Yu-Gi-Oh - Merchandise
Yu-Gi-Oh is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time and has sparked numerous spin-off shows since the initial manga series by Kazuki Takahashi that ran in 1996 and anime series that aired in both 1998 and 2000 respectively. Because of this, a wealth of merchandise has been made to commemorate the series, including cosplay outfits, duel disks, accessories, figurines, Funko Pop and more. The fast food chain Burger King even released now sought after Yu-Gi-Oh toys in their kid’s meals in the early 2000s. Of course, the trading card game that was produced and distributed by Konami is still what holds the largest value in regards to Yu-Gi-Oh merchandise. As 2016 saw the 20th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh manga series and 2020 is the 20th anniversary of the first anime series, plenty of celebratory merchandise has hit the market. These items take a variety of different forms, from hats, to art books, pins, and much more.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Sublimated Bill Snapback
This snapback hat is created by Bioworld Merchandising and has a maximum diameter of 22.8’’ (58cm), so it is one-size-fits-most. It is made of an acrylic wool blend. The crown of the cap is black and the bill features a sublimation printed image of the iconic monster, Dark Magician, Yugi Muto’s favorite monster.
In the image, the Dark Magician is wielding his staff in a dynamic pose. The background of the image is a complimentary purple with eye-catching lightning bolts. The print quality of the image is great, and the Dark Magician is clearly visible, even from several steps away. The design of the cap also means that the eye-catching image can be seen when worn in multiple ways.
The snapbacks’ purple bill also perfectly contrasts with the black crown of the hat, which prominently features the original Duel Monsters logo on the two front panels. The logo is fully embroidered instead of sublimation printed, which gives added texture and dimension to the hat. It also gives the hat a quality feel as the contrasting red and gold pop against one another.
The snapbacks’ eyelets are black, but the rest of the hat, including the top button and adjustable fastening, is purple to compliment the design on the bill.
- Manufacturer: Bioworld Merchandising
- Sizing: one size fits most
- Size: 58 cm | 22.8"
- Material: acrylic wool
Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG 20th Anniversary Monster Art Box
The Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG 20th Anniversary Monster Art Box is a Japanese collector’s item published by Shueisha. 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh animated TV series as well as the OCG, or Official Card Game. OCG refers to the trading cards that were produced for the Japanese market and often feature different art or even entirely different characters than the Western TCG (Trading Card Game). This set of books compiles over 800 pages of artwork, including those produced by creator Kazuki Takahashi. The Art Box features some production imagery never seen before by the general public as well.
For many Westerners, this will also be their first time seeing the artwork for OCG cards, which inspired their more familiar TCG counterparts. The Art Box features over 9600 pieces of original artwork for the card game alone. The 20th Anniversary Monster Art Box comes with three artbooks and one “20th Secret Rare” card. This special card is an OCG card identified by its red holographic monster name and unique holo-foiling.
- Publisher: Shueisha
- Publication Date: Nov. 20, 2019
- Number of Pages: 800
- Language: Japanese
Classic Monsters 4-Piece Pin Set | Yu-Gi-Oh!
This set of four pins manufactured by Neca is the ultimate Yu-Gi-Oh nostalgia trip. The set features artwork that was used for the original release of trading cards, as opposed to the reworked illustrations for the animated series. This is most apparent in the fourth pin; Kuriboh. This can be seen in the character’s simplified design, as the hands are one solid color, as opposed to green with yellow claws. Its fur also has a marked purple tinge, whereas later representations of Kuriboh have warm brown fur.
The other characters featured in this set are Yugi Muto’s favorite monsters, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, as well as Kaiba’s beloved Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The differences in the coloration of the Dark Magician also largely differ from those seen in Yugi’s card in the animated series. The design of the Dark Magician in this pin set more closely matches the one owned by Arcana (Pandora), a minor antagonist in the second series of Yu-Gi-Oh. The character became a fan-favorite and made a cameo in the fourth series. The background of each pin also mirrors the artwork seen on the original cards and frames each character perfectly so that they stand out when worn on a jacket, backpack, or pin display.
- Manufacturer: Neca
- Specifications: set of 4 pins
- Size: each approx. 1.3 in
About Yu-Gi-Oh
The original series of Yu-Gi-Oh features the adventures of high school student Yugi Muto as he battles in a card-game tournament held by antagonist Maximillian Pegasus (known as Pegasus J. Crawford in the Japanese Anime) with the end goal of rescuing his grandfather. He is aided on his quest by his friends, most notably Joey Wheeler (Katsuya Jonouchi), alongside the mysterious unknown entity found within the Millenium Puzzle, which Yugi’s grandfather gave him.
The spirit inside the Puzzle is a Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, who is quite skilled at Duel Monsters. The game of Duel Monsters requires both players to summon monsters from trading cards. Some of the most popular monsters such as Kuriboh, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Dark Magician, and Dark Magician Girl also commonly featured on merchandise alongside popular characters like Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba, and Joey Wheeler.
Links
Yu-Gi-Oh! Sublimated Bill Snapback
Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG 20th Anniversary Monster Art Box
Classic Monsters 4-Piece Pin Set | Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh Funko Pop
Yu-Gi-Oh Label