Yu-Gi-Oh! Actor Explains Why Kaiba Is Not A Villain

Tomorrow is the big day for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans in the U.S. After a long wait, the anime‘s most recent film will be making its way into theaters for a limited screening, and fans are already gearing up for the affair. Armed with their own Duel Disks, audiences will watch as Yugi Muto returns to the screen and faces off against both new and old enemies. And, of course, Seto Kaiba will be there to make the poor guy’s life that much harder. However, you may not want to call him a villain just yet; According to one actor, the Yu-Gi-Oh! character is anything but a villain.

During a recent interview for Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions, Eric Stuart chatted about his return to the franchise. The actor, who voices Seto Kaiba and a slew of other anime characters, dished about his work on the action-packed movie. But, when it came to describing Kaiba, Stuart was had this to say about the boy:

“What’s so interesting about this character in particular is that some people think he’s a villain. I really think of him as a rival,” he said.

“I think Kaiba’s role is to keep pushing Yugi to be the best which also gives him the depth he needs. If he were truly just a villain, he’d be evil, but he’s not.”

Of course, fans have debated on-and-off about whether Kaiba should be classified as a villain or a rival. As the CEO of KaibaCorp, Kaiba is known for wanting to be the greatest Duel Monsters player to ever exist. His arrogant, overconfident personality has made him a target for Yugi lovers, but fans have seen Kaiba shed his brutish facade when the need calls. At the end of the day, some wonder whether Kaiba is as bad as he thinks he is. And, more importantly, fans question if Kaiba’s bad reputation simply stems from his desire to be a better gamer than Yugi or Yami ever could.

Here’s the official synopsis for Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions:

“In Yu-Gi-Oh! THE DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS, the stakes have never been higher; the rivalries never as fierce; the risks never so great. One wrong move—one card short—and it’s game over for good. A decade in the making, Yu-Gi-Oh! THE DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS features new designs and an all-new story from the original creator of the global phenomenon, Kazuki Takahashi. His masterful tale features anime’s most beloved characters in their long-awaited return: Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba and their faithful friends Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor, Téa Gardner and Bakura. It’s the most highly anticipated re-YU-nion ever!”

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Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions will screen in U.S. theaters on January 27, 2017. In Spring 2017, a new Yu-Gi-Oh! anime is also set to hit televisions thanks to TV Tokyo. The new series will follow a hero named Yūsaku Fujiki as he enters the dangerous world of Duel Monsters.