Yusei Fudo
From The Character Database
| “ | Let's rev it up!
|
„ |
| ― Yusei's catchphrase |
Yusei Fudo is the main protagonist of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's and one of the Signers. Renowned for his strategic genius, exceptional Dueling skills, and cool, composed personality, he is highly respected by his peers. He rides a Duel Runner called the Yusei Go and is known for his signature catchphrase in the dub, “Let’s rev it up!” when summoning a Synchro Monster. Yusei is the foster brother of Jack Atlas and Crow Hogan, the foster son of Martha, and shares a deep history with his close friend, Kalin Kessler.
| Names | Yusei Fudo (不動遊星 Fudō Yūsei) Taro Daimon (undercover), Yusei Adams (English undercover), Mr. Daniel (undercover), Herr Müller (German undercover), Satellite, Satellite's Shooting Star, Satellite's Falling Star, King of Turbo Duels, King,Mr. Amnesia Man (dub only), Hero of Legend |
| Gender | Male ♂ |
| Race | Human |
| Occupation | Duelist, Scientist, Signer |
| Origin | Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's 遊☆戯☆王５Ｄ＇ｓ Yūgiō Faibu Dīzu Episode 1: On Your Mark, Get Set, DUEL (ライディング・デュエル！アクセラレーション！ Raidingu Dyueru! Akuserarēshon!lit, Riding Duel! Acceleration! (April 2, 2008) |
| Alignment | Heroic |
| Age | 18 (episode 1), 19 (episode 116), 20 (episode 152) |
| Height | 175 cm (5ft 9in) |
| Weight | 58 kg (127.8 lbs) (9.13 st) |
| Created By | Kazuo Takahashi (Japanese: 高橋 一雅) (design), Katsumi Ono, Atsuhiro Tomioka |
| Personality Type | ISTJ, 6w7 (Enneagram) |
| Voice Actors |  Japanese: Yuya Miyashita
|
Appearance
Yusei has tan skin, a lean yet muscular physique, and black hair with gold highlights. His distinctive hairstyle, with the upper layer spiking upward and the lower layer arching down, was inspired by Kazuki Takahashi’s own bedhead and completes a “rock, paper, scissors” theme alongside Yugi Muto and Jaden Yuki.
He wears a long-sleeved blue jacket with a high collar and amber gems over a sleeveless black shirt featuring a red emblem. His gloves, extending just below his elbows, also have amber gems. He sports black jeans with amber knee pads, a belt with two concealed Deck holsters (one for his standard Deck and another for his Turbo Duel Deck), and calf-high motorcycle boots.
Following episode 5, Yusei receives a jagged criminal mark on the left side of his face, which is later covered in episodes 116 and 117, presumably with makeup. His original Mark of the Dragon—a red tail outline—was burned onto his right forearm during the Fortune Cup arc. After defeating Rex Goodwin, this mark is replaced with the dragon head symbol, while Crow Hogan inherits his former mark.
During his time in Crash Town, Yusei replaces his Duel Disk with the town’s Duel Disk revolvers and dons a brown poncho featuring his Mark of the Dragon. In the manga’s D1 Grand Prix, he also wears a poncho, though it is white, lacks the dragon symbol, and appears dirtier.
For the World Racing Grand Prix (WRGP), Yusei upgrades to a sleeker Turbo Dueling outfit. This version retains his blue jacket and amber gems but replaces the flared bottom with a black strap outlined in orange. His pants remain blue but feature amber knee pads, and he now wears knee-high boots.
Personality
Yusei embodies a noble, selfless, and heroic character. Protective, dependable, and kind-hearted, he deeply values his friends and humanity’s well-being, earning the trust of those around him. He maintains a serious and composed demeanor, even in dire situations, thinking carefully before making decisions. His Dueling style reflects this, as he visualizes strategic flowcharts to stay ahead of his opponents.
Having grown up in Satellite’s harsh environment, Yusei rarely shows emotions beyond determination and quiet confidence. He smiles occasionally but seldom laughs. Despite his usual restraint, he can be provoked, particularly when those he cares about are harmed, as seen when Roman manipulates Rally and when Martha is sacrificed to an Earthbound Immortal.
Yusei views friendship as life’s greatest treasure and often tries to convince others who reject it to embrace its value. However, his stance on fate is somewhat inconsistent—at times disregarding it, yet at others acknowledging its influence. He firmly believes fate does not control people; rather, they shape their own destiny.
He is particularly irritated by those who disrespect cards, dismissing them as “trash” or “useless.” He considers such individuals unworthy of being called Duelists unless they change their ways, as seen with Bolt Tanner. He also dislikes being insulted, as shown when he scolds Trudge for repeatedly calling him “scum.”
Yusei harbors deep guilt over the Zero Reverse catastrophe, blaming himself for its consequences and questioning why no one resents him for it. Crow reassures him that he bears no responsibility, but Roman Goodwin describes this guilt as “the darkness in Yusei’s heart.” Though he moves past his self-blame, he remains haunted by the event, suffering occasional nightmares. The idea of a second Zero Reverse terrifies him, and enemies like Primo exploit this fear to disrupt his focus.
Despite evidence suggesting Synchro Monsters bring destruction, Yusei believes they do not inherently cause harm. He is determined to protect New Domino City and prevent another tragedy like Zero Reverse, even at the cost of his own life. He also opposes the idea of sacrificing the present to save the future, believing no one has the right to take away another’s future, as he tells Z-one.
Antinomy describes Yusei’s loyalty to former friends as both his greatest strength and weakness. In the dub, it is revealed that he once had a fear of insects after a cockroach nested in his ear, as mentioned by Nervin. However, he overcomes this fear after his Duel against Lenny, though he still shows discomfort during his first Duel with Roman Goodwin, remarking, “Is it too much to ask to summon a monster with only two legs?”
Biography
Background
Yusei Fudo was born in the Tops area of New Domino City to parents who were leading developers of the Ener-D Reactor. His father, Dr. Fudo, named him Yusei after the Planetary Particle (Yūsei Ryūshi), hoping he would grow up to forge strong connections with others. As Roman Goodwin prepared to trigger Zero Reverse, Yusei's father placed him in an escape pod to save him from the impending explosion. Tragically, Yusei’s parents perished in the catastrophe.
His escape pod crash-landed in the newly formed Satellite area, where he was eventually taken in by Martha and raised in her orphanage. There, he grew up alongside Jack Atlas and Crow Hogan, forming deep bonds with them. As he matured, Yusei developed a passion for auto mechanics and engineering.
As teenagers, Yusei, Jack, and Crow befriended Kalin Kessler. Living in Satellite, they were forced into hard labor for the benefit of New Domino City's residents while being denied the luxuries those citizens enjoyed.
Struggling to survive, Yusei honed his exceptional Dueling skills. As Duel Gangs took over Satellite, he, along with Kalin, Jack, and Crow, formed their own gang—The Enforcers. Believing they would never leave Satellite, they sought to make the most of their circumstances, taking control of different regions by defeating rival teams and destroying their Duel Disks using Deathmatch Duel Ropes.
Team Satisfaction
Yusei and The Enforcers rapidly rose to power. During a confrontation with another gang, one member attempted to kill Yusei by pushing him off a rooftop. However, Kalin caught him using his Duel Rope, refusing to abandon his friend. After securing victory, the Enforcers successfully took control of all of Satellite.
Over time, Kalin became increasingly ruthless. He forced a young boy into a Duel and assaulted him after winning, prompting Jack and Crow to leave the gang in disgust. Yusei, however, remained by Kalin's side, hoping to guide him back to reason. When Sector Security launched an operation against Satellite, Kalin insisted on fighting back. Hoping Kalin would reconsider when alone, Yusei also left the team.
