15 Ways Yu-Gi-Oh! Was Censored In America | ScreenRant
Duel Monsters. TV Tokyo. Duel Monsters is not to be confused with the earlier series of the same name. As the series is the second to be based on the manga, it is often referred to by fans as the "second series". Some sources state erroneously that the first series produced by Toei Animation is a "lost first season", although the two series are unrelated aside from plot continuity. The success of Duel Monsters was one of the main factors in creating a real-world version of the game that served as the focal point of the series, the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game.
Like the show, however, the cards needed some heavy censorship in order to be released. There were cards that depicted violence, torture, nudity, and offensive materials, which all had to be censored in different ways. We are here today to look at the Japanese Yu-Gi-Oh!
Due to the vast amounts of cultural differences between Japan and America, it is only natural that there would be content that is considered fine for one region but is inappropriate for another. As 4Kids mainly dealt with cartoons that were intended for children, they had to take the scissors to many popular shows. The show was tailor made as a marketing tool for a card game. When they actually got the show, it was found to be filled with violence, realistic firearms, sexualized women, and religious symbols.