Yami Bakura

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I am a thief and a stealer of souls. And I have done terrible things in my quest to possess the Millennium Items. You do remember the legends, don't you? "Whosoever wields all seven Millennium Items will possess power unimaginable."

— Yami Bakura explaining his objective to steal the Millennium Items to Yami Yugi.
Yami Bakura
Yami Bakura
Names
English
  • Dark Bakura (manga)
  • Yami Bakura (anime)
Japanese
Japaneseやみ獏良(バクラ)
Base闇獏良(バクラ)
Furiganaやみ獏良(バクラ)
RōmajiYami Bakura
Personal
Age
  • 3000+ (Japanese/FUNimation dub)
  • 5000+ (4Kids dub)
Height
  • 1.76 m <br />5.774 ft <br />69.291 in <br />176 cm
Weight
  • 114.64 lb <br />52 kg
Gender
  • Male
Relatives
  • Duelist
Tournament Position
Battle City Top 8
TeamMad Moment (WC 2008)
Anime Deck
Other Decks
Nightmare
Troubadour
  • Horror Countdown
  • Underworld Ruler
WC 2004
WC 2008
  • Forbidden Word
  • Unlit Banquet
  • RevivalTime
Appearances
Anime debutYu-Gi-Oh! episode 01212: "Trial by Red Eyes"
Video game debutYu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
Voice actors
English
Japanese
Other languages
Arabic
  • Hassan Hamdan (Lebanese actor)
German
  • David Nathan (Season 1-3)
  • Peter Reinhardt (Season 5)
  • Constantin von Jascheroff (The Dark Side of Dimensions)
Italian
  • Felice Invernici
Spanish
  • Yamil Atala (Americas; 1st voice)
  • José Gilberto Vilchis (Americas; 2nd voice)
  • Javier Balas (Spain)
Tagalog
  • Bernie Malejana
Yami Bakura
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Yami Bakura, known as Dark Bakura (やみ獏良(バクラ) Yami Bakura[1]) in the Japanese version, is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and a reoccurring secondary antagonist for most the series, until the final arc where he is the main and final antagonist. He is the evil spirit of the Millennium Ring. Through the Millennium Ring, Bakura Ryou became host to the spirit, allowing the spirit to possess Bakura. Yami Bakura is the longest running and most prominent adversary in the entire series, being an antagonistic counterpart and a great adversary to Yami Yugi.

Design[edit]

Yami Bakura's design incorporates multiple layers of clothing and a wide range of expressions. Depicted here is the Duelist in full regalia from front and rear views and alongside views of his head from different angles.
Full body-shot of Yami Bakura

Yami Bakura's character design was overseen by Kazuki Takahashi.

Yami Bakura usually wears whatever Bakura Ryou is dressed in.

His white hair is pointed downwards in various directions and trails half way down his back. His hair points in more directions than Bakura's and becomes noticeably more stiff and rigid rather than Bakura's smooth flowing hair. Part of his bangs angle upward like wings or horns when Yami Bakura is in control. He wears the Millennium Ring on a cord around his neck.

In the Duelist Kingdom arc, he wears a white wool sweater and green undershirt.

His usual outfit in following seasons consists of a teal short sleeved collared jacket worn over a blue and white horizontally striped t-shirt. In the manga, he wears just the t-shirt more often. In the Battle City arc, he often wears a KaibaCorp Duel Disk on his left arm.

In the Millennium World arc, Yami Bakura wore a black trench coat with the collar flipped up, as an addition to this outfit.

Yami Bakura's fragment within the Millennium Puzzle still wore the teal jacket that his complete form had worn.

