Yu-Gi-Oh
Viz · 1995–1997 · 7 issues
About the series
In the late '90s, Viz Media brought Kazuki Takahashi's original manga to American readers, adapting the first seven issues of the series that would become a global phenomenon. This initial run introduces the core premise: a bullied boy named Yugi solves an ancient puzzle and becomes inhabited by the spirit of a Pharaoh, who metes out justice through shadow games. It's the pure, unadulterated starting point of the franchise, before the card game took over, focusing on psychological duels and supernatural stakes. For fans, this is the raw, essential origin of the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe.