Breaking the Mold
Legacy of the Valiant
Whitewashed
Female
Small World
Calling Card
100
There is an unwritten rule in the game that states level 4 or lower monsters cannot have 2000 or more ATK without also having a drawback. This monster was the first to break that rule, though, admittedly, it doesn't have an effect at all.
Gene-warped Warwolf
100
This card has become a sort of shorthand for any card that singlehandedly fixes its deck's issues.
Mathmech Circular
100
Aoi Zaizen
Skye Zaizen
100
As Farfa says,
"Ahhhhhh...."
Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring
100
Droll & Lock Bird/Droll Bird
Wind
100
While it's not surprising that Mai plays this iconic spell card, what you might not know is that, in Duelist Kingdom, she actually had 2, which she used in her duel against Yugi.
Harpie's Feather Duster
200
To summon high level monsters, you normally have to tribute monsters. Released in 2004, this is one of, if not the earliest, high level monsters that could be normal summoned without a tribute.
Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight
200