Biography[edit]

Origin[edit]

3,000 years ago (5,000 in the dub), a shard of Zorc Necrophades's soul was sealed in the Millennium Ring during its creation, which later acclimated Bandit King Bakura's soul getting sealed within the Millennium Ring, resulting in the fusion between the two souls. This demonic composite was reawakened in the present day when someone had acquired the Millennium Ring in Egypt and presented the artifact to his son Bakura Ryou. Unbeknownst to Bakura and his father, the Millennium Ring contained the malignant spirit that became known as Yami Bakura upon possessing Bakura. He lost many memories as Bandit King Bakura and Zorc Necrophades. He seeks to obtain all seven Millennium Items so he can resurrect Zorc, and reunite so he can be complete.

Yu-Gi-Oh![edit]

Duelist Kingdom[edit]

Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi about to begin their Shadow Game

Although not a participating player, Bakura snuck onto the Duelist Kingdom island for the tournament.

Yami Bakura traps Yugi Muto, Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor, Téa Gardner and Bakura Ryou in their favorite Duel Monsters cards in an effort to take the Millennium Puzzle, however, faces off with Yami Yugi in a Shadow Game Duel instead. Yami Bakura uses several "Morphing Jars" to discard Yami Yugi's monsters while also using cards like "Man-Eater Bug" to destroy his opponent's monsters and "Change of Heart" to turn his opponent's monsters against each other. When Yami Bakura tried to use "Change of Heart" to turn Yugi (as the "Dark Magician") against the others, Bakura took the form of the card and interfered with the Duel. Bakura attempted to sacrifice himself so Yugi could win, but Yami Yugi switched the places of Bakura's two souls, resulting in Yami Bakura's defeat and subsequent trip to the Graveyard. Afterward, he was assumed to be dead, trapped in the Shadow Realm.

Yami Bakura returns

Bakura then stayed with the group until the night of the finals of Duelist Kingdom, at which point he, Tristan and Téa go on an adventure through Pegasus Castle. Maximillion Pegasus catches them and sends them to the Shadow Realm for a Shadow Game. Yami Bakura takes this opportunity to retake control over Bakura, then sends everybody back to their rooms, plotting to take both Yugi's Millennium Puzzle and Pegasus' Millennium Eye.

Tristan Taylor questions Yami Bakura

Later, at the beginning of Yugi's Duel with Pegasus, Bakura hears Tristan's idea of trying to find the bodies Pegasus took souls from, and Yami Bakura is intrigued by this plan, taking over Bakura's body again. He saves Tristan from Pegasus' guards while the two of them searched for a way to escape, utilizing the card "Man-Eater Bug" and the magic of his Millennium Ring. Tristan is still somewhat disturbed by Bakura's sadistic enjoyment from torturing the guards before killing them. After Tristan realizes who Bakura really is, Yami Bakura revealed what he wants with him (in the Japanese version, he wanted the KaibaCorp data card in the Japanese version; he wanted to use Mokuba Kaiba as his new host body in the dub), and threatens to kill Tristan if anything is tried. Tristan, however, manages to catch Yami Bakura off guard, knocking him out. Tristan then throws the Millennium Ring into the jungle.

Yami Bakura's Millennium Ring versus Maximillion Pegasus's Millennium Eye

Because the Millennium Ring has a bond with its owner, it found its way back to Bakura, causing Yami Bakura to once again be in control, which went unbeknownst to Yugi and company. After Pegasus' defeat at Yami Yugi's hands, Bakura challenged Pegasus to another Shadow Game. After using several of his cards as tarot cards, Pegasus is freaked out when Yami Bakura revealed that he has lived for centuries. He then tells his intentions to Pegasus and takes the Millennium Eye. As Bakura left with Yugi and the gang off Pegasus Island on the Kaiba helicopter, Yami Bakura licked the Millennium Eye.

Battle City[edit]

Yami Bakura sealing a part of his soul in the Millennium Puzzle

Yami Bakura detected the Millennium Puzzle was in distress due to the possessed Bandit Keith. He used the power of his Millennium Ring to release Keith from the possession, causing to Keith shatter the Millennium Puzzle in a rage. Impersonating his own host, he came to the rescue, knocking Keith back. Yami Bakura took advantage of the opportunity to seal a fragment of his soul into a piece of the Millennium Puzzle.

