose badly. The amount of sacrifices Yusei made throughout the first two seasons - willing to sacrifice his first D-Wheel and Ace monster for the life of a friend, his freedom and identity upon being arrested, blackmailed into a tournament for the safety of his friends in Satellite, his health and well-being while dueling a former deceased friend from the old days and helping someone else realize she’s not alone and taking on damages while recovering from an injury, among others is nothing short of inspiring and heartbreaking. Someone give my man Yusei an F for respect. I do like the concept behind the entire project that, despite him having an almost perfect dueling record, the purpose of his character is to connect with others in way that makes them stand out stronger than they had in the beginning, even Aki who’s had a less than great handling of her development following Dark Signers. It’s especially interesting when you brought up Z-One who had good intentions, but turned to desperate reasons because of how his future turned out. It’s reasons like this that make me love 5D’s more as a series. Thanks so much for this much-needed analysis on this amazing character and series as a whole. ❤
Thank you so much for such a beautifully insightful comment! I'm so glad this analysis connected with you! I have some further ones planned in the future, so hope you'll stick around for my future 5D's content as well!
@@StardustNobody With how well you analyzed this character and his connection to others that drive the plot of the show, I can’t wait to see what you have in store for future videos. You come across as very observant, thoughtful, and well articulate in your points. I’m excited to see whatever you have planned.
Absolutely a possibility in the future! Rua is one of my favorite characters of all time, so he’d definitely be high up on the list of people I’d want to cover
I may be late to the party... but man... as someone who tries to live to the ideals that Yusei does... giving what i can to others, anyways... and with Stardust Dragon being the first ever Synchro Monster i got my hands on as a kid... i feel like i share that much more of a connection with Stardust and Yusei... so... just... wow... this was incredibly mind blowing and revealing... kinda gave me a little to think about on my own personality and individuality... thanks for making this video and sharing it with us... and cuz im a filthy dub watcher lol.... Let's REV IT UP!!!
yes, finally someone that actually understands yusei, all of the analysis of him are just so shallow, all i hear is he is cool, or he is just a mary sue, but his is an understanding of who yusei fudo is, and why he is the best protagonist in yugioh, also why yugioh 5ds is the best yugioh series. also have to give credit to all of the themes in 5ds tackles gracefully, from discrimination, class division and segregation, how the past affects the present and how the future is influence by our present and how human connections with one other we can create a better future. if anything 5ds is such a meaningful series that tends to be ignore by certain people because of the yugioh on motorcycles, which riding duels are awesome and will debate anyone on why. also to add would love for konami to print speed spell and speed world 1 and 2 to duel with, that introduce really cool dynamics by making you really more on trap and monster that the use of spell as they requiere speed counter. also this vid earn you a sub, keep up this amazing work.
I respect Yusei as a character and liked his dragons as soon as I saw them (for me, a person that started playing online with the hope of summoning Cyber End Dragon) what had an impact on me was how his dragon chose the road of sacrifice as a starting path,but then evolved to a more powerful creature,that overcomes trouble alone or with his comrades without any need of sacrifice it started believing in,and rather becoming a reflection of what I think, the own dragon lived throught the series too
I love how u compared shirou and yusei and shirou is my fav mc after I've read the vn there are both very similar yusei having guilt for his father research and shirou guilt for surviving a fire where others died and can't even live with himself without making himself feel wrong for even living
My understanding of Shirou is honestly what made me look so much more at Yusei as a character. Both are brilliant and are in my Top 10 protagonists ever!
As yusei is my favorite character I thought this video was amazing I think I finally understand yusei at lot more then I did before I also like how u brought the effects reflecting the characters that's one thing I noticed a while ago which even made stardust my favorite monster but maybe the reason I will so strongly about yusei is bc I can see myself in him alot
![KSI - Dirty [Official Visualiser]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VoDh1h1dPUE/mqdefault.jpg)
What surprises me is Yusei's desire to move forward away from sadness and not let it engulf him like the other protagonists in the series. This trait of his really shocks me since it's very rare in most protagonists.
Wait, so Yusei is a self-sacrificing individual who wants to protect his friends, feels massively guilty about a past destructive event, and is also a survivor?
Holy shoot, so that's not only why Stardust tributes itself to activate its effect, but also why it prevents destruction effects and returns during the end phase. Now that's brilliant card design
Edit: I am so glad you broke down Red Dragon Archfiend and Stardust's effects. While these effects are janky, the reasonings behind them are amazing
When I started realizing that stuff too I was ABSOLUTELY MINDBLOWN as well! Just proves how 5D's truly cared about its cards both from a narrative and symbolic level so consisteintly throughout its stretch! Such an amazing aspect of the story that doesn't get talked about nearly enough!
Black rose as well explains the self-destructive nature early Aki had during the time she was conflicted with her powers. Life stream and ancient fairy dragon are way more subjective, but I like to interpret life stream as Leo's will to protect those around him (especially Luna) from any harm and Ancient Fairy as Luna leaving her own world of fantasies and waking up to reality (hence why it pops field spells) and how her power isn't meant to fight but rather to protect those around her (which is why it summons a monster in exchange for the battle phase). I feel like Armor master is a way more fitting boss for crow than Dragon but you can interpret it as you wish
@@juksleo6257 also Jack Red Dragon Archfiend destroying all those, that are not powerful enough or dont help him to be powerful.
