User:Supersaiyanplough/Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series
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Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series, or simply Yu-Gi-Oh! Abridged is a collection of videos created by the user LittleKuriboh, hosted on YouTube. The series currently consists of fourteen episodes, with episodes usually uploaded every week.
Each episode is around four or five minutes long, satirically summarizing one or sometimes multiple half-hour episodes of the Yu-Gi-Oh! english anime. The central plotlines remain constant, though motivations often differ from those in the anime (for example, Joey Wheeler enters Duelist Kingdom to pay for his sister's eye operation, but in the Abridged Series, Joey wants the money to make himself rich and afford speaking lessons for his high-pitched voiced sister).
Contents |
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Episode 1
A summary of the first episode, in which Yugi defeats Kaiba. The most recurring joke in this episode is a mockery of Kaiba's wealth. It also parodies the fact that during the Duelist Kingdom arc, the rules to the card game kept changing.
[edit] Episode 2
This is the first episode where Yugi acknowledges the fact that he is a main character. In this episode, Joey decides to become a better duellist. Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood are introduced as a parody of Beavis and Butthead. Yugi also receives the tape from Maximillion Pegasus that invites him to Duelist Kingdom.
[edit] Episode 3
This episode covers the voyage to Duelist Kingdom. It introduces Mai Valentine and the running gag where everyone (except Téa) refers to her as "Breasts", "Talking cleavage" and other such terms due the size of her breasts.
[edit] Episode 4
In this episode, Duelist Kingdom begins and the duel between Yugi and Weevil takes place. Weevil is revealed to be able to transform into Cornholio, establishing him as the Beavis parallel.
[edit] Episode 5
This is the first episode that plays the "Theme song" of the Abridged Series. It is also, as Yugi puts it, "the first episode that revolves around [Joey's] character" It portrays the duel between Joey and Mai.
[edit] Episode 6
The duel between Yugi and Mako Tsunami is cut out of the series at the beginning of this episode. In this episode, Mokuba Kaiba escapes from Pegasus' castle and tries to steal star chips. He relents when Yugi promises to let Kaiba become more of a main character.
[edit] Episode 7
This is the duel between Yugi and Kaiba's "ghost". It plays up the fact that the pun "you don't have a ghost of a chance" is used too many times in the series. The real Kaiba also reappears in this episode.
[edit] Episode 8
Tristan's voice changes in this episode, in accordance with the character's voice actor changing in the original series. Mai appears and introduces Rex as Joey's next opponent. This is Joey's "coming of age" episode, as stated by Yugi. Ryoh Bakura also appears at the end of the episode and is paralleled with Sephiroth several times. The characters then compare themselves with their favorite cards "in order to set up a plot point for the next episode".
[edit] Episode 9
This episode is the duel between Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi. Both Yugi and Yami Yugi make sexual insinuations regarding Tea in this episode. Tristen's original voice gets brought back (the one sounding like Barney the Dinosaur) Bakura also acknowledges Zorc much earlier than in the series, through his idea for a TV series, "Zorc and Pals".
[edit] Episode 10
In this episode, Panik duels Yugi after defeating Mai, whose "huge breasts were no match for [his] enormous chin". Yugi again acknowledges his role as main character, first by stating that it will be easy for him to win the duel, then as Yami when he kills Panik. Joey and Tristan are also revealed to realize the fact that they are in a TV series, since Joey says the episode "reminds him of [the] spinoff series, Yu-Gi-Oh DMX" and Tristan says he likes the show.
[edit] Episode 11
This episode is comprised of the duel between Kaiba and Joey, though only two turns are shown. More of Bakura's backstory is revealed. The duel between Bandit Keith (who likes to remind everyone that he's from America) and Pegasus is also shown.
[edit] Episode 12
Joey wakes up from a nightmare where Kaiba was tormenting him. Later, he gets kidnapped by Bandit Keith and his goons while "Getting out what you gotta get out." Yugi and the others wander into a cave to find him, but Bakura continually triggers traps. Once they find Joey, he defeats Bones in a duel. Bandit and his goons then seal the entrance with a cut-out of a boulder made from solid cardboard. Also known as the "Writer's Block" episode, named for the longer than usual delay between updates.
[edit] Running gags
- The proper rules for the card game never seem to be followed.
- Tristan has the voice of Barney the Dinosaur.
- In episodes that include Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor they are used as parody of Beavis and Butt-Head.
- Everyone seems to dislike Bakura. This is shown when Yugi and Yami tell the others that they don't want to give Bakura any screen time whenever he appears in an episode, as well as when everyone struggles to remember who he is, despite the fact that he is their friend and classmate.
- Kaiba keeps talking about his wealth and does everything his way simply because he is rich.
- Yugi and Yami hates it when people overeact over a simple card game like Duel Monsters.
- Mokuba Kaiba gets kidnapped all the time, to the point no-one cares about him when he gets kidnapped again.
- When Yugi and the others are talking to Mai Valentine she is usually referred to as "Mai's Breasts", "Talking cleavage" and the like.
- Kemo, one of the guards patrolling the Duelist Kingdom, always mentions his ridiculous pointy hairstyle when he talks.
- Bakura is British and often swears, and is referred to as effeminate by himself and others, and many references are made to his fangirls.
- Bandit Keith likes to remind everyone that he's American and is generally very patriotic. He finishes a lot of his statements with the words "in America", regardless of whether he actually is in America at the time.
[edit] Culture References
[edit] Episode 1
- Yami tells Kaiba to Talk to the hand.
[edit] Episode 2
- When Joey complains about not getting a training montage, Grandpa asks if he thinks he's Rocky Balboa.
- Grandpa asks Yugi if he's been using his credit card to buy stuff from eBay.
- After recieving a video from Pegasus, Grandpa says "I just hope it's not one of those cursed video tapes that are all the rage these days." (A reference to The Ring). Pegasus then goes on to say "Seven days", similar to the phone call recieved after watching the video in "The Ring".
- There is a sequence that parodies the "real time" sequences of 24.
- Yami says "Watchoo talkin' 'bout Pegasus" in the manner of Gary Coleman from Diff'rent Strokes.
- The end of the episode features a sound clip from Superman Returns.
[edit] Episode 3
- Yugi says "L'Oréal - Because I'm worth it".
- Teá says to sneak onto the boat "like Solid Snake".
- The end of the episode features Admiral Ackbar saying "It's a trap!"
[edit] Episode 4
- Teá and Tristan argue about Lord of the Flies and Lord of the Rings.
- When Joey asks if Yugi has forgiven him, the theme music from Ironside is played (this theme was also played in Kill Bill).
- Yugi refers to deus ex machina.
- The end of the episode features Samuel L. Jackson's quote from Snakes on a Plane.
[edit] Episode 5
- The episode begins parodying cereals that end in "O's" (such as Oreo O's)
- Joey references the fact that main characters always win.
- When Mai touches Yugi's hands, Teá gets an exclaimation mark over her head a-la the guards from Metal Gear Solid.
- Yami and Joey refer to 4Kids' censorship.
- When Joey uses his Time Wizard the Time Warp is played.
- The end of the episode features dialogue from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
[edit] Episode 6
- While Mokuba is escaping, the Mission: Impossible theme is played, and the fact that cartoon characters are never permanently hurt is referenced.
- Censorship is referenced again with the editing out of guns.
[edit] Episode 7
- The opening parodies the drawn-out "previously on -" scenes from soap operas.
- The theme from Batman is played while Kaiba enters his "Kaiba cave".
- Kaiba refers to his "1337 haxx0r sk1llz", cyber-terrorism, learning to hack from old Star Trek episodes, and the Blue Screen of Death.
[edit] Episode 8
- The episode begins with "Yu-Gi-Oh! was a production of the Children's Television Workshop" a-la Sesame Street.
- Censorship is referenced yet again with the editing out of violence.
- A montage of human evolution images is accompanied by the message "Yu-Gi-Oh proves creationism wrong".
- Joey's "Flame Swordsman" is the Star Wars kid, Tristan's "Cyber Commander" is Man-At-Arms, Teá's "Magician of Faith" is Sailor Moon, and Yugi's "Dark Magician" is a Black Mage.
- Bakura shows a card featuring Sephiroth accompainied by devil music.
[edit] Episode 9
- The episode begins with a poorly subbed Spanish opening, featuring a reference to All your base are belong to us.
- Yami refers to cosplayers, and Teá refers to fanfics.
- The "Zorc and Pals" segment parodies bad comedies with canned laughter, and Yami says "It'll be cancelled faster than you can say Arrested Development".
- Tristan refers to Jesus' resurrection powers.
- Yami says "Finish him!" in the manner of Mortal Kombat.
- Tristan refers to the freeze frames at the end of many cartoon episodes, saying "the animation budget ran out".
- The end of the episode features a clip from Homestar Runner's Trogdor song.
[edit] Episode 10
- Yugi's transformation sequence has the Shaft theme song.
- The opening theme from Neon Genesis Evangelion is played alongside poor subtitles and a montage of clips from Yu-Gi-Oh!
- While Panic is burning Yami, The Trammps' Disco Inferno is played.
- Panic tries to burn Yami again and Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire is played.
- The end of the episode features Teá dancing to Maniac from the movie Flashdance.
[edit] Episode 11
- The episode starts with a reference to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- Kaiba references Snakes on a Plane with "Thank god for Microsoft Flight Simulator".
- Bakura's Millennium Ring is referred to as having a built-in gaydar, and after pointing at Peagusus, it shows him wanting to watch the Spice Girls movie.
- Kaiba says "I'm here to kick ass and play card games, and I'm all out of cards" which is a reference to Roddy Piper's line in the movie They Live.
- When Kaiba and Joey use the Duel Discs Yugi says "I think Beyblade's gonna sue somebody".
- In a reference to video game series Monkey Island Joey says "You duel like a dairy farmer" to which Kaiba responds "How appropriate - you duel like a cow!"
- Joey and Kaiba parody the E3 2006 giant enemy crab presentation followed by a clip of Kazuo Hirai saying "Riiiiiiiiiidge Raaaaaaaaaacer!", and Kaiba says "that cost you 599 US Life Points"
- Peagusus says he's going to "Spice up your life" to Kaiba.
[edit] Episode 12
- The episode begins with a parody of the "no animals were harmed..." disclaimer seen in many movie credits.
- Joey refers to Kaiba as Kaibazilla.
- When Joey is made to wear a dog costume he says "I don't wanna be a furry".
- Bandit Keith quotes Shakespeare's Hamlet: "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him - in America!"
- Upon seeing Bonz Joey exclaims "Oh no it's a GOTH!.
- Bonz is made to sing the American national anthem - but he can only say "Braaaaiins".
- When a skeleton falls on Teá she screams "Oh no, a supermodel!" referring to anorexic models. Tristan later crushes the skull, saying "Who's smexy now, bitch?"
- When Bonz summons his Zombie monsters Michael Jackson's Thriller is played.
- At the end, a message is shown saying "[i'm bringing smexy back]" in reference to Justin Timberlake's song Sexyback.
- The episode ends with a clip from Family Guy with Chris Griffin saiying "Get out of my head!"
[edit] Episode 13
- Yami's opening monologue is based on the introductory speech from each episode of Dragnet.
- The Brothers Paradox enter to the song YMCA by the Village People.
- Seto's flashback begins with music and visuals that reference Jim Henson's Muppet Babies. A clip from the original song plays at the end of the episode.
- As he summons a Beaver Warrior, Yami says "Leave it to Beaver Warrior".
- The music playing during Dark Magician's magic trick is Magical Trevor from Weebl's Stuff.
- As Yami and Joey's creatures switch places, the transporter sound from Star Trek plays. The reference is continued with phasers and Yami's order to "make it so, Number One", a line often used by Jean-Luc Picard.
- Pegasus tells Seto that his princess is in another castle.
- The final clip of the episode is set to the battle victory theme from the Final Fantasy series.
[edit] Episode 14
- Joey says that he loves the smell of card games in the morning.
- Joey's restaurant conversation about burgers is taken directly from Pulp Fiction.
- Teá tells Yugi and Joey to kiss her grits, the catchphrase of Flo from Alice.
- Yami directly references The Incredible Hulk when he mind crushes the mugger.
- The music during the Mokuba kidnapping montage is the title song from the Barbra Streisand movie The Way We Were.
- Seto directly references Clerks when he suggests battling on the roof.
- Yami mentions how much Seto sounds like Brock from Pokémon. Both characters are voiced by Eric Stuart.
- Once Seto summons the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Joey tells Yami to "get up on the hydra's back". This is a reference to dialogue from Kingdom Hearts II.
- Bandit Keith namedrops the movie Pearl Harbor and its starring actor, Ben Affleck.
- The last clip uses sound from an episode of Dragonball Z. This clip had become an Internet meme a few weeks beforehand.
[edit] Related Works
LittleKuriboh has also created a number of other videos relating to the Abridged Series for the benefit of fans. They usually are meant to fill in the gaps between episodes.
[edit] Comment Videos
There are several videos in which one or two characters from the series address fans and answer their comments in a satirical manner. They good-naturedly poke fun at the fans as well as the characters themselves. Although generally not as popular or well-received as the Abridged series itself, these videos still draw in an impressive number of supportive viewers.
[edit] External Links
LittleKuriboh's Livejournal page