The Millennium Ring later detected the Millennium Necklace, though Yami Bakura was unable to locate its owner Ishizu Ishtar as he was distracted upon seeing the Tablet of the Pharaoh's Memories. Later, he sensed the Millennium Rod and tracked down its owner Marik Ishtar. He agreed to cooperate with Marik in a verbal pact consisting of Marik's relinquishment of the Millennium Rod if Yami Bakura defeated Yugi Muto for Marik. Yami Bakura suggests to Marik to use Yugi's friends, citing it as a huge weakness. As part of their plan, Yami Bakura stabbed himself, then released his host. Marik (as Namu) pretended to rescue Bakura for Joey Wheeler and Téa Gardner.

Marik Ishtar telling Yami Bakura to enter the Battle City finals in order to obtain the Egyptian God Cards

While Bakura was sleeping in the hospital, Yami Bakura's mind encountered Marik. In the Japanese version, Yami Bakura protested that he lent Marik his host, and Marik was supposed to hand over the Millennium Rod. Marik told Yami Bakura that he needed to enter the Battle City finals in order to receive the Millennium Rod. Bakura was awoken by Solomon Muto, however, turned into Yami Bakura. Solomon told him that Yugi and Joey are qualified for the Battle City finals. When Bakura got up to leave to try to find them, he was stopped by Solomon because he was still injured. Yami Bakura knocked out Solomon with the Millennium Ring and left the hospital.

Yami Bakura in his Duel with Bonz

Yami Bakura acquired a place in the Battle City finals by stealing another Duelist's Duel Disk and Locator Card, but disliked the Duelist's Deck and threw the cards back to the Duelist. He found out from a group of teenagers that Bonz's gang were in the cemetery; he set out to find this gang as he wanted to take their Locator Cards. When he found them, Bonz's gang used scare tactics which worked previously on other Duelists, but Yami Bakura was not fazed and saw right through the disguises, disarming Zygor with ease. Yami Bakura then challenged Bonz to a winner-takes-all Duel, where the winner takes six Locator Cards. Without telling Bonz, Zygor and Sid, he turned their Duel into a Shadow Game. Yami Bakura launched his "Headless Knight" at Bonz several times but Bonz called out "Great Mammoth of Goldfine". Yami Bakura Summoned "The Earl of Demise" with twice its ATK and destroyed Bonz's monster. Bonz trapped Yami Bakura in "Nightmare's Steelcage" but Yami Bakura activated "Ectoplasmer" to attack directly and win. Yami Bakura obtained six Locator Cards and claimed both that he was going to send the three to the 'Dark World' instead by Summoning Grim Reapers inside of the Dark Game's space and that he was going to send the three to Hell (he simply sends them to the Shadow Realm in the dub).

Yami Bakura during his Duel with Yami Yugi

During the Battle City quarterfinals, Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi Dueled each other. Yami Bakura allowed Yugi to destroy four of his monsters, losing most of his Life Points in the process, but activated "Dark Sanctuary" to turn Yugi's monsters against each other, as well as "The Dark Door" to limit Yugi's attacking choices. He also used "Destiny Board" to allow him to declare an automatic win after playing all five "Spirit Message" letters. Before the final letter was placed on the field, Yugi Summoned "Slifer the Sky Dragon", shocking Yami Bakura. As Yami Bakura was about to lose, Odion Ishtar (pretending to be Marik) supposedly released Bakura from Yami Bakura's control (which Yami Bakura actually did himself), knowing that Yugi would not attack Bakura, since Bakura was still injured and unabled to withstand Slifer's attack. But when Marik mentioned that Yugi may still attack with the fate of the world at stake, Yami Bakura decided that leaving Bakura's vulnerable state posed too much of a risk, taking over his host's body, challenging Yugi to attack. When Yugi declared the attack, Yugi won the Duel but left Bakura comatose. The Millennium Ring was lost in the Duel, but was recovered by Téa (controlled by Marik).