Yeah, each signer dragon represents the signers, Yusei for what you said, Akiza/Aki for when she was the Black Rose Witch, Jack for is power plays and his old ways, Crow with his recklessness, Luna she's the youngest and ancient fairy is the weakest in terms of attack and Leo for how much he developed from when he started the show
@@varisrevolver4061 I would say BWD stands more for Crow taking the hits for the group of children.
The fact that this doesn't have millions of views is a crime. This is possibly the single best video About anything Yugioh related I have ever seen
Thank you so much!
Indeed
I have to agree. I resonate with Yusei to an extent, and hearing this man's words made my heart skip, and my eyes cry tears. This is an essay that dives into one character's ultimate story and ultimate telling of said story. Take flight and shine, just as Stardust Dragon.
The writing in this show has no business being as amazing as it is. Such a hidden gem, and on top of everything in this video, there are so many other phenomenal character arcs with completely different angles. Aki for instance...
"Dying for someone or something is easy, compared to living for someone or something"
- Me, just 5 seconds ago
cooking
Yusei is still my fav protagonist in Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. Mature, calm and his personality is just too good.
He is living embodiment of self-sacrifice: just like his ace monster stardust dragon.
What about yusaku?
@@themoonlitduelist7395 the wish/budget version of that, they tried to copy Yusei, but failed in the small details.
@@lisaruhm6681 Honestly I don't think yusaku and yusei are that much similar at all beyond the surface level
@@Goldfire345 yep, I feel like they tried to copy Yusei but didnt managed too, and missed some parts.
@@lisaruhm6681 and i feel that assessment is wrong especially when you take how they develop through their respective series.
The symbolism in monster effects continued even after 5D's end with the release of Ruddy Rose Dragon in 2021. While Black Rose Dragon represents Aki's state when she was first introduced - an emotionally wounded young woman lashing out at the world - Ruddy Rose Dragon represents her after her character development.
Ruddy Rose Dragon is a Level 10 Fire Attribute Dragon type Synchro monster with 3200 ATK, 2400 DEF, and generic summoning conditions. When Synchro Summoned, Ruddy Rose Dragon can banish everything from both graveyards, then, if it was summoned using Black Rose Dragon or a Plant type Synchro monster as material, it can destroy all OTHER cards on the field. This change from Black Rose Dragon's board wipe isn't just power creep; Aki had been getting better at controlling her powers even as they grow stronger and is no longer a danger to herself, so naturally Ruddy Rose no longer blows itself up to reflect that. Instead of the additional offensive effect of BRD, Ruddy Rose instead opts to take a Stardust-esque defensive effect; When an effect is activated that would destroy a card(s), Ruddy Rose Dragon can tribute itself, negate that effect, and then summon a Black Rose Dragon from the graveyard or extra deck. The impact Yusei has had on Aki's life cannot be understated, and the fact that Ruddy Rose Dragon has a variant of Stardust Dragon's effect indicates just how much of an influence he is on her. Or it's just a nod to that pairing basically becoming canon with Aki stopping just short of confessing and Yusei not only seeming to catch on, but reciprocate at the end of the series.
I see it's ability to banish the GYs as it severing itself from it's past as well. Worth noting that it loses it's sadistic binding attack in exchange for Victim Sanctuary as well, retaining only Aki's determination combined with Yusei's self-sacrificing kindness which twice saved her
I've always considered Yugioh 5ds to be the peak of the franchise, I can also say that this review is top notch the most accurate description of 5d's🏍
Thank you!
Z-One didn’t secretly hope to be oposed. He quite openly gave Yusei the tools to oppose him and Yusei even realises what he’s done. It’s not contradictory. It’s having two ways of solving the problem completely and hoping he won’t have to pick the one where everyone dies. And playing the badguy because that is the only way Yusei will grow past himself and do what Z-One couldn’t.
There's also the fact that he was of two minds of how to fix things, both taking the extremist route as well as holding out hope his hero would blow past him, reflecting his friends' names in action if not his own name: Paradox is obvious (reflected in trying to destroy the past while relying on it), Aporia is the same regarding equal yet conflicting premises (hatred of humanity but loving it), and antinomy is the conflict and incompatibility between two laws (Having to be both the means to power the Ark Cradle, yet also being the means to empower his friends). Z-One was a paradox in his own actions.
I always thought it was Z-One challenging Yusei to be better than what he couldn’t provide in the future, despite already being described as a legendary figure. I do think the idea of Z-One taking on Yusei’s identity while forsaking his and revealing this to Yusei himself was probably the push he needed to listen and think about any kind of action he takes will affect the future (BBT also shows this in some form with Paradox). The concept, however, does make me frustrated since this came across as a potential idea that in the future, Yusei went to extreme measures after not being being able to save everyone.
