#clearly I spend way too much tii thinking this

[silverwindsblog]

Film analysis of Yugioh Dark Side of Dimensions

This is my analysis of Yugioh Dark Side of Dimensions. I will discuss the themes, motifs, and the goals that the film attempts to achieve. This is not a review of the film. I will make a separate post on my opinion on the ending of the film, the characters, and Seto’s relationship with Atem. I watched the subs with the dub script and used both Japanese and English names.

The plot focuses on the duel between Yugi & Seto as well how Atem’s departure impact them and introducing a new villain. The main goals of the movie are to bring the nostalgia back to those who are familiar with the original Yugioh characters, advertising the Yugioh series, and to wrap up any loose ends in how Yugi & Seto dealt after Atem’s departure. Some of the recurring themes in the movie from the Yugioh series are fate (or destiny) cannot change, it is impossible to change the past, fear leads to hatred, and how reminiscing the past can strengthen or hinders you.

Some of the motifs of the film are the importance of friendship, how memories fuels the person’s motivation to strengthen you or consume you with obsession, and technology advancement. While the film achieved its goal to bring back nostalgia for the fans, promoting the Yugioh franchise, and bringing closure to the main characters, the film did not flesh out characters who are not the villain or the main character, fails to acknowledge Seto’s character development and achievements of overcoming his past, getting over his father, becoming a kinder person, and instead emphasizing one trait for the sake of the conflict: His determination to defeat Atem no matter what. Furthermore, while the villain of the movie is interesting, his story of fear, hatred, and revenge is nothing new in the Yugioh series considering that Malik’s story revolves around it. Despite that friendship is the prevalent theme of the Yugioh series, the movie poorly shows it among Yugi and his gang.

How reminiscing the past fuels Seto’s motivation to duel Atem

One of the main themes of the film reminiscing the past can either strengthen or hinders you. Seto’s conflict was to duel Atem again because he saw Atem as a worthy duelist and was extremely upset that Atem did not choose him for the final duel. What Seto wanted more than anything in the world is to duel Atem again because he missed the thrill of having a duel with a worthy opponent and the exciting moments from his past. To him, Atem is someone he wants to experience with and only Atem can offer the same type of thrill and memories to Seto. Now that there is no one that he believed is a worthy duelist, Seto is not satisfied with living in the present. To him, the present does not offer anything that can fulfil his wish. He relieved part of his past by creating a hologram of Atem and have a duling simulation. However, he cannot accept that Atem is dead and that his wish cannot be fulfilled. Seto knew that no matter how much effort he made to create a hologram of Atem, the hologram is not the real Atem.

"It's still not the real Pharaoh, so I still didn't beat him, and until I do, my scars of defeats continue to burn."

This quote highlights Seto’s obsession of his failure to duel Atem hinders him from moving on from his bitterness of defeat. To Seto, dueling is his life and pride and to simply accept that he is the second best is not acceptable. His stubbornness and his reminiscing to his past motivated him to attempt bring back Atem, regardless at the cost of his character development and the world. The memories of Atem fueled his motivation to the point of obsession instead of strengthen him as a person. His accomplishments of getting over his anger of his adopted father, building an amusement park for children, etc are glossed over and Seto ended up experiencing the resentment for not dueling Atem just like his resentment towards his adopted father.

Sheer will cannot bring back the dead nor change destiny

Regardless of Seto’s willpower and determination to revive Atem by completing the puzzle, it is impossible to bring back the dead, change the past or destiny. One, the universal rule is that no one cannot bring back from the dead without any consequences, and two, anything that happened in the past cannot be changed. Both of these themes are common in other films and literature.

Throughout the film, characters talked about how destiny cannot be changed. For example, Shadi mentioned that he cannot interfered with Ryou’s father from obtaining the ring because the event serves as a chain reaction for Yugi to solve the puzzle and have him and Atem defeat Zorc. Another example from the film is when Yugi told Seto at a critical moment that Atem is not coming back because it is fate. What fate means in this case is something beyond human control already happen and it is impossible to change. Atem is already dead and is in afterlife, so he cannot exist in the world. However, he briefly returned from the afterlife to save the world and then goes back to the afterlife. What is interesting is that destiny and fate are used interchangeably. Fate is referred to an event that already happen while destiny is referred as an event happening in the future and the outcome cannot change. However, there are cases where characters defy destiny (Seto not believing Diva speech of defeating him and Yugi refuse to surrender to Diva).  

Fear and hatred

Diva, the villain of the movie seeks revenge for Shadi’s murder and his miserable past. His sense of justice became warped by taking extreme actions to achieve his goal to get rid of evil. Diva feared for the cruel world and is mistreated by the people that the death of Shadi led him to have a cynical perspective and pushing away from his sister Sarah, and his loyal friend, Mani. Of course, this theme already exist in the Yugioh series with Malik wanting to seek revenge because the world mistreated him and Malik pushed away from his sister and his loved ones. Both characters believed that the end justifies the means, are blinded by hatred that they forget their bonds with their loved ones and fell into despair due to their blind obsession with hatred.

How memories strengthen Yugi, Joey and Ryou

One of the major themes of the film is how reminiscing the past can strengthen or hinders you. Memories play a major role in revealing to the audience how the characters dealt with their past and how it impact them. At the beginning, Yugi examined at his deck and said to himself: “He is part of me” which refers to Atem. Despite his sadness for Atem, Yugi accepted that Atem is gone and that they went to their separate ways. Instead of letting the past consume him, Yugi accepted the results and grow as a person. Yugi became more outspoken and confident by volunteer to be a speaker for his high school graduation. He still remembers Atem, but unlike Seto, Yugi’s reminiscing of the past strengthens him. In a critical moment when Yugi completed the puzzle, Yugi told Seto in a solemn expression that “Atem is not coming”. This scene revealed Yugi’s character development that despite missing Atem, Yugi knew that he has his own life, dreams, and goals, and knew that Atem belongs in the afterlife. Even after the brief meeting with Atem and Yugi was happy to see Atem again, Yugi didn’t show any intentions to reach Atem again through supernatural powers. Yugi is able to cherish his memories with Atem as well able to move forward.

For Joey, he escaped the alternative world that Diva sent him through his memories with Atem, though it is very brief moment. Because Joey remembered his friendship with Atem, he was able to overcome his fear of disappearance. In Ryou’s case, his past haunted him and he has to confront it in order to move forward. Ryou was able to move on and face his fears with the help of his friends.

The role of friendship

Friendship is the prevalent theme of the Yugioh franchise and it is expected for the film to discuss about it, even if the main focus is how both Yugi and Seto dealt with Atem’s departure. Unfortunately, the film did a poorly job showing friendship and it is one of the weaker parts of the movie. Even Yugi’s line of being friends with anyone he dueled with felt tacked on in his confrontation with Diva. I personally did not feel a strong connection of friendship in Yugi and his gang, but friendship is still shown in the movie with Yugi & Atem, Ryou & Joey, and Seto & Atem. There were a lot of opportunities for the movie to display the strong relationships within Yugi and his gang as well with with characters. For example, when Joey disappeared from their world, the gang could have get together and remember the moments when Joey helped them to bring him back. Through flashbacks, it would been more effective to display their strong bond with each other and Atem. Even for non-revolutionshippers, Anzu clearly care about Atem at the end of the original series. Whether Atem reciprocated her feelings is debatable. It is rather disappointing for the film to not mention Anzu’s feelings. Even a brief moment of seeing Anzu holding her cartouche sadly is sufficient to display with her relationship with Atem.

In closing

The film strives to bring back the older fans with nostalgia through bringing back familiar duel monsters from Seto and Yugi as well having closure for both of the characters. Did it success? Yes, the film did bring the nostalgia back as well bringing the characters that older fans recognize and able to remember their personality. The characters that are not the main star of the show are remembered through their defining trait by the fans. For Joey and Tristan they are comic reliefs, for Anzu she is the eyecandy and Yugi’s childhood best friend, and for Ryou, a shy and awkward guy yet a caring and loyal person.

Did the film bring closure to Seto and Yugi? In my opinion, yes to Yugi, and both yes and no to Seto. While Seto get some closure since he gets to duel Atem again in the afterlife, the ending is left with whether Seto will continue to duel Atem again (continue to chase his dreams while forgetting the present) or if Seto decides he is satisfied with one duel and then moves on from his past. I will elaborate my thoughts on the ending in the next review. In conclusion, regardless of your feelings towards the characters, the villain, or the ending, the film achieved its goals with the themes and motifs to bring some closure to Yugi and Seto.