Yami Bakura during his Duel with Yami Marik

When Marik (via Téa) later returned the Millennium Ring to its host, Yami Bakura then challenged Yami Marik to a Shadow Game; Yami Bakura teaming up with the real Marik to as long as he acquires the Millennium Rod. Marik's Shadow Game caused the darkness to devour parts of their bodies as they lost Life Points. Yami Bakura lost most of his Life Points but obtained "The Winged Dragon of Ra".

Yami Bakura within the Millennium Puzzle.

Despite this, Marik weakened Ra to be useless. Yami Bakura got rid of Ra as a Tribute to Summon "The Dark Ruler", thinking that no one could use Ra buried in the Graveyard but Marik brought Ra back from the Graveyard with "Monster Reborn", revealing Ra's Point-to-Point Transfer abilities to win the Duel, resulting in Yami Bakura's destruction. Before disappearing, Yami Bakura vowed to return and claimed that he was the darkness, vanishing with a laugh, leaving only the Millennium Ring behind. However, the portion of his soul within the Millennium Puzzle allowed him to continue existing in secret, attempting to find the secret of the Millennium Puzzle's power.

Enter the Shadow Realm[edit]

Yami Bakura pleased that he is free

The Millennium Ring appears as a trophy shown during Yami Marik's Duel with Yami Yugi. After Yami Marik was destroyed by Yami Yugi, all of Marik's Penalty Games were undone, allowing Bakura and Yami Bakura to return. Although the Millennium Ring wasn't in its initial owner's possession, the fraction of his spirit still remained within the Millennium Puzzle.

Waking the Dragons[edit]

Yami Bakura in the Waking the Dragons arc

During a vision involving the Millennium Puzzle, Yami Bakura briefly appeared among Dartz's monologue.

Dawn of the Duel[edit]

Yami Bakura retrieving the Millennium Ring from Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood

Bakura was running away from Yami Bakura. Not wanting to be possessed again, Bakura attempted to hide in a church. However, Yami Bakura cornered him and told him that the Millennium Items were in possession of only three individuals. Bakura had to find the eight key, the secret of which was hidden somewhere in the Nameless Pharaoh's world of memories. As he possessed Bakura, Yami Bakura claimed that the doors of the nameless Pharaoh's memory opened and the Ultimate Shadow Game would begin.

He takes the Millennium Ring back when Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood were trying to steal the Egyptian God Cards but mistakenly also took several Millennium Items, knocking the two out (temporarily sending them to the Shadow Realm in the dub). After Yugi Muto eventually catches up with Rex and Weevil, Yami Bakura returns Yugi's Millennium Items and the Egyptian God cards that were in the box the Millennium Puzzle came in, chastising Yugi for failing to protect the various items. However, Bakura kept the Millennium Ring, as he wasn't ready to part with his own Millennium Item yet. He reassures Yugi that he'd return the Millennium Ring once Yugi has all seven Millennium Items to return to the Millennium Stone in Kul Elna to which Yami Yugi asks him what he's plotting. However, he merely responds that they are souls sealed in an Millennium Item; Yami Bakura doesn't know much more than that albeit much more than Yami Yugi does about being a king. Yami Bakura then challenges Yami Yugi to settle their 'pending scores' in a fitting place for them: the Ultimate Shadow Game RPG. Nevertheless, Yami Yugi accepts Yami Bakura's challenge. Yami Bakura departs by saying that it begins once the doors of the Memory World opened.

Yami Bakura and Seto Kaiba during their Duel

Yami Bakura next challenges Seto Kaiba to a Duel in an effort to obtain the power of the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". He first abducted Mokuba Kaiba to get Kaiba to the top of the KaibaCorp building. With Mokuba's life at stake, Yami Bakura repeatedly taunted Kaiba's denial. He almost beats Kaiba with "Diabound Kernel", giving his monster the power that can rival the Egyptian Gods. But when the sun begins to rise, Yami Bakura leaves before they can finish their Duel. He gives Kaiba the Millennium Eye that he took from Duelist Kingdom so Kaiba too may also enter the Memory World. With his real purpose to gain the power to stand up to the Egyptian Gods accomplished, Yami Bakura mockingly refers to Kaiba as Seto, before leaving the Duel inconclusive.