It plays around with different ways you can visualize it, so even if 5D’s chose to go a safe route, it gave Yusei an opportunity to grow even more.
Not sure if it means as much, but we see some retroactive characterization in the mobile game Duel Links. When Z-One, antinomy, etc. Interact with each other, they clearly agree that there are multiple potential solutions and have each resolved themselves to pursue their attempts even if it goes against the others'. In a way, it shows how they are open minded and closed minded at the same time
@@jaymiechanZ-ONE's name is an oxymoron too. Zero-One.
This is such an amazing video!
Also, fun fact, Yuusei in Japanese means “Comet” or a shooting star, which is something that in most cultures is a sign to make a wish for the future. And comets show their signature bright tail due to it burning in Earth’s atmosphere and gets dissolved. In other words, a star that sacrifices itself for other’s wish for a better future. Kind of a reverse Ikarus where the sun came too closed to the Earth and gets burnt out (in a poetic way)
This is beautiful! Thank you so much for this comment!
Huh I never noticed that on Cosmic Blazar and Shooting Quasar, a minor thing to note is that quasar unlike Blazar is now Light instead of wind like stardust and shooting to show that Yusei had become the light that guided the way
Man 🥺
I love Yusei so much.
It also reflects in the means to summoning it, Over Top Clear Mind. As we know Clear Mind involves the user mentality void of burden and negativity while running at top speed as their monster(s) follows in their Slipstream guiding the way to a Door of evolutionary posibilities aka Accel Synchro. Now that Yusei has achieved the peak state of Clear Mind (OTCM) he now glows and turns Golden as a direct correspondence to "Become the Path its Light Shines upon" guiding the way to Limit Over Accel Synchro.
Its Exquisite Writing
@@SiNKarnage not to mention, the synchro monsters are evolutions of Duel Monsters, and the color scheme of the card being, 'white', is symbolic to how light is formed.
Damn. I liked yusei from the start but know i feel like he's the best protagonists in the entire yugioh series. I wish all yugioh protagonists where as well wry as him
Glad I was able to bring some light to one of my favorites!
I had him as the best for 10 years but now Judai has grown on me.
Juudai will forever be best boy but Yuusei is damn close.
Yusei definitely takes the goat title. He wasn't a spoiled kid and worked his ass off to get to the top.
Yusei is my personal favorite, but I think Yusaku is a close second
The fact that jack drops yusei deck on the floor like it was trash says how much respect he lost for yusei
Man you did not miss a single thing, even bringing up the duality of quasar and blazar. I also did some more digging and noticed that blazar shares its three effects with the T.G. accel synchros, with halberd cannon negating summons, shooting star expansion negating battles as well as it and blade blaster negating monster and spell/trap effects respectively, which to me signals the bond Z-one had with Antinomy, and how while halberd cannon required no sacrifice to negate summons, Antinomy sacrificed himself for Yusei, creating yet another duality.
Top-notch editing, soundtrack choices, commentary and analysis!
Oh damn! Some great analysis there! Never thought about that ! Thanks for the kind words!
I am amazed it took so long for this masterpiece to wind up in my recommended. 5ds is my favorite of the series by far (Sub of course), such amazing characters. You explained all this extremely well and pointed out things even I didn't pick up on. Like the monster effects.
The music in this series is also awesome. My favorite being Yusei's original duel theme before he got Stardust. It starts off chill with guitar riffs, what sounds like an accordion, and then a 2nd guitar that build up into a fast pace that strides until the finale where the main part of it is the drums and guitar slowing down.
Unfortunate since it's all of a sudden become super hard to find on RUclips. Then there are the opening songs, the only one I can really say I like less is 4th one. 2 and 3 are my favorites, and 1 and 5 are absolute bops. (as they are entire songs outside of the opening intro's, if you didn't know.)
Sorry for going on that for so long. Amazing video, I'm gonna need to rewatch this series soon.
I had never before heard of you until seeing this video, but it has convinced me to subscribe. The amount of effort, passion, and understanding of this show and its characters put into this video is worth recognition. Growing up, I found myself relating to Yusei in many ways. But especially in how he put the value of others before himself, almost instinctively, time and time again. To the point where it soon became clear that he was forgetting about his own self worth. His journey to find that value in himself, learning to stand alongside others rather than giving himself up, that resonated with me as a kid and it still does now.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I am beyond humbled! Genuinely thank you so very much!
I haven't heard of this channel until now either. It's good to see 5Ds praise even though it's the best series IMO and people seem to sleep on yusei as a protagonist. I'm to actually find a video that's covers this topic to such an amazing degree. Btw, you've also earned another subscriber.
@@1000tlt Thank you so much!
I agree for me Yu-gi-oh 5ds is my favorite yu-gi-oh series ever. For rich and amazing characters and story.
Tbh I heard the opening line then glazed over this comment for a second and that's all I needed to subscribe haha
I actually loved antinomys or brunos dynamic as he helped yusei get back on track by teaching him clear mind. The clear mind sound track to this day is one of my fav ost from any anime. Amazing vid mate keep em comming!!
