The Complete History of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Meta: Part 1 (2002-2005)

In this video I will be covering the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG's first era of competitive play, which lasted from March of 2002 to March of 2005, which many people refer to as the "Duel Monsters" or "DM" era. Depending on who you ask, you may hear that this era didn't actually end until June of 2005, and while I think this is a valid perspective, I think the line is simply a hard one to draw, and I felt most comfortable marking March the cutoff point. The video attempts to chronologically catalog as much of what was competitively relevant as possible, within reason, throughout this time period.

0:00 Introduction
1:30 Legend of Blue-Eyes
2:35 The First Starter Decks
14:10 Metal Raiders
22:44 Tournament Pack 1
25:10 Magic Ruler
33:52 Tournament Pack 2
36:00 Pharaoh's Servant
46:20 Labyrinth of Nightmare
56:00 Legacy of Darkness and Pharaonic Guardian
1:16:07 World Championship 2003
1:22:15 Magician's Force
1:29:22 Dark Crisis
1:36:18 Invasion of Chaos
1:50:39 World Championship 2004
1:52:53 The First Forbidden Cards
1:54:43 October 2004 and Cookie Cutter Chaos

『COMPLETE SOUNDTRACK』

1. INTRO, LEGEND OF BLUE-EYES, AND STARTER DECKS

●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Opening │ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
●Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Core (Jaws Composition) │ 𝘛𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥
●Yu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound Kingdom - Head of the Imperial Guard │ 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦-𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴
●Yu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound Kingdom - Team Builder │ 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘠𝘶𝘨𝘪, 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘒𝘢𝘪𝘣𝘢
●Final Fantasy VII - Oppressed People │ 𝘕𝘦𝘰, 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘖𝘹, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘓𝘢-𝘑𝘪𝘯𝘯
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links - Joey Wheeler / Mai Valentine Theme │ 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘬𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘴. 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦-𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯
●The Smash Brothers - Square Off │𝘌𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
●Cave Story Remastered - Meltdown 2 │𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴
●Cave Story Remastered - Geothermal │𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴
●Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 - Ancient Mystery │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘪𝘷𝘦
●The Smash Brothers - Evolving Elements │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦

2. METAL RAIDERS
●Tekken 3 - Ling Xiaoyu │ 𝘔𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴
●Final Fantasy VIII - Martial Law │ 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴
●Sonic Heroes - Unexpected Encounter │ 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦
●Sonic Adventure 2 - Unknown from M.E. Instrumental │ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴

3. MECHANICALCHASER / TOURNAMENT PACK 1
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters - INTRODUCTION │ 𝘔𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘳

4. MAGIC RULER
●Super Dragon Ball Z - Kami’s Lookout (Ground Level) │𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘳
●Sonic Adventure - Funky Groove Makes U Hot!? │𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴
●Sonic Rush - Jeh Jeh Rocket │ 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯
●Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Hill Top Zone (Classic Generations Remix) │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘞𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴

5. TOURNAMENT PACK 2
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters - Battle City │𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘳

6. PHARAOH’S SERVANT
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters - Clash │𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘩'𝘴 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵
●Makeup and Vanity Set - This Is It │𝘑𝘪𝘯𝘻𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘥
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters - Seto’s Memory │𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳
●Under Night In-Birth: Gordeau’s Theme │𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘵

7. LABYRINTH OF NIGHTMARE
●Sonic and the Secret Rings: Let the Speed Mend It │ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Anime Soundtrack: Chaser │ 𝘌𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘱 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Anime Soundtrack: Jonouchi Duel │𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘑𝘰𝘦𝘺, 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘗𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘴, 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘶𝘦𝘭

10. LEGACY OF DARKNESS AND PHARAONIC GUARDIAN / SUMMER 2003
●Street Fighter III: Third Strike - Sean and Oro’s Theme (Longshoreman) │ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Anime Soundtrack - 伝説の決闘 │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘠𝘢𝘵𝘢-𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘬
●Super Mario Sunshine - File Select │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
●Pokemon Battle Revolution - Reception Desk │𝘐𝘯𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘺 𝘓𝘪𝘭𝘺
●Sonic Adventure 2 - Lost Colony │𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
●Phoenix Wright Trials and Tribulations - Larry Butz │ 𝘍𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘑𝘢𝘳
●Tekken 3 - Nina Williams │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘱 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴

11. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2003
●Super Smash Bros. Melee - Intro │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱
●Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Logic and Trick (Jaws Composition) │𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴

12. MAGICIAN’S FORCE
●Capcom vs SNK 2 - Fight with the Wind │𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦
●Tekken 4 - The Strongest Iron Arena │𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦-𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴
●Tekken 3 - Heihachi Mishima │𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵

13. DARK CRISIS
●Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Marvin Grossberg (Jatello Composition) │𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴 - 𝘛𝘩𝘦 "𝘚𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳" 𝘚𝘦𝘵

14. INVASION OF CHAOS
●Pretty Lights - Hot Like Sauce │𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴
●Dust Devil - D. Code │𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭
●Pokemon Gym Leader Medley (Coopinator Music) │𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘓𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘴. 𝘠𝘶-𝘎𝘪-𝘖𝘩

15. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
●Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour - Kaiba Corporation │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱

16. BANLIST
●Sonic Adventure 2 - Madness ver. B │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵

17. PRE-GOAT FORMAT
●Sonic Adventure 2 - The Base │𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘢𝘵 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵
●Yu-Gi-Oh GX Opening: Get Your Game On! │𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘳𝘰

Special thanks to everyone who appeared in this video:

[roobindale]

The description has been updated. Every song used in the video should be listed there

[jutton]

Guy spent 2 years creating the most exceptional documentary style video about Yu-Gi-Oh and then dipped. Absolute chad.

[ADAMNATOR]

DUUUUDE. The way this was scripted, delivered, and most of all edited - this is the old-school YuGiOh content I had no idea I wanted. Incredible work here, can’t wait for the next installment!!

[worstspytf]

3 years of in-depth history in two hours, its honestly just impressive how much is packed into this, no unfunny gags or random references to clog up time, just pure, unfiltered, history in a video that despite the lack of jokes and monotone voice-over is incredibly intriguing and entertaining.

[ZeroNeedsCoffee]

bro made the best yugioh video and then just quit lol. i hope he comes back someday with part two

[thomaslichman]

It's kinda insane to me that I just had some of these rare, expensive, meta shaping cards causally floating around in my backpack, and closet as a kid

[PinClockFuntime]

The Invasion of Chaos section was absolutely amazing, it really captured the raw unfiltered chaos and just how toxic the build up of the game's absurdly powerful cards all adding up to this!

[AVB]

I truly hope part 2 is in production, this was amazing, absolutely incredible.

[arkantos]

There is no video on YouTube I have revisited more than this one.

[gohan]

Not gonna lie Swag, this has the potential to be the Smash Documentary series of Yugioh!

Edit: Why does this have so many likes!?!

[setosorcerer]

Omg I was just thinking about what ever happened to that Yugioh meta history video and if there was ever a sequel. Lo and behold I searched and part 2 finally came out a few hours ago. I think I felt a disturbance in the force today subconsciously telling me to search this. Over 2 hours long, I know this is going to be a treat. Thank you for all your hard work in making this video :)!

[uva]

Still waiting for part 2 but take your time, you did a fantastic job. This video feels like a History channel documentary, and I mean this in a good way.

[VarsVerum]

FINALLYYY. I almost gave up hope that this would ever be completed 😩

[wambowelt]

I remember back in school one girl in my class had the Graceful Charity card and she wanted to give it away cause she didn’t really care about Yugioh. Me and my classmate were both competing on who she should give it to so she decided to rip the card in half and give both of us one half. I saw the thumbnail and this memory of I don’t know 15 years ago popped back into my mind immediately. Good times

[ROYBGP]

I heard you lost your computer, and thus a ton of progress on part 2. I hope that you still make it happen. This was immensely entertaining.

[MarioLuigi]

Soon as I get home ima binge this entire thing. Couldn’t have asked for a better birthday lmao.

[TheGamerThatKills]

This coming out feels like a genuine event for the yugioh community. Thank you so much for all the effort you've put in to make this, it's excellent.

[Arkaeel]

we really need part 2 of this .. part 1 is so amazing and filled with useful information that saying this is the best yu gi oh meta-history video is an understatement

[ssstierghoul]

brother, WE NEED PART 2. you can't make a video THAT good and not expect second part. i didn't even knew about yugioh before that video, it wasn't around in my country in it's years of hype. and that video SINGLEHANDEDLY made me occasionaly play yugioh

[elisha]

Ive actually watched this 3 separate times. Its so insane how well this is put together