As a matter of fact, there was a plan for a “Yuugiou” movie.
Although the “Yuugiou” anime had ended, work was continuing on the series by way of the sequel. “Yuugiou GX” was being broadcasted with its new characters and setting, and about a year into televising, I was approached with negotiations for making a movie.

It was quite interesting! I had even thought of a title.
‘Yuugiou vs GX!!’

When I was younger, I eagerly waited for “Mazinger Z vs Devilman” to finally be released in theatres (it took AGES to come out…), but, there was no battle at all! With the anger that had gripped me from the battle I had wanted since childhood, I held this title in my hands, and without knowing why, my chest began to throb.

The story was going to be similar to this:
The students of the Academia go on a field trip to the city of the Legendary Duelists - Domino City. Amongst them, with a conspicuous gleam in his eyes, is a sharp-headed genius Duelist who sees a chance to defeat Yuugi and the other Legendary Duelists. That character was the mysterious Tarot user Saiou Takuma. A strange set of circumstances leads to Yuugi and Jounouchi meeting Juudai and his friends. And, Sauou contacts Kaiba Corporation and plots his scheme.

Domino City becomes the setting of a new Duel! A magnificent development? It seems that way.

The problem is, I was anguishing over whether or not to revive Atemu, after all, that’s like betraying the original story’s theme, and I decided at that point, I wasn’t going to do anything to alter what had occurred in the original story.

Eventually, the movie washed out, but it was fun to see Yuugi and the others in action in my head again after such a long time.

Yuugi and Juudai? Of course, a hero can’t fight their comrades. There won’t be a movie!

Takahashi Kazuki
August 10th, 2007

Translation by Cindy of yumeoidaku.info
(Cindy notes that Mazinger Z is also known as Tranzor Z.)

(People sometimes seem to appreciate it when I dig out obscure bits of YGO fandom trivia and sites, and I didn’t remember reading this before. I hope Takahashi was pleased with the 3D movie that eventually did come out, even if there was no ‘vs’ each other! I typed it all out since the image would be a little hard to read on Tumblr…)