Plot: Judai Yuki is an aspiring duelist preparing to take his entrance exam for Duel Academia – the prestigious school dedicated to raising the best duelists in the world. When one of the teachers at the school, a high ranked professor named Chronos, learns that a tardy upstart who scored low on his written exams wants to take his final exam, he decides to teach this student a lesson and uses his own deck to duel him himself. However, Chronos learns a lesson as well – never underestimate your opponent.
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The opening theme song is changed, of course. Instead, we get a fairly catchy theme called ‘Get Your Game On.’ Yes, it’s lame, but at the very least it’s an ear worm. I’m kinda disappointed because Yu-Gi-Oh actually had a really great theme song, and instead we get this generic song. 4Kids did seem to get worse and worse with theme songs as time went by. We went from making one of the best and most memorable English themes to date with the first Pokemon theme to this and later to One Piece and Mew Mew Power…
To be honest, I’m not crazy about the opener in the original either, I think it’s one of those songs that needs to grow on me. It’s okay. But it seems kinda….clusterfuckish?
You know the drill with 4Kids dubs. Always background music, most of it being 4Kids’ score, hardly ever any silence and whatnot.
Entire Show Edit: As with the series preceding it, the cards are painted to only show their type color, attack and defense powers and the picture for the card to avoid getting in legal trouble with whomever controls that stuff.
Judai originally tells us that his train was late, which is making him late for his exam. However, he takes this in stride and says it’s just another test being thrown at him. In the dub, Jaden, with a serious look at first, says he’s completely prepared for the exam barring him being late, but he doesn’t care because it’s not like he can get detention if he’s not even accepted yet.
This is kinda subtle, but it shows us differences in the character throughout the versions. Judai seems to take everything like a challenge that he’s more than willing to face. Jaden seems like a prepared yet lazy idiot. I’m not going to like Jaden as much as I like Judai as time goes on, am I?….I’m not going to like Jaden much period, am I?
Name Change: Judai Yuki is changed to Jaden Yuki. I will never fully understand why 4Kids chooses to change a Japanese first name but not a last name or vice versa. I know it’s less Japanese, but it’s still Japanese.
This is our first glimpse at Yugi’s older self in the series. Though they never show his face above the nose, he obviously looks and sounds exactly like Yami did. Fans speculate that this solidifies that Yugi is Yami’s reincarnation, and that very well might be true. Then again, that would mean that Bakura’s Yami Bakura’s reincarnation? Though he looks are pretty much the same, Bakura’s nothing like Yami Bakura. Also, I’d hate to imagine timid little Bakura growing up to look exactly like Yami Bakura.
Also, how did Judai not immediately recognize him? Yugi’s not exactly a face or moreso a hairstyle you forget easily, particularly when you’re an aspiring duelist.
The title card is missing, and in it’s place, they misplaced the opening theme. In the original, the opener was played at the very beginning of the episode. In the dub, it’s after Jaden meets Yugi. I have a feeling this will be this way through the entire series.
Also, the title’s kinda….well, fans might be kinda miffed by it. It’s Yugi’s Successor. While Judai is our new hero for the show, ‘successor’ kinda implies that he surpasses Yugi. To the best of my knowledge, while we have had several new heroes, the general consensus is that none of them can surpass Yugi.
Title Card:
If the title card is different each episode, I may update it like I do with Digimon, but it’s pretty generic so it might not change. Yu-Gi-Oh’s never changed, as far as I know.
Clips for the opener are kept relatively the same, but 4Kids changes several of them and switches places with a lot of them.
Opening narration tells us that the school is a part of Kaiba Land. In the dub, we get PA announcements about the exam, and Crowler, in regards to talking about the duelists who fail the exam, says “good luck at Duel Monsters Community College.”……..Guys, tell me that’s not a thing. I know later we learn there is an actual Dueling College, but also community college? Tell me this isn’t a thing!
More narration tells us that the Duel Academia’s exam consists of two parts – written and practical exams. Those who get high enough grades on the written exam move on to the practical exam. Those who pass the practical exam are enrolled in the school and placed in a dorm based on their scores.
In the dub, Syrus has inner monologue running instead, saying how it’s hard to concentrate with all of the academy kids staring at him and how he wishes he were already enrolled.
They cut out another overhead shot of the separate duel arenas as the exams are being conducted.
The Life Point counter has been drastically altered in the new series.
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Dubbed: 
While the new one for the original is pretty generic and similar to the previous series in the original, barring it’s color changing instead of flat blue, the new one of the dub is drastically changed. It’s gold with several decorations on it, and in addition to a number life point counter there’s also a life point gauge to the side.
Also, the LP count on Daichi is wrong. Originally he had 3000 and in the dub he has 3200. Both versions still have him going down to 1300 after the damage calculations, though.
The original exam proctor for Daichi’s duel was telling him that there’s no way he can reduce his life points since he has a super defense deck.
In the dub, he mocks him by giving him a fake multiple choice question. “You have two monsters staring you down. Do you A) Throw in the towel, B) Beg for mercy or C) Cry home to mama?” Daichi originally just follows this by giving an explanation of his next move. In the dub, he responds to the conductor’s taunts by saying “D) None of the above.”