CLEAR MIND! BE BORN SHOOTING STAR DRAGON! Thanks for the support!
Yeah, i feel their dynamic seems to be kinda overlooked, probably because he's not the rival character and wasn't really an active duelist for plot reason. In some way he's arguably also Yusei's closest friend and fill the spot that Jack and Crow couldn't fill because they shares similar hobby of modifying D-Wheel. It's down to the point of him teaching Accel Synchro, and his death was one of Yusei's most emotional moment in the whole series.
It's pretty cool that you managed to talk about this for 47 minutes, respect.
This is by far one of the best analysis videos regarding 5D’s I have seen. Your reasoning while opinionated really did resonate with me. You were able to find not only the flaws and makings of these characters but their humanity that ties it together.
I also loved your words for your ending to this video. You’ve really given me a lot to think about now when it comes to the bonds of friends, family, and those we carry with us.
Can’t wait for your next video. Till next time. Riding Duel! Acceleration!!!
Thank you incredibly much!
Agreed. I legit felt meh towards Yusei until this vid, now he's top 3. That stuff with Crow and Jack was thought provoking as well. I can't wait to see him cover Lua, Jack, Aporia, and Z-One.
It is lovely that Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is getting the love it deserves!
Personally, I had always enjoyed Yusei, his maturity, understanding towards others, not to mention his duels, the situational cards he uses part of the fun. I haven't shared the discontent of many over the fact he never loses, since not only are his duels fun, but the opponents are also formidable and place him in predicaments it is frequently entertaining to see how he overcomes. Besides that, he is not invincible: his first duel with Kiryu, even with the bike braking, would have been a loss for him; additionally, despite his skillful plays, his victory over Team Unicorn was not guaranteed, but rather happened due to Jean's inner turmoil and, as a result, the spur of the moment (personally, this is among my favourite duels).
Well backed-up exploration of his character and the editing is lovely as well, loved you linked character quotes with imagery from the show to further elaborate on it visually. It has definitely changed how I perceive Yusei. The passion that has went into it shines through indeed, my subscription and my looking forward to more of your work becoming a path its light shines upon! Great work!
The Yu-Gi-Oh anime as a whole is quite interesting to me, as it is an incredibly effective commercial that contains not just spectacle, but fun characters, often interesting stories or something deeper to think about too. I feel that the theme of bonds/connections, which you brought up here, is nicely explored in Zexal, a series that also needs more love. In the case of Zexal it is apparent how the connections Yuma makes with others help him both become a better duelist and mature. Despite their differences in character, many characters also end up benefiting internally from their interactions with Yuma, from Shark to villains such as Tron. Thus, I feel the way Zexal handles the theme of friendship and connections comes off really natural and conveys how meaningful interactions with others can transcend the great differences in our personalities and be mutual beneficial. In short, interactions and bonds are really helpful and enriching for both sides, at least that is interpreted Zexal. Thus, it kind of complements 5Ds.
I do wonder if videos on the other Yu-Gi-Oh! series are planned, cause there are interesting things in all of them. Once again, great essay!
Well worded stuff! Thanks for the support
Tbh, all Yu-gi-ohs are good. At least in concept, that is.(We all know how ArcV's second half ruined everything)
Yusei's meltdown in the Rudger rematch gets me every time.
That moment really caught me off guard 🥺
"ANSWER! Answer me, Rutger!"
"Nah 🗿"
That is honestly the best thing i've seen all year, and it will remain at that, i'll have you know that this video made me cry more than 5D's last episode, and man, holy shit, i've never felt something resonate within myself so much, thank you so much for this video, it really is one of my favourite things as now, and probably ever, (congratulations on having such a perspective that isn't resumed to "YusEI iS A gARy StT Cuz He NEvEr lOSes????" and also showing it to everyone else) you have a new loyal sub.
Your words are beyond humbling and almost tear-inducing. Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words! Yusei is a character who means the absolute world to me, and constantly seeing him be reduced to 'Gary Stu ha no lose duel" by so many people can honestly be frustrating at times ahaha! I'm happy that my thoughts on such an underrated character have reached so many people! And have touched you as much as they have! Hope you continue to enjoy what I produce be it Yu-Gi-Oh! or whatever else!
Okay that ending was a gutpunch i love so much, thanks for putting this into he world!!!
Putting it together was honestly even emotional for me, so to see someone else feel anything similar is incredible to see! Thank you so much for the kind words!
This is an absolute master piece especially for a first video can't wait to see where you go from here
Thank you so much!
That was one fire intro. That really hit deep, especially for me. 5ds praise, let's go!
Thank you so much!
Bravo dude this is possibly the best character analysis on Yusei that I've seen on this website 10/10 would watch again
Thank you so much!
Yusei is the type of character that transcends yugioh, and even anime in my opinion. He's like one of my favorite characters in fiction ever.
Same
Just found this when looking for random yugioh analysis and jesus fucking christ this probably the best yugioh analysis iv'e seen to this day the music, the editing everything is perfect anyone can see how much love you've put into this video
So yeah it's a really good analysis
Your words are humbling! Thank you so much! So glad my passion is so evident in this video!
