Summary
Mai Valentine, referred to as Mai Kujaku in the manga and Japanese anime, appears in the second series of Yu-Gi-Oh! Born on November 20 at the age of 24, she stands 175cm tall and weighs 52kg with O-type blood. The name "Kujaku" translates to peahen, while her English name serves as a pun on "My Valentine." Initially portrayed as self-absorbed and driven solely by prize money, personal satisfaction, and power, Mai struggles with profound loneliness, convincing herself that she does not need friends. She even believes her Harpie Lady cards are the closest companions she will ever have. Her selfish outlook shifts after she meets Yugi Muto and his friends, developing a soft spot for Joey and beginning to value camaraderie and the deeper meanings of dueling. Although her victories later feel empty and her loneliness returns, she eventually regains her self-esteem and pride as a legitimate duelist. In the Japanese version, Mai uses informal speech, often omitting honorifics while addressing Anzu and Shizuka with the suffix "-chan." She employs the informal, somewhat condescending term "anta" and refers to herself using the elegant, older-style pronoun "atakushi."
