To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic manga Yu-Gi-Oh!, the first-ever large-scale art exhibition for its late creator, Kazuki Takahashi, titled "KAZUKI TAKAHASHI: YU-GI-OH! ART WORKS," is set to open in Tokyo this December. To kick things off, a special new animation was released on the 14th.
However, when some Japanese media outlets referred to this new animation as the "first-generation" *Yu-Gi-Oh!*, legendary voice actor Megumi Ogata saw the reports and shared her complex feelings on the matter. "I was the voice of Yugi Muto in the very first *Yu-Gi-Oh!* anime... I wonder how many people still remember that? It feels a little lonely," she posted.
In a post on X, Ogata wrote, "'First-generation' should be me... I wonder how many people still remember? Perceptions have really changed. So lonely," revealing her mixed emotions.
Of course, Ogata was referring to the 1998 *Yu-Gi-Oh!* series produced by Toei Animation (now Toei Animation Co., Ltd.) and aired on TV Asahi, in which she voiced the protagonist, Yugi Muto.
As her post unexpectedly went viral, Ogata followed up with a clarification. "Since this blew up unexpectedly, I'd like to add something. (Apologies for replying to both comments and quote retweets). I didn't mean to say one is better than the other, or that one is 'correct.' That wasn't my intention at all."
She further explained, "For the longest time, the term 'first-generation' has been a sort of 'convention' for me. So when I saw the article's headline, I took it at face value and thought... has the general perception really shifted this much? That's why I posted, partly to see if that was the case."
She then elaborated on the origin of this "first-generation" title: "When it was decided for various reasons that a different version of *Yu-Gi-Oh!* would be produced, the original creators and key staff at the time told us, 'From now on, please refer to yourselves as the "first generation."' We've honored that ever since, and in my profile and other places, I've always made sure to specify (when necessary) '*Yu-Gi-Oh!* (First Generation).'"
Ogata also shared her understanding of the term. "I don't think of it as something old or from a bygone era. Rather, I believe we all shared a sense of pride and awareness that the work we created was 'the very first (media-mix) project' in the history that established the foundation of the *Yu-Gi-Oh!* franchise. That's why we were given that name."
She mentioned that even when content related to *Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters* was released, she would often see phrases like "the first-generation Yugi from *Yu-Gi-Oh!* DM" (though she admitted it might not have been every time). "So when I saw this headline, for the first time in a while, I thought, 'Could they be talking about our anime?' After reading the article, I just felt a little bit lonely. That's all it was."
Ogata made a point to add that she wasn't blaming the media. "I'm not blaming the media. It's possible the press materials were sent to them that way—and again, it's also possible that the 'convention' has simply changed. So please don't blame anyone."
On the other hand, she said the discussion brought a flood of loving messages from fans. "Thanks to this, I was able to see so many messages full of love. I felt the 'love' from everyone who adores the *Yu-Gi-Oh!* we made, everyone who adores DM, and everyone who loves both. Thank you...!"
She also thanked the fans who discussed the anime because of her post and made an appeal: "Turning this into a 'debate' was not my intention—I hope everyone can enjoy their favorite works and versions. I want everyone to have a good time with them."
Finally, Ogata lamented that the Toei Animation version she starred in isn't even available on streaming services. "It's a shame, but the Toei version isn't even on streaming. I really wish people could watch it. See the fruits of our battle! (laughs) ← If you want to see it, please don't ask me, but direct your requests to the production company or the original rights holders. There's nothing I can personally do."
She concluded, "Please continue to support *Yu-Gi-Oh!*, both now and in the future."
For many fans, the Toei version of *Yu-Gi-Oh!* is indeed a distant memory; even the subsequent *Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters* is quite old now, so the debate over what constitutes the "first generation" can be a bit confusing.
Still, considering the "KAZUKI TAKAHASHI: YU-GI-OH! ART WORKS" exhibition doesn't include works from the Toei version, it's understandable why Ogata would feel a bit sentimental.