Anubis (Yu-Gi-Oh)

Human FormTrue Form

Anubis (アヌビス) serves as the main antagonist in Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light. In the movie’s novelization, he is revealed to have co-created the Pyramid of Light alongside Aknadin.

Despite sharing his name with the Egyptian god Anubis, this sorcerer is distinct from the mythological figure, who is known as Inpu in ancient Egyptian and serves as the god of death and mummification rather than an evil entity. The true Anubis is actually referenced elsewhere in the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, such as in the Eye of Anubis, which is named after him, and through the character Shadi, who claims to act in his service—further suggesting that the antagonist Anubis is not the same as the deity.

Names	Anubis (アヌビス)
Gender	Male ♂
Race	Human, Monster
Occupation	Duelist, Sorcerer
Origin	Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light |遊ゆう☆戯ぎ☆王おうデュエルモンスターズ 光ひかりのピラミッド ,Yūgiō Dyueru Monsutāzu Hikari no Piramiddo, lit, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters: Pyramid of Light (13 August 2004)
Alignment	Evil
Age	over 3000 years, over 5000 (4kids Dub)
Created By	Michael Pecerlello, Norman J. Grossfeld
Personality Type	ESTJ, 3w4 (Enneagram)
Voice Actors	Japanese: Koji Ishi English: Scottie Ray

Appearance

In his incomplete form, Anubis appears as a tanned, muscular figure with pulsating skin, dirty blond hair, red eyes, and a jewel embedded in his forehead. He wears a black cape connected to spiked padding, secured by strings, along with gray shoulder guards, black pants, and the Pyramid of Light hanging around his neck.

When Yugi experiences a vision—triggered by an unknown force upon gazing at the Pyramid of Light—he sees Kaiba being seized by Anubis, who in this instance has a jackal-like head with a black coat and a white muzzle, rather than his human form. This version of Anubis does not exhibit the pulsating skin seen in his earlier appearance.

After losing his Duel against Yugi, Anubis harnesses the power of the Pyramid of Light's central jewel to transform into a monstrous form. Initially, he appears as a mass of slime before taking shape as an armored, jackal-like creature standing on its hind legs. This final form possesses bladed wings, an axe-like blade atop its head, and the Pyramid of Light's jewel embedded in the center of its chest.

Personality

Anubis was a ruthless and power-hungry sorcerer consumed by his desire to eradicate humanity and reshape the world in his own vision. Unlike the benevolent Anubis of Egyptian mythology, this Anubis embodied destruction, malice, and vengeance. He viewed himself as a divine force of reckoning, believing that civilization had grown weak and corrupt, making it unworthy of existence.

Cunning and manipulative, Anubis operated from the shadows, subtly influencing events to further his plans. Rather than directly engaging in battle initially, he orchestrated a chain of events that led Kaiba to unknowingly trigger his resurrection. His ability to deceive even powerful figures like Pegasus and Kaiba demonstrates his intelligence and strategic mind.

Anubis was also highly arrogant, reveling in his perceived superiority over mortals and even the Pharaoh himself. His confidence in his power led him to taunt his opponents, treating them as insignificant obstacles in his path. However, his overconfidence proved to be his downfall—he underestimated the resilience of Yugi, Atem, and their allies, ultimately leading to his defeat.

Despite his godlike ambitions, Anubis was not above resorting to underhanded tactics. He relied on Kaiba to set his plan into motion and used the Pyramid of Light to strip Yugi/Atem of his strongest assets, tilting the Duel in his favor. He also employed psychological warfare, trapping his enemies within the Millennium Puzzle and draining Atem’s life force in an attempt to break his spirit.

Even in his final moments, Anubis refused to accept defeat. When his Sphinx strategy failed, he transformed into his monstrous true form, determined to crush his opponents through brute force. However, his reliance on raw power and his inability to adapt ultimately led to his permanent destruction.

Biography

Background

Anubis was a malevolent sorcerer who wielded control over Shadow Realm monsters. Alongside Aknadin, he helped create the Pyramid of Light, intended as a replica of the Millennium Puzzle. Aknadin initially planned to use this artifact to install his son as Pharaoh in Atem’s place, but Anubis betrayed him, stealing the cursed item for himself. Armed with the Pyramid of Light and his monstrous forces, Anubis sought to eradicate all life on Earth. However, Pharaoh Atem confronted him and ultimately defeated him using the Dagger of Fate. Though vanquished, Anubis sealed his soul within the Pyramid of Light, awaiting the chance to return.

Centuries later, a team of researchers unearthed Anubis’ tomb. Their excavation coincided with Yugi solving the Millennium Puzzle, which reawakened both the Pharaoh and Anubis. However, this event triggered the collapse of the tomb, seemingly burying Anubis once more.

At a later time, another group of archaeologists rediscovered Anubis and the Pyramid of Light. His remains, along with various artifacts, were transported to the Domino City Museum, inadvertently setting his spirit free.

