Mentions in other media

Yu-Gi-Oh! has been referred through different non-related media. Here is a list:

Anime and manga

Yami coming from Bobobo's hair.

• In chapter 104 of the manga series Bobobo-Bo bo-bobo, "Terrifying Sugoroku Battle", Yami Yugi appears from Bobobo's afro, summoning his "Slifer the Sky Dragon " against Halekulani.

Millennium Puzzle-like objects in Fairy Tail.

• In episode 139 of Fairy Tail, objects which bear a resemblance to the Millennium Puzzle can be seen in the background.
• In episode 162 of Gin Tama, two of the main characters conduct their final competition in a match of card games using a Duel Disk system that uses a similar platform as the first Duel Disk built by Seto Kaiba, and an arm attachment similar to the more commonly recognized Duel Disk. The cards are all characters from the show, and the front of the cards are structured the same as in the TCG/OCG, save for Level stars. Each player begins with 2000 Life Points, and must reduce the other player's to 0.

Yu-Gi-Oh! in Hayate the Combat Butler.

Hayate and his partner.

• At the end of episode 29 of Hayate the Combat Butler, Hayate is suddenly challenged to a duel by the "Duel Butler". Hayate performs a "One Turn Kill" by summoning Klaus (the head butler) and using the rare card "Ayasaki Hayate". Hayate himself references Yugi and Yami Yugi, saying "Let's go, partner!" as a more innocent-looking double of Hayate appears saying "Yeah, other me!"

Reborn playing Yu-Gi-Oh! in Katekyo Hitman Reborn!.

• In a Katekyo Hitman Reborn! episode, one of the main characters, Reborn, explains Tsuna that we are currently in the video game and card battle era, and as examples, he is shown playing a video game, and playing Yu-Gi-Oh!, with a Duel Disk, a card, and a Millennium Puzzle made by his chameleon Leon.

Konata dressed as Yugi in Lucky Star.

• In episode 13 of Lucky Star, Konata makes a reference to Yu-Gi-Oh! which includes her dressing like Yugi Mutou.
• In the 8th episode of the Moetan anime "Ah-kun" become crazy after entering girl's public bath and start saying "ore no turn" ("my turn") with a trap card displayed.
• In episode 14 of Toradora!, when Kushieda Minori was asking to show each other which pictures they got, she states "Takasu-kun, it's time to begin... our destined duel-down! I now sacrifice 90 yen to summon nine pictures. Then I will reveal my face-down card, Quick-Play Spell Card "Immediate Discovery", activate! I just found a picture with my softball teammates, number 93, I summon by paying the cost of 10 yen. Turn end! Yes, Takasu-kun, it's your turn!"

Yami Yugi on computer in left Panel.

• In Chapter 37, Page 48 of Hikaru No Go: A small cameo of Yami Yugi appeared on the computer, along with all other characters from Shonen JUMP on the site, when Touya pulled Hikaru out of the way.
• In episode 2 of Seitokai no Ichizon, Mayafuyu uses a scenario involving the Battle Phase to test the Student Council's Japanese: "If your opponent attacks, you can open your Trap Card. Now all Spell Cards on the field are sent to the Graveyard." When the Student Council President guesses wrong, Mayafuyu corrects her: "Face-down card activate! This trap nullifies the effects of your Trap Card." The Trap is based on the Council President and even contains a chibi-image of the Student Council President.

TV shows

Yu-Gi-Oh! referenced in Family Guy.

• In the 5th season of Family Guy, Stewie's teddy bear Rupert is sold at a yard sale accidently. Then when Stewie checks the FBI database for the buyer it is revealed that the buyer watches Yu-Gi-Oh!
• An episode of the game show Jeopardy! that aired October 22, 2004 had the clue, "Before dueling in this game, you must greet your opponent with a friendly handshake."
• Yu-Gi-Oh! has been referenced several times in MAD:
  • In the sketch "Grey's in Anime", a patient hallucinates that one female doctor has Yugi's hair. She summons the "Dark Physician" (which looks like the "Dark Magician") to heal the patient, only to be stopped by a rival doctor's "Malpractice" Trap Card, suing "Dark Physician" and making him unable to heal. The female doctor protests that they must work together, and the male doctor says, "I can heal the patient all by myself!" holding his arm up to a similar pose that Seto Kaiba did during Yugi and Kaiba's Duel with Lumis and Umbra.
  • In the sketch "Pokémon Park", when leaving "Pokémon Island", Misty asks Ash about "Digimon Island" and "Yu-Gi-Oh! Island". Ash replies by saying that they are "more complicated, but less fun".
  • One sketch, "Yu-Gi-Bear!", is a mash-up of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yogi Bear. The sketch features Yogi Bear wearing an item similar to the Millennium Puzzle, allowing Yogi Bear to transform into Yugi Bear (basically just Yogi Bear wearing a coat and hair similar to Yugi's) and he starts a Duel with Park Ranger Smith over a family's "pic-a-nic basket", despite the family's willingness to share their food. We see that Ranger Smith has an "Amazon of the Seas" Monster Card, but Yugi Bear counters with his "Smarter Than The Av-a-rage Bear" Trap Card (which looks like a bear holding a diploma and wearing a graduation hat). The Duel starts to bore the family. Regardless, Yugi Bear and Ranger Smith continue the Duel. Ranger Smith Special Summons "Gigaplant" with 2400 ATK, but Yugi Bear Summons "Boo-Boo Eyed White Dragon" (which looks like Dino from The Flintstones with Boo-Boo's head) with 3000 ATK, but just as Yugi Bear is about to explain its effect, Ranger Smith points out that the family has left.

Yu-Gi-Oh! referenced in The Simpsons.

• In the 15th season of The Simpsons, in the empty library there are only two remaining items, one of which is a "Yu-Gi-Oh! Price Guide".
• In the Victorious special "Locked Up", Tori Vega plays Go Fish against two prison-mates, but they are using Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. The backs of the cards are visible, but not the fronts, as Tori says "Go fish" and then gets hit by a prison mate. Another prison mate advises the first prison mate to calm down as she believes Tori hit the chancellor in the eye with her shoe.
• In the American-Japanese TV show, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi Ami and Yumi play an obvious reference to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game dubbed Stu-Pi-Doh! in the episode, "In The Cards".
• In the "All Grown Up!" episode (aptly named) "Yu-Gotta-Go", Chuckie buys cards of the title name and becomes obsessed with the game, hoping to obtain the rare "The Red Mirror Dragon".

Films

• In the film 16 Blocks, Yu-Gi-Oh! is referenced by Mos Def as he talks about his passion in the film of making birthday cakes for children.
• In the movie Are We There Yet?, the main character runs a sports shop and when some children pester him he names a list of cards he does not carry (including Yu-Gi-Oh!).
• In the film Drillbit Taylor, Yu-Gi-Oh! is used as a codename for several missions and operations by the main characters.

Comics

• In a later Sunday strip, the American comic FoxTrot had a young main character go to a Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament, complete with heavily-gelled hair that greatly resembled that of Yami Yugi.

Gaming

• In the online card game Urban Rivals, two cards, Scarlett Cr and Manon Cr, dress up as a Yu-Gi-Oh! GX character in one of their evolutions.

• In Borderlands 2, the assassin character Zer0 sometimes says "Hilarious! You just set off my Trap Card", when activating his "Decepti0n" action skill, which creates a copy of himself and turns him invisible.