This is surprising and frustrating. Surprising in that it is a pretty great animation showcase, particularly when it comes to the mechas. Frustrating in that shockingly little of the 6 minute runtime is dedicated to the original series, despite the basis for producing this being the 25 year anniversary of that series. It’s been a while since I played the card game and watched the show, but it’s disappointing to see scant little to actually commemorate Yu-Gi-Oh, even in terms of cameos of the original characters or monsters (with a few exceptions in the latter). I get that this is more of a demo reelshowcasing some strong animation by talented artists, but if you’re going to associate it with Yu-Gi-Oh, throw more of a bone to fans, otherwise just title it “Konami Showcase” and continue from there.

Given all that, I can’t say I recommend this, but it’s a short watch that displays some strong animation and, if you can dismiss all expectations, it is a decent showcase that ends with a Konami advertisement for more Yu-Gi-Oh cards that rings hollow.