A little bit late, but honestly your analysis made me realize the subtle things that make Yusei who he is. The parallels between him and other characters is something I did not pick up on until watching your video and it's spot on. Hope to see more analysis videos from ya
Thank you so much!
I’ve discovered you through this, and I’m so happy to see someone say the stuff I’m always saying
Glad to see someone else who agrees! Thanks for the comment and support! :D
@@StardustNobody Stardust/Junk have always been one of my favorite archetypes for so many reasons. They’re so fun yet uniquely cool. Also Synchros are just fun with how extremely different they are. But that aside, I’ve actually talked to someone about the poetic nuance behind 5Ds. It’s a similar experience to how I feel when people say Jiren in Dragon Ball is unoriginal and boring. I completely disagree on that because he’s a reflection. He is what Goku could have become easily during the King Piccolo arc, and is the result of losing the battle and having no dragon balls.
I found this video last year while looking for 5Ds content and i was very impressed with how you did the video. I always come back just to watch it. I have even referred it to friends who want to get into Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds. This video deserve more views that it gets. You did an amazing job on this video.
I just finished 5ds two days ago. This video was amazing and very accurate when describing Yusei's character or 5ds as a whole
Thanks for the words! Glad you enjoyed both this video and the series overall!
Duuuuuuude I am SO happy that somebody is making 5D's analysis videos, friggin love this series
YESSS! I have a few more in the works as well for the future! Glad you enjoyed!!
i god damn loved 5d's man!!! like to this day i still feel like synchro summoning is the best type of summoning. it is easy enough to do but also hard enough to make summoning one special like it is just perfect like a better version of fusion
This is the best video I've ever seen
Bravo, sir. This is one hell of a video. I love Yusei and 5Ds but damn, I appreciate it more after your video. Thank you!
Thank you so much! I am so glad to hear that!
Thank you for an amazing analysis of an amazing character. To me 5Ds is the best not only cuz Synchro monsters are amazing but because of the amazing characters and story elements in the show, and Yusei is one of the reasons for that. Maybe a full show analysis one day? One can hope! Thanks my friend.
Thank you so much for the kind words! An Analysis of the entire story may come one day, but for now I think I'd probably just be repeating a lot of the stuff I said here so it's not 100% in the cards at the moment! But thank you so much for the support!
Well, just now found you, and I must say very well done.
Love that you even stated the monster Stats and effects. Always loved that part in 5ds for some reason.
Such an underrated aspect of the series! Thanks for the kind words!
Wow really good in depth look at this show. It’s my favorite Yugioh series & on par with some of the best Anime of all time.
Thanks RUclips for finally recomending a good video
Ahaha! Thank you so much!
This is ridiculous how your video doesn’t have a million views, the way you articulate yourself and describe details of characters I failed to see is amazing I love the way you present your work and Chanel I’m a new subscriber thank you for this video I’ve always loved Yusei he helped me believe in myself a lot
Thank you so much! I am beyond flattered! Hope you enjoy the future content you see here :)
@@StardustNobody I’m confident I’ll enjoy it and I’m so grateful I had the pleasure to view this video please continue your work
Maybe the best video about yu gi oh i've ever see. That's why i love 5ds, this group of characters, their deck and their evolution we can see through their card (represent their user psychology and personality). I hope you will do more video about this license. Thank you
Thank you so much for the kind words!
this is the most accurate and specific 5Ds' video I have found on the internet. Your analysis was absolutely magnificent, I love this video, I love 5Ds.
What a banger of a video. Well done sir!
Thank you sir!!
I’m honestly upset I didn’t find this sooner. This video is a masterpiece, and you should absolutely feel proud of all the work you put into it. The link you made between Shirou Emiya and Yusei really helped me to understand the point you were trying to get across throughout the entire video. I hope you’ll continue to make amazing works such as this in the future.
Kinda makes you forget that this is represented through card games, sometimes on motorcycles.
Excellent content. Really great analysis! Hope we can see more characters soon, especially Aki, such a great character that was unfortunately wasted. Although, her relationship with Yusei is one of the much beautiful in the Yugioh franchise.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Even though I do love Aki, I'm not sure if a video on her is in the cards at the moment! But ya never know what could happen!
What an incredible analysis of my favorite Yu-Gi-Oh show, awesome work making me see the characters in a new way!
Thank you so much!
Phenomenal video! I never considered all the constant characteristics & connections that yusei & jack represent throughout the show. I was shocked that you even included their duel runners and ace cards as primary examples to your main points. Overall, well done!
Thanks so much!
I just watch an hour vid talking about ONE character and how he effects others which, in turn, effects him in some kind of weird, heart wrenching cycle.
Yusei is definitely THE Homie fr fr, Always would’ve sacrificed himself for others.
Gotta say, the finale with him saying how he wished he could ask all the signers to stay forever, AFTER we get a flash forward scene of the signers after their journey, was some of the best ways to send us off.
