Yugioh is the childhood anime many fans grew up with and appreciated. I mean it’s the MAIN inspiration for anime that deals with cards as some sort of power, ability, the act of “summoning” something.
No anime influenced this vibe better than Yugioh did. It’s a trendsetter no different to Pokemon. Just slightly less popular.
With the recent death of the Yugioh author as of July 7th 2022 (60 years old), I thought I’d make a relevant post on the topic since it’s fresh in people’s minds.
Let’s get to a list Yugioh fans can appreciate!
Anime just like Yugioh:
1. Selector Infected Wixoss
Selector Infected Wixoss has to be one of my first 100 anime shows. It was one of the original “magical girl style” anime that I came across.
One thing that connects this to Yugioh is the fact the characters battle with cards. The anime is purely strategy based.
The main character’s card is called Tama as she calls her, a girl with white hair who battles alongside Ruuko the MC. And it stretches even further with the main characters friendships.
There’s 2 seasons to this anime so nowhere near the amount of content Yugioh has, but if you want a female version of Yugioh, it’s worth trying out.
2. Death Note
Death Note is a psychological horror style anime. A classic that everyone knows about. That’s true even for fans who aren’t fanatical about it.
On one hand the anime is much more violent, brutal, savage, cunning, and immoral compared to something like Yugioh. But Yugioh actually shares similarities with Death Note with its “dark” elements here and there.
There are crossovers, it’s just not as direct as something like Selector Infected.
Death Note is the anime you watch if you want something more involved with a more bitter, sour flavor as far as the outcomes and realism.
3. Dr Stone
Dr Stone is another unique anime that’s a lot like Yugioh for its uniqueness and other features. The anime is about science, a scientist MC who invents and creates things, and the relationships he develops.
In this prehistoric time – Senku (main character) creates things like soap, and the methods of creating is actually on point and realistic.
While the setting of Dr Stone is different to Yugioh, other elements of both anime crossover. And the protagonists have similar hairstyles if you really wanna go there.
4. Beyblade
Beyblade is a classic just like Yugioh and deserves a mention here. The anime is responsible for the childhoods of many anime fans from the early 2000’s era. Even before Naruto came to be the anime that it is.
Similar to both Pokemon and Yugioh, Beyblade’s “Tyson” fits a certain style of shounen personalities. He’s ambitious, driven, and competitive. He’s more like Ash Ketchum in this way.
The main focus of summoning monsters through objects or tools is the biggest and most obvious similarity between both series.
The overarching themes and the overall bigger picture is also good for either fan of either show to appreciate if similarities is important.
5. Cardcaptor Sakura
It’s all in the name really – Cardcaptor Sakura. The main character is called Sakura Kinomoto. She’s a girl who discovers special cards, and becomes a magical girl along the way.
As a character she’s a bit of a airhead and is definitely different to Yugioh’s Yugi protagonist.
The importance of cards in this world, the setting, the plot, the action, and where it all ultimately leads makes Cardcaptor Sakura an unlikely comparison, but one that will give you something different yet still similar.
It’s also a Shoujo style anime.
6. Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail is a much bigger anime as far as the world itself, worldbuilding, the amount of characters, and types of magic, but there are crossovers.
Some characters like Cana use cards as their main set of magic and fighting strategy. And her set of card magic and how useful she is makes her a stand out character in Fairy Tail.
This also extends to other characters which is shown in the “Tower Of Heaven” arc of Fairy Tail.
Given the anime has 100’s of episodes it won’t be hard to find things to like about it, and that’s regardless of direct or indirect comparisons (fanservice aside).
The comedy is golden.
7. Code Geass
Code Geass is a military/mecha series following Lelouch, a guy who’s almost killed but has the opportunity to be saved and gains the power of GEASS.
With this power he can control people with direct eye contact, and command them to do what he wants. He uses this power to help his blind wheelchair bound sister, or at least that’s his intention.
Ignoring the obvious brutality and violence to this series, as well as some fanservice shots, the “bigger picture” style and the constant reveals as far as plot shares some crossovers with Yugioh.
There’s a lot to it, and Yugioh fans know this is true for the Yugioh series as well.
8. Pokemon
Pokemon is the #1 choice for Yugioh fans, but it’s too cliche as far as it being so famous that everyone knows about it. But if there’s a rare chance you haven’t watched Pokemon, now might be the time.
With an endless amount of movies, OVA’S, seasons and content, the Pokemon series has enough material to make you quit before you even start.
Even so – it’s the best comparison to Yugioh you’re gonna get, even if the style of battling in Pokemon isn’t perfectly similar to Yugioh’s card style of strategy and tactics.
Honorable Mention:
- Monster Rancher
- Cardfight Vanguard
- Zoids
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