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Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist #5
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist, Vol. 5: Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon
Can Yugi and Jonouchi escape the subterranean maze of the Meikyû Brothers, or will they be buried with their cards? Maybe they'd be safer underground, because Kaiba, the world's former greatest gamer, is back! On the towers og Pegasus Castle, Yugi and Kaiba fight their third Duel Monsters battle, with everything at stake. But this time, Kaiba is fighting for more than his own pride; he's fighting to save his brother. And there's nothing more dangerous than a gamer with nothing left to lose...
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 1999
16 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
About the author
Kazuki Takahashi
260 books240 followersTakahashi (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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 30, 2024
I repeat, Kaiba is a whiny bitch
November 3, 2024
"This cross I've carried...the cross of collectible card game defeat... NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO CARRY IT!"
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist, Vol.5 is Yu-Gi-Oh! at its best, bringing together all of the magic, the intrigue, the tension, the genuinely high stakes without losing its signature campy sensibilities. Because all these needles were threaded so well in this volume, it's tonally cohesive, it's an incredibly good time, and certain events in this volume feel impactful enough to really stick with you.
Of course, all this to say: this is the Yugi - Kaiba re-match that remains probably the most talked about all these years later.
But in order to get there, a few other things had to happen first.
We finish off the duel with the Paradox brothers in the underground labyrinth. I stand behind what I said in volume 4: it's a lot more exciting and feels like it contributes to world-building in a way the anime fails to convey, so it's pretty engaging even if the stakes don't actually feel all that high.
The riddle of which door the gang has to exit to get out of the labyrinth also makes more sense in the manga even if it's just as silly. That, if anything, did slow the pacing down. However, it was interesting to get a little teasing re-emergence of Yami Bakura that will come back into play later.
But let's get to the real meat of it. This was a very Kaiba-centric volume, and does an incredible amount of character building, letting us know just who Kaiba in a post-mind crush world is going to be. And he accomplishes an awful lot. He pulls a gun on Pegasus's goons, and gets one of their heads into a vice created out of his own briefcase to give us one of the manga's most iconic panels:
Now, we know in no uncertain terms that even 'good' Kaiba isn't going to be operating within the same bounds of civility that Yugi and his friends do.
Pegasus seems unphased by a turning of the tables he apparently anticipated, and instead strikes at Kaiba's Achilles heel: Mokuba. By threatening Mokuba's life, Pegasus, more out of sadism than actual necessity, gives Kaiba an ultimatum: defeat Yugi in a duel and gain access to the castle or risk Mokuba's safety. Kaiba grudgingly accepts these terms, over which he has no control anyway, but reminds Pegasus that the string of fate he references is tied around his own neck.
Then: the duel!
The stakes in Yu-Gi-Oh! have rarely been as high as they were in this duel between Yugi and Kaiba. Weirdly, they're made a bit higher in the anime given that in the manga, Yugi's grandpa's soul is trapped in a video camera he still has access to (I still do not understand this choice on Takahashi's part). But nevertheless, this is pretty well the only time other than perhaps the duel between Yugi and brainwashed Joey/Jonouchi in Battle City where both opponents have equally as much to lose.
It's also the duel that really shows us who Kaiba is. He doesn't share with Yugi and co. that he's only undertaking this duel to protect his brother, instead letting them believe that for him it's just about lost valor. This is interesting, because had he known what Kaiba was fighting for, Yugi would absolutely have tried to figure out a solution so that it didn't have to be a winner-loser situation. But Kaiba doesn't trust Yugi enough to even let him know this is an option, to his ultimate detriment. And this is a lesson that *spoilers* he never learns. Even in the anime where the extra filler arcs offer the opportunity for him to team up with Yugi and his friends in ways that would have benefited him, he chooses not to every time unless circumstances force his hand. And for this reason, he never wins.
He does learn half a lesson between the end of Death-T and this duel, musing to himself while battling Yugi: "Can a person be strong when they are shouldering the weight of protecting somebody?
