Parents' Guide to

Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Game-driven manga show is more confusing than entertaining.

TV CW Kids' Animation 2012
Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 8+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Moviereviews age rating
Moviereviews age rating Adult
May 28, 2020
age 8+

Yu-Gi-Oh Zexla

This show is suitable for all ages however the card game would be a little confusing to under 8s, to play the card game you need basic maths meaning you know how to add and subtract numbers from 0-100,000. Great show for all ages.
GABRIEL P.
GABRIEL P. Adult
January 15, 2019
age 10+

One of the BEST Yu-Gi-Oh shows EVER!

This series is REALLY Good. I mean, I bet the only reason that they wrote that it was "confusing" was that they probably didn't watch the other series, I mean, I get it probably because I've seen the entire show. Like, ALL of them. I understand the "tech look", with each new series that they make, not only they add a new type of summoning, but they also improve the tech. For example: in Yu-Gi-Oh ArcV, the tech that they use is called the "Augmented Reality System" otherwise known as the "ARC" system. In this show, they introduce us to Xys summoning:(pronounced ik-seez)A summoning technique that involves two or more monsters with the EXACT same level, then take the Xys card that you're Xys summoning and stack that card on top of the two (or more) cards that you've used to Xys summon. The cards that are beneath the Xys card are called " Xys units", they are used to activate the Xys card's ability (or abilities). After using an Xys unit, send the Xys unit to the GY(Graveyard).But anyways, this show has great messages, mostly said by the main character, Yuma:"GO WITH THE FLOW!".(P.S, Two things. 1: each show after the Duel Monsters Saga (The First Yu-Gi-Oh) Introduced a new summoning technique: Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Fusion Summoning, Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's: Synchro Summoning, Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal (This Review): Xys Summoning, Yu-Gi-Oh ArcV (One of MY favorites): Pendulum Summoning, and finally: Yu-Gi-Oh Vrains: Link Summoning. Oh, and 2: WHEN WILL WE GET A REVIEW OF YU-GI-OH ARCV AND YU-GI-OH VRAINS COMMON SENSE MEDIA!!!???) See Ya Guys!( Oh Yeah, The Card Game Is AMAZING! I Play It Everyday With My Friends! I Want A Review Of The Card Game Common Sense Media Too!)

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL is a futuristic anime series based on a Japanese comic book story about characters who duel with monsters summoned from a collection of cards. During one of his matches, a talented dueler named Yuma encounters a spirit named Astral, who asks for his help in locating a series of Numbers cards that contain Astral's memories and are able to possess the people who hold them. Now Yuma and Astral are on a mission to recover the Numbers cards, but to do so, they'll have to win them from other duelers who want to use them for their own gain.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (6):

This seemingly straightforward plot is complicated by an influx of rotating characters, many of whom have uncertain motives that put their loyalties in question. Not only that, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal is excessively flashy and loud, and the dialogue often sounds like an instruction manual for viewers who go on to play the card game at home. Characters often explain their moves as they make them (playing one card before the other to maximize attack points, or overlaying cards to combine monsters' powers) in an unnatural manner that actually detracts from the overall enjoyment of the show.

Kids who come to the plot partway through the story may struggle to keep up with characters and their place in the overall picture. Add to that the fact that it incorporates some of the players' memories in flashback scenes that aren't easily distinguished from the present-day happenings, and it's clear this isn't a great choice for drop-in viewing. The bottom line? There's no shortage of TV options for grade-schoolers, and among them are plenty more that exceed this one's standard for quality content.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the players' strategies. What reason exists behind each player's order of attack? Is any one player consistently successful because of a particular plan? How do the players adapt to match their opponents' strengths or exploit their weaknesses?

  • Were you familiar with the Yu-Gi-Oh! games before watching this show? If so, did that encourage you to watch? Did you glean anything from the characters' actions that can transfer to your own play? How do series like this one influence our buying habits at the store?

  • This series is set in a futuristic land. How does it compare with your imaginings of what future civilizations will look like? How might the quality of life be better in future times? What problems might exist for future generations if we don't change our habits now?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate