Yugi Mutou (Japanese: 武藤 遊戯, Hepburn: Mutō Yūgi) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yugi is introduced as a teenager who is solving an Ancient Egyptian artifact known as the Millennium Puzzle, hoping that it will grant him his wish of making friends.

Besides the original manga, Yugi has also appeared in anime adaptations, films and video games based on the franchise.

; Takahashi based the names of the two major characters, "Yūgi" and "Jōnouchi", on the word yūjō (友情), which means "friendship".

He stated that both Yugi and Katsuya Jonouchi (Joey Wheeler in the English anime) had more potential as characters because they focus on enjoying games rather than aiming to win.

However, he is bullied by two classmates, Katsuya Jonouchi and Hiroto Honda (Tristan Taylor in the English anime), with the former stealing a piece of the puzzle.

According to the book of the dead, whoever solves the Millennium puzzle inherits the Dark Games and becomes the guardian of right who passes judgement on evil.

While Pegasus restores the stolen souls, Yugi gives Jonouchi the prize money for the medical treatment of his sister, Shizuka Kawai (Serenity Wheeler in the English anime).

[15] Some time after Pegasus' tournament, Dark Yugi learns from Ishizu Ishtar that he was once a Pharaoh, but his memory was erased during a conflict.

Shortly after this, Kaiba announces his own tournament – Battle City – where the losers must give the winner their most valuable card.

A group of hunters led by Ishizu's corrupted younger brother, Marik, are set to challenge Yugi, having a vendetta against the Pharaoh.

In the finale, Yugi faces Marik's own darker alter-ego, who possesses the third God Card: The Winged Dragon of Ra.

During the final story arc of the manga, Dark Yugi uses the three God Cards to learn of his past, and is transported to an alternate version of his life where he lived as a pharaoh.

At the end of the manga, it is revealed that his name as Pharaoh was Atem (アテム, Atemu), who sealed his soul into the Puzzle along with the Great God of Evil, Zorc Necrophades.

The Movie: Pyramid of Light follows a new duel between Yugi and Kaiba with the latter being used by an ancient undead Egyptian lord known as Anubis, who seeks to kill the Pharaoh for revenge.

: Bonds Beyond Time, where he teams up with the duelists Jaden Yuki and Yusei Fudo to defeat the mysterious Paradox to save both Duel monsters and their timelines.

: The Dark Side of Dimensions, a film which takes place after the events of the manga, Yugi and his friends are in their final year of high school and deciding on what they will do in the future.

Yugi proves to be an incredibly capable duelist even without the Pharaoh's assistance, defeating the antagonist Aigami (Diva in english) in one duel and cornering Kaiba in another.

[26] In 2013, Thompson again noted Dark Yugi's behavior when playing "Penalty Games" on criminal or bullies, and that he was similar to Batman and Superman because he does not kill enemies, but instead gives them gruesome fates.

[27] Fred Ladd also noted Yugi's weakness is due to his inability to deal with bullies, and that his alter-ego seeks revenge for their actions.

[28] Thompson agreed, noting that despite Yugi winning most of his duels, Takahashi produces enough drama to make the reader wonder whether he would lose against Pegasus or Marik based on their apparent advantages when playing the game.

[30] DVD Talk was confused by the way Yugi transforms whenever he plays a game because it left the Millennium Puzzle as a mystery.

DVD Talk found Yugi's troubled situation as Duel Monsters' champion as an annoyance due to its execution, but still felt young children would enjoy it.

[34] While enjoying the duel between the protagonists and the villain in Bonds Beyond Time', UK Anime Network found the three duelists perform moves necessary to introduce their most iconic characters.

[35] While reviewing Dark Side of Dimensions, IGN praised Yugi's growth alongside his friends' as they interact, making them more mature than in the manga and anime.