Originally the Ring of Destruction card was a collar with grenades on it (Someone call Jigsaw) In the dub it’s just a collar with fireballs on it…..On the card anyway. I guess 4Kids thought animating fire was too much so they just made them into little red egg things.
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Dubbed: 
Yes, I also think it looks like he’s wearing Christmas lights on his neck.
Name Change: Daichi Misawa is changed to Bastion Misawa.
One of Chazz’s friends has a southern accent for no reason whatsoever. His other friend sounds like a stereotypical idiot.
Chazz: “We went to Duel Prep School for three years…” TELL ME THIS ISN’T A THING!
Name Change: Jun Manjoume is changed to Chazz Princeton. Yes, 4Kids basically did everything in their power to make a ‘jackass rich guy’ name.
Jun originally says there’s no room for two kings of Duel Academia. In the dub, he says he’s going to teach these punk duelists the hard way – the Chazz Princeton way. Because if there’s one way to solidify your status as a douche, it’s speaking in third person.
Shou explains that your exam number is your test rank on the written exam. Daichi was the top of the class which means he’s number 1. Shou was 119 and Judai was 110. Shou tells him that the lower ranked duel exams were over already, which meant Judai had a very short window to duel.
In the dub, they don’t keep the ranks. They just say Bastion was the number one student in the written phase and that they just barely passed. To make Jaden freak out about his exam, Syrus’ dialogue is changed to telling Jaden that Bastion’s duel exam was meant to be the last one of the day.
Crowler: “Did you just call me ‘sir?”
Registration guy: “Well, yes. I’m fairly new here and–”
Crowler: “I’ll have you know I have a PhD in dueling. I think I’ve earned the title ‘doctor’!”
…….A….p….A PhD….in dueling….did you hear that guys?….A PhD….in dueling…..a dueling….doctor…..hahahahahahahahahahah….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!…..Oh, doctor, please tell me what trap card would be best in this situation! AHAHHHHAHAHAHA THAT’S A NICE USE OF LIKE 200,000 DOLLARS! Ahhh…The only thing that’s getting me through these ridiculous claims is that these supposed titles and institutions only exist in the dub…..so far.
Cronos originally said that someone so low rank doesn’t deserve his exam if he’s tardy.
Cronos also sneaks Italian into his speech for whatever reason in the original. In the dub, this isn’t present.
Name Change: Principal Samejima is changed to Chancellor Sheppard.
Name Change: Cronos De Minici is changed to Vellian Crowler.
Samejima originally tells Cronos that he heard a new applicant might be refused because he was late due to a train incident. He tells Cronos to accept the exam applicant since their job is to train a diverse group of duelists and give everyone a fair shot.
In the dub, Sheppard calls up to check to see if everything’s okay since he doesn’t want a repeat of last year where apparently Crowler dismissed a third of the potential applicants due to calling him ‘mister.’ You’d think that’d be a firable offense, but I guess there are only so many duel doctors in the world.
Cronos originally doesn’t want to test Judai because the school’s only for the dueling elite, not some low ranked slackers, and he wonders why Samejima’s defending him. In the dub, he explains that there are enough talentless students at the academy already.
Shou asks how Judai’s so confident since he only ranked nine levels higher than him in the written exam. In the dub, Syrus just comments on how confident Jaden is and wonders if he’s really that good. Basically the same, but they’re still omitting the ranks.
Name Change: Shou Marufuji is changed to Syrus Truesdale.
Cronos’ original title was Chief General Director of Practical Application. In the dub he’s Department Chair of Techniques.
Judai doesn’t insult Cronos by saying he thought he was the academy mascot like a majorette or a cheerleader (and nice way to insult your exam proctor. I’m sure that’s great for your end grade.) He just says that, due to Cronos’ great title, he must be expecting a lot from him.
Jun’s friends initially speak about how surprised they are that Cronos himself is doing the exam, which makes Jun very angry. In the dub, Chazz’s friends say that Jaden’s got quite the attitude, which makes Jun mad for some reason. What, is he super defensive when Crowler’s involved?
Nitpick, but the Duel Vest is originally called a Duel Coat….And that thing looks ridiculous and seems really impractical to wear.
The attack and defense indicator is also changed for the new series. There’s less decoration in the dub than the LP indicator, but still.
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Dubbed: 
Not even going to bother talking about the catchphrase for this series, “Get Your Game On.” I find it really annoying, yet less so than “Believe it!” but moreso than “It’s Time to Duel!” And I find it just dates this show badly like other slang 4Kids has put in here like “tight.”
Cronos’ original inner monologue was analyzing Judai’s first turn. Taking from the fact that he used an Elemental Hero on his first turn, Cronos believes Judai must be some sort of small town hero. In the dub, he just thinks about how he’s going to fail Jaden.
Cronos calls Judai’s deck a dropout deck (I guess dropout is a common sleight to Judai in the original) In the dub, Crowler says he remembers using cards like those when he was a naïve rookie.
Judai then thinks to himself that Cronos is insulting the deck he put his life into. In the dub, Jaden doesn’t have any inner monologue, Crowler’s still speaking.
Cronos originally says “That’s what they call being a frog in a well. Ribbit ribbit.” In the dub, he tells Jaden he shouldn’t speak out of turn.
His original dialogue points to an old Chinese fable about a frog in a well who would brag about how great his life was. However, his viewpoint was narrow because he only knew of life in the well. One of the animals that he bragged to decided to take him out of the well and show him the world above, which made him change his viewpoint and realize there’s a much bigger world beyond the well. This is basically Cronos saying Judai’s naïve since he’s only seeing what’s in front of him and not beyond….However, him going ‘ribbit ribbit’ makes it seem like he’s calling himself the frog so something might’ve gone wrong here.
They don’t refer to Cronos’ deck by name in the dub. It’s his Dark Ages deck.
As expected, the commercial break eyecatches are edited out. If these change in the future, I’ll update them.
Shou marvels at how Cronos summoned an eight star monster suddenly on his first turn. In the dub, Syrus says Jaden’s nuts for taking on that legendary monster. Gotta say, for legendary, that thing looks like ass. It could easily be a three-star monster and I’d see no difference.
Name Change: Ryo Marufuji is changed to Zane Truesdale. And oh wonderful, he’s voiced by the same guy who voices Mark in Mew Mew Power. At least it fits Zane more than Mark seeing as how Zane’s older. Still not quite old enough for the voice, but better.
Name Change: Asuka Tanjouin is changed to Alexis Rhodes.
Ryo initially tells us that Cronos has yet to lose after summoning that monster, and he must be taking this duel very seriously to bring it out. In the dub, Zane comments on how gutsy Jaden is for not even flinching at such a monster.
The Golem’s Ultimate Pound attack is changed to Mechanized Melee.
Shou says that the Golem’s ability, to reduce the opponents life points by the difference between its attack and his monster’s defense points, defies the rules…No it doesn’t. While I do like to take any opportunity to call out cheating in these shows, that effect is perfectly legal, and other monsters and cards have similar abilities. If it was against the rules, it wouldn’t be written on the card.
Judai says he’s honored to have such a prestigious professor at the academy dueling at his peak against him. In the dub, Jaden just says he wants to go to the school even more now because he’s enjoying the duel so much.
Judai doesn’t gloat in his head in the original.
Judai/Jaden isn’t in the least bit freaked out that his card just winked at him?
They changed the transition to the flashback with Yugi. Instead of a slightly wavy fade in and out, 4Kids uses this jarring bubble/fish eye lens transition.
Not sure why Cronos isn’t taking Winged Kuriboh more seriously. Granted, it is Kuriboh, but is he forgetting that the Kuriboh collection was one of Yugi’s, the King of Games, signature creatures? That doesn’t mean Judai knows how to play him well, but he should know better than to discredit it like that.
Wh…what? Asuka and Ryo talk about how it’s weird, yet also fascinating, that Cronos didn’t know of Winged Kuriboh’s effects, and Ryo says the dueling world is boundless – even the best don’t know everything. This is kept the same in both versions but……..Well, okay…but he has a PhD….in DUELING PBBBBTTHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH–…Oh sorry. Anyway, he’s a duel doctor – You’d think that’d mean he’d extensively know all of the cards of the King of Games, at the very least.
Burstinatrix’s outfit is censored.
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Dubbed: 
We don’t see or hear Cronos talking before we see the splitscreen of Ryo, Asuka and Jun on screen. I guess 4Kids really didn’t think kids had the memory span or math skills to know that Elemental Hero Flame Wingman had less attack points than the Golem so they added the scene to shove it down their throats.
Daichi also says that Elemental Hero Flame Wingman is only summonable through fusion instead of repeating and explaining again than it has less attack points than the Golem.
The dub seems to have a fetish for what I call ‘frame-shoving’ transitions. Basically where one scene ‘shoves’ another out of the way. I have no idea why, but for some reason it makes the show completely RADICAL and TIGHT!
Wow….Skyscraper’s such an OP card. In the original, Judai explains that Skyscraper’s ability is to increase an attacking Hero card’s attack by 1000 points if it’s attacking a creature with higher attack points. In the dub, it’s just that Skyscraper by default raises the Hero’s attack by 1000 points. Either way, that’s almost unfair it’s so powerful. And it’s not like there’s any criteria for using it either, it’s just a field spell card. Wow.
EMFW’s Skyscraper Shot is changed to Skydive Scorcher. Which does sound better, in my opinion.
Jaden: “And because of my Wingman’s super power…” It’s a special ability not a super power…
Judai’s final catchphrase is changed. At the end of a duel, he says “Gotcha!” while sometimes adding “That was a fun duel!” In the dub, he says “That’s game!” Judai also doesn’t say “Throw down a face-down.”
Not surprisingly, the dub completely omits the ending theme and the next episode previews. The ending song is okay, but the background animation is lazy. It’s just recycled moving still shots going over and over on a card background.
Next episode will have Judai dueling with Jun and the new students of Duel Academia get assigned to their dorms.
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The Anime Madhouse 