Details have emerged regarding a pivotal moment in the early history of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, revealing how its continuation was secured through a high-stakes negotiation involving Dragon Ball. According to Yoshiro Kataoka, a production planner known for his work on anime like Hunter x Hunter, Weekly Shonen Jump's editor-in-chief, Kazuhiko Torishima, threatened Toei Animation with the revocation of its Dragon Ball secondary usage rights. This occurred when Toei Animation attempted to cancel the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and refused to relinquish its rights.

The initial Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, a 27-episode season produced by TV Asahi and Toei Animation in 1998, reportedly did not perform well enough to warrant a second season from Toei. However, the manga by Kazuki Takahashi was gaining significant readership in Weekly Shonen Jump, leading its publisher, Shueisha, to strongly desire a continuation of the anime adaptation.

The 'Dragon Ball' Trump Card

Kataoka recounted in a multi-part interview with Kaishi Professional University that during a 1999 meeting, Toei Animation expressed no intention of producing a second season or returning the anime rights. This prompted Torishima to issue a direct threat. At the time, Dragon Ball was highly popular, especially outside of Japan, with the FUNimation dub of Dragon Ball Z airing from 1996 to 2003.

Toei Animation ultimately relented to Shueisha's demand. This intervention led to the production of the subsequent Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, which was produced by TV Tokyo. The earlier Toei Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, often referred to by fans as 'Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0,' never received an English-language dub. The full 27-episode season has been available for free on YouTube for nearly a decade.

Key points

  • Toei Animation initially cancelled the 1998 Yu-Gi-Oh! anime after 27 episodes.
  • Weekly Shonen Jump's publisher, Shueisha, wanted a second season due to the manga's popularity.
  • Toei Animation refused to produce more episodes or return the anime rights.
  • Weekly Shonen Jump's editor-in-chief, Kazuhiko Torishima, threatened to revoke Toei Animation's Dragon Ball secondary usage rights.
  • Toei Animation conceded, leading to the production of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters by TV Tokyo.

Source: Kotaku · Oct 27, 2026