It's been 20 years since Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie arrived in theaters across the United States. And while it may not have been the critical or commercial hit that Warner Bros. Pictures was hoping for, it was notable as one of the first anime projects to get an official worldwide release. It paved the way for the anime genre to continue to expand globally.
Although the film has since made its way to homes through DVDs and VHS, it's never had a Blu-ray release — until now. According to an Amazon listing, a Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie Blu-ray Steelbook is set to release later this year.
No official announcement has been made yet, but the Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie Blu-ray Steelbook is currently available for pre-order on Amazon for $29.99 with an August 20, 2024 release date. The final cover art for this edition has not yet been revealed, and there is no mention of any special features or bonus content included in the release (although we expect there will be something). With just a few months until the August 20 release date, there should be some sort of formal announcement soon.
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie, also known as Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light, was produced by 4Kids Entertainment and based on the Japanese manga and anime, Yu-Gi-Oh. The film took place between the third and fourth seasons of the show and features the same voice cast as the television series.
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light was first released in the United States in August 2004, followed by a DVD and VHS release in November 2004. It was released in theaters in Japan by Toho in November 2004 as well.
Despite it being one of the first anime projects to see a global release, it was deemed a critical and commercial failure. It grossed just north of $19 million in the U.S. and Canada, but just $29 million worldwide.
Critically, the film was met with poor reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, where it ranks No. 68 in the "100 Worst Reviewed Films of the 2000s," it sits at just a 6% on the Tomatometer with 66 reviews. It has just a 49% Audience Score.
"Don't watch the TV show or play the card game? Then this movie is not for you," the critics' consensus reads.
Despite the overall poor reception of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie, it's still part of one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. For those who are fans of Yu-Gi-Oh! this may be a steelbook worth collecting — even if the film itself isn't all that great.