Yu-Gi-Oh! - Capsule Monsters

Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters (遊戯王カプセルモンスターズ Yūgiō Kapusaru Monsutāzu) is a twelve-episode mini-series commissioned, produced, and edited by 4Kids Entertainment (much like Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie - Pyramid of Light) that is a part of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise.

Set before the end of the second Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series (Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters) - between the Grand Championship and Dawn of the Duel, Capsule Monsters involves Yugi, Joey (Jonouchi), Téa (Anzu), Tristan (Honda), and Yugi's grandfather Solomon (Sugoroku) being pulled into a world where Duel Monsters are real. They find monster capsules that they can use to summon monsters. It is similar to the Virtual RPG arc in many respects, but it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the early Capsule Monster Chess game featured in early volumes of the original manga.

Yugi Muto (romanized as Yugi Mutou in the English-language manga) has strange recurring nightmares about the Pharaoh being captured by an evil monster with glowing red eyes. This upsets him since his Millennium Puzzle always starts acting in a strange manner afterwards.

As if this wan't bad enough, Solomon Muto (Sugoroku Mutou in the Japanese versions and English-language manga), Yugi's grandfather, recently went on a "secret expedition" and was supposed to be back already. Yugi is worried about the fact that Solomon is missing, but when Joey Wheeler (Katsuya Jonouchi in the English manga and the Japanese versions) wins a trip for four to India, Yugi's mind drifts off of the idea.

Meanwhile, there is a new game on the block; the Capsule Monsters board game is the new fad in the Duel Monsters craze, and Yugi has already taken the opportunity to learn the rules of the game. When Joey breaks the news about the trip, Yugi and his friends could not contain their excitement. Yugi, Tristan Taylor (Hiroto Honda), and Téa Gardner (Anzu Mazaki) agree to take Joey's other three tickets.

Just when the plane approached its final destination, the engines cut out and the aircraft crash lands in a mysterious forest. After Yugi and his friends evacuate from the aircraft, they find a man who says his name is Dr. Alex Brisbane.

When Yugi lets slip to Brisbane that he is Solomon Muto's (Sugoroku Mutou) grandson, Brisbane tells him that he's a colleague of Grandpa, and on their latest expedition together he disappeared. Now Yugi knows just where Grandpa had gone, but the Pharaoh still suspects something. They just happen to win a trip; their plane happens to crash; and they just happen to meet the man who was the last person to see Grandpa. It all seems a little bit coincidental. Brisbane shows Yugi and the gang where he last saw Solomon. Yugi and his friends are surprised when they discover that Brisbane last saw Solomon in a pyramid.

Brisbane explains that he believes it to be the legendary pyramid of Alexander the Great, and that it's supposed to contain some sort of ancient game. They check it out, narrowly avoiding an array of dangerous traps, and come across a room that, as Tristan put it, is the size of Cleveland. The floor looks like a giant map of different land types, which looks incredibly familiar to Yugi. Joey decides to check it out but, to everyone's surprise, disappears into thin air the second he steps on the map. Coming to the conclusion that Solomon must have gone to the same place as Joey, the rest of the gang decide to follow, leaving a bewhildered Brisbane behind.

They find themselves in a forest, with Joey nowhere to be seen. Yugi notices a lot of egg-shaped rocks around, but before they can investigate, some giant cockroaches (Gokibore, a monster from the Volume 6 expansion set) and a giant praying mantis (Kamakiriman, from Volume 3) ambush them. The escapes of Yugi, Tristan, and Téa causes them to have to split up.

Yugi is cornered by the mantis, so the Pharaoh takes over to protect him. He accidentally touches one of the strange egg-shaped rocks whilst jumping, which somehow causes Celtic Guardian to appear. Celtic Guardian attacks the mantis, destroying it.

Meanwhile, Tristan and Téa escape the cockroaches by ducking into a cave. They find themselves on a beach, accompanied by two monsters: Thunder Kid and Happy Lover.

At the same time, Joey is up high on a mountain, looking over onto the forest that the gang are in, hearing Yugi's shouting. Suddenly, a giant bird comes up behind him and grabs him by the shoulders, flying away with Joey in his claws.

Back in the forest, Celtic Guardian disappears in a beam of light, transforming into a small capsule. Now, Yugi knows where he'd seen this before.

The heroes have to discover the secret of the Capsule Monsters world, and figure out how to escape the island. In addition, someone in the real world may desire to use the power of the Capsule Monsters for his own evil plans.

遊☆戯☆王デュエル モンスターズ (WILD DRIVE)