With the 2 duelists who start off 5D’s and give the first duel Yusei and Trudge.
Edit: never thought about this sooner, but that small inner monologue that ends the first episode of Yusei Vs Jack’s fortune cup duel, is genuinely a great moment. The guy was seriously so upset that he gave up EVERYTHING for that life but was probably just trying to cope and see his choice through and see it be proved right.
An amazing moment from the rival character, definitely puts Jack up there, above others (maybe Zane and Aster are close too)
Amazing analysis and so well executed! Love Yusei and 5d's as well! But goddamnit people when Z-one battle theme is on don't cut it out like that (another 5d's analysis that came out recently did the exact same thing cutting the ost at its very peak) :D
Ahaha sorry about the timing! But thank you for the kind words!
This is a beautiful analysis on YGO 5Ds, probably the best I've ever seen. The music choices, the clips... the words said, the explanations... it all reminded me why I loved 5Ds and why it's the best YGO series to date, and also my absolute favorite. Fucking Bravo.
Bruh this was just your first video!? You sure did a great job. I'll comment supporting the chanel. And i hope you get a 10 million sub
Thank you so much! Your words are humbling!
there will never be another yugioh as good as 5ds
I wonder if the anime writers made Stardust Dragon's effect, or if the writers wrote Yusei's arc after being given Stardust Dragon's effect by Konami.
This is so amazing and sums up all the characters so well not to mention this also shows us that no matter what true friends will always be there to help you no matter what and that sacrifice isn't always needed to get somewhere
Amazing video. I am glad I was able to find it. I'm sure everyone here can feel the passion you had for this project. Yusei has always been one of my favorite characters in anime and I always liked what he stood for. I try to emulate what he stands for and thanks to this video I have a much deeper understanding and much better appreciation. I can't wait to see your other videos as they come out.
Thank you so much!
Watt007 recommended this video to me and needless to say iit's a masterpiece
Edit : just finished it this is a beautiful video
Thank you so much!
Easily the best video you can find online about Yu-Gi-Oh. Finally someone that really grasps the beauty of 5ds without falling on mainstream statements. You just proved how 5ds is levels above the rest by far
As an American who only watched 5D’s dubbed, we got fucking robbed by 4kids. This is great.
4Kids robbed alot of our development by keeping us ignorant and greenhorned. Nowadays its acceptable cuz the franchise has gone a completely new direction becoming more childfriendly
Incredible video essay. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's - as an anime and era of the TCG - occurred at *exactly* the right time in my life (very beginning of middle school up through the end of 8th grade) and under the *exact* real-life socioeconomic conditions to capture my heart forever. I have no shame in admitting that I like 5D's much more than GX and consider its greatest episodes to equal DM's in quality.
Given that the Daedalus Bridge is named for the father of Icarus, I do heavily associate Icarus with 5Ds. There are a lot of people striving for a brighter future.
But yeah, good analysis!!!
It's definitely interesting to go into the way a character's ace represents the character. I will point out that this trait doesn't just encapsulate Yusei and Jack, but it encapsulates Aki as well. Black Rose Dragon's effect destroys everything on the field, itself included, when it hits the field. If Stardust represents Yusei's self-sacrificial traits, and Red Demon's represents Jack's willingness to sacrifice anything that can't keep up with him, then Black Rose represents Aki's *self-destructive* rage. She lashes out as a result of her own pain and rage, aiming to destroy anything and everything around her, which just so happens to include herself. She then falls completely on others in order to do anything else, with Aki usually using the effects of other cards entirely to bring Black Rose back... representing how overly-dependent she was on Divine to the point of breaking down completely when he wasn't around.
If Yugioh at the time actually gave a shit about female characters and gave a focus to Aki as the third main member of the group instead of Crow, it would've been nice to see further evolutions of Black Rose Dragon that would represent her growth as a character, hopefully in the direction of becoming independent and more of her own person with less of the self-destructive rage. (You could, however, argue that Blood Rose Dragon, which came out in 2021 iirc-and no, im not referring to it as it's localized name-kind of represents this? It banishes all cards in both graveyards, which you could say is being dependent on itself rather than the effects of other cards, destroys all other cards *but* not itself this time, and has an effect remarkably similar to Stardust Dragon's effect in negating a destruction effect and then summoning back Black Rose... but eh, could be better. Doesn't help that they didn't actually do anything like this with Aki afterwards, so oh well)
Aki’s still a really great character in the second half tbh, I’ve never been of the opinion she falls off
But thanks for the comment anyways! Love your interpretations on Blood Rose :)
@@StardustNobody Agree to disagree, since she only really gets her moment in the second half when she's learning how to be a Riding Duelist, and is otherwise quite literally the Benchwarmer of the group (to the point where they have even labeled her both in the opening and in official material later as the Benchwarmer)... but otherwise, nice to see that my interpretation got noticed! Thanks for the acknowledgement.
i always thought yusei was a boring protagonist.
nah, after a decade, i think you've sold me on your viewpoint. good video!
You love to see it! Glad you enjoyed!
