History Anime / YugiohZEXAL

The fourth series in the ''Anime/YuGiOh'' franchise. (The title is pronounced "zeal" in the Japanese version and "zek-sul" in the English dub.)

Replacing the D-Wheels of the previous series and Duel Disk models are the brand new D-Gazers and D-Pads, an eyeglass piece along with the new model of Duel Disk for augmented VirtualReality duels, which allow for more visual destruction of the environment, giant score cards for [[HitPoints life points]], and an overall enhanced dueling experience. They still use real cards, instead of virtual ones, for some reason.

* [[ABoyAndHisX A Boy And His Naked Blue Alien]]

* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: Yamikawa

* CallingYourAttacks: "[[MagicPokerEquation SHINING DRAW!]]"

** Ryoga Kamishiro > Reginald Kastle (though his nickname of "Shark" is retained)

** Haruto Tenjo > Heart Tenjo

** hell, the World Duel Carnival could be considered an Expy of Duelist Kingdom. 5 wins to get to the finals? The man setting it up is after series Mcguffins? Check and check.
** Anna Kozuki is basically a [[RuleSixtyThree female version]] of [[{{Anime/YuGiOhGX}} Judai Yuki]]

* MagicPokerEquation: A series staple, of course, but especially noticeable this time around due to the hoops characters jump through to summon their signature Xyz monsters early in the game.

** LesYay: Not only has Gagaga Girl become very sexualized, but the Gagaga Girl/Dark Magician Girl pairing has become extremely popular, with Gagaga usually on top (what with her chains and all).

-->'''Astral:''' Observation #11: Somehow Yuma doesn't seem to be able to understand girl's feelings.

** [[spoiler:The literal power of Friendship gives Yuma and Astral the ability to summon Number C39: Utopia Ray.]]
* QuestForIdentity: The main plot is recovering Astral's memory by defeating number monsters.

** Scattered cards that cause trouble where they go, and a hero trying to obtain them all? [[CardcaptorSakura Where have we seen that before?]]
*** Does NOT help that [[TsubasaReservoirChronicle Astral is an amnesiac whose memories were scattered into several forms near the end of the first episode.]]

* [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Superpowered Chaotic Side]]: [[http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110808152121/yugioh/images/b/b9/ChaosNumber39UtopiaRay-JP-Anime-ZX-NC.png Number C39: Utopia Ray.]]
* SuperMode: Behold, Yuuma has turned into a [[http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/8537/superyuuma1.jpg Super Saiyan]]!

* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Kaito and Gauche towards Yuma although they're both more interested in defeating Astral.

** This can be subverted as well on No. 39 it all depends on how you translate Kibō'ō which the example above translates as "king of hope". The YuGiOh Wikia page translates it as Aspiration Emperor/King and one of the fansubbing groups transslate Kibō'ō as Aspiring Emperor, it all depends on the translation.

* In the dub, Cathy gets a last name - Catherine.

* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: "No. 39 Hope, King of Hope." The English card's name changes it to "Number 39: Utopia." In the dub, Cathy gets a last name - Catherine.

Replacing the D-Wheels of the previous series and Duel Disk models are the brand new D-Gazers and D-Pads, an eyeglass piece along with the new model of Duel Disk for augmented virtual reality duels, that allow for more visual destruction of the environment, giant score cards for life points, and an overall enhanced dueling experience. The story stars new protagonist, Yuma Tsukumo, a 13 year-old middle school student who tackles life and dueling with everything he has, despite lacking skill. While his duel skills aren't impressive, his love for Dueling can't be matched.

One day, Yuma is forced to duel the local rising Dueling ace, Ryoga "Shark" Kamishiro, and in the middle of their duel, a mysterious blue person, Astral, appears before Yuma, unable to be seen by anyone else, and directs Yuma to victory against Shark. Astral has lost all of his memories but Yuma's card Number 39: Utopia, as well as the other Number Cards that seem to be oddly falling into other people's procession, are the key to getting them back. With Yuma's passionate heart, and Astral's brilliant dueling skills, the two work together to get back Astral's memories, all the while as Yuma begins to grow as a Duelist. A new partnership will shake the world of Dueling!

The fourth series in the ''Anime/{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'' franchise. (The title is pronounced "zeal" in the Japanese version and "zek-sul" in the English dub.)

* ThePowerOfLove: In episode 9, Yuma's concern for Kotori allows him to duel competently without Astral's help.

* MythologyGag: There are many of these to ''{{Anime/Yu-Gi-Oh!}} Duel Monsters'', such as Astral's relationship with Yuma paralleling that of Yugi and Dark Yugi.

* VillainousRescue: Kaito activates his time dilation powers a fraction of a second before Yuma would have been hit by a truck.

One day, Yuma is forced to duel the local rising Dueling ace, Ryoga "Shark" Kamishiro, and in the middle of their duel, a mysterious blue person, Astral, appears before Yuma, unable to be seen by anyone else, and directs Yuma to victory against Shark. Astral has lost all of his memories but Yuma's card Number 39: Utopia, as well as the other Number Cards that seem to be oddly falling into other people's procession, are the key to getting them back. With Yuma's passionate heart, and Astral's brilliant dueling skills, the two work together to get back Astral's memories, all the while as Yuma begins grows as a Duelist. A new partnership will shake the world of Dueling!

* CanonDiscontinuity: In episode 43, Kaito's Photon Pressure World did not activate when he summoned Photon Kaiser, even though it was established in the card's text that it was not an option.
** The anime series as a whole is not very consistent or logical in the first place. For example, during Kaito's first duel with Yuuma, he cancelled and left because his brother Haruto was in danger. It would have taken him at most, about ten seconds to finish Yuuma off, take his Number cards along with his soul and THEN go help Haruto. This is especially frustrating when the viewer realizes this is a Deus Ex Machina because under the circumstances of the plot, if Yuuma had lost, he would have lost Astral and his Numbers. The show would have then most likely ended.

* CanonDiscontinuity: In episode 43, [spoiler]Kaito's Photon Pressure World did not activate when he summoned Photon Kaiser,[/spoiler] even though it was established in the card's text that it was not an option.
** The anime series as a whole is not very consistent or logical in the first place. For example, during Kaito's first duel with Yuuma, he cancelled and left because [spoiler]his brother Haruto was in danger. It would have taken him at most, about ten seconds to finish Yuuma off, take his Number cards along with his soul and THEN go help Haruto.[/spoiler] This is especially frustrating when the viewer realizes this is a Deus Ex Machina because under the circumstances of the plot, if Yuuma had lost, he would have lost Astral and his Numbers. The show would have then most likely ended.

* CanonDiscontinuity: In episode 43, Kaito's Photon Pressure World did not activate when he summoned Photon Kaiser, even though it was established in the card's text that it was not an option.
** The anime series as a whole is not very consistent or logical in the first place. For example, during Kaito's first duel with Yuuma, he cancelled and left because his brother Haruto was in danger. It would have taken him at most, about ten seconds to finish Yuuma off, take his Number cards along with his soul and THEN go help Haruto. This is especially frustrating when the viewer realizes this is a Deus Ex Machina because under the circumstances of the plot, if Yuuma had lost, he would have lost Astral and his Numbers. The show would have then most likely ended.

** The anime series as a whole is not very consistent or logical in the first place. For example, during Kaito's first duel with Yuuma, he cancelled and left because his brother Haruto was in danger. It would have taken him at most, about ten seconds to finish Yuuma off, take his Number cards along with his soul and THEN go help Haruto. This is especially frustrating when the viewer realizes this is a [[Deus Ex Machina]] because under the circumstances of the plot, if Yuuma had lost, he would have lost Astral and his Numbers. The show would have then most likely ended.

*** Cathy [[BorrowedCatchphrase borrows it]] and mutates it into "Cattobingu", which, while a clever way to work it into her CatGirl theme, makes even less sense than the ordinary catch phrase.

* Dis Continuity: In episode 43, Kaito's Photon Pressure World did not activate when he summoned Photon Kaiser, even though it was established in the card's text that it was not an option.

* Discontinuity: In episode 43, Kaito's Photon Pressure World did not activate when he summoned Photon Kaiser, even though it was established in the card's text that it was not an option.

* ContinuityError: In episode 43, Kaito's Photon Pressure World did not activate when he summoned Photon Kaiser, even though it was established in the card's text that it was not an option.