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遊☆戯☆王GX [Yu-Gi-Oh! GX] #1

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Vol. 1: Welcome to Duel Academy!

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Years after Yugi's legendary battles, the game is so popular that special institutions dedicated to the art of the Duel have sprung up all over the world. Join Jaden Yuki and his pals at the Academy for the adventures of the next generation of Yu-Gi-Oh!

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2006

39 people are currently reading
571 people want to read

About the author

Kazuki Takahashi

293 books240 followers
Takahashi (高橋和希) started as a mangaka in 1982. His first work was Tokiō no Tsuma (闘輝王の鷹), published in 1990. One of his earliest works was Tennenshokudanji Buray (天然色男児BURAY), which lasted for two volumes and was published from 1991 to 1992. Takahashi did not find success until 1996 when he created Yu-Gi-Oh!

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5 stars
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176 (29%)
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114 (19%)
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38 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Chelsea.
2,100 reviews63 followers
June 27, 2020
I have never watched the GX anime, so going into this one with only the knowledge of the original Yugioh series.
This sequel series takes place years after the gang separated the Pharoh from Yugi...instead, focuses on Jaden Yuki, a student at the Duel Academy. The Academy is broken into 3 dorms, the powerhouse Obelisk Blue Dorm, the book smart Yellow Ra Dorm, and the trouble-making Red Slifer Dorm. Jaden is a Red. But Jaden wants to be the next King of Duelists so although he's deemed a slacker in school he wins every duel he is in. He plays with Elemental Heroes and seems to have a solid strategy that relies rather heavily on the Heart of the Cards. He even warms the GX version of Kaiba, a Blue named Chazz who had buried his best card. This series also claims that there are a few cards that have "souls" and of course Chazz has one and Jaden has one.

This was kind of a cute introduction. I like the characters, Alexis in particular is not a girly-girl, instead just wants to be known as a Duelist instead of just a girl. Bastian is kind of the Honda character, very goofy but also a bit of brawn. I like the gender ambiguous Dr. Crowler although their motivation for kicking Syrus and Jaden out is also fairly vague. I thought this volume could have been stronger with a cohesive plot, instead each chapter was its own storyline that was seeming unconnected other than establishing friendships. And while we know Yugi would always pull some ex-machina card to win the duel in an extravagant fashion, Jaden literally plays the same cards in basically the same order every duel and somehow still manages to win. At least Yugi had different support for his Dark Magician trick.

I'm hoping the next volume gives some more solid story because I do enjoy the characters so far. And I know the GX anime is some of my friends favorite in the Yugioh franchise. We'll see!
126 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2020
A very good story that differs from the anime in multiple ways which I love
Profile Image for Barbara C.
86 reviews2 followers
July 13, 2013
Yu-Gi-Oh!: GX, Volume 1. Written and illustrated by Naoyuki Kageyama. Original concept by Kazuki Takahashi. VIZ Media, 2007. 224 pages.

Genre: Graphic novel
Recommended age level: Intermediate (8-10 years)
Series information: #1 in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX series
Subjects and themes: manga, Japanese comics, courage

At Duel Academy, Jaden is considered to be a slacker and is a member of the lowest-level dorm, Slifer Red. By battling both teachers and students, he attempts to prove himself as a great duelist.

Having previously taught at a junior high school where many of my students were obsessed with this series (and similar ones), I felt drawn to reading it to see what all the fuss was about. Maybe you already have to be an anime or manga fan to "get it," because I just didn't. I really, really didn't.

The constant battle scenes, which are just characters throwing down cards and yelling directions with alternatingly angry or surprised looks, became so painfully redundant and confusing that I couldn't read fast enough for them to be over. The storyline is hopelessly dull, with Jaden effortlessly and seemingly magically winning every duel that comes his way. And frankly, I just couldn't get past nearly every sentence ending with multiple exclamation marks!! It's too intense!! And really not that exciting to be deserving of so many exclamation marks!!

On the other hand, picking up this graphic novel inspired me to learn about the difference between anime and manga, as well as the original Japanese formatting (meant to be read from right to left, starting in the upper-right corner). That difference in itself would be enough to excite some young readers into giving this series a chance.

So, unfortunately, I have not developed a hidden appreciation for manga. At all. Although I'm glad to have experienced it, and will continue to appreciate its ability to get many young people reading.
Profile Image for Дени ★ Проданова .
504 reviews10 followers
February 20, 2016
Като бях малка и като излезе GX, твърдо и упорито бях решила да не го гледам. Все пак, какво е Ю-Ги-О! без Юги? Ами разбрах какво е - боза. Доста инфантилно започва (и това идващо от човек като мен...) поредицата и определено не заслужава да й се обърне кой знае какво внимание. Но от друга страна, и по-лоши неща съм чела. Предполагам, че няма да се подобри нито сюжета, нито арта (който между другото е потресаващо лош), нито героите ще се развият кой знае колко, но все пак ще дочета и другите томчета.
Profile Image for Emily Green.
595 reviews23 followers
August 2, 2023
Thank you to Multnomah County Library, who made Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Volume 1: A New Hero!! available for the public to check out.

Allow me to be frank: I do not understand the appeal of collectible card games (CCG) or the comics based on CCGs. I do not mean this as a criticism of those who play CCGs or of the comic books, I am coming from a place of lack of knowledge. My younger brothers played Pokemon for years and I had many friends who were devoted to Magic the Gathering. Myself, not so much. However, seeing as how many people I respect and love are drawn to CCGs, there must be something to them.

The next logical question would be: why am I reading a book from a genre I don’t care for? Why pick it up? Why not put it down? Don’t I have a DNF pile? All good questions.

Several years ago, I had a student who did not like to read. This student struggled to finish reading assignments, even the ones that most students love. I decided that I needed to find a book that they might enjoy, and since I knew they liked CCGs and had at a younger age watched some of the cartoons, I wanted to try some of the comic books myself and see if I might be able to figure out one that would make a good buddy read for us. Due to circumstances beyond either of our control, it did not work out. However, among the books I took from the library was Yu-Gi-Oh! GX V. 1: A New Hero. I began reading it a loooong time ago, a good chunk aloud to my interested daughter. She sat and listened, looked at the pictures, and did not ask any questions, so I am not sure how much she got out of it, but over several days we read a good portion of the book. And then she got interested in other things and it became buried in my passively reading pile.

Almost every book I start, I finish, whether I like it or not. It might take me years to finish reading it, but I finish reading it, nonetheless. So, why don’t I set aside a book that I do not enjoy, like most readers? My time on this planet and the amount of it that I can devote to reading is just as finite as everyone else’s. There are only so many books that I can read in a lifetime, it is true. However, I think of reading not just as the pleasure of enjoying the book or finding out what happens, but like a child who takes apart a telephone to see how it works, I want to know how the author does it and then to consider why it might be successful or unsuccessful. Interestingly, this is the advice that I give to students: finish reading and decide what made you like or dislike something. In this, at least, I am not a hypocrite. To me, every book is an opportunity to learn.

What puzzled me about A New Hero is that the use of cards in the plot feels like a way to sell the cards, and not as a way to enhance the storyline. Jaden Yuki is a student at Duel Academy, where students battle each other with cards that manifest real life powers and sentient beings. Students are ranked by year and ability within year, and Jaden is Slifer Red, the lowest possible grouping. He is unorthodox in his schooling, but manages to win against the best competitors. Each chapter builds up to a duel, in which competitors use the cards in their decks to battle each other. There are drawings of each card and an index of all the cards included in the volume in the back of the book. Jaden, the underdog, is the titular new hero.

There is not much of a plot and not much character development. Cheeky Jaden with his outcast friends are pitted against classmates and Jaden always performs well. The volume does not feel as though it is building towards a larger plot. It is unclear in what way Jaden will ultimately be a hero. I appreciate the artwork: the expressiveness of the characters, the clearly drawn cards, the balance between humor and action. I also appreciate the running side gag of the writer of the comics showing the perils of slacking and then rushing towards deadline, a story I have heard from other comic book artists, but it’s still amusing.

But, yeah, I don’t get it.

Would I teach A New Hero!! ? If I had another student who was not excited about reading, but wanted to read this book, I would use it without a question. I could certainly get into it if I were reading it with someone who breathes in the world of CCGs and gets the attraction. It would be interesting for me to learn more. However, with the limited knowledge that I have of CCG related manga, I find books that focus more on plot and less on the actual cards to be more interesting and to better fit my own definition of literature. (More on that in some future review, I am sure). So, if you love Yu-Gi-Oh!, then you might love this book. If you don’t, please come join me under my highly sheltered yet ornate rock.
Profile Image for Joseph B.
418 reviews4 followers
October 1, 2023
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX introduces us to the next generation of duelists in this enjoyable follow-up series to the original. Worth noting is this manga differs greatly from the show story-wise, with character personalities, and what kind of decks are used. The creator Kageyama even reminds readers after the first chapter that this isn't an animanga (direct adapatation).

Kageyeama's art is good and sets itself apart from Takahashi without looking out of place for the franchise. The monsters and characters are detailed nicely and the paneling while at times unimaginative is stills solid. The characters themselves are interesting. Jaden is headstrong and has a knack for drawing cards he needs. His best friend Syrus is a loveable nerd trying to step out of his family's shadow. Alexis is a female duelist who wants to be judged on her own merits rather than her gender. And finally Bastion is the most generic character and mostly in the background; having a crush on Alexis.

One criticism many have with this duel is that Jaden draws a duel-ending card at the last second. Something we saw aplenty in the original series so it is an admittedly tired trope. However I myself have long been used to it, but understand if others didn't want to see it. Additionally, the story in the first volume isn't too deep. Instead taking time to focus on the characters and academy. Overall I enjoyed this introduction to this new generation of duelists.
Profile Image for Rickie.
104 reviews2 followers
February 27, 2018
The GX manga brings plenty of changes that readers who only know of GX from the anime will either love or hate. Between the new monsters that were never seen before, new characters that are important to future plot points, and altered personalities and backgrounds for existing characters, there are obstacles for people expecting a cut and paste version of the anime to ponder over. The differences this manga series brings in the first volume are not only exciting, but pull the reader in with so much new information to digest.

Another benefit for the changes in the manga can be found in the monsters. A good number of them have been printed in the TCG/OCG, allowing for readers to potentially invest in the card game with their favorite archetype(s) that came from the GX manga. Seeing the differences between the actual card effects versus the manga version was an activity I found enjoyable as I read the volume. Plus, with the manga being quite old now, the entire series is not only cheap to buy, but is complete to binge.
Profile Image for Kelli.
2,168 reviews25 followers
October 4, 2023
This series takes place years after the main story and its accompanying sequels.

Dueling has become so popular that there are now institutions devoted to teach it and developing mastery. Jaden Yuki is our main character and we are essentially following him through his journey from the bottom towards becoming a duel master.

So, this is a relatively fun spin-off.

Honestly, after spending so much time with Yugi and his friends, it’s a little hard to get into a totally new story and set of characters. That said, it is also delightful to return to the dueling world of Yu Gi Oh.

While I can’t say I’m as invested in this series’ characters as I was in Yugi and his friends, I think this will still be a fun read. Especially if you are a fan of the original series~
Profile Image for Timothy Pitkin.
1,999 reviews8 followers
October 16, 2021
The manga does have a similar start to the anime as they do mention that Jaden has beaten Crowler in the entrance duel which is nice but they do very quickly have a lot of differences as all of the duelists who the anime kind of gave up on do have much better decks and identity for those decks. I much prefer Alexis and Syrus dueling styles over what happened to them in the anime. While they still play very gimmicky decks but they use less random cards and actually use cards that seem to work together. Also I do like they use this opening volume just to show the characters interact and not just be rushed into the plot.
Profile Image for Aidan .
316 reviews7 followers
November 3, 2021
I thought I'd enjoy the Yugioh GX manga because of nostalgia reasons, but nostalgia could not help me even if I begged. This was a low 3 star rating because I was looking for a nonexistent plot, Syrus saying "Bro" and the sometimes poor grammar. I can't really criticize a book's grammar because my grammar is horrendous, but there were some pretty noticeable mistakes made in this volume, which I will attribute to the translation. I think the only saving grace for me was the duels themselves, but even then they felt underwhelming compared to the duels you would watch in the anime. I don't think I'll keep reading this series even though I honestly wish I could.
Profile Image for Donkey Hote.
72 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2024
“Get your game on!”

Ο Manjoume σε αυτή την εκδοχή είναι συμπρωταγωνιστής. Όσοι έχουν δει την συνωνόματη anime σειρά θα καταλάβουν πως αυτό είναι αρκετό κίνητρο για να την δοκιμάσουν.

Για τους υπόλοιπους, οι μάχες με κάρτες είναι αρκετά ενδιαφέρουσες, η ιστορία δεν είχε κομμάτια που να μου φάνηκαν filler, και γενικώς με διασκέδασα πολύ (στο σύνολο των τόμων), παρόλο που δεν ένιωθα σε καμία περίπτωση συμπάθεια στο ίδιο επίπεδο με τους χαρακτήρες της 1ης σειράς.
Profile Image for Ivan.
2 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2025
The new HEROs used by Yuki here are far more interesting than how they started on the anime. The illustrations are really good, too, very dynamic and shows a lot of character. If you're finding a "continuity" for the anime, this wouldn't be it, it's a story of its own and brings new personalities for the cast. The duels here are highly engaging, stratergist, and Yuki's signature miracle draw is still here.
Profile Image for Maximino.
12 reviews
November 8, 2020
If you're a fan of the anime, then this manga is a must. A word of caution the manga story and cards are different from the anime version. Still is a fast-paced story with new characters that makes it fun to read.
Profile Image for Alexandra .
408 reviews21 followers
January 25, 2023
This is good! They took Chazz' goofiness with Alexis and grafted it onto Bastian. Bastian's crush on Alexis is adorable. Syrus is a competent duelist. It's a very tight story with lots of duels packed in. 😁
1 review1 follower
December 23, 2020
This book is excellent, might build a deck out of Elemental Heroes :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Alex Johnston.
558 reviews4 followers
November 15, 2022
A rocky start while the team figures out how to make a series that stands on it's own apart from the show.
Profile Image for Burberi.
612 reviews5 followers
October 19, 2025
Ah yes Asuka of course wants to be recognised as a DUELIST and not as a GIRL. yes lovely ideas to fill in the heads of impressionable girls.
Profile Image for Mooni Baronets.
44 reviews31 followers
March 15, 2015
First let me say this: The English dub of the anime is terrible. You're better off watching it subbed. I found this and started reading it.
Now the Jaden here is more like Judai [his japanese counterpart.]
In this he's more serious than playful.
Also most of the monsters here are new.
Also most of the rules of yugioh weren't followed [not that it matters anyway because these cards are obsolete now.]
Also this does and does not follow the anime exactly.
It's a spin off of the show. Some elements followed the anime but most of it didn't which is actually a good thing because as I said the English dub is terrible.
However, I wish they would either use all the character's dubbed names or all their original names.
For example: Judai's english dub name was used but Zane's original name was used.
It makes it very confusing for those of us who have watched both dub and sub. I personally wish that the anime was like this instead of what we got with the dub. Overall I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
Author 12 books15 followers
November 14, 2007
Can you say doujinshi? According to the story in the manga, Takahashi-sensei asked one of his assistants to create a GX manga, but he didn't want it to be a manga of the anime.

The assistant succeeded. While many of the characters are still themselves, some of them have suffered interesting (encouraged) changes. Bastion has a major crush on Alexis that he wears on his sleeve, and Chazz has adopted Kaiba's question-driven lifestyle. It's fairly disconcerting.

The new monsters created for the manga are even stranger than the monsters introduced by the GX anime. Many of the stories are either based off early episodes, or rewrite sections of them.

If you like the GX anime, give this manga a read just to say you've done it (and to enjoy that one brief shining moment when Syrus Truesdale isn't the worst student in his class).
1,169 reviews
June 23, 2012
I am so not a manga girl, but this was Gx! Of course I was going to read it! Of course I was going to give it five stars and a favorite no matter what, because it's freaking Gx! (If you don't know me and don't understand this, Gx has owned a good ninety percent of my heart for several years now)

So I gave it its five stars and its favorite, and now I'm going to complain.

What the hell does the author/illustrator mean he can "change personalities" and "make Chazz a really cool guy"? Chazz was ALREADY a really cool guy. And why does Zane not get an actual scene? Huh? That was all very upsetting. Also, while I laughed at Bastion getting annoyed with the Alexis/Jaden stuff, the rest of the humor was... mediocre at best. Like the show.

But whatever. It's Gx! It wins no matter what!
Profile Image for Sage.
1 review
August 10, 2016
Yu-Gi-Oh fans, if you weren't a fan of the GX anime, or you were put off by its silliness, or wished it related to the original series more, OR you love GX but want more of it in your life, you are in luck. The GX manga is a short (only nine volumes total) but fantastic read that brings more character development to the table than the anime, which I am a fan of for different reasons (nostalgia, humor, and Jesse/Johan). It ties in very well to the ideals of the original Yu-Gi-Oh series. The new cards are cool and the art is almost-cute, but be aware some of the characters' personalities ARE different, as are most, if not all, decks.
885 reviews
May 24, 2008
I love Yu-Gi-Oh! (both the anime and the manga). I also started to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, so of course, I thought I should read the manga. The characters personalities' seemed to change a little as well as some of the cards, but I did enjoy the manga.
Profile Image for Biondy.
Author 9 books234 followers
April 23, 2015
I've waited for almost 10 years for the Indonesian translation! Finally, the day arrived!

I've read several volumes of Yu-Gi-Oh GX online, and I will say that I prefer the manga version than the anime. The story in the manga is a little bit darker and the decks are more interesting.
Profile Image for Miss Manekofsky.
342 reviews
January 26, 2016
This is for fans of the card game, I think children that are into yu-gi-oh, will love the book! It is nice because it is rated 'E' for everyone. Wasn't exactly impressed with the way the female characters are drawn since it is for a younger audience...but at least they are strong characters....
Profile Image for Sillyjoe.
2 reviews
November 6, 2008
A very hilarious new manga....that is nice because of its difference from the accual show....the love triangle is pretty funny....and is the same as the show.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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