You FOOOOOOOOOLISH Samurai, its about time you give way to the Verity
@@SiNKarnage huh?
Perfectly done video! A real master piece! Never noticed a lot of the connections with the characters and their Ace monsters. Very well well done! Learned a ton. I don’t entirely agree that he is the best protagonist I can 100% but your reasoning and either way he’s definitely Top 3 Protagonist!
I would love to see you analyze other protagonist too, but I don’t want you to feel tied to doing that. I can feel you did this because of your love and passion for Yusei and 5DS. I feel you brother 👊🏻
Hoe you feel about Yusei is going I feel about Yuma and Zexal. ☺️
I agree. He's not the best character even tho he's my favorite character but he's definitely top 3 in my book. This video completely changed my previous thoughts about Yusei Fudo as a character. I thought of him as this perfect character but watching this and remembering the series of 5Ds, he is far from perfect, he's flawed and his growth is definitely evident.
Thank you so much! Absolutely humbling words! Glad I was able to expand some horizons on a character so precious to me!
While as you said, this video definitely came from how passionate I am about specifically 5D's as a narrative. A Judai analysis is a very real possibility in the future! While I don't love him as much as Yusei, he is still undeniably phenomenal and has an undeniable amount of depth and meat to his character just waiting to be analyzed!
@@StardustNobody Well the passion shows! Keep up the great work!
A Judai one would be very cool to see for sure! But no pressure!
Out of all languages, you decide to speak facts.
Let's goooooooo best protag Sheeeeesh
SHEEEEEESH
Really great analysis. I’ve always known that Jack and Yusei had amazing symbolism along with an excellent dynamic but I’ve never seen anyone go so in-depth on it before.
Also raised my opinion on Godwin a lot as well. 5D’s is definitely one of my favourite series in anime and manga.
10:29 - 10:50 = I always did think that was rather odd, yet cool.
Brilliant video. There's quite a lot that I didn't even think about. I've always liked Yusei, but I've drank the Kool-Aid that views him as too perfect. I've gotten a new appreciation for him.
Glad to to hear!
very beautiful video.
well done!!!
Great Video! Hopefully this gets more views
Thanks for the kind support!
Man didn’t miss a thing except for one ☝🏻 character and that is Akiza
Ahaha, I do like Aki but not as much as the stuff talked about in more depth here. Did try and mention her a little in the first section though!
This video is one of the best video analyses I've seen. I loved seeing you give words to what I've felt while watching 5Ds. Makes me want to rewatch the series even.
Will you ever do something similar for the other Yu-Gi-Oh spinoffs?
Thank you for the kind words! I could potentially see myself doing something on the other series! GX is the most likely!
Im so late to this but I recently just finish Yugioh 5ds in sub and it was amazing and I love this analysis video.
Glad you loved 5Ds! Thanks for the support
I miss Yugioh 5Ds. I wish they made more seasons of it. I love and hate how Yugioh gets us invested in these characters and then just moves on to the next story
To be fair the sub had like 6 seasons the dub is only 2 seasons
The pacing was a bit fast
Nah they left off on Great note anymore seasons would lead to more demand of it, undoubtedly exhausting and tarnishing its writing.
This was a really good video analysis on Yusei. Great job!
Thank you!
@@StardustNobody You’re welcome.
Awesome job, StardustNobody. This is one of the best character analysis videos that I have ever seen, on RUclips. In This video, every part of Yusei's personality was explained in a proper manner and I loved that the original Japanese version of 5D's was used instead of the English dub, because it had kind of ruined the show for a good portion of the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom. I hope that this video can help convince more people to watch Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's.
Great video. I easily find 5Ds to have the most profound impact on me, so I'm glad you made this.
Awesome video, definitely liking and subbing!
Yusei is still my favourite main character in yugioh)
LONG LIVE YUSEI!
yusie will always be my fav yu gioh character and his deck is always something iwant to play ,or atleast a version of it,
Literally the best character analyzes video I’ve ever watched
What an amazing video, man. I love 5Ds, but Really, it extracted feelings from me I didn't even know I had.
This guy's a true man of culture, awesome analysis! 💯🔥
I also find it kinda funny that Yusei is one of the few Yugioh Protags that didnt have an edgy/kinda evil phase.
Atem in the beginning/season 0, his duelist kingdom duel with Kaiba and his mistake during the Atlantis arc.
Jaden has the Supreme King of Darkness
Yuma and Astral had Dark-Zexal
Yuya's whole story with Zarc.
Up until Vrains Yusei was the only protag to not walk down a dark path in the slightest.
Recalling this now, it's hard to imagine how his VA voiced such a compelling character but he's a massive dork IRL.
Man, I really appreciate your insight on how each character connects to one another in some way, shape or form, (Yusei especially) all the while expanding how a decision that an individual makes for their future can affect others, like Jack for instance. Even if 5D’s had flaws (plans changing abruptly midway) and I will readily admit that, I do think that the showrunners behind it definitely did the best they could with bringing out a story that was not only interesting, but relatable with actual social issues, and even silly in mixing card games with motorcycle races as well LOL.