Despite this, Kalin engaged Sector Security in battle. When he was eventually overwhelmed, Yusei, Jack, and Crow returned to help him. However, Kalin’s recklessness escalated the situation, leading to the death of a Security officer. Disgusted, Yusei fought Kalin, while Jack and Crow restrained him. Hoping to prevent further arrests, Yusei attempted to surrender himself as the gang’s leader. Unfortunately, Security had already captured Kalin. As he was taken away, an officer mockingly thanked Yusei for his "assistance" in the arrest. Misinterpreting the situation, Kalin believed Yusei had betrayed him.
Following these events, Yusei spent more time with Jack, Blitz, Nervin, Tank, and Rally, further refining his skills in hand-to-hand combat, engineering, computing, and motorcycle riding.
At one point, Yusei Dueled Jack and lost. Jack told him that victory could not be achieved through Monsters, Spell, or Trap Cards alone—true strength came from within. Though Yusei didn’t understand this at the time, it would later become a crucial lesson. He also gained access to television signals from New Domino City, allowing him and his friends to watch Turbo Duels. However, Yusei and Jack eventually had a falling out due to their differing ambitions—Jack sought power and leadership, while Yusei valued loyalty and connection.
Determined to bring hope to Satellite, Yusei and his friends built a Duel Runner from scrap, with plans to ride it alongside his prized card, Stardust Dragon. However, Jack betrayed them, stealing both the Duel Runner and Stardust Dragon to escape to New Domino City and claim the title of Turbo Duel King. Yusei considered these stolen items to be symbols of his friendship and vowed to reclaim them.
Fortune Cup
Two years later, with the help of Rally, Blitz, Tank, and Nervin, Yusei builds a new Duel Runner and prepares to journey to New Domino City to reclaim Stardust Dragon from Jack Atlas.
During this time, he encounters Trudge, a Sector Security officer determined to arrest Rally for stealing an acceleration chip (in the dub, Rally was framed). Trudge agrees to Duel Yusei under the condition that if Yusei wins, he will overlook the incident; if Trudge wins, Yusei must surrender. Yusei accepts the challenge and defeats Trudge, who, despite his loss, swears to take Yusei down in the future but allows him to leave.
With the only pipeline connecting Satellite to New Domino City temporarily closed for maintenance, Yusei seizes the opportunity to escape. As he makes his way through the chute, Trudge pursues him and forces him into a Turbo Duel. Yusei manages to secure victory just as the maintenance hatch begins to shut. Timing his escape perfectly, he slips through the hatch moments before it closes, leaving Trudge trapped in the now trash-filled pipeline.
Upon arriving in New Domino City, Yusei confronts Jack, who casually tosses Stardust Dragon back to him, saying he can have it. However, Yusei refuses, insisting that he will only take it back by proving himself in a Duel. Jack accepts the challenge, and the two engage in a Turbo Duel. Just as the Duel reaches its climax, the Crimson Dragon appears, interrupting the match before a winner is declared—though it is later revealed that Yusei had been on the verge of victory. The Dragon's presence causes Jack’s Mark of the Dragon to glow and burn while simultaneously revealing Yusei’s own mark, the Dragon’s Tail.
Shortly after, Yusei is arrested for trespassing into New Domino City, while Jack departs unharmed. Having monitored the Duel, Rex Goodwin and Lazar reveal that without the Crimson Dragon's interference, Jack would have lost.
The Facility
Following his arrest, Yusei is branded with a criminal mark—a large scar on the left side of his face signifying his record—and sent to The Facility. There, he meets Tenzen Yanagi, who introduces him to the legend of the Crimson Dragon and the Signers, individuals chosen by the People of the Stars. Yusei learns that his birthmark, the Crimson Dragon’s Tail, manifests when he fights alongside Stardust Dragon or encounters another Signer.
In The Facility, Yusei also meets Bolt Tanner, a former pro Duelist who forces a Duel upon him. Since Yusei's Deck had been confiscated, Yanagi steps in to Duel, but his poor performance and unconventional cards disgust Tanner, who stomps on them despite their sentimental value. Outraged, Yusei knocks Tanner down and challenges him to a Duel using Yanagi’s Deck. Without attacking once, Yusei outmaneuvers Tanner and secures victory, earning Tanner’s respect and loyalty.
Under Rex Goodwin’s orders, The Facility's warden, Armstrong, begins conducting tests on Yusei and later transfers him to a separate wing. There, Yusei’s new cellmate, Alex, reveals a secret escape tunnel he has been digging for months. Yusei agrees to escape only if Tanner and Yanagi can come too. However, Armstrong has Tanner and Yanagi beaten simply for associating with Yusei.
Determined to stand against Armstrong’s tyranny, Yusei defies him, leading the warden to impose stricter rules. Unexpectedly, Goodwin arrives and offers Yusei freedom—on the condition that he defeats Armstrong in a Duel and agrees to work for him. Though suspicious of Goodwin’s motives, Yusei accepts the challenge.
Despite Alex’s invitation to escape, Yusei declines, believing true freedom cannot be achieved through running away, especially if he must leave his friends behind. Without a Deck of his own, his fellow inmates rally behind him, offering him their cards to use against Armstrong in the upcoming Duel.
The next day, Yusei faces Armstrong, using a makeshift Deck of random cards. The Duel is rigged to deliver electric shocks whenever a player takes damage, but Armstrong cheats by disabling his own shocks and using surveillance cameras to see Yusei's hand. However, Alex sneaks into the security room through his tunnel and reactivates Armstrong's shocks, causing a temporary blackout in the process. Taking advantage of the darkness, Yusei swaps the positions of two of his Set cards, knowing Armstrong had memorized their placements. With this strategy, Yusei outmaneuvers Armstrong and secures victory, earning his release from Goodwin.
Before leaving, Yanagi gives Yusei his "Totem Pole" card, while Tanner hands him "Giant Ushi Oni", instructing him to visit Bootleg, order a glass of milk, and ask for a man named Blister, using the card as proof of their connection.
At Bootleg, Yusei is tailed by two of Goodwin's men, but Blister rescues him on his Duel Runner, jamming the signal emitted by Yusei’s criminal mark to prevent further tracking. Although Blister initially sees Yusei’s mission as suicidal, he ultimately agrees to help him infiltrate an impound warehouse to retrieve his Duel Runner and Deck.
Disguised as an electrician under the alias Yusei Adams (Taro Daimon in the Japanese version), Yusei sneaks into the warehouse. Just as he reaches the crate holding his Duel Runner, he is ambushed by Trudge. Yusei smashes through the crate, jumps onto his Runner, and speeds off, but Trudge forces him into another Turbo Duel. As Yusei attempts to escape, Trudge seals all security exits, making escape nearly impossible. However, Blister blows open the elevator doors, allowing Yusei to ride out while Trudge gets trapped inside.
Trudge eventually catches up, attacking Yusei physically mid-Duel. Just as things take a turn for the worse, Blister—having a change of heart after reflecting on Yusei’s words about friendship—arrives to assist. Yusei ultimately defeats Trudge but is electrocuted by a group of Security officers and crashes in The Tops, an area where the wealthiest citizens live. Unconscious, he is found and taken in by Leo and Luna, who mysteriously sense his pain from the electrocution and rush to his aid.
While unconscious, Yusei is brought to Leo and Luna’s home, where they help him recover. Upon waking, Yusei meets the twins. In the Japanese version, he worries about causing trouble for them but agrees to stay the night after seeing Leo’s resemblance to Rally. In the English dub, the crash causes amnesia, leaving Yusei unable to recall anything—including his own name—until he meets the twins. However, despite his memory loss, his Dueling and mechanical skills remain intact. Hoping to regain his lost memories, Yusei agrees to Duel Leo, gradually recalling his past throughout the match. After the Duel, Yusei thanks Leo for never giving up on him and helping him recover.
Shortly after, Lazar forces Yusei into participating in the Fortune Cup, threatening his Satellite friends as leverage. His determination to compete strengthens when Jack personally returns Stardust Dragon, demanding that Yusei prove himself in a Duel.
In the quarter-finals, Yusei faces Hunter Pace, who is disguised as Shira, and wins, advancing to the semi-finals, where he faces Greiger.
