Lego is asking Yu-Gi-Oh fans to design its first potential set based on the card game anime, meaning 30 years after the manga originally launched, Yu-Gi-pilled millennials might finally be get to duel in Lego form. Anime could end up being the next lucrative frontier for the company’s licensed brick empire.
The toy company has announced a contest for Yu-Gi-Oh fans to submit ideas for a buildable set, but it has a few rules and regulations that will narrow down the eligible designs. The examples Lego gives include models of characters and their trademark monsters, such as Yugi and the Dark Magician or Kaiba and his Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Dioramas of iconic duels from the anime, or a standalone monster, are also allowed.
Lego is specifically looking for ideas based on the Battle City and Duelist Kingdom tournament arcs from the original anime, so if you were thinking of an idea for a character in one of the more recent anime series, think again. Each idea must have between 400 and 2000 pieces to be considered. Lego is not looking for chump sets here.
That’s all well and good, but I’m surprised Lego isn’t taking an obvious route and releasing a Millennium Puzzle Lego set when Yugi literally builds his signature pyramid pendant that he wears around his neck like an actual Lego. Maybe if this contest takes off Lego will consider other Yu-Gi-Oh models. That one seems like a no-brainer.
Still, the focus on the original anime series does make it sound like Lego is targeting older fans who grew up with the classic cards and characters, which is in line with the marketing of other collaborations like the Pokémon sets that specifically called out people who have back pain and bills to pay.
But hey, these things are expensive, require a lot of patience to assemble, and are much more elaborate than the smaller sets you see marketed to kids. Submissions are open until March 10.