BY JOHN CARTER
Throughout our lives, we will have many great adventures. We will see beautiful sights and meet daunting challenges. Throughout these experiences, we will meet people and make friends along the way. Those friends can evolve into something more, something closer. The labels we put on these bonds are arbitrary in terms of how they relate to their profound meaning. These special bonds that we create with each person we come across are important. With each relationship bringing different things to our lives, each connection is unique. There are some bonds, however, that seem to defy all odds and, whether near or far, have a lasting impact on our lives. These profound connections are life-altering and without having these in your life or having had them at one point you might not be the same person you are today.
“Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions,” released in 2016 and directed by Satoshi Kuwabara is the last Yu-Gi-Oh! Animated work written by original creator Kazuki Takahashi. The legendary manga artist who passed away last year was known for creating The Yu-Gi-Oh series. The film is set after the events of the original Manga and focuses on Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba as they navigate moving forward after losing the spirit of the Millenium puzzle Atem and what the main cast of kids will do after graduating high school.
The film is a lovely story about moving forward and never forgetting the bonds that made us into who we are today. “Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions” not only gives us epic duel monsters, our favorite classic Yu-Gi-Oh! Cast, and exquisite animation, but also closure for those with a nostalgic heartache for the end of the original series.
The highlights of this film are numerous, with original designs from Takahashi himself set to the best animation the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise has ever produced. The depiction of Seto Kaiba, in particular, is visually stunning and Eric Stuart’s performance in the English dub feels just as epic as it did all those years ago. The Dark Magician, Blue Eyes White Dragon, and Obelisk The Tormentor are all redesigned and animated with such presence for this action-packed feature. Sadly other than Yugi and a small but effective cameo from Yami Bakura, the other members of the remaining cast don’t have much to do. Bakura has an excellent emotional scene and Joey has some screen time, and these scenes give us more classic Yu-Gi-Oh! horror moments never seem fully realized. This film would have benefitted from a longer runtime or being an epilogue series.
Overall, the film reminds us that we should not ever forget where we come from or what we have been through. As long as we are still living, we determine where our life is going. For many high school students graduating can be an impossible task, and as soon as it’s reached, the unknown future becomes even scarier. The idea that you had been working towards this insurmountable goal only to have now accomplished it and have to decide for yourself what you are supposed to do can be terrifying.
In Yugi’s case, throughout the original story, he has always had a close confidant in the spirit of the millennium puzzle and now that he has accomplished his goal of helping the spirit pass on, he doesn’t know what to do. It takes a closure and the challenges of the future awaiting us to inspire us to not only make a decision but to live our lives with our own determined purpose. This film leaves our main cast all in the pursuit of aspirations for their future.
“Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions,” the last Yu-Gi-Oh! Animated work written by Kazuki Takahashi, is a beautiful marvel in animation. It is written for fans wanting a little more closure for the end of the original story. It is exceptional in its animation and in its character design. The story is about how we move forward after huge moments or accomplishments and after important people have left our lives. It is about deciding to live for ourselves and doing what makes us happy. It is a lovely send-off for our favorite characters but, most importantly, the legend himself, Kazuki Takahashi, rest in peace!
I give “Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions” 8/10 duel monsters for its lovely animation, character design, and emotional closure!
You must be logged in to post a comment.