After defeating Greiger, the Duelist attempts to take revenge on Goodwin for destroying his village. Yusei intervenes and prevents the attack. In the dub, Greiger tries to ram his Duel Runner into Goodwin’s tower, but a metal spike from the collision shatters the glass near Goodwin. However, Goodwin stops it with his metal hand. Before being taken away by security, Greiger warns Yusei to fulfill his own mission and, in the dub, urges him to be careful in the finals.
In the final match, Yusei faces Akiza, a member of the Arcadia Movement. Initially, he believes she only harbors anger and rejection, but after her first move, he recognizes that she also finds pleasure in destruction. Akiza denies it at first, but as the crowd begins to insult her, she embraces the persona of the Black Rose Witch, believing that her destructive side stems from her Mark of the Dragon.
Yusei learns that Sayer, the leader of the Arcadia Movement, conditioned Akiza to feel but not think, manipulating her into embracing her violent impulses. Determined to free her from this control, Yusei fights this Duel not just to win—but to change her.
As the Duel progresses, Yusei tells Akiza that the pain she has carried from all the destruction she caused has now become a burden shared by the other Signers. He explains that her birthmark may hold the key to understanding her pain, but in order to find out, she must learn to think for herself and love who she is. Akiza refuses to accept this and remains determined to win the Duel. However, Yusei sees through her denial—she is crying without even realizing it. Ultimately, he claims victory, and as his attack lands, her mask is split in half by "Cosmic Blast." As she falls to the ground, Akiza pleads with Yusei to help her.
Yusei then faces Jack in the championship match. Although Jack pushes him into a corner during the Duel, Yusei skillfully counters using a combination of strategies with "Stardust Dragon" to destroy Jack's "Red Dragon Archfiend," securing victory and becoming the new King of Turbo Duels. However, he remains troubled by the vision of the Spider Nazca Line that both he and Jack saw during their match.
Dark Signers
Following his victory, Yusei flees the stadium with Tanner, Yanagi, Luna, and Leo to avoid the media frenzy. They take refuge at Blister's hideout on the outskirts of the city. While there, Yusei notices a man with a glowing birthmark and, suspecting him to be a Signer, follows him to a construction site. There, he finds himself in a Shadow Duel against the man, who reveals himself as a Dark Signer (or a "Shadow Drone" in the dub) and declares their intent to destroy the Signers. Yusei manages to win the Duel, after which the man—revealed to be a street Duelist named Grady—loses all memory of their battle. His Deck mysteriously changes, and his Mark of the Shadows vanishes. Before Yusei can investigate further, Sector Security arrives to assess the damage, forcing him to flee.
Back at the hideout, Trudge and a team of Security officers track Yusei down. Instead of resisting, Yusei willingly steps forward, saying that he wanted to speak with Goodwin anyway (in the dub, Yusei calls Trudge himself to arrange the meeting).
Goodwin brings Yusei to an incomplete bridge overlooking Satellite, where he explains the ancient battle between the Crimson Dragon and the Earthbound Immortals. He reveals that the Signer Dragons once sealed the Earthbound Immortals within the Nazca Lines and that the ongoing conflict between Signers and Dark Signers has spanned 5,000 years. The Original Ener-D Reactor in Satellite is actually a gateway to the Netherworld, and the Dark Signers plan to open it to unleash the sealed evil. Goodwin admits that he deliberately isolated Satellite from New Domino City to contain the battlefield and minimize casualties. When Yusei demands an evacuation of Satellite, Goodwin refuses, stating that doing so would only shift the Dark Signers’ attacks to New Domino, resulting in even greater loss of life. He then arranges for a helicopter to airdrop Yusei and his Duel Runner into Satellite.
Upon arriving, Yusei reunites with Crow and returns to his old hideout, where he is joyfully greeted by Rally and the others. However, they soon come under pursuit by Security officers tracking Crow. To buy time for the group, Yusei and Crow engage the officers in a Tag-Team Turbo Duel, ultimately emerging victorious. The two then regroup with their friends at Crow’s base beneath the Daedalus Bridge. There, Yusei shares what he learned from Goodwin and recounts the Crimson Dragon’s ominous vision. That night, he and Crow venture to the B.A.D. area, home to the Original Ener-D Reactor. There, they are confronted by Kalin Kessler, a former friend who is now a Dark Signer. Kalin, seething with hatred, forces Yusei into a Shadow Turbo Duel. He gains the upper hand using "Hundred-Eyes Dragon," but Yusei fights back with "Stardust Dragon." However, Kalin turns the tables once again by summoning his "Earthbound Immortal," "Ccapac Apu." Before Yusei can counter, his Duel Runner breaks down, forcing the Duel to end prematurely. Severely injured, he collapses, impaled by a large shard of debris. (In the dub, the impalement and blood are censored, and it is instead stated that Yusei sustained serious cuts and bruises.)
Crow rushes Yusei to Martha’s orphanage, where Dr. Schmitt, assisted by Martha, performs emergency surgery to save his life. When Yusei regains consciousness, he is surprised to see that Rally and the others went through the trouble of retrieving his Duel Runner from the B.A.D. area. Martha scolds him for recklessly endangering himself without asking his friends for help, reminding him that true friends will always stand by him. As he recovers, Yusei reflects on his loss and begins to doubt his ability to defeat Kalin.
Meanwhile, as Akiza prepares to Duel Misty Tredwell, Yusei’s birthmark reacts, alerting him that another battle between a Signer and a Dark Signer is beginning. He rushes outside and sees the symbols of the Hummingbird and Lizard Earthbound Immortals glowing in the sky, but he is too far away to intervene. After Akiza is gravely injured and taken to the hospital, her desperate parents turn to Yusei for help. Initially hesitant, Yusei doubts whether he can do anything for her. However, Martha playfully teases him, suggesting that if he has feelings for Akiza, he should just ask her out. Prompted by this, Yusei finally agrees to try and help.
When Akiza awakens, she is relieved to see Yusei at first, but upon noticing her parents, she quickly turns against him. Unable to calm her with words, Yusei attempts to reach her through a Duel. Throughout the battle, he endures multiple attacks, but just as Akiza prepares to strike again, her father, Hideo, steps in to shield him. Hideo’s unwavering determination helps Yusei prove to Akiza that her parents have always loved her.
Mina Simington, Rex Goodwin’s assistant, later reveals to Yusei and Akiza the dark truth behind the Arcadia Movement and Sayer’s real intentions—he had been abducting children to form an army of Psychic Duelists. Devastated by this revelation, Akiza is left shaken, and Yusei offers her comfort.
The Signers are soon invited to Rex Goodwin’s home. Despite his distrust of Goodwin, Yusei agrees to go, seeing it as his only chance to learn more about the Signers and Dark Signers. During their meeting, Yusei asks if there is a way to return a Dark Signer to normal. Goodwin reluctantly reveals that it is impossible, as Dark Signers are already dead and no longer part of the living world. Struggling with guilt, Yusei begins to lose hope in saving Kalin, blaming himself for his former friend’s fate. Frustrated by Yusei’s self-doubt, Jack punches him, urging him to snap out of it. With additional encouragement from Luna and Leo, Yusei regains his resolve.
The Signers, accompanied by Mina, Leo, and Trudge, return to Satellite, where they meet with Martha. They soon learn that Rally, Blitz, Tank, Nervin, and Crow have mysteriously disappeared. As they gather for supper, Roman Goodwin suddenly appears. Jack immediately challenges him, but Yusei warns that Dueling near the flaming geoglyph is too dangerous. He instructs Jack to escort Martha and the children to safety.
Yusei then engages Roman in a Duel, with Akiza by his side. During the battle, two children are nearly sacrificed to the geoglyph, but Jack leaps over the border on his Duel Runner, using his Mark of the Dragon to shield them. However, Martha, who had been on a damaged building with Trudge, falls into the geoglyph and is sacrificed, allowing Roman to summon his "Earthbound Immortal Uru." Yusei manages to summon "Stardust Dragon," but before their battle can conclude, Roman vanishes, reviving Rally as a temporary Dark Signer to face Yusei. In a heartbreaking moment, Rally sacrifices himself to aid Yusei. Swearing to avenge Rally’s death, Yusei vows to defeat the Dark Signers with everything he has.
