Duel Masters is a franchise based on a manga, anime and a trading card game. There is also a video game.The first season and Japanese second season are loosely based on the original Japanese manga. The story centers around the card game Duel Masters, which revolves around five civilizations (Fire, Water, Light, Darkness, Nature).
The English-language version of the series was produced by Plastic Cow Productions and made a truncated three-episode preview premiere on Cartoon Network's Toonami block on February 27, 2004. The episodes then made their "official" premiere on April 13, 2004, on CN's Toonami spinoff block, the Saturday Video Entertainment System (SVES) with fewer edits as well as episodes 4 and 5. Toonami then moved to Saturdays and premiered the rest of the series.
The second season was produced by Elastic Media Corp and premiered on March 26, 2005. The "Sacred Lands"/"P.L.O.O.P." storyline is not based on the manga and was created specifically for the American market. The third season began production in September 2005 and was produced by Howling Cat Productions (featuring some of the former Saban Entertainment VA's, such as Brian Beacock, Philece Sampler, and Wendee Lee). In the UK, Duel Masters aired on Toonami.
The Japanese version has a separate second season entitled "Duel Masters Charge", which is based on more of the manga. Duel Masters Charge was eventually produced for the American market as "Duel Masters 2.0", although only the 1st half was aired. Eventually, a Japanese third season premiered in Japan entitled "Shinseiki Duel Masters Flash", followed by "Zero Duel Masters", "Duel Masters Zero" (separate from "Zero Duel Masters"), and "Duel Masters Cross". A seventh season entitled "Duel Masters Cross Shock" is currently airing. However, the American version has ended, and thus these seasons will not be produced for the American market. The latest television series of Duel Masters, Duel Masters Victory, began airing in Japan on April 2, 2011.
Main Characters
1.Shobu Kirifuda
The show's protagonist and Knight's apprentice. He aspires to become a great duelist like his father, Shori Kirifuda. Shobu keeps a positive attitude throughout the series, insisting on dueling for fun as opposed to simply winning. In the first season, Shobu takes on the challenge of defeating the temple champion, Hakuoh, who he feels has become corrupt with power. Throughout this portion of the series, Shobu must defeat Hakuoh's underlings while he struggles to understand the true spirit of dueling. In his duel with Hakuoh, as Shobu faces off against the strongest of all Angel Commands, he is forced to make a crucial decision. He must either accept the help of his friends and "wind up like Ko" (Kokujo having been injured in a Kaihudo duel) or give up on his friends and "end up like Hakuoh", who had become cold and heartless. All in all Shobu is brave, strong, and has the guts never to give up, just like his favorite creatures. He uses a Fire Civilization deck which later becomes a Dragon Deck and even later evolves into a Dragon/ Angel Command deck.
2.Hakuoh
His name's kanji "白凰Haku-Ou" literally means "White Phoenix" or "White Female-phoenix" in exact translation. Hakuoh is the Arch-Rival of Shobu Kirifuda. Hakuoh came from a prominent dueling family, and specialized in Light civilization from a young age. At that time, he was a reflection of Shobu, a young kid who loved the game above all else. This changed, however, when a mysterious duelist appeared and challenged Hakuoh to his first Kaijudo duel. Unaware of the dangers involved in a Kaijudo duel, Hakuoh became over confident and was nearly killed as a result. Instead of being crushed by his opponent's attack, however, Hakuoh was pushed out of the way by his mother, who was fatally wounded. Since then, Hakuoh has become a cold-hearted villain, and Shobu's main rival. Hakuoh no longer sees any fun in dueling and decides that one's value as a human being is determined by their ability to win and will rest at nothing to "be the best." As a result, Hakuoh becomes a dueling champion and the leader of the White Soldiers.
3.Kyoshiro KokujoA self-proclaimed "evil genius" and another of Shobu's main rivals throughout the series. Other characters make fun of his outlandishly styled long hair and all-black leather outfit (Upon seeing him, Shobu asks if there is a "Matrix Convention" in town). He uses a Darkness Civilization Deck, but later on in the subsequent series,a Darkness/Water deck. He has earned the nickname "Black Death", because of his relentless tactics and masterful use of Darkness civilization. Kokujo claims to have become evil because others said he could not become a kaijudo master. In Season 2 he helps Shobu to defeat P.L.O.O.P.
4.The Temple
Master (マスター; Masutā) - Very little is known about the leader of the "Temple" (an organization within the Junior Duelist's Center). Throughout the first season he appears in a long black, hooded robe with his face half concealed by his long blond hair. "The Master" appears as Hakuoh's teacher and dueling coach. Knight suggests that the Master has only taken an interest in Hakuoh because he plans to use the young duelist in obtaining his "revenge" against the creature world who defeated him in a duel causing him to never duel again. "The Master" seems to be responsible for Hakuoh's brainwashing and even pushes Hakuoh to attack Shobu with Alcadeias after his defeat. Master disappears after Hakuoh's defeat in Season 1 and hasn't been seen since.