Everything that happens whenever this is the case for Yugi or Joey/Jonouchi would suggest that 'yes, yes protecting someone else does give you strength.’ But the catch is that in Takahashi's world, there's a proviso: 'Protecting someone else gives you strength, but that strength is only enough to overcome adversity if the burden of being a protector is shared.' A very roundabout way of getting at one of Yu-Gi-Oh!'s central themes: the power of friendship. And, hey, listen, we've all gone through the phase of laughing at how silly and hippy-dippy that sounds, but in the world of Duel Monsters, if you don't buy it, you will never win.
And then as things are ratcheting up, ratcheting up, and the tension of the duel reaches a fever pitch, Kaiba does something that has divided the fandom ever since: he threatens to kill himself if Yugi doesn't throw the match.
The reader, of course, knows that this is an act of desperation, because the reader knows the real reason Kaiba is even dueling Yugi in the first place. But Yugi and his friends do not know, and so they assume this is coming from Kaiba's unhinged obsession with winning for its own sake. Nevertheless, they all recognize the threat is serious.
And Kaiba, after making this declaration, makes it crystal clear where he stands (literally): "If our positions were reversed, Yugi...I would push you over the edge without a second's thought."
I think the fandom kind of forgets the whole 'Mokuba's life being on the line' thing, because so many people reference this moment the same way Yugi and his friends do, but regardless of where you stand on what he did, it's freaking iconic when Kaiba says: "Yugi! Slit my throat with your card!!"
And the even wilder thing is... Yami Yugi was going to do it. Unlike his host, Yugi, who would never entertain the notion of hurting another person, Yami Yugi has no moral qualms about doing what it takes to win -- every bit as ruthless in this regard as Kaiba is. And it's only because Yugi intervenes and stops Yami from striking the winning blow against Kaiba's weakened Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon that Kaiba walks away from the exchange alive and victorious.
This occurrence of Yugi pushing back against Yami Yugi happens just as Yugi is coming to terms with the fact that he's hosting some other entity within himself, and also marks a turning point in Yami Yugi's ability to get away with his hitherto unquestioned 'eye for an eye' philosophy. And therefore, marks a turning point in the moral compass of the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe.
From this duel forward, we see Kaiba and Yami Yugi's paths diverge, and we see how they either grow or remain stunted as a result.
Excellent volume of manga, period. Certainly, a strong entry within the series.
Can't wait to delve into the fallout of this most epic of duels in volume 6.
Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist, Vol.5 is Yu-Gi-Oh! at its best, bringing together all of the magic, the intrigue, the tension, the genuinely high stakes without losing its signature campy sensibilities. Because all these needles were threaded so well in this volume, it's tonally cohesive, it's an incredibly good time, and certain events in this volume feel impactful enough to really stick with you.
Of course, all this to say: this is the Yugi - Kaiba re-match that remains probably the most talked about all these years later.
But in order to get there, a few other things had to happen first.
We finish off the duel with the Paradox brothers in the underground labyrinth. I stand behind what I said in volume 4: it's a lot more exciting and feels like it contributes to world-building in a way the anime fails to convey, so it's pretty engaging even if the stakes don't actually feel all that high.
The riddle of which door the gang has to exit to get out of the labyrinth also makes more sense in the manga even if it's just as silly. That, if anything, did slow the pacing down. However, it was interesting to get a little teasing re-emergence of Yami Bakura that will come back into play later.
But let's get to the real meat of it. This was a very Kaiba-centric volume, and does an incredible amount of character building, letting us know just who Kaiba in a post-mind crush world is going to be. And he accomplishes an awful lot. He pulls a gun on Pegasus's goons, and gets one of their heads into a vice created out of his own briefcase to give us one of the manga's most iconic panels:
Now, we know in no uncertain terms that even 'good' Kaiba isn't going to be operating within the same bounds of civility that Yugi and his friends do.
Pegasus seems unphased by a turning of the tables he apparently anticipated, and instead strikes at Kaiba's Achilles heel: Mokuba. By threatening Mokuba's life, Pegasus, more out of sadism than actual necessity, gives Kaiba an ultimatum: defeat Yugi in a duel and gain access to the castle or risk Mokuba's safety. Kaiba grudgingly accepts these terms, over which he has no control anyway, but reminds Pegasus that the string of fate he references is tied around his own neck.
