abstract
| - The Shadow Realm is a dark other dimension in the Yu-Gi-Oh! series that was alleged to be a place of eternal suffering where people could be sent to, explicitly designed by 4Kids Entertainment for the dubbed version of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second series anime. When a death would occur in the Japanese version, it would usually be censored in the English version to say he/she is sent instead to "Shadow Realm" (Though there is little difference, since the Shadow Realm is supposed to be Hell and the soul still leaves the body upon banishment.) The concept is also mentioned in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime. The Shadow Realm as presented in the English-language version of the anime does not exist in either the original Japanese-language Yu-Gi-Oh! manga or anime series. However, the concept is based on an occasionally mentioned place called the World of Darkness (Yami no Sekai). This was where the soul of Solomon Muto was placed after being absorbed into a "Soul Prison" card by Maximillion Pegasus. This World of Darkness was also mentioned by Titan in the Japanese version of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. He was taken there after losing to Jaden. Here he met Kagemaru, who gave him his Shadow Charm mask, letting him return to Earth as one of the Shadow Riders. He would Duel Alexis Rhodes, one of the holders of the Spirit Keys. His intent was defeat her drag her to the World of Darkness, just as her brother Atticus Rhodes had previously been. However, he would lose to her and be dragged back to the world himself. The Shadow Realm is often connected to Millennium Items. The Pharaoh used the power of the Millennium Puzzle to "Mind Crush" Ghost Kaiba (twice), Panik, and a mugger, banishing them to the Shadow Realm. Pegasus used his Millennium Eye to take both his duels with Yugi to the Shadow Realm, and to imprison Grandpa, Mokuba, and Kaiba in cards. Bakura also used his Millennium Ring to initiate a few shadow duels, and to trap some victims in the Shadow Realm. Marik Ishtar also trapped the minds of his Rare Hunters in the Shadow Realm with his Millennium Rod when they lost a duel, and set up some duels in which the loser's soul would be banished to the Shadow Realm. Yami Marik used his Millennium Rod to create shadow duels as well and trap Mai in the Shadow Realm. Zorc is said to be the one who created the Shadow Realm. In ancient Egypt, duelists wore a diadankh around their arm whose energy would be depleted if they took damage from a monster, and if their diadankh energy was depleted, their soul would go to the Shadow Realm, but could still be released.
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