Listen, Kaiba Is One Of Yu-Gi-Oh's Best Characters, But He's Also Way More Despicable Than Fans Remember

Yu-Gi-Oh!’s Seto Kaiba is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable and beloved anime characters in existence. Most fans remember him for being Yugi’s iconic rival, with most of his duels being a spectacle for fans to witness. Although he never managed to defeat the protagonist and claim the title of King of Games, his determination and Blue-Eyes White Dragon, arguably the most iconic card in the game, did win the hearts of millions of fans all around the world.

Nonetheless, while there is no denying the impact Kaiba had on the anime industry, what many fans fail to remember is how cruel he could be. Even after letting go of his role as an antagonist, instead becoming a rival and occasional ally to the heroes, Seto had several moments where he was far more evil than some villains. The series made it explicitly clear that Kaiba, no matter how beloved, was never a good person.

Kaiba’s Behavior Is Borderline Abusive

One Scene in Particular Proves How Horrid He Could Be

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When Kaiba was first introduced in episode #1 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime, he was presented as a cruel and egotistical villain who cared only about his satisfaction. One of the first things he ever did in the series was kidnap Yugi’s grandpa and force him to duel for the right to own the fourth Blue-Eyes White Dragon. He immediately tore the card in half, a truly evil action that makes little sense to this day. Nevertheless, his actions proved that he was by no means one of the heroes.

His behavior and personality started to change after Yugi helped him save his brother Mokuba from Pegasus, one of the best villains in the series. However, despite being grateful to the heroes, he did not change his abrasive and rude attitude. Nowhere is Kaiba’s despicable attitude better than in episode #129 of the anime. This entry, which took place shortly after Joey lost against Marik and was left hospitalized in critical condition, was the beginning of Atem and Kaiba’s final duel in the Battle City arc.

The fact that Joey could die at any moment had truly affected the pharaoh, who was seen shaking in anger as he promised that he would save his friend. Things only got worse when he arrived at the arena where his rival was waiting for him. As soon as he saw Atem, Kaiba mocked him, wondering if Yugi’s friends would not accompany him because Joey’s coffin was too heavy to carry. This line was not only completely unprovoked, but it was also one of the vilest things Kaiba could have said.

Kaiba Knew Joey’s Fate Was Not His Fault

His Hatred for Wheeler Blinded Him to the Truth

While it can be argued that Seto’s words in episode #129 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime was only said to make Atem lose focus on the duel, this by no means justifies his actions. Joey’s duel against Marik has always been a controversial part of the original series, as the result does not sit right with most fans. Even though the main villain of the arc had everything in his favor to win, Wheeler persevered and managed to outwit him, nearly establishing himself as the winner of the match.

Lamentably, his injuries caused him to fall unconscious, resulting in one of the most unfair losses in the entire franchise. Kaiba, who was a witness to these events, knew that Joey’s defeat was not his fault, and was aware of how much his condition affected his friends. The fact that he showed no remorse and smiled mockingly even as he implied Joey had died, shows that he was unable to feel empathy for Wheeler, even during such critical times. There are many villains in the series, such as Pegasus or Raphael, who were far more compassionate and kinder than Kaiba.

Kaiba’s Behavior Only Got Worse After He Lost

​​​​​​​His Ego Almost Cost the Heroes Their Lives

After Atem defeated Marik in one of the best duels Yu-Gi-Oh! fans have ever seen, he was once again declared the ultimate Duel Monsters player in the world. Kaiba, angry about losing again and wanting to destroy the remnants of his father’s military division, decided to let go of his frustrations in an unorthodox and dangerous way. The boy asked his workers to fill KaibaCorp Island with explosives, which would be used to obliterate the place. Instead of doing this after everyone had abandoned the location, he decided to give his guests a short amount of time to escape.

Despite not being the main villain of the arc, Kaiba was far closer to killing Yugi and his friends than Marik ever was.

He also never informed the heroes that he and Mokuba would not be flying with them, as he had prepared his iconic Blue-Eyes Jet to take them off the island. His neglect caused the protagonists to stay on the island until moments before it exploded. Seto would later make another appearance, bragging about his airplane and genius. Despite not being the main villain of the arc, Kaiba was far closer to killing Yugi and his friends than Marik ever was.

He Might Be Bad, but He Is Also Iconic

​​​​​​​Fans Love Kaiba for Staying True to Himself

Although Seto is without a doubt far more aligned with the villains of Yu-Gi-Oh! than the heroes, it is his unapologetic personality that has kept him popular for more than two decades. When fans think about Kaiba, they do not remember him saving the protagonist or trying to save the world from darkness. They think about his brilliant strategies, his memorable one-liners, and the incredibly powerful cards he used to defeat his opponents. Seto never claimed to be a hero, and he knows that his personality makes many people dislike him, yet he remains true to himself, which fans adore.

Regardless of how cruel he might have been, Kaiba will remain one of Yu-Gi-Oh!’s most beloved characters in history. He is just as vital to the franchise as Yugi himself, and the series would never have been the same without him.