The four Signers then split up, each heading toward one of the four control units of the Original Ener-D Reactor, where their respective opponents await. On his way to Kalin’s tower, Yusei notices a pillar of light rising from Luna’s location. He rushes over and finds Leo locked in a Duel against Devack. Despite Yusei’s attempts to stop the fight, he is unable to interfere due to the nature of the Shadow Duel. Helplessly, he stands by with Trudge, watching as the battle unfolds.
Luna soon returns and joins Leo, just after Devack summons "Earthbound Immortal Cusillu." Together, the twins manage to defeat both Cusillu and Devack. As a result, Ancient Fairy Dragon and Regulus appear to express their gratitude to Luna, who insists that she couldn’t have done it without Leo and Yusei. The three then proceed to activate the control unit within the tower.
As the Killer Whale Geoglyph manifests, Yusei encounters Crow engaged in a Duel against Greiger, who has now become a Dark Signer. Yusei desperately tries to talk them out of the fight, but both refuse to back down, each believing they are fighting for the people they love.
After Crow’s Duel, Yusei continues toward Kalin’s tower, determined to save him. The two engage in a Shadow Turbo Duel, battling fiercely. As the Duel nears its conclusion, the birthmarks of all the Signers vanish from their arms and unite, forming the image of the Crimson Dragon on Yusei’s back. With this newfound power, Yusei summons "Majestic Star Dragon" and destroys Kalin’s Earthbound Immortal. In Kalin’s final moments, Yusei reconciles with his old friend before Kalin fades into dust.
Yusei then seeks out Roman and challenges him to a final Duel. During their battle, Yusei learns more about the Original Ener-D Reactor incident and the truth about his father. Though Yusei ultimately defeats Roman, the Dark Signer triggers an explosion in his last moments, collapsing the bridge they were Dueling on and sending Yusei plunging into the pool of Ener-D below.
Yusei regains consciousness in a strange realm where the souls of those who perished in the Zero Reverse accident reside. As the vengeful spirits attack him, Yusei is saved by his father, Dr. Fudo, who guides him to an escape route from the Netherworld. Emerging back into the real world, Yusei and his allies ascend the same stairs they had used earlier. In the distance, they spot purple sparks in the sky, signaling that Jack has won his Duel and successfully activated the third control unit.
Rushing to the final tower, Yusei finds Akiza locked in battle. However, before he can reach her, he is intercepted by Sayer, who has disguised himself. Luring Yusei into a secluded room, Sayer reveals his true identity and claims that Akiza is not his ally, but rather a mind-controlled puppet. Before Yusei can react, Sayer subdues him and throws him into a cage where Mina is already trapped. Sealing the cage with a "Hinotama" spell, he begins flooding it with water, leaving them to drown.
Trudge arrives just in time to rescue Yusei and Mina. Yusei then confronts Sayer, who has now fully regained control over Akiza. As they fight, Sayer reveals his darkest crime—he was the one who murdered Misty’s younger brother, Toby. Just as Sayer prepares to finish Yusei off, Yusei cleverly uses his Duel Disk’s microphone to broadcast the confession to Misty.
Misty, consumed by fury, calls upon her Earthbound Immortal, which devours Sayer. With Sayer gone, Yusei breaks Akiza free from his control, allowing her to regain her will and ultimately defeat Misty. However, before they can activate the control unit, the sun sets, and the massive Condor Geoglyph manifests in the sky, signaling the arrival of the final Dark Signer.
Yusei, Jack, and Crow unite for a 3-on-1 Shadow Turbo Duel against the last Dark Signer—Rex Goodwin. As the Duel intensifies, Crow shields Yusei from the effects of "Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca," leaving him with only 1 Life Point. Yusei and Jack press on without Crow, but after Jack is unable to continue, Yusei also has his Life Points reduced to 1. At that moment, the Crimson Dragon mark disappears from Rex and is redistributed—the Head Birthmark transfers to Yusei, while the Tail Birthmark chooses Crow as its new bearer. With the power of the Crimson Dragon on his side, Yusei summons "Majestic Star Dragon" and lands the final blow, defeating Rex once and for all.
As the battle ends, the Crimson Dragon uses "Majestic Star Dragon" to take on a physical form and vanquish the King of the Netherworld, ensuring the Dark Signers' reign of terror is brought to an end.
Pre-World Racing Grand Prix
Six months after his Duel with Rex Goodwin, Yusei dedicates most of his time to fine-tuning his Duel Runner in preparation for the upcoming World Turbo Grand Prix. Amid his training, he assists in investigating a series of mysterious Duel Runner crashes caused by a rogue duelist known as Ghost. When Yusei confronts Ghost in a Duel, he initially gains the upper hand, but Ghost counters by summoning his Synchro-destroying monster, "Meklord Emperor Wisel." Utilizing "Majestic Star Dragon," Yusei secures victory, only to discover that Ghost is actually a robotic Duel Bot. Trudge later explains that these Duel Bots were originally designed as test units for Sector Security’s forces, but Yusei senses that something far more sinister is at play and braces for what’s to come.
Soon after, Yusei visits Duel Academy, where he faces off against Professor Heitmann, a teacher planning to expel Leo and Luna’s classmates for using low-Level monsters. Using cards provided by the students, Yusei wins the Duel and proves that low-Level monsters can triumph over powerful ones through strategy and skill.
However, Yusei’s challenges escalate when he is kidnapped by a rival team aiming to eliminate him before the Grand Prix. He is rescued by Akiza, and as they escape from captivity, they encounter Sherry LeBlanc, a mysterious female Turbo Duelist. Sherry challenges Yusei to a Turbo Duel, with Akiza watching from Yusei’s Duel Runner. Throughout the Duel, Sherry questions Yusei’s purpose and offers him a position on her team for the WRGP. Their match ends without a decisive result.
Determined to test his abilities further, Yusei challenges Jack to a Turbo Duel, aiming to win without relying on Synchro Summoning. However, Jack refuses to take the Duel seriously and ends it without a conclusion, believing Yusei is not fighting at full strength. Later, Yusei and his friends attend the WRGP celebration, only for it to be interrupted by an intruder named Dobocle. Akiza subdues him with "Black Rose Dragon," but before Security can apprehend him, Primo intervenes. A Security officer mistakenly identifies Primo as Ghost, prompting Trudge to investigate. Overhearing this, Yusei rushes after Ghost but is intercepted by a masked Duelist named Vizor. Vizor introduces Yusei to a new technique—Accel Synchro Summoning—demonstrating its potential to push a Duelist beyond their limits. Realizing that Accel Synchro is the key to countering "Meklord Emperor Wisel," Yusei vows to master it.
Yusei also supports Akiza as she undergoes Duel Runner training, teaching her advanced riding techniques. When Akiza successfully passes her Turbo Dueling exam by defeating Trudge, Yusei congratulates her and welcomes her into the world of Turbo Dueling.
Meanwhile, Leo requests Yusei’s help in building a Duel Board so he can challenge Lester. After spending the night constructing it, Yusei completes the board in time for Leo’s Duel. The next day, Yusei notices his Signer mark glowing, indicating that Luna is Dueling. After witnessing Leo and Luna’s defeat at Lester’s hands, he becomes even more determined to defeat Ghost and his "Wisel Infinity" while unlocking the secrets of Accel Synchro.
Crow has always known Yusei as someone who keeps his emotions bottled up rather than confiding in others. One morning, before Jack and Crow wake up, Yusei leaves early to train, determined to match the speed required for Accel Synchro. He believes that his victory against Ghost was merely luck and that he would have lost had the Crimson Dragon not intervened.
Jack and Crow later track him down, and Yusei confesses his growing unease about Ghost. He also suspects that Iliaster is behind recent events, recalling Roman’s warning that a man from Iliaster was responsible for leading him down the path of becoming a Dark Signer. Furthermore, if Sherry’s story is true, Iliaster is using the WRGP as part of a larger scheme. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yusei, Jack, and Crow resolve to master Accel Synchro, knowing it is their best chance to counter Iliaster’s plot and protect the city.
Mina and Trudge invite Yusei, Jack, and Crow to dinner, hoping to persuade them to take in Bruno, an amnesiac with remarkable mechanical skills. Initially, Jack accuses Bruno of tampering with his Duel Runner, but Yusei steps in to resolve the misunderstanding. Recognizing Bruno’s technical expertise, Yusei bonds with him as they work together to improve their Duel Runner’s engine.
Later that night, while the group is asleep, an intruder steals the engine program. The next morning, they attempt to retrieve it by hacking into Security's database, which includes a Duel Puzzle. After Crow and Jack fail to solve the simulation, Bruno steps up and effortlessly completes it. The team soon discovers that Lazar is behind the theft and tracks him through a crowded mall, nearly losing him due to holographic camouflage. Bruno and Yusei follow Lazar to a factory, where they become separated. Bruno rushes to call for backup while Yusei confronts Lazar and successfully subdues him.
Meanwhile, Primo uses the stolen program to activate a horde of Duel Bots disguised as Ghosts. He then triggers a self-destruct sequence to destroy the factory and leaves Yusei and Lazar trapped in a room with a Guard Robot programmed with Yusei’s strategies and a Lockdown Deck designed to stall him. While the rest of Yusei’s friends escape, he overcomes the Guard Robot in time for Lazar to help him flee. Before departing, Lazar warns Yusei about the powerful enemies he will soon face.
Bonds Beyond Time
One night, Yusei experiences another nightmare about Zero Reverse. The next morning, Jack and Crow find him deep in thought, noting that he always reflects on the incident after such nightmares. They reassure him that he was not to blame and suggest a ride on their Duel Runners to clear his mind. Yusei agrees, and as they ride, they notice a masked Duelist on an unusually large Duel Runner.
The masked Duelist suddenly challenges Yusei to a Turbo Duel. Yusei quickly Synchro Summons "Stardust Dragon" by tuning "Junk Synchron" with "Junk Warrior," but the masked man—revealing himself as "Paradox"—uses his abilities to steal "Stardust Dragon" and create a corrupted "Malefic" version. Declaring that Yusei and his era will soon perish, Paradox vanishes, leaving Yusei stunned as he realizes his "Stardust Dragon" card has become blank.
Back at their garage, Yusei, Jack, and Crow discuss Paradox’s identity when Akiza, Leo, and Luna arrive with an old newspaper article. The article features Maximillion Pegasus and Yugi Muto, whom Yusei recognizes as a legendary Duelist. Shockingly, the article also reports "Stardust Dragon" attacking Duelists in Europe—an impossibility since the dragon did not exist in that era. Zooming in on the article’s image, Yusei spots Paradox lurking in the background. Suddenly, New Domino City begins to collapse around them. Jack realizes that "Stardust Dragon’s" presence in the past is distorting the timeline, jeopardizing their present.
As the other Signers rally behind Yusei, their marks glow, and the complete Crimson Dragon symbol appears on his back. His Duel Runner begins to shine as the Crimson Dragon calls him forth. Following its guidance, Yusei boards his Runner, opening a time slip to pursue Paradox.
Arriving in the past, Yusei witnesses the Crimson Dragon intercepting "Stardust Dragon’s" attack on Jaden and "Elemental Hero Neos" before disappearing. Paradox is momentarily bewildered by Yusei’s unexpected arrival but quickly departs. Yusei and Jaden meet on a rooftop, where Yusei explains that Paradox is distorting history through time travel. Yubel and Lyman Banner appear, recognizing Yusei’s Dragon Mark as a sign of his destiny. Jaden confirms this, noting that Yusei, too, has been chosen by fate.
Yusei asks Jaden for help in tracking down Paradox. Using his laptop, Jaden searches historical records and uncovers evidence of a major event caused by Paradox. Suddenly, his "Neos" card turns blank, and their surroundings begin to crumble. Realizing they are running out of time, Yusei urges Jaden to act quickly to prevent the destruction of the past—and the future.
Using the power of the Crimson Dragon, Yusei and Jaden traveled further into the past, arriving in Yugi Muto’s time just after Paradox had attacked the crowd with "Cyber End Dragon." The assault left nearly everyone dead, including Maximillion Pegasus and Solomon Muto, with Yugi as the sole survivor, mourning his grandfather’s death. However, the Crimson Dragon intervened, taking Yugi back in time by half an hour to prevent the disaster. Yusei and Jaden met Yugi and requested his help in stopping Paradox, to which he agreed.
The three devised a plan to disrupt the event and prevent Paradox from launching his attack. Jaden summoned Yubel to frighten the audience into fleeing, while Yusei suggested they warn Pegasus about Paradox’s impending arrival. However, Paradox noticed their interference and confronted them directly. He revealed that he came from a future devastated by Duel Monsters and intended to erase the game from history to prevent that fate. Despite Yusei, Jaden, and Yugi's attempts to reason with him, Paradox remained adamant, challenging them to a 3-on-1 Duel. Yugi, Jaden, and Yusei shared 4000 Life Points as they fought to stop him.
During the Duel, Yusei demonstrated his skill as a Synchro Duelist by summoning "Junk Synchron," which shocked Yugi and Jaden since Synchro Summoning didn’t exist in their time periods. Yusei was further enraged when Paradox summoned "Malefic Stardust Dragon," calling it an insult to the real one. Yugi managed to free "Stardust Dragon" and destroy "Malefic Paradox Dragon," but Paradox countered by summoning his strongest monster, "Malefic Truth Dragon." He fused himself with the dragon, wiping out all of Yusei, Jaden, and Yugi’s monsters. As hope seemed lost, Yami Yugi and Jaden encouraged Yusei to keep fighting. With their support, "Stardust Dragon" returned to the field, and Yusei used Trap Cards played by Yugi and Jaden to increase its ATK to 10,000. With one final attack, "Stardust Dragon" defeated "Malefic Truth Dragon," securing their victory.
With Paradox defeated, all the destruction he caused was undone. Yusei bid farewell to Yugi and Jaden, believing they might meet again one day. Returning to his own time, he questioned whether Paradox's vision of the future was inevitable, but he resolved to protect his friends and shape the future himself.
Crash Town
Later, Yusei traveled to Crash Town, a lawless western-style settlement where his old friend Kalin had become involved in gang warfare. Observing from a cliff, Yusei met Barbara, who explained the town’s grim reality: Duelists wager their freedom in high-stakes Duels, and losers are forced into a life of slavery in the mines. Yusei watched Kalin swiftly defeat an opponent known as The Giant, but when he called out to him, Kalin ignored him and rode away. Realizing that the only way to reach him was through a Duel, Yusei devised a plan with Barbara to rescue Kalin after his defeat.
The next day, Yusei joined a rival gang and challenged Kalin to a Duel. During their match, Kalin revealed his deep guilt over his past as a Dark Signer and his belief that he deserved to die. After Yusei won, Barbara betrayed him, leading to both Yusei and Kalin being sent to the mines. Yusei managed to disable his shock collar and attempted to convince Kalin to escape, ultimately knocking him unconscious and carrying him to safety. With the help of West and Nico, Yusei recovered his Duel Runner. However, Lawton, the town’s new ruler, tried to stop their escape, prompting Yusei to Duel him. Lawton's "Gatling Ogre" nearly overwhelmed Yusei, but Kalin’s unexpected return interrupted the match. Lawton used dynamite to flee, causing Yusei and Kalin to be thrown off the mountain.
Back in town, now renamed "Lawton Town," Yusei and Kalin confronted Lawton in a Duel. When they gained the upper hand, Barbara took West and Nico hostage, demanding their surrender. Before they could react, Crow and Jack arrived, turning the tide. Lawton attempted to escape, but Kalin, borrowing Yusei’s Duel Runner, pursued and defeated him. With Lawton’s reign over, the town was renamed "Satisfaction Town," and Yusei, Jack, and Crow bid farewell to Kalin, who chose to stay behind and rebuild the town.
World Racing Grand Prix
After returning to New Domino City, Yusei met with Trudge and Mina to investigate Bruno’s mysterious past. However, before they could uncover anything, a bomb detonated at Sector Security headquarters, triggering an evacuation. Yusei and Bruno were trapped inside and discovered that Sherry LeBlanc had planted the explosive. They chased her, but her butler, Elsworth, blocked Yusei’s path and challenged him to a Duel. Yusei defeated him, convincing him to try and stop Sherry.
Inside the building, Sherry attempted to analyze a mysterious card, but as she did, a strange energy engulfed the room, transporting Yusei, Bruno, Sherry, and Elsworth to a mysterious white space. A comma-shaped machine scanned them before they reawakened on a shore with no memory of what had happened.
Later, Yusei assisted Crow in fine-tuning his Duel Runner with Bruno’s help, discovering an unusual circuit in the process. He watched Crow’s Duel against Bolton and was the first to notice that Bolton was using an Anti-"Blackwing" Deck. As the Duel progressed, the Signers' marks began to glow, and Crow successfully summoned his Signer Dragon, "Black-Winged Dragon," to win the match. Bolton was arrested but left behind new, more advanced engine parts, setting the stage for Yusei and his friends to push their machines even further.
Team 5D’s officially formed for the WRGP, and the group headed to the practice track to test their new engines. During the session, Crow accidentally collided with Breo, a member of Team Unicorn. This led to Andre, Team Unicorn’s ace, challenging Yusei to a Turbo Duel. Yusei accepted and quickly realized that Andre shared his ability to analyze every possible scenario before making a move. Yusei summoned "Stardust Dragon" in an attempt to secure victory, but the practice session’s time limit ended the Duel. He also noted that his win was not guaranteed due to Andre’s unknown Set card.
In the WRGP’s first round, Yusei had to face all three members of Team Unicorn after Jack and Akiza were defeated by Andre, who had adapted his strategy to counter Jack’s Power Deck. Yusei managed to defeat Andre, though not before suffering significant damage from "Magic Charge." He then struggled against Breo’s Mill Deck but overcame him with "Junk Destroyer." His final opponent, Jean, nearly won by forcing Yusei into a Deck Out, but Yusei narrowly secured victory with no cards left in his Deck after Jean shifted to a damage-based strategy.
With this hard-fought win, Team 5D’s secured their first WRGP match victory. While celebrating, Sherry arrived and discussed the threats they had encountered, including Ghost, the "Meklord Emperor" monsters, Lester, and the mysterious event she, Yusei, and Bruno had witnessed at Sector Security’s compound. She also revealed that Iliaster was behind these events and targeting them because they were Signers, shocking everyone.
The next day, Yusei, Jack, and Crow went to check on Team Unicorn’s next match and discovered they had lost after their Duel Runners crashed against Team Catastrophe. Investigating the incident, they found that whenever a Duel Runner crashed, Team Catastrophe’s member had "Hook the Hidden Knight" on the field. Meanwhile, Akiza suffered a similar accident to Crow’s and fell into a coma. Determined to defeat Team Catastrophe fairly, Team 5D’s closely observed Crow’s Duel to understand the connection between the crashes and "Hook." They realized its effect caused a spectral hook to emerge from the opponent’s shadow, locking their wheel. Despite his injured shoulder, Crow endured long enough to destroy "Hook" and pass the Duel to Jack. Team 5D’s won when Nicolas’s own card effect destroyed his Duel Runner.
It was revealed that Primo had supplied Team Catastrophe with their dangerous cards, intending to eliminate Team 5D’s from the tournament. When his plan failed, he unleashed an army of Duelbots called Diablo in New Domino City, initiating Battle Royal mode.
Yusei and his allies fought against the Duelbot invasion. He teamed up with Sherry and Elsworth, while Jack partnered with Security officer Kaz. As they defeated some of the Duelbots, Primo sent the remaining army at Yusei’s group. Elsworth and Sherry were quickly eliminated, leaving Yusei to fight alone. Bruno, urged by a mysterious voice, transformed into Vizor and intervened, helping Yusei escape. Frustrated, Primo personally challenged Yusei to a Duel. Vizor stalled Primo while Yusei sought the final element needed to unlock Clear Mind.
Overcoming his fear of "Meklord Emperor Wisel," Yusei triggered the descent of a stone tablet from the sky. Touching it transported him to a mysterious white space where the comma-shaped machine granted him a blank card. Returning to the battlefield, Yusei faced Primo, who had fused with his Duel Runner.
Primo, now powered by stolen "Skiel" parts, enhanced his "Meklord Emperor" to gain the upper hand, and his taunts disrupted Yusei’s Clear Mind state. "Wisel" absorbed "Stardust Dragon," but Yusei reclaimed it and successfully performed his first Accel Synchro Summon, calling forth "Shooting Star Dragon." Using its effect, he destroyed "Wisel" and depleted Primo’s Life Points. With Primo’s body destroyed, Jakob and Lester arrived to collect his remains. Jakob revealed their purpose to Yusei, Jack, and Crow, retrieved his "Granel" tablet, and departed.
Later, Yusei accompanied Jack to Greiger’s hometown after receiving an email stating that Jack needed a new fighting method. While Jack was absent, Yusei spoke with Greiger, who realized he had been manipulated by the Crimson Devil. He later joined Greiger and Max at a temple, where Jack dueled the Familiar of Red Nova and successfully obtained Blazing Soul, defeating the familiar.
Yusei, Jack, Crow, and Bruno set out in search of Jack’s favorite cup ramen after discovering it was sold out. During their search, they encountered a disguised Lazar, but before Yusei could question him about Iliaster, he vanished. Determined to uncover the truth, Yusei, Jack, and Crow set a trap for Lazar, using a tracking device to corner him as he attempted to escape. After Crow defeated Lazar in a Duel, Yusei helped interrogate him about Iliaster. Lazar led them to an arcade game containing stored information, where Yusei solved a Duel Puzzle to unlock a password. This revealed that the Moment Express Development Organization was involved in Iliaster’s scheme.
Seeking further information, Yusei and the others turned to Rick, a former associate of Bolton, who had instructed him to assist them before his arrest. Rick agreed to help them infiltrate the Moment Express headquarters under the guise of testing their Duel Runner-sized Ener-D engines. Yusei, Sherry, and Bruno entered the facility and began investigating, focusing on the enigmatic Infinity machine. As Bruno and Sherry sneaked into Clark Smith’s office to obtain an access key for the highest-security checkpoint, Yusei distracted Clark by engaging him in a Concentration Duel. Despite Clark’s underhanded tactics, Yusei narrowly secured victory. However, Clark activated an alarm and trapped the trio in a shuttle, forcing them through a wormhole using Infinity. Sherry was pulled into the wormhole, while Yusei and Bruno were transported to the future, where Dr. Fudo appeared and sent them back. Because Clark had revealed crucial information, Iliaster altered history, erasing the Moment Express Development Organization from existence.
Upon returning to their timeline, Yusei and Bruno discovered that Iliaster had entered the WRGP finals as Team New World, while Lazar was promoted to Director of Sector Security to keep the tournament operational. Determined to defeat Team New World, Yusei, Jack, and Crow intensified their training. Along the way, they met Team Taiyo, a humble group in need of assistance repairing their Duel Runner. After helping them, they realized that their next match was against Team Taiyo. Facing their powerful "Zushin the Sleeping Giant," Yusei ultimately secured victory using cards entrusted to him by his friends.
Later, Yusei, Jack, and Crow encountered Team Ragnarok. Their leader, Halldor, explained how they obtained their "Aesir" cards. When Yusei proposed an alliance, Halldor refused, believing that Yusei, like his father, could bring further destruction following the Zero Reverse. Halldor challenged Team 5D’s to a Duel, declaring that the winner would earn the right to face Team New World in the finals. Yusei accepted, determined not to lose.
