Honda, Hiroto
Seiyuu / Dub
Summary
Hiroto Honda is a student in Class 1-B at Domino High School who eventually becomes a close friend to Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu, and Bakura. In the original manga, he begins as Jonouchi’s street thug companion and initially harbors feelings for Miho Nosaka. The 1998 anime adaptation portrays him as the head of the school’s beautician department. Alongside Jonouchi, Honda was rescued from the bully Ushio by Yugi, though he remained hostile toward Yugi at first. After confessing his love for Miho to Jonouchi, he was persuaded to seek Yugi’s help in crafting a love letter disguised as a puzzle. When the vain teacher Ms. Chono confiscated the puzzle and threatened to punish Miho if the sender did not reveal himself, Yugi and Jonouchi took the blame. Ms. Chono attempted to solve the puzzle to identify the sender, prompting Dark Yugi to secretly initiate a Shadow Game that resulted in a Penalty Game, shattering her face. Following this event, Honda warmed up to Yugi, becoming one of his dearest friends despite Miho eventually rejecting his direct proposal. He remains a loyal ally, always assisting Jonouchi or Yugi when needed. In the 1998 anime, Honda maintains a recurring crush on Miho but has no interaction with Ms. Chono. The English version of the Duel Monsters anime significantly altered his backstory, removing violent elements and downplaying his importance. In this version, he develops a strong crush on Jonouchi’s sister Shizuka, and his origin story involving Miho is omitted. Instead, he engages in a fierce rivalry with Ryuji Otogi, frequently competing for Shizuka’s attention.
