I watched the first episode of 5D’s and I… didn’t think much of it?? IDK I can’t get past the whole “dueling in a motorcycle” thing. I’ve seen a lot of people who loves it, but I’m struggling if whether I should see it or not. Does anyone has some input on this??
I’m a DM avid fan and I sorta liked GX (3rd season I loved it but the rest is meh for me) so tell me what do you like about 5D’s??
Definitely watch it! The whole “card games on motorcycles” thing gives it a bad rap, and while, yeah, you kinda need some suspension of disbelief for it, you soon grow into it as they integrate it really well into the show. The premise and themes in the show are also well worth it; you get class warfare in the Satellite and Neo Domino City and how Satellites are looked down on, Yusei and Jack’s friendship-turned-contempt (if that’s the right word lol), the whole thing with Incan mythology and the Nazca Lines, great character growth (until most of it takes a sort of nosedive due to external circumstances past episode 65 that most people may or may not still be salty about grr; 1-26 is arguably the best-written part of the show, with 27-64 still keeping most of that vibe going before 65+, while good at parts, feels a bit different–but the Ark Cradle arc at the end and the finale are good imo)… The duels are also fun to watch; they’re on average 2-parters at most, with the big boss battles being the 3-4-parters. Yusei VS Aki in episodes 23-24 is one of my favorites. The animation quality can jump around a tiny bit, but when it’s good, IT’S GOOD.
Also, the characters will grow on you for a while. Especially two little green-haired dorks.
@homura-bakura @chibicrow tagging you guys because I don’t think I’m expressing my love for 5D’s well enough haha. Followers, feel free to add on to this!
Also, definitely watch it subbed, because the dub tends to not only water a lot of what makes it good down (including the music replacement, and 5D’s’ original OST is amazing), but they also add plots that weren’t there originally (like Jack sending Ushio after Yusei, or Yusei having badly written amnesia for no reason). 5D’s was the first YGO series I watched in Japanese from the get-go, and when I saw the dub for it, I cringed at how it was being handled because of how much I’d come to love the original. If you want to get an idea of what the dub’s like, I offer comparisons on my site!
*CRASHES WALL* DID SOMEONE SAY 5D’s?!
OP, I beg you. Please watch 5D’s. Do it.
Ok, yeah, the whole card games on motorcycles deal is a little ridiculous, true. But keep in mind this is a card game anime and card game anime are the last anime you should expect realism from. Considering you’re an avid fan of DM, you must have had some suspension of disbelief while watching it. It’s the same concept here.
I understand your struggle with not feeling much after the first episode tho. I’ve never told anyone this, but I had to rewatch episode one three times to truly get into 5D’s. This Skype group I used to be a part of begged me to watch 5D’s after episode 35 aired, so I gave it a shot about 8 years ago. And yeah, episode 1 was boring af, not gonna lie.
But, pilots are meant to only interest you, not be outstanding.
Once I got past the first episode, I instantly fell in love with everything about 5D’s - the societal conflict (as previously mentioned), the characters, the setting. They just seemed so real to me. Of course, there’s the whole Crimson Dragon and Nazca deal (not to mention whatever the hell is going on post-episode 64), but the basic plot is realistic, interesting, and definitely relatable and relevant, even today.
What do I like about 5D’s?
Well, pardon the sappiness and cheesiness, but I’m 100% serious when I say this: this show saved my life.
Pre-5D’s, objectively, one might say my life was fine. Yeah, I had friends, a decent family, went to a good school. But what people didn’t understand is that emotionally, I was a wreck. Anxiety and self-consciousness levels were sky high, probably more than now. And, although my parents dismissed the theory (because I couldn’t possibly have mental illness, according to them), I’m sure I suffered hardcore depression from fifth to early seventh grade because of the insane amount of academic pressure.
Satisfied with their life? Has a lot of good friends? Happy with their appearance and who they are as a person? Yeah, that was not me.
Then, I watched 5D’s.
When I witnessed characters going through similar isolation and self-doubt imposed by societal standards yet managing somehow, it gave me hope that I wasn’t the only one going through what I was going through. And that I don’t need to be completely cured to be accepted by others.
Especially when I met Crow Hogan in episode 30 (AKA the dude in my icon and for whom my URL is named after). Honestly, if it weren’t for him (among other things), I don’t know where I would be now. This guy is the epitome of society continually trying to shut him out. And what’s his revenge? Just being himself. Societal standards be damned. Make society conform to you.
And that was the message my emotionally scarred middle school self needed.
Now, I’m not guaranteeing watching 5D’s will make your life go a complete 180. But, I am guaranteeing that 5D’s will change you for the better if you give it a chance.
Oh yeah, and the duels are top-notch, absolutely. I’m not a competitive trading card game player (I just collect the cards), but 5D’s was the first YGO anime that forced me to pay attention to the actual game because the duels were that interesting. I’m not a dueling expert by any means, but I do watch the duels in the latest YGO series more carefully because of 5D’s.
And the music … oh God. So good. So, so good. The OP and EDs are really good and the OST is just absolutely amazing.
But yeah, please watch 5D’s. At least up to episode 64. You won’t regret it.