In the decisive match, Yusei faced Halldor in the final stretch. Although Jack and Crow managed to defeat Dragan and Broder, their ace monsters, "Thor, Lord of the Aesir" and "Loki, Lord of the Aesir," resurrected from the Graveyard due to their effects. On his first turn, Halldor Synchro Summoned "Odin, Father of the Aesir" and launched a relentless assault. With Odin negating his Spell and Trap Cards, Yusei struggled but managed to Summon "Majestic Star Dragon" and later "Shooting Star Dragon," ultimately breaking through and defeating Team Ragnarok.
During Team 5D’s final battle against Team New World, Yusei observed that both Lester and Primo were holding back, realizing their strategy revolved around "Infinite Aura." When Jack failed to destroy it, Jakob swiftly Summoned "Meklord Emperor Granel," which absorbed and destroyed "Red Nova Dragon," defeating Jack in one turn. Crow attempted to fight back with his "Blackwings" but also fell, sacrificing his Life Points to pass "Black-Winged Dragon" to Yusei. Jakob then revealed the destroyed future to Team 5D’s, but Yusei refused to back down. Using "Black-Winged Dragon," he brought out "Stardust Dragon" and Accel Synchro Summoned "Shooting Star Dragon," destroying "Granel."
With "Granel" defeated, the Three Pure Nobles fused into Aporia, who Summoned "Meklord Astro Mekanikle" and absorbed "Shooting Star Dragon." Yusei struggled against the overwhelming power of this new foe but ultimately united his team’s strongest monsters—Crow’s "Black-Winged Dragon," Jack’s "Red Nova Dragon," and his own "Shooting Star Dragon"—to destroy "Meklord Astro Mekanikle" and claim victory.
With Team 5D’s crowned champions of the WRGP, the tournament concluded. However, the Grand Design was completed, and the Divine Temple materialized in the sky, set to crash into New Domino City. Determined to stop it, Yusei prepared to board the structure when Sherry suddenly contacted him through his Duel Runner, warning that stepping onto the Temple would lead to his death.
Ark Cradle
Knowing the dangers ahead, Yusei decides to ascend to the Divine Temple despite the uncertain future awaiting him. Initially planning to go alone, he is convinced by his friends to let them accompany him in battle. With help from Team Ragnarok and Vizor, they reach the Divine Temple, only to be separated into three groups by a trap. Yusei finds himself traveling with Vizor toward the temple's core.
Upon reaching their designated battlefield, they find no opponent waiting for them. However, four glowing orbs surround Vizor, engulfing him in light and restoring his lost memories. Removing his visor, he reveals his true identity as Antinomy, an ally of Z-one and Yusei’s next opponent. Yusei is reluctant to fight his former comrade but accepts the Duel, knowing the fate of New Domino City depends on it.
As they mount their Duel Runners, the battlefield transforms into outer space, with a looming black hole set to consume the Duel’s loser. Antinomy takes an early lead, Synchro Summoning "T.G. Hyper Librarian" to draw extra cards. When Yusei tries to counter with "Junk Berserker," Antinomy blocks the attack and performs an Accel Synchro Summon, calling forth "T.G. Blade Blaster," which severely damages Yusei, dropping his Life Points to 1600. Yusei retaliates with his own Accel Synchro Summon, bringing their Life Points close. However, Antinomy reveals an even greater technique—Delta Accel Synchro—Summoning "T.G. Halberd Cannon." With its ability to negate banishment and disrupt Yusei’s plays, Antinomy seems unstoppable. But Yusei counters with a well-planned combination using "Shooting Star Dragon," "Balance Shooter," and "Endure Soul," managing to defeat Antinomy.
As the black hole begins to pull them in, Antinomy urges Yusei to save the world. Confused, Yusei questions his motives, but Antinomy, now fully aware of Yusei’s potential, affirms his belief in him. Yusei calls him "Bruno," trying to remind him of their bond, and Bruno recalls his memories with Team 5D’s. Before being consumed, he tells Yusei to master Delta Accel Synchro. Yusei desperately tries to save him, but Bruno sacrifices himself, using his Duel Runner to push Yusei to safety. Left with only Bruno’s damaged visor, Yusei mourns his fallen friend.
Regrouping with his allies—who had also faced and defeated Sherry—Yusei informs them of Bruno’s final message. They soon confront Z-one in a strange chamber filled with debris, where Aporia, having regained hope, challenges Z-one to a Duel. However, Z-one easily defeats him using his "Timelords." Before falling, Aporia upgrades Yusei’s Duel Runner to allow him to fight Z-one in the air. Armed with his friends’ Signer Dragons, Yusei accepts the challenge.
During the intense Duel, Yusei overcomes Z-one’s relentless strategies and summons his allies’ Signer Dragons. When he finally deals damage to Z-one, his opponent’s mask breaks, revealing a striking resemblance to Yusei himself. Z-one explains his origins before overwhelming Yusei with five "Timelords." As the Divine Temple collides with New Domino City, a shockwave knocks Yusei off his Duel Runner. Close to giving up, he sees a vision of his father, which reignites his determination. Unlocking Over Top Clear Mind, he performs Limit Over Accel Synchro, Summoning "Shooting Quasar Dragon" to shatter the "Timelords."
In a final counterattack, Z-one summons "Sephylon, the Ultimate Timelord," but Yusei activates "Converging Wishes," Summoning "Stardust Dragon" and declaring it to be the embodiment of everyone's hopes. Using the card’s effect, he increases its ATK to 23,000 and forces multiple battles, each strike breaking through Sephylon’s defenses. With the combined wishes of New Domino City behind him, Yusei lands the final blow, shattering Z-one’s Life Points and securing victory.
As the Crimson Dragon transports his allies to safety, Yusei heads for the Divine Temple’s core, prepared to sacrifice himself to stop its destruction. However, Z-one, seeking redemption, intervenes and takes Yusei’s place. As Z-one perishes, Yusei returns to his friends, who rejoice at his survival, bringing an end to the battle for the future.
Team 5D's Future
Some time after his Duel with Z-one, Yusei becomes a researcher in New Domino City and develops Fortune, a program designed to prevent the Meklord Emperor Genocide from ever occurring. However, he remains uncertain about his path—whether to continue as a researcher or return to life as a Duelist. After a call with Crow, he decides to gather his friends for a final celebration before they all go their separate ways.
During the party, Jack challenges Yusei to a Duel, determined to reclaim his former title. Yusei accepts, and despite Jack’s fierce effort, he emerges victorious. Accepting his defeat, Jack decides to leave New Domino City to forge his own future. On the night before their departure, Yusei shares a quiet, intimate moment with Akiza, who struggles to confess her feelings before they part. Taking her hand, Yusei gazes into her eyes, both understanding the unspoken emotions between them.
Yusei ultimately chooses to stay in New Domino City, dedicating himself to its continued evolution and ensuring it remains a place Team 5D’s can always be proud to call home. He bids farewell to Akiza, who departs to study medicine abroad, Crow, who returns to professional Dueling, and Leo and Luna, who leave to live with their parents. As Team 5D’s takes one final ride together, the Crimson Dragon appears and removes their Signer marks, symbolizing the end of their destined duty to protect the world. Freed from this burden, each member moves forward into their own future. Yusei’s ultimate fate, however, remains unknown.
Altered Timelines
In an alternate future, Yusei is forever remembered as a legendary hero, his story passed down through generations, even into the 23rd century. This version of events follows the same path up until the Dark Signers arc, where Yusei defeats them and the Earthbound Immortals. However, in this timeline, he never encounters Z-one or the Illiaster organization. Instead, he and Team 5D’s compete in the WRGP without interference, and Yusei masters Clear Mind to its highest level, achieving Top Clear Mind. With this ability, he performs a Delta Accel Synchro Summon to evolve Stardust Dragon into Cosmic Blazar Dragon.