Yami Bakura during the Dark RPG against Yami Yugi

Yami Bakura later arrived in Egypt and entered the Memory World via the Tablet of Lost Memories alongside Yami Yugi, reuniting himself with the fragment that was inside the Millennium Puzzle and being complete. He would be playing the Dark RPG with Yami Yugi while simultaneously controlling the body of Bandit King Bakura, similar to Yami Yugi as Pharaoh Atem. As each player had a character piece in the Dark RPG, Yami Yugi had the Pharaoh while Yami Bakura had his ancient self, Aknadin and Zorc Necrophades. Although he initially didn't seem to care, his ancient counterpart's anger would sometimes motivate his actions as Thief King Bakura had a series of fights with the Pharaoh and the priests. At the RPG table, Yami Bakura used three Hourglass Tokens; the first was to reverse time after Yugi's friends' presence altered the reality's normal flow of events, the second to freeze time for seven Millennium Items to be gathered together, and the third in Zorc's resurrection. As the Dark RPG would affect the modern world, Yami Bakura revealed he is a portion of the ultimate evil's soul to Yami Yugi. He then made him and Yami Yugi enter the Memory World to merge with their Egyptian counterparts, with Yami Yugi as the Pharaoh while Bakura is one with Zorc.

Yami Bakura preparing to Duel against Yugi Muto

Meanwhile, the fragment of Yami Bakura's soul possessing Tristan Taylor acted as a spy after Yugi's friends got into the Millennium World. To prevent the revelation of the Pharaoh's true name, the clone eventually reveals himself and challenges Yugi to a Shadow Game Duel. During the Duel, Yami Bakura utilizes "Necro" monsters, limited Yugi's attacking options using "Narrow Corridor" and focused on a Deck Out strategy with "Cursed Twin Dolls" and "Counterbalance". He ultimately reduces Yugi to 1 card but that card turns out to be "Gandora the Dragon of Destruction" which destroys Bakura's cards and his strategy. Yugi is then able to use "Silent Swordsman LV0" with 4500 ATK, killing the clone and releasing Tristan in the process.

When Zorc is ultimately killed by the Egyptian Gods' divine fusion, the Millennium Ring's malevolent spirit lost the Ultimate Shadow Game and perished once and for all.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX[edit]

Yami Bakura appeared in a flashback after Franz stole the copy of "The Winged Dragon of Ra". When Franz told Jaden Yuki about the Egyptian God cards, footage from Yami Yugi's Duel with Yami Bakura from Battle City was played.[2]

Deck[edit]

Yami Bakura runs Occult Decks focused on Fiend and Zombie-Type monsters. His Decks often employ lockdown strategies while concurrently disrupting and stunning his opponent from employing their strategic moves while trying to either instantly win through activating his "Destiny Board" by fueling his graveyard through Deck thinning Fiend-Type monsters or through using the "Cursed Twin Dolls" and "Counterbalance" to mill his opponent Decks. Yami Bakura makes use of lower level Fiend-Type monsters such as "Headless Knight" and "The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams" to bait opponents into attacking them for fueling his Graveyard with Fiend monsters in order to Summon and activate his signature card "Dark Necrofear" effect. He also employs the use of monster effects to turn his opponent's attacks against them such as using his boss monster "Dark Necrofear" to control his opponents monsters or crippling his opponent Life Points when using "Zoma the Spirit".

