Review of Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal

Zexal is the middle stepchild of Yugioh. It’s not iconic like the original series, funny like GX, or ambitious like 5D’s, but boy, it’s trying really hard. The whole thing feels very by the numbers. It does not do anything new or interesting, it takes no risks. Yuma is an overly enthusiastic moron who loves card games but also often shows disinterest in them. The villains are stock and have little motivation. Tori is girl. There is not enough of the Best Boy, Flip. The plot was simple and unnecessarily complicated at the same time. I stopped trying to follow it not because it wasdifficult to follow, but because I just stopped caring. This was the worst Yu-GI-Oh series so far. So, of course, I will watch part two, because I hate myself and crave pain like a cartoon cereal mascot craves whatever sugary treat children are trying to keep from him.