Inspired by Yusei’s heroism, Z-one models himself after him, believing he must become the savior of his world when the Meklord Emperor Genocide begins. However, his efforts ultimately prove too late.
Due to Z-one and his team’s attempts to alter history, this Yusei's timeline is rewritten. When his past self faces Z-one and learns of the future’s tragic fate, he dedicates himself to finding a way to prevent the impending catastrophe, ensuring that the dark future never comes to pass.
Powers and Statistics
Tier: 9-C, 9-B with Duel Runner | 9-C, Varies up to at least 2-C Via Powers
Key: Base | With Crimson Dragon
Powers and Abilities: Peak Human Strength and Durability, Supernatural Willpower, Soul Manipulation, Reality Warping, Time Travel (with the Crimson Dragon), Teleportation, Acausality (Type 1) and limited Bestowal of it, Flight (with his Duel Runner), Strategic and scientific genius, Enhanced Senses (Can see and hear the spirits of duel monsters and humans), Social Influencing (Yusei Fudo connects the hearts and minds of those around him, to the point they’ll be willing to go to great lengths to protect him not long after they meet. Goaded Jean into attacking when he would’ve won by simply ending his turn.), Sealing (The Signer Dragons sealed the Earthbound Immortals in the Nazca Lines) | All previous abilities, Summoning (The Crimson Dragon can summon the Signer Dragons)
Attack Potency: Street level (Effortlessly knocked out two security guards. Comparable to Jack Atlas.), Wall level with Duel Runner (Stopped Greiger's Duel Runner from ramming into Goodwin's control room[1]) | Street level (Same as before), Varies up to at least Low Multiverse level Via Powers (Yusei can summon monsters with various degrees of power and amplify their power with his spirit energy. His strongest monster in is empowered by the full Crimson Dragon, which scales massively above Stardust Dragon who almost killed Neos with a single attack.)
Speed: Athletic Human, Subsonic with Duel Runner | FTL (Outpaced a black hole in his duel against Antinomy)
Lifting Strength: Athletic Human | Unknown
Striking Strength: Street level, Wall level with Duel Runner | Street level, Low Multiverse level with summons
Durability: At least Street level (Quickly recovers from crashes that’d put most people in the hospital, including the likes of Jack Atlas and Akiza Izinski. Could take numerous blows from Akiza’s psychic manifestation of Black Rose Dragon and remain standing.) | At least Low Multiverse level
Stamina: High (Can duel for hours, and endure a lot of physical abuse. Comparable to Jack Atlas who pushed the Phoenix Whirlwind a great distance while heavily injured.)
Range: Standard Melee Range
Standard Equipment: Deck, Duel Disk, Yusei Go and Crimson Dragon.
Deck
Yusei plays a "Junk" Deck, known for its adaptability and strategic depth. While many of his cards remain consistent throughout his Duels, leading some to call his tactics predictable, Yusei’s true strength lies in his ability to analyze his opponent’s strategies and formulate precise countermeasures. He often starts Duels cautiously, carefully assessing his opponent before building toward powerful combos. His approach is methodical, leveraging past moves to set up intricate plays later on.
Thematically, Yusei’s Deck is centered around Warrior and Machine-Type monsters, particularly those with a "Junk" motif, such as "Scrap-Iron Scarecrow" and "Junk Barrage." Many of his monsters have low ATK and Levels, but he compensates for their individual weaknesses with synergy-driven strategies that maximize their potential. His Deck also emphasizes recycling, frequently returning cards to his hand or field and utilizing effects from the Graveyard. To offset his lower-powered monsters, he incorporates Burn damage effects with cards like "Junk Barrage" and "Cosmic Blast."
Yusei’s core strategy revolves around Summoning Synchro Monsters, with "Junk Warrior" being his most frequently used. He relies heavily on the "Synchron" archetype, enabling him to perform multiple Synchro Summons in a single turn. His preference for low-Level non-Synchro Monsters grants him fine-tuned control over which Synchro Monster he can bring out at any moment. His tactics often involve swarming the field and methodically evolving his weaker monsters into stronger forms. While primarily focused on Synchro Summoning, Yusei has also utilized Tribute and Fusion Summoning when necessary.
His ace monster, "Stardust Dragon," plays a crucial role in his defensive playstyle. Initially, Yusei reserved it for key moments, treating it as a backup plan. However, by the WRGP arc, he begins prioritizing its Summoning and incorporates more support cards to take advantage of its abilities. Over time, he acquires increasingly powerful variations, including "Majestic Star Dragon," "Shooting Star Dragon," "Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode," and "Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste." His ultimate trump card, "Shooting Quasar Dragon," represents the pinnacle of his Synchro Summoning expertise.
In addition to his monsters, Yusei’s Deck contains a significant number of Trap Cards, particularly in Turbo Duels, where they complement his Speed Spells. Even in standard Duels, his Deck features a higher-than-average number of Traps, reflecting his preference for layered defensive and reactive strategies.
Intelligence: Genius (Yusei is shown to be highly technical when it comes to computers and machines, able to build and program seemingly anything as he was to build his own Duel Runner from scrap parts, twice, and how he jammed Rally’s criminal mark. Along with the ability to construct one, he is also shown to be an expert at riding a Duel Runner, pulling off extremely dangerous maneuvers on a regular basis. He was even able to reverse-engineer a Duel Board simply from a detailed drawing. Yusei is also an adept teacher as shown when he was helping Akiza get her Turbo Dueling License. He is a skilled fighter, as evident from how effortlessly he knocked out two of Goodwin's security guards, and is street smart enough to consistently evade capture Sector Security, He’s also an expert in physics, eventually over his parents' job as head of overseeing the completion of the Ener-D Reactor and even building the Fortune program to prevent the Meklord Emperor Genocide. As the captain of Team 5Ds, Yusei showed to be a very capable strategist and tactician, able to see through his opponent's plans and devising plans for his own team)
Weaknesses: His temper gets the best of him when someone disrespects any card and is willing to go to great lengths to protect those around him, especially his friends.
Note: Humans cannot normally use their spirit energy nor could they summon real monsters outside of a shadow game or a place that is full of spirit energy.
Trivia
At 18 years old, Yusei is the oldest main protagonist in any Yu-Gi-Oh! series and is the only adult protagonist.
Yusei is the first main protagonist to:
- Never have a "partner."
- Never lose a Duel outside of flashbacks.
- Have an ace monster that is an Effect Monster from the Extra Deck, rather than a Normal Monster from the Main Deck.
- Exclude a "Kuriboh" monster from his Deck (although his manga counterpart does use "Junkuriboh").
- Never end a Duel in a Draw.
Distinct from other main protagonists, Yusei is:
- The only one whose ace monster's Attribute is neither DARK (as seen in Yugi, Yuya, and Yuga's monsters) nor LIGHT (as seen in Jaden, Yuma, and Yusaku's monsters). "Stardust Dragon" is a WIND monster.
- The only protagonist without a male and female Spellcaster (or Spellcaster-like) monster duo in his Deck. For comparison: Yugi has "Dark Magician" and "Dark Magician Girl," Jaden has "Miracle Flipper" and "Card Ejector," Yuma has "Gagaga Magician" and "Gagaga Girl," Yuya has "Xiangke Magician" and "Xiangsheng Magician," Yusaku has "Cyberse Magician" and "Cyberse Witch," and Yuga has "Sevens Road Magician" and "Sevens Road Witch."
Yusei's driving style is inspired by Dominic Toretto, the main protagonist of The Fast and the Furious series.
Yusei has dueled against all of Aporia's robotic embodiments, as well as Aporia himself, with the exception of Lester.
Yusei’s name roughly translates to “game star,” a possible reference to his ace monster, "Stardust Dragon."
Throughout the 5D's anime, Yusei has never lost a Turbo Duel, a distinction he shares with Jack, who has never lost a Standing Duel.
Theme
References
- ↑ Episode 21 - Second Round Showdown, Part 2 / Greiger's Revenge: The Trap of Sorrow, Chariot Pile"