Then: the duel!
The stakes in Yu-Gi-Oh! have rarely been as high as they were in this duel between Yugi and Kaiba. Weirdly, they're made a bit higher in the anime given that in the manga, Yugi's grandpa's soul is trapped in a video camera he still has access to (I still do not understand this choice on Takahashi's part). But nevertheless, this is pretty well the only time other than perhaps the duel between Yugi and brainwashed Joey/Jonouchi in Battle City where both opponents have equally as much to lose.
It's also the duel that really shows us who Kaiba is. He doesn't share with Yugi and co. that he's only undertaking this duel to protect his brother, instead letting them believe that for him it's just about lost valor. This is interesting, because had he known what Kaiba was fighting for, Yugi would absolutely have tried to figure out a solution so that it didn't have to be a winner-loser situation. But Kaiba doesn't trust Yugi enough to even let him know this is an option, to his ultimate detriment. And this is a lesson that *spoilers* he never learns. Even in the anime where the extra filler arcs offer the opportunity for him to team up with Yugi and his friends in ways that would have benefited him, he chooses not to every time unless circumstances force his hand. And for this reason, he never wins.
He does learn half a lesson between the end of Death-T and this duel, musing to himself while battling Yugi: "Can a person be strong when they are shouldering the weight of protecting somebody?
Everything that happens whenever this is the case for Yugi or Joey/Jonouchi would suggest that 'yes, yes protecting someone else does give you strength.’ But the catch is that in Takahashi's world, there's a proviso: 'Protecting someone else gives you strength, but that strength is only enough to overcome adversity if the burden of being a protector is shared.' A very roundabout way of getting at one of Yu-Gi-Oh!'s central themes: the power of friendship. And, hey, listen, we've all gone through the phase of laughing at how silly and hippy-dippy that sounds, but in the world of Duel Monsters, if you don't buy it, you will never win.
And then as things are ratcheting up, ratcheting up, and the tension of the duel reaches a fever pitch, Kaiba does something that has divided the fandom ever since: he threatens to kill himself if Yugi doesn't throw the match.
The reader, of course, knows that this is an act of desperation, because the reader knows the real reason Kaiba is even dueling Yugi in the first place. But Yugi and his friends do not know, and so they assume this is coming from Kaiba's unhinged obsession with winning for its own sake. Nevertheless, they all recognize the threat is serious.
And Kaiba, after making this declaration, makes it crystal clear where he stands (literally): "If our positions were reversed, Yugi...I would push you over the edge without a second's thought."
I think the fandom kind of forgets the whole 'Mokuba's life being on the line' thing, because so many people reference this moment the same way Yugi and his friends do, but regardless of where you stand on what he did, it's freaking iconic when Kaiba says: "Yugi! Slit my throat with your card!!"
And the even wilder thing is... Yami Yugi was going to do it. Unlike his host, Yugi, who would never entertain the notion of hurting another person, Yami Yugi has no moral qualms about doing what it takes to win -- every bit as ruthless in this regard as Kaiba is. And it's only because Yugi intervenes and stops Yami from striking the winning blow against Kaiba's weakened Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon that Kaiba walks away from the exchange alive and victorious.
This occurrence of Yugi pushing back against Yami Yugi happens just as Yugi is coming to terms with the fact that he's hosting some other entity within himself, and also marks a turning point in Yami Yugi's ability to get away with his hitherto unquestioned 'eye for an eye' philosophy. And therefore, marks a turning point in the moral compass of the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe.
From this duel forward, we see Kaiba and Yami Yugi's paths diverge, and we see how they either grow or remain stunted as a result.
Excellent volume of manga, period. Certainly, a strong entry within the series.
Can't wait to delve into the fallout of this most epic of duels in volume 6.
