On campus, third-year Arts & Science student Ryan Yu keeps busy studying biochemistry and physiology. Online, his alter ego Karmano summons monsters and casts spells to defeat opponents in Yu-Gi-Oh!, a popular strategy card game based on the Japanese manga and anime series of the same name.
This year marks the trading card game’s 25th anniversary, and a first for Yu — last month, he won the Master Duel World Championship in Seattle, Washington, becoming the first player to win world championships in two different categories, and only the second person to be named a two-time world champion overall.
“I'm still not sure if it’s quite set in yet, but I’m happy — it feels good to have something to show for all the time and attention I put into perfecting my gameplay over the years,” says Yu, a member of Victoria College.
Similar to Pokémon, the Yu-Gi-Oh! story centres on a game-loving protagonist who duels various rivals and fantastical creatures, solving problems and learning lessons along the way. It’s one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, with the original manga series spawning anime and spinoff shows, and different versions of a real-life trading card game.
The Master Duel World Championship that Yu recently won is one of several in-person competitive events based on the card game and the fictional story’s main plot device, where players use monsters, spells, traps and different card decks to reduce their opponent's “life points” to zero.
Yu’s Yu-Gi-Oh! journey began in elementary school, when one of his friends got him into the game. This interest eventually evolved into his joining the competitive circuit in 2017, when he qualified for the 13-and-under division of the World Championships and subsequently earned his first win, in the Dragon Duel category.
From there, Yu continued learning the ins and outs of gameplay, attending events when he could and earning spots on different championship teams.
While he enjoys competing, Yu says the fun for him is less about winning and more about the community surrounding the game.
The best thing about [Yu-Gi-Oh!] is having a reason to spend time with your friends and finding a like-minded community of people who have just as much fun as you do.
“I have such great memories from growing up playing it with friends in Toronto, visiting card shops and participating in local tournaments together. Now I’m meeting people from all over the world, making friends in the U.S., Europe and Asia who I’m lucky enough to get to visit when I travel for competitions.”
Though he doesn’t necessarily consider himself overly competitive, Yu gets caught up in the thrill of the game just as much as anyone else. His pro tip for success? Staying calm.
“Your mental composure matters a lot. When you're in a high-pressure match, it's easy to get flustered and make a mistake or give up. You just have to do your best to stay rational in those situations.”
As the current reigning champs, Yu and his teammates will return to the Master Duel World Championship in 2025. In the meantime, he’ll take the competitive edge off his game and play more for fun and relaxation.
He’s looking forward to sharing his enjoyment of the game — along with some winning tips and tricks — with fellow U of T students through a new card game club on the St. George campus.
Yu says that one need not be a master or learn from one to soak up the benefits of card play.
“The best thing about it is having a reason to spend time with your friends and finding a like-minded community of people who have just as much fun as you do.”