Ryo Bakura

Ryo Bakura is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga. In the English version, his name is Ryo Bakura, but is only called "Bakura"; as per Japanese custom, the other characters are not close enough to call him by his first name.

Yami Bakura (Dark Bakura) is his other self, released from the power of the Millennium Ring. The two rarely directly converse. Unlike the relationship between Yugi and Yami Yugi, Yami Bakura is a malignant entity, and has a separate mind, despite he and Bakura being the same person, and because of Ryo's weak will he completely suppresses his soul when he takes over.

Appearance
Bakura's character design was overseen by Kazuki Takahashi.

In the Duelist Kingdom arc he wears a white wool sweater and green undershirt. His usual outfit in following seasons consists of a blue opened shirt over a light blue and white horizontally striped t-shirt. His white hair is pointed downwards in various directions and trails half way down his back. He wears the Millennium Ring on a lace around his neck. In Millennium World, Thief King Bakura is shown with a red robe that openly shows his muscular chest, and has 4-stitched scar under his right eye.

Duelist Kingdom Saga
Bakura is first seen in the first episode, watching Yugi Muto duel Joey Wheeler, and then again when Joey is dueling Téa Gardner. His face is not seen until he is on the cruise ship to the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. Bakura was not selected by Maximillion Pegasus to be an official duelist in the tournament, and thus did not possess a Dueling Gauntlet and two star chips, which were required for entry onto the ship. In the manga, Bakura went on the boat with Yugi and his friends. In the anime, Bakura first makes contact with the group when he confronts them on the island, although he is seen by Téa Gardner a few times prior to this, however she thought her mind was playing tricks on her. His favorite card was revealed to be Change Of Heart, most likely to represent him and his darker self.

In the anime, Yami Bakura traps Yugi Muto, his friends and the good Bakura into their favorite Duel Monster cards, leaving Yami Yugi to save his friends lives. This is the anime's outlook on the first series anime and manga's Monster World RPG story arc. To further support this, the cards each member inhabits are similar to that of which they inhabited in the RPG. When defeated, Yami Yugi sent Yami Bakura to the Graveyard. During Yugi and Joey's Duel against The Paradox Brothers, Bakura found out that Yami Bakura was his evil self, as he was told this by Yami Bakura.

Bakura stayed with the group up until Yugi's defeat of Maximillion Pegasus. After which Yami Bakura challenges Pegasus to another Shadow Game, and defeats him, taking his Millennium Eye.

Battle City Saga
After Téa told Bakura that Yugi's Puzzle was stolen, Yami Bakura took over and used his Ring to locate the Puzzle. When Yami Bakura detected that the Millennium Puzzle was nearby, he saw Yugi dueling with Bandit Keith, possessed by Marik Ishtar. After He breaks Marik's control over Keith the good Bakura takes over. Keith shattered the Millennium Puzzle and Ryo Bakura went to Yugi's rescue, knocking Keith back. Yami Bakura took advantage of the opportunity to seal a fragment of his soul into a piece of the Millennium Puzzle.

Bakura is stabbed in the arm by Yami Bakura as part of Yami Bakura and Marik Ishtar's plan to get the trust of Yugi. Ryo doesn't know how he got the injury, but Marik helps him out, winning the trust of Yugi's friends.

Although Yami Bakura manages to collect a Duel Disk and the required number of Locator Cards to enter the finals, Ryo tells his friends that he acquired them himself, but doesn't go into details on how he got them. Yugi is shocked that Bakura is still hanging onto the Ring.

For the quarterfinal round, the duels were to be staged atop Kaiba's airship, the Battle Ship with the draw determined at random.

Yugi vs. Bakura (Yami Yugi vs. Yami Bakura) would be the first duel. Although Yugi would get an early advantage, Bakura plays Dark Sanctuary, whose effect allows Bakura to possess one of Yugi's monsters so that when it attacks, the attack would be negated, and Yugi would lose life points. Bakura also plays the Destiny Board cards, which, when all five are played, would give Bakura an automatic victory. In desperation, Yugi is forced to summon Slifer and win the duel, as Slifer (Osiris) is immune to the effects of Dark Sanctuary.

Yami Bakura faces Yugi in the quarter finals and narrowly loses. But to avoid defeat Marik orders Yami Bakura to let Ryo take control. With Ryo, weaker than Yami Bakura and still injured from the stab, Yugi's last attack would cause a critical injury to Bakura. Yami Bakura refuses to take the risk, as he needs Ryo Bakura to survive. He retakes control and lets Yugi attack him. Bakura is left in a coma and the Ring is lost in the Duel, but was returned by Téa being controlled. Marik in Téa's body insists on Bakura's assistance. An evil self of Marik had gained control of his body. Yami Bakura challenged what was now Marik, and ultimately lost. The Ring then fell into the hands of Yami Marik.

Battle City Finals Saga
After Yugi defeats Marik, Marik relinquishes the ring to Yugi for Ryo's own safety. Bakura wakes from his coma after Yugi defeats Marik.

Dawn of the Duel Saga
In the Millennium World Yami Bakura takes the Millennium Ring back from Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood, who mistakenly took Yugi's Millennium Items while trying to steal his Egyptian God Cards. Soon after Yami Bakura engages in a Shadow RPG which recreated the events of Yami Yugi's own life. After Yami Bakura ventures to the Memory World through the Shadow RPG,Ryo is finally free from his control following the destruction of Zorc and the subsequent destruction of Yami Bakura due to the fact that Yami Bakura merged his spirit with Zorc's in the past therefore when Zorc was destroyed, so was Yami Bakura because his spirit would no longer exist in the present time. To clarify, during the Shadow RPG, Yami Bakura transferred his spirit and Yami Yugi's to their Millennium World counterparts, therefore Yami Bakura became one with Zorc which is why he was destroyed when Zorc was. After the battle,Bakura appear in front Yami Yugi and the others, he asks for food.The falls to the ground fast asleep.Yugi tells Yami Yugi that Bakura is finally free from evil Bakura.

Ceremonial Battle Saga
Ryo Bakura travels with Yugi and co. to Egypt to witness Yami Yugi's departure and the Ceremonial Battle.

Knownable Relatives

 * Unnamed Mother (mother)
 * Unnamed Father (father)

Trivia

 * Bakura shares the same English voice actor as Jack Atlas from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

Voice Actresses & Actors
Japanese voice actress : Yo Inoue (Duelist Kingdom Saga), Rica Matsumoto (for the rest of the anime series successing the role after Yo Inoue's tragic death from cancer on March 28, 2003)

English : Ted Lewis