Blue-Eyes White Dragon

Why collectors notice it

Because the character is so closely linked to the story, the card has been reprinted in many forms. Collectors often follow the many versions across sets and special rarities.

It is the foundation of the English Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. Read more about Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon.

A closer look

Reading this card

Start with the frame. Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a Normal Monster, so the frame is yellowish and the text box holds a short flavor note instead of rules text. Next, count the stars under the name. There are eight, which makes it Level 8. The attribute symbol at the top right shows Light, and the type line reads Dragon followed by Normal.

The featured print here is an Ultra Rare: a gold-foil name and a holographic image. Other printings of the same card can carry a different rarity, so check the set code under the artwork. In this first set it starts with LOB. The guide to reading a trading card walks through the same layout step by step.

How it compares

Set it beside Dark Magician. Both are Normal Monsters from the same set, but Dark Magician is a Level 7 Dark Spellcaster while Blue-Eyes is a Level 8 Light Dragon. Both land in the two-tribute group, so the extra star changes nothing about the cost. What differs is the type line, which is what other cards look at when they help or hurt a whole family of monsters.

A second useful partner is Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Both are Dragons, yet Red-Eyes is Dark and one Level lower, and it later became the head of its own archetype. Blue-Eyes has a different extra job: it can be a material for a Fusion Monster.

Questions readers ask

Does this card have a special ability?

No. A Normal Monster has no effect. Its weight comes from its Level and its attack number, 3000.

Why do collectors talk about owning more than one copy?

Because of fusion. A Fusion Monster such as Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon asks for three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. See the page on Fusion Summoning.

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