Yugi Mutou

Yugi Mutou
Yu-Gi-Oh! character
Yugi (left) and Dark/Yami Yugi (right): Takahashi used the shapes of the eyes to distinguish the personalities of the characters.[1]
First appearance	Yu-Gi-Oh! Chapter 1 (September 1996)
Created by	Kazuki Takahashi
Voiced by	Japanese Megumi Ogata (1998–1999) Shunsuke Kazama (2000–present) English Dan Green

Yugi Mutou (Japanese: 武藤 遊戯, Hepburn: Mutō Yūgi) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga series created by Kazuki Takahashi. Yugi is introduced as a teenager who is solving an Ancient Egyptian artifact known as the Millennium Puzzle, hoping that it will grant him his wish of making friends. After solving the Puzzle, Yugi revives an ancient spirit initially known as Dark Yugi (闇遊戯, Yami Yūgi); the spirit is later revealed to be that of the pharaoh Atem (アテム, Atemu). Over the course of the series, Yugi forms friendships with the supporting cast, interacts with Atem, and learns about his past. Besides the original manga, Yugi has also appeared in anime adaptations, films and video games based on the franchise. Throughout his appearances, his signature Duel Monsters card is the Dark Magician.

Yugi was created as a weak, young man who is interested in games and becomes a hero when playing them. According to Takahashi, through this trait, Yugi emphasizes the series' themes; friendship and the enjoyment of games. Atem was created as a hero who would appeal to young children through his strong characterization.

Critical reception to Yugi has been mixed; some writers found Dark Yugi to be too dark for the series, but others praised the development of both him and Yugi. His role in movies, mostly The Dark Side of Dimensions, was also praised for featuring a more mature version of him.