Even if 5D’s did fall off slightly in the middle and had a different set-up with villains we thought were totally the opposite from what we’ve seen in the Fortune Cup and Dark Signers arcs, I personally see it as a build-up towards the Ark Cradle arc, and it was a nice change of pace to see how everyone settled following the Dark Signers battle and their internal struggles and desires that came with it. In some aspects, I can understand why people would see Yusei as a character who’s too perfect, but then again, most of 5D’s focused on high tension, high risk duels that determined the fate of the world, so it wasn’t like he could lose badly. The amount of sacrifices Yusei made throughout the first two seasons - willing to sacrifice his first D-Wheel and Ace monster for the life of a friend, his freedom and identity upon being arrested, blackmailed into a tournament for the safety of his friends in Satellite, his health and well-being while dueling a former deceased friend from the old days and helping someone else realize she’s not alone and taking on damages while recovering from an injury, among others is nothing short of inspiring and heartbreaking. Someone give my man Yusei an F for respect.
I do like the concept behind the entire project that, despite him having an almost perfect dueling record, the purpose of his character is to connect with others in way that makes them stand out stronger than they had in the beginning, even Aki who’s had a less than great handling of her development following Dark Signers. It’s especially interesting when you brought up Z-One who had good intentions, but turned to desperate reasons because of how his future turned out. It’s reasons like this that make me love 5D’s more as a series. Thanks so much for this much-needed analysis on this amazing character and series as a whole. ❤
Thank you so much for such a beautifully insightful comment! I'm so glad this analysis connected with you! I have some further ones planned in the future, so hope you'll stick around for my future 5D's content as well!
@@StardustNobody With how well you analyzed this character and his connection to others that drive the plot of the show, I can’t wait to see what you have in store for future videos. You come across as very observant, thoughtful, and well articulate in your points. I’m excited to see whatever you have planned.
Stardust Dragon is basically the Jesus Dragon:
It dies to save others, and then resurrects itself.
Thank you for this awesome video
Thank you for this awesome comment!
Plz make more 5D's character analyses!!
(specifcally Lua lol)
But I'd love to watch one for Jack and Aki too
Absolutely a possibility in the future! Rua is one of my favorite characters of all time, so he’d definitely be high up on the list of people I’d want to cover
@@StardustNobody aw yeah sick 👀
Hes my absolute favorite in the series. 5Ds really needs more love these days.
Awesome video dude thanks for replying
I may be late to the party... but man... as someone who tries to live to the ideals that Yusei does... giving what i can to others, anyways... and with Stardust Dragon being the first ever Synchro Monster i got my hands on as a kid... i feel like i share that much more of a connection with Stardust and Yusei... so... just... wow... this was incredibly mind blowing and revealing... kinda gave me a little to think about on my own personality and individuality... thanks for making this video and sharing it with us... and cuz im a filthy dub watcher lol.... Let's REV IT UP!!!
yes, finally someone that actually understands yusei, all of the analysis of him are just so shallow, all i hear is he is cool, or he is just a mary sue, but his is an understanding of who yusei fudo is, and why he is the best protagonist in yugioh, also why yugioh 5ds is the best yugioh series. also have to give credit to all of the themes in 5ds tackles gracefully, from discrimination, class division and segregation, how the past affects the present and how the future is influence by our present and how human connections with one other we can create a better future. if anything 5ds is such a meaningful series that tends to be ignore by certain people because of the yugioh on motorcycles, which riding duels are awesome and will debate anyone on why.
also to add would love for konami to print speed spell and speed world 1 and 2 to duel with, that introduce really cool dynamics by making you really more on trap and monster that the use of spell as they requiere speed counter.
also this vid earn you a sub, keep up this amazing work.
Glad you enjoyed my takes on Yusei so much!
Honestly I always saw Yusei as the best character in the franchise and it’s a shame not many other else giving this video more views
honestly a great documentary on yusei very great background audio
This video was fantastic
Thank you so much!
I respect Yusei as a character and liked his dragons as soon as I saw them (for me, a person that started playing online with the hope of summoning Cyber End Dragon) what had an impact on me was how his dragon chose the road of sacrifice as a starting path,but then evolved to a more powerful creature,that overcomes trouble alone or with his comrades without any need of sacrifice it started believing in,and rather becoming a reflection of what I think, the own dragon lived throught the series too
I love how u compared shirou and yusei and shirou is my fav mc after I've read the vn there are both very similar yusei having guilt for his father research and shirou guilt for surviving a fire where others died and can't even live with himself without making himself feel wrong for even living
My understanding of Shirou is honestly what made me look so much more at Yusei as a character. Both are brilliant and are in my Top 10 protagonists ever!
As yusei is my favorite character I thought this video was amazing I think I finally understand yusei at lot more then I did before I also like how u brought the effects reflecting the characters that's one thing I noticed a while ago which even made stardust my favorite monster but maybe the reason I will so strongly about yusei is bc I can see myself in him alot
5Ds was the best seasons I've watched. Also Synchro summoning became my staple summoning to use in dueling.