November 28, 2016
AH! This volume really upped the ante. It of course brings about the finale of the Labyrinth duel, exploring probably the coolest polymorph of the series The Black Skull Dragon. Now that they have enough Star Chips, Yugi and Jonouchi head for the castle only to be met by Kaiba. He forces Yugi to battle him for the right to enter the castle. What follows is the best duel to date when Kaiba stakes his life on the outcome of this duel. Kaiba throws out all of his tricks including introducing us to the amazing 3-headed Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Yugi isn't out for the count and has some tricks up his sleeve as well. It was so intense and lovely...a great volume. I really like how they explore the mythos of the "other Yugi" as well.
September 20, 2016
In a battle of brains and strategy, we once again see Kaiba and Yugi giving their own. Yugi manages to find the perfect strategy against Kaiba even though he had pushed Yugi in the corner. However, if Yugi wins, Kaiba threatens to kill himself. Driven by his need to save Yugi's grandfather, the other Yugi/Spirit is ready to attack, but little Yugi stops him crying. Thus a crisis inside Yugi begins while Kaiba wins the duel.
September 3, 2022
Blue - Eyes Ultimate Dragon was an insane volume. The team duel in the maze was insane and I am so happy they won. Joey and Yugi make a great team. Also Bakura turning back in his millennium self from the ring for just a few seconds was insane and hearing the other voice was crazy.
The whole thing with Kaiba and him rescuing his brother was kinda crazy. None of the other duelists know why each other is in the duel tournament they all have their own reasons. Kaiba is their to save his brother. Joey is their to save his sister. Yugi is their to save his grandpa. Everyone has their own reasons.
Also the duel between Kaiba and Yugi was very very cool. They kept going back and forth a lot. And I can't believe the way Kaiba kinda manipulated Yugi's good side by saying he would jump off the roof if he lost. The Triple Blue Dragon was cool tho, at least the polymerization is the same as the card game unlike needing to tribute summon monsters over level 5, players can just play big level monsters without having to tribute. Tis crazy.
The whole thing with Kaiba and him rescuing his brother was kinda crazy. None of the other duelists know why each other is in the duel tournament they all have their own reasons. Kaiba is their to save his brother. Joey is their to save his sister. Yugi is their to save his grandpa. Everyone has their own reasons.
Also the duel between Kaiba and Yugi was very very cool. They kept going back and forth a lot. And I can't believe the way Kaiba kinda manipulated Yugi's good side by saying he would jump off the roof if he lost. The Triple Blue Dragon was cool tho, at least the polymerization is the same as the card game unlike needing to tribute summon monsters over level 5, players can just play big level monsters without having to tribute. Tis crazy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2020
The book is at its strongest when it either focuses on its characters or have a damn good duel where one know the cards. And the last one is a bit tricky to pull off, because you still want to surprise your readers, but the game also have to make sense. This balance was something this book series struggled with early on, and this is an big improvement until the last chapter where this volume takes a deep dive. Another issues is at the middle, because this book simply does not have a good plot, and anytime the plot comes to focus it kinda ruins the otherwise enjoyable setting.
But focusing on already introduced cards and rules, makes this a more enjoyable read. Yu-gi-Oh is building its world and it's paying off.
But focusing on already introduced cards and rules, makes this a more enjoyable read. Yu-gi-Oh is building its world and it's paying off.
February 19, 2023
The way this volume ended, I can not wait to get the next volume. I just requested 10 more volumes so pretty soon I will be half way through.
Seto aims to get his corporation back and his brother Mokuba back. The only way Pegasus will release Mokuba is if Seto beats Yugi. Seto uses differently player disc that are more lifelike for the duels. The duel kept going back and forth so it was unsure who was going to win.
Before other Yugi can kil Seto, Yugi takes over and is in tears. If Yugi beats Seto, Seto will jump off the building something that Yugi would not want to happen. So he basically forfeits the duel.
I actually like that there are times where Yugi does not win. I wonder what the penalty game will be for Yugi. And if Seto will be about to rescue his brother.
Seto aims to get his corporation back and his brother Mokuba back. The only way Pegasus will release Mokuba is if Seto beats Yugi. Seto uses differently player disc that are more lifelike for the duels. The duel kept going back and forth so it was unsure who was going to win.