One night, Anubis infiltrated Maximillion Pegasus’ residence, discreetly slipping the Pyramid of Light card into Pegasus’ collection, anticipating that Seto Kaiba would take an interest in it. As planned, Kaiba later defeated Pegasus and acquired both the Pyramid of Light card and Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon.

Pyramid of Light

Now able to influence Kaiba, Anubis manipulated him into challenging Yugi/Atem to a Duel. Once Kaiba activated the Pyramid of Light card, it triggered a Shadow Game, generating a colossal real-world version of the Pyramid of Light. This sinister artifact immediately removed all three of Yugi’s Egyptian God Cards from play, severely crippling his strategy.

With his power growing, Anubis infiltrated the Millennium Puzzle, siphoning Atem’s life force whenever he lost Life Points. Meanwhile, Yugi, Joey, and Tristan were forcibly sealed inside the Puzzle. Anubis also summoned an army of undead warriors to protect him as he prepared for resurrection.

Later, Téa was also drawn into the Puzzle, while Joey and Tristan, unwilling to remain idle, engaged the mummies in combat.

During the Duel, Kaiba attempted to destroy the Pyramid of Light to regain control of the Egyptian Gods, but Anubis intervened, fully taking over the Duel. He summoned Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia, setting Theinen the Great Sphinx face-down as his final trump card. After wiping out Atem’s monsters, he seemed on the verge of victory. However, within the Puzzle, Yugi discovered an Eye of Anubis symbol—the core of the Pyramid of Light’s power—and stabbed it with the Dagger of Fate.

With the Pyramid of Light weakened, Atem successfully used Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon to destroy both the Pyramid of Light and Anubis’ monsters. However, Anubis’ final gambit was revealed—Theinen the Great Sphinx emerged with an overwhelming 35,000 ATK. In response, Atem resurrected the Egyptian Gods and merged them into a single entity, delivering the decisive blow that annihilated Theinen and seemingly ended Anubis.

Final Confrontation

Despite his defeat, a fragment of Anubis’ soul lingered within the Pyramid of Light, allowing him to revert to his true form. With his presence manifest, Duel Monsters and their effects became real, plunging the world into chaos. Even with assistance from Joey and Pegasus, Anubis proved far too powerful.

Amidst the struggle, Kaiba located the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon card within his and Yugi’s scattered Decks, passing it to Yugi as a last resort. Once summoned, the dragon unleashed its Shining Nova ability, sacrificing itself to eradicate both Anubis and the Pyramid of Light once and for all.

Powers and Statistics

Tier: 2-C

Key: Incomplete Form | Complete Form

Dimensionality: 4D

Powers and Abilities:

Incomplete FormComplete Form

Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Flight (Type 2) , Energy Manipulation, Immortality (Types 1, 3, 4 and 8. Can eternally resurrect and regenerate himself back from the core of the Pyramid of Light which his soul is reliant on and part of it is bound to it), BFR (With the Pyramid of Light, he can send his enemies to another dimension), Mind Manipulation (Can influence the thoughts of others), Dimensional Travel and Teleportation (With the Pyramid of Light, he can spiritually travel to any place he wants, even the Millennium Puzzle's inner world), Empathic Manipulation (Shadow Games reveal a person's true nature)Creation (Created the Pyramid of Light card and other cards), Absorption and Healing (While the Pyramid of Light is active, he can drain the life energy of his enemies who take damage so that he can restore himself), Summoning (Can summon monsters in Duels but also ), Soul Manipulation (The Pyramid of Light can steal souls), Darkness Manipulation, Regeneration (Low-Godly, can regenerate from a part of his soul)

All previous abilities to a higher degree, Statistics Amplification, Fire Manipulation (He breathes a devastating black flame at his enemies)

Attack Potency: Superhuman, Low Multiverse level with the Pyramid of Light (BFR'd the Egyptian gods to another dimension with the Pyramid of Light while he was still regaining his strength) | Low Multiverse level (Far stronger than before)

Durability: Superhuman, Low Multiverse level with Pyramid of Light | Low Multiverse level(only died after Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon sacrificed herself with him)

Speed: Superhuman | MFTL (comparable to the Egyptian god cards)

Lifting Strength: Superhuman | Low Multiverse level

Striking Strength: Superhuman level | Low Multiverse level

Intelligence: Very high

Stamina: Very high | Nigh-limitless

Range: Planetary | Planetary

Weakness: Dagger of Fate. | None notable.

Key: Incomplete Form | Complete Form

Standard equipment: Pyramid of Light, his deck. || Pyramid of Light.

Deck

Anubis utilized a Sphinx Deck, specializing in overwhelming his opponents with monstrous power. After Kaiba attempted to destroy the Pyramid of Light card, Anubis took control of the Duel himself.

His strategy revolved around summoning Theinen the Great Sphinx and drastically increasing its ATK to near-unbeatable levels, ensuring his dominance over the battlefield.

Attacks and Techniques

• Black Flame: Breathes a devastating black flame at his enemies.