Probably one of the most anime things ever, Konami managed to send flowers for Kenjiro Tsuda-the Japanese-famer-seto Kaiba voice actor, thirty years in the making, with twenty-five being the years he practically spent as Kaiba, the famous, arrogantly smug rival! Honestly speaking, that’s the kind of respect-yetting-we-want.
Unlike random bouquets, it was a full-on Blue-Eyes White Dragon floral arrangement with the icy blues and whites that are of the utmost trademark of the citadel. Anyone who grew watching Yu-Gi-Oh will just remember this one. Kaiba was not just another villain; he was the one villain-an embodiment of making duelings so personal that he would outright cancel an entire tournament just to flex on Yugi-who actually made dueling personal. And if I am to say, Tsuda’s voice was pure arrogance; the wonderful lead “I am better than you” vibe melded to that of Kaiba’s lasting presence.
Love started pouring in from gamers and anime fans in return. One gamer credited Tsuda as “The Legend himself,” while another remarked that “Kaiba’s energy is unmatched-man woke up every day and chose chaos just to flex on Yugi”. And honestly, Tsuda was not just a Japanese voice for Kaiba- Tsuda was Kaiba, uttering each line with unmatched menace and superiority.
Tsuda’s career isn’t just Yu-Gi-Oh. His voice has reached everything-Jujutsu Kaisen as Kento Nanami, My Hero Academia as Overhaul, Chainsaw Man as Kishibe. He’s even done the Japanese dub for Colin Farrell. Range, man. Yet, to many, he will always be the one that shouted “Blue-Eyes White Dragon!” like it was the heaviest insult.
The tribute did spark hilarious contradictory comments. “Is Yu-Gi-Oh worth watching?” a fan asked, to which another replied, “Not too different from Pokémon, but with cards and a little more mature/darker tone.” Another one, however, took a very different approach: “I’m starting to think Seto Kaiba was a Hitler fan. His favorite card is Blue Eyes WHITE Dragon!”…okay then.
But the real takeaway is that, for once, Konami has done something cool. In a world where developers regularly disregard the talent behind their icons, that was a classy gesture. Tsuda’s voice molded a generation of Yu-Gi-Oh players, and honoring that legacy matters.
So if you needed any proof that anime and gaming culture intersect in the best ways, here it is: a legendary voice actor receiving a dragon-shaped bouquet from a card game he helped make famous. And honestly, we are backing this. If only Konami could channel that same energy into, y’know, making good games again. But hey-one step at a time.
For now, just appreciate that Tsuda’s 30-year grind earned the tribute it deserved. And if you need reinforcement of Kaiba’s greatness, go rewatch the scene where he throws his own brother’s Blue-Eyes card off of a blimp. That’s how you do villainy.
