Bakura, Ryou
Seiyuu / Dub
Summary
Ryou Bakura is a transfer student who eventually bonds with the main cast of the story. He shares Yugi’s passion for games, with a particular fondness for tabletop role-playing titles like Monster World. As the keeper of the Millennium Ring, Bakura harbors a dark spirit within him, mirroring the situation with Dark Yugi. Before joining the narrative, he frequently changed schools and isolated himself because his friends fell into comas after playing games with him. This was caused by Dark Bakura subjecting them to Penalty Games that trapped their souls inside RPG miniature figures. Bakura and Yugi’s allies ultimately team up to defeat Dark Bakura in a Shadow Game of Monster World. Following this victory, the normal Bakura becomes a regular member of the group during their various conflicts. He retains the Millennium Ring out of deep curiosity about its history, a trait that, combined with his trusting and innocent nature, often clashes with his friends and enables Dark Bakura to possess him without his knowledge. Before meeting Yugi, Bakura’s sister, Amane, died in a car accident, a detail omitted in the second series. He misses her deeply and frequently writes letters to her in heaven. The first animated series featured Miho Nosaka, who harbored feelings for him. In the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime, his role is significantly diminished compared to the manga. He is largely controlled by Dark Bakura, accompanies the group less often, and is excluded from filler arcs. Additionally, he is introduced mid-Duelist Kingdom as a mere school acquaintance rather than a close friend, and his love for tabletop role-playing games is largely removed from the storyline.