Duelist Kingdom[edit]

Bakura's initial Deck is a Disruption Deck, using cards like "Morphing Jar" and "Man-Eater Bug" to control the field and hand. This strategy was effective due to the specific nature of this Shadow Game against Yami Yugi, where the souls of Yugi and his friends had been sealed in their favorite cards which were added to Yami Yugi's Deck. Thus Yami Yugi focused on gathering them on the field to avoid having to discard them to the Graveyard, which Bakura exploited with "Just Desserts" to deal heavy damage since Yami Yugi controlled multiple monsters. Ultimately he was defeated when he played "Change of Heart", the favorite card of the true Bakura. Bakura's soul within the card defied Yami Bakura and allowed Yugi and Yami Yugi to restore Bakura to his body, trapping Yami Bakura in the card of "Lady of Faith" where Yugi destroyed him as the "Dark Magician".

Battle City[edit]

During Battle City, Yami Bakura uses his Occult Deck for the first time, with a new signature boss card "Dark Necrofear". This Deck was highly risky, often using lower level Fiend-type monsters and relying on baiting opponents into attacking them for fueling his graveyard in order to summon and activate his signature card "Dark Necrofear" effect. Against Yugi, Yami Bakura allowed "Dark Necrofear" to be destroyed to activate "Dark Sanctuary". Using the card's powers Yami Bakura was protected from Yugi's attacks and was able to recover his Life Points while draining Yugi's. He also used "Destiny Board" with the intent to eventually declare an automatic victory once he was able to complete its five-letter message. Against Yami Marik, Bakura focuses on making Yami Marik add "The Winged Dragon of Ra" to his hand with "Dark Designator" and claiming it for himself with "Exchange".

Memory World[edit]

Diabound[edit]

Yami Bakura plays another Fiend Deck when he confronts Seto Kaiba in order to gain the power of his "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" for his own purposes. He protects himself from attack with "Spirit Shield" and uses "Diabound Kernel" and "Spirit Illusion" to weaken Kaiba's "Blue-Eyes" so "Diabound" can destroy it and absorb its power. He also uses various tablet cards that symbolize the original Duel Monster spirits that were captured in stone.

Undead Lockdown[edit]

In his final Duel of the series, Yami Bakura plays an Undead Lock Deck with the "Necro" monsters against Yugi Muto, which focuses upon winning the Duel by having one's opponent run out of cards. To achieve this he uses "Cursed Twin Dolls" and "Counterbalance", allowing his destroyed monsters to return to the field as "Ghosts" rather than going to the Graveyard and forcing Yugi to discard cards from his Deck each turn equal to the number of monsters in play. Due to this combo Yugi lost almost a dozen cards each turn, quickly depleting his Deck, while Bakura did not have to discard since his Graveyard had been "destroyed". As protection until Yugi's Deck was wiped out, Bakura utilized "Spirit Sword of Sealing" and "Narrow Corridor" to limit his attacks.

Duels[edit]

Opponent Episode(s) Outcome
Yami Yugi 13 Lose (Duel taken over by Bakura Ryou)
Bonz 79 Win
Yugi Muto/Yami Yugi 82-84 Lose
Yami Marik 96-97 Lose
Seto Kaiba 200 No result
Yugi Muto 215-218 Lose (through Tristan Taylor)


Other appearances[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • He and Yami Yugi have many similarities. They were both ancient Egyptian spirits sealed in a Millennium Item for over 3,000 years. Also, both their past selves (Bandit King Bakura for Yami Bakura and Pharaoh Atem for Yami Yugi) are their modern-day hosts' ancient Egyptian past incarnates. Not only that, but in the final season of the anime, they both entered the bodies of their ancient selves. Also, both of their modern-day hosts are shy, meek game-loving high-school freshmen.
  • In some ways, his showdown with the Sacred Guardians resembled the one with Moses and the pharaoh's magicians in Jewish, Islamic and Christian traditions. Furthermore, his Diabound resembles a serpent.

Notes[edit]

  1. He uses this card to subdue a few of Pegasus's guards during episode 36.

References[edit]

  1. "Yami Bakura". yugioh.com.
  2. Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 08585: "Rah, Rah, Ra!"