Before other Yugi can kil Seto, Yugi takes over and is in tears. If Yugi beats Seto, Seto will jump off the building something that Yugi would not want to happen. So he basically forfeits the duel.
I actually like that there are times where Yugi does not win. I wonder what the penalty game will be for Yugi. And if Seto will be about to rescue his brother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2023
Yu-Gi-Oh Duelist Vol 5 delivers a satisfying conclusion to the labyrinth as well as a thrilling rematch between Seto Kaiba and Yami Yugi. After the opening chapter, we shift to the inevitable Kaiba vs Yugi rematch and Takahashi wastes no times in delivering on that. Their bond is one of the defining aspects of Yu-Gi-Oh and you really see that crystalize more in this arc. The duel is full of fun twists (remember this was before the manga adapted the OCG rules) and some standout art. Vol 5 is one volume you won't want to miss if you are reading Duelist.
January 12, 2025
I have completely forgotten how good this is, oh my God.
But man, what are these lines?
Kaiba: Yugi, fighting you again.. makes my heart beat faster.
Yami: That was amazing. To trap me.. I applaud you!
Like get a room.
Not to forget this wild line, too:
"It's still the first half. They're just feeling each other out.. but it's about to get fierce. "
Is this even about card games anymore?
But man, what are these lines?
Kaiba: Yugi, fighting you again.. makes my heart beat faster.
Yami: That was amazing. To trap me.. I applaud you!
Like get a room.
Not to forget this wild line, too:
"It's still the first half. They're just feeling each other out.. but it's about to get fierce. "
Is this even about card games anymore?
January 25, 2022
Aku ga punya semua komik Yu-Gi-Oh! Cuman punya yang 5 sama yang 12. Jadi aku akan menilainya dengan dua alur cerita itu saja. Bab yang satu ini terfokus pada kita melihat perubahan dalam diri Kaiba. Dan kurang lebih itu saja. Menggantung di akhir tapi bukan cerita yang terlalu menarik untukku.
December 29, 2023
This volume had probably the best pacing and least ass-pulls compared to any previous. The V1 duel disks make the game feel a lot more like an actual game instead of a series of escalating dei ex machina.
November 29, 2024
En el manga tiene más sentido el duelo de Yuugi vs Kaiba usando los discos. Se explica más o menos cómo son las diferentes reglas que aplican jugando con esos artefactos, a diferencia de la versión animada.
September 9, 2025
Como caga el Kaiba, pero es buena historia.
La implementación del disco de duelo tiene más sentido en el manga que en el anime. Y está buena la forma diferente de jugar a las cartas. Por lo demás, también lo de el laberinto fue dinámico.
La implementación del disco de duelo tiene más sentido en el manga que en el anime. Y está buena la forma diferente de jugar a las cartas. Por lo demás, también lo de el laberinto fue dinámico.
July 11, 2018
This one is pretty good!
May 11, 2021
Es un buen manga
August 28, 2021
Always loved yugioh, it was my favorite show as a kid and my first manga! Love all the great characters and the Egypt story line it has😻👌😁❤️
November 21, 2021
Kaiba will stop at nothing to save his little brother. Yugi wants him to win from Pegasus but when he can't use his disk he has to face without the adventage...
December 28, 2021
the reason it is a good book is the plot
March 14, 2022
3.5 stars.
I mean Kaiba tries to kill himself so he doesnt lose in a card game.. Kaiba is amazing.
I mean Kaiba tries to kill himself so he doesnt lose in a card game.. Kaiba is amazing.
August 5, 2022
RIP Kazuki Takahashi
September 24, 2022
Kaiba shows he has the ultimate winners mentality - threaten to jump off a building if your opponent doesn't let you win.
November 3, 2022
Will never not be upset by the outcome of that duel.
September 16, 2023
So good! Kaiba with a gun!!!! Emotion, drama, and DUELS!!!!!
May 17, 2017
2017 Reading Challenge #26: 26. By an author from a country you’ve never visited
January 31, 2022
Finally, the rivals have another showdown, with Mokuba hanging in the balance!
June 28, 2025
A quote to show the what makes Yu-Gi-Oh! so absurd but so great at the same time.
This cross I've carried...the cross of collectible card game defeat...NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO CARRY IT! - Seto
November 26, 2016
This manga had the conclusion of Yugi and Jonouchi’s duel with the Paradox brothers and then Yugi’s duel with Kaiba. Anzu, Tristan and Bakura have only very small parts in this volume; just appearing in a side panel now and again to cheer Yugi and Jonouchi on in their duels.
Kaiba once again shows that he has a very ruthless side (one of the ‘startling scenes’ cut from the anime). Also it turns out that the ‘hair guy’ actually does have a name: Saruwatari.
Yami Yugi seems to show a bit less control when it comes to dueling than in the anime. Whereas in the anime he is always very confident, in the manga he has more moments of weakness where he believes he cannot defeat his opponent. This makes his character a bit more real.
What I noticed through reading this was that there was a lot of swearing by the characters even if it is all symbol-ed out. I also spotted that in Yugi’s duel with Kaiba there is one panel that shows Yugi’s life points but says they are Jonouchi’s, haha.
I really like the casual picture of the characters on the back of the volume. I make a change to see them in different clothing, as in the anime they nearly always wear the same all of the time.
This manga was fun to read, it’s interesting to see how different some of the characters are from their anime counterparts.
Kaiba once again shows that he has a very ruthless side (one of the ‘startling scenes’ cut from the anime). Also it turns out that the ‘hair guy’ actually does have a name: Saruwatari.
Yami Yugi seems to show a bit less control when it comes to dueling than in the anime. Whereas in the anime he is always very confident, in the manga he has more moments of weakness where he believes he cannot defeat his opponent. This makes his character a bit more real.
What I noticed through reading this was that there was a lot of swearing by the characters even if it is all symbol-ed out. I also spotted that in Yugi’s duel with Kaiba there is one panel that shows Yugi’s life points but says they are Jonouchi’s, haha.
I really like the casual picture of the characters on the back of the volume. I make a change to see them in different clothing, as in the anime they nearly always wear the same all of the time.
This manga was fun to read, it’s interesting to see how different some of the characters are from their anime counterparts.
September 24, 2011
The finish of the battle between Jonouichi and Yugi and the whatever brothers was rather anti climatic and expected, but the bit with Bakura was more interesting. I also enjoyed that Yami is completely willing to exploit the rules to the fullest extent. Now, the battle between Yami and Kaiba was superb. I hate how it ends but only because Kaiba was such a (stinker is the least offensive word to call him) about it. The way it is is the only way it could and still have but it was still fairly heartbreaking.
I definitely noticed the cursing blocked out by random symbols this time. It isn't technically cursing, but it isn't technically not either. No sexualization of female characters or innuendo about anything. The only violence this time around other than what was hinted towards Mokuba was between the monsters and Kaiba threatening to do harm to a minor flunky and .
I definitely noticed the cursing blocked out by random symbols this time. It isn't technically cursing, but it isn't technically not either. No sexualization of female characters or innuendo about anything. The only violence this time around other than what was hinted towards Mokuba was between the monsters and Kaiba threatening to do harm to a minor flunky and .
September 2, 2015
A Quickie Review
I remember some of these scenes from the anime, but this is definitely more intense than 4Kids would have allowed. Fans of this series will enjoy this one...but isn't that a given? The best part is that there wasn't any sexual content, and the only profanity was implied by symbols.
Score: 4/5
I remember some of these scenes from the anime, but this is definitely more intense than 4Kids would have allowed. Fans of this series will enjoy this one...but isn't that a given? The best part is that there wasn't any sexual content, and the only profanity was implied by symbols.
Score: 4/5
December 1, 2016
After a few (actually a lot) of semi-boring and predictable duels and books, Takahashi finally shows us a duel that is well constructed, intense and intelligent. The duel between Yugi and Kaiba is brilliant and the twists are simply the best we have seen from the first 12 books in the series.
The first one, but hopefully not the only one, that I will give a five star rating.
The first one, but hopefully not the only one, that I will give a five star rating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews