Konami has just announced that the company has successfully achieved two world records. They were both realized at the recent Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series Japan Tokyo 2024 event which took place on April 28 and 29 at Tokyo Big Sight.
Through this exciting tournament, Konami was able to set a record for the most entrants in a trading card game tournament with 7,443 people registering. It was also able to beat its own previous record for hosting the largest ever trading card game tournament.
What’s the Difference?
Both titles might sound similar, but the difference is in the technicalities. “Most entrants in a trading card game tournament” implies the largest number of people who played against each other in the same venue all at the same time. This is slightly different from the second record of “the largest ever trading card game tournament,” which refers to the largest number of people participating in one trading card game tournament. This latter title was also once held by Konami for their 100th Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series held in Long Beach, California back in March 2012.
A Beloved Community
While Yu-Gi-Oh! may have faded from the mainstream spotlight, these Guinness World Records are a testament to how strong the player base still is in Japan, as well as overseas. In true shonen anime form, some congratulatory words were also shared by voice actor Shunsuke Kazama, who plays the role of the main Yu-Gi-Oh! anime protagonists, Yugi Muto and Yami Yugi.
“Congratulations to all the duelists for being recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records,” he said. “I believe that this record was only possible due to the cooperation and strength of bonds between each and every duelist. As a result, I think the Yu-Gi-Oh! card games will deepen the unity and bond between duelists, and an even more amazing world awaits.
“I believe that your passion will continue to be passed on to us for many years to come, and will become a road to all of us duelists,” added Kazama. “Dear duelists, please continue to keep your pride in your heart and keep pushing forward.”
