This is a review for the original Japanese version, not the English dub. Please don't watch it in English, the voice acting is dreadful.
So, before you get into this show you should be made aware that there is a real hate for it within parts of the Yu-Gi-Oh! community. The majority of these complaints however are over minor issues, and people expecting more fanservice than they ultimately received. For example this show brings back legacy characters from previous installments in the franchise, such as Duel King Jack Atlus, Edo Phoenix, and more. However, people were annoyed at these characters being different to their counterparts in the other series despite it being set in a parallel universe. However, obviously there's some bias here as this is my opinion.
Onto the good, the bad, and the disappointing:
The musical themes (for the most part) were on point. A lot of new and interesting themes that really add to the duels, made with a wide variety of instruments as well.
Almost all of the characters were enjoyable; main, side, and even one-offs. However, naturally there are a few exceptions: the shivers kid and calculator brat especially. On the other side of the coin a whole host of new and unique fan-favourites are introduced such as Chojiro, and Gongenzaka.
The variety of monsters & playstyles was a nice addition too, it really helps to make the world(s) feel lived in, and certain characters stand out. However, yes, the introduction of action spell cards does undercut the tension of times, as you know the hero will pull off victory at the last minute utilising this deus ex machina.
It's just a shame poor arc pacing issues, and an underdeveloped villain bring down the overall plot. After the whole tournament arc in the standard dimension, certain arcs are become really stretched e.g. Friendship Cup, whilst others become rather rushed and dissatisfactory e.g. XYZ Dimension. Whilst I enjoyed the ending to the show, it's really easy to understand how people despise it.
And Z-ARC, whilst built up to be a real menace under an interesting premise, ends up being a shallow and underdeveloped character. He really could have been the next Marik if done right.
All in all, it's a show that fails to delivers on what it promised. The writers set the bar too high, and struggled to deliver. It's an ultimately enjoyable disappointment. Whether you enjoy or are disappointed by this show depends on how forgiving you are.
So, before you get into this show you should be made aware that there is a real hate for it within parts of the Yu-Gi-Oh! community. The majority of these complaints however are over minor issues, and people expecting more fanservice than they ultimately received. For example this show brings back legacy characters from previous installments in the franchise, such as Duel King Jack Atlus, Edo Phoenix, and more. However, people were annoyed at these characters being different to their counterparts in the other series despite it being set in a parallel universe. However, obviously there's some bias here as this is my opinion.
Onto the good, the bad, and the disappointing:
The musical themes (for the most part) were on point. A lot of new and interesting themes that really add to the duels, made with a wide variety of instruments as well.
Almost all of the characters were enjoyable; main, side, and even one-offs. However, naturally there are a few exceptions: the shivers kid and calculator brat especially. On the other side of the coin a whole host of new and unique fan-favourites are introduced such as Chojiro, and Gongenzaka.
The variety of monsters & playstyles was a nice addition too, it really helps to make the world(s) feel lived in, and certain characters stand out. However, yes, the introduction of action spell cards does undercut the tension of times, as you know the hero will pull off victory at the last minute utilising this deus ex machina.
It's just a shame poor arc pacing issues, and an underdeveloped villain bring down the overall plot. After the whole tournament arc in the standard dimension, certain arcs are become really stretched e.g. Friendship Cup, whilst others become rather rushed and dissatisfactory e.g. XYZ Dimension. Whilst I enjoyed the ending to the show, it's really easy to understand how people despise it.
And Z-ARC, whilst built up to be a real menace under an interesting premise, ends up being a shallow and underdeveloped character. He really could have been the next Marik if done right.
All in all, it's a show that fails to delivers on what it promised. The writers set the bar too high, and struggled to deliver. It's an ultimately enjoyable disappointment. Whether you enjoy or are disappointed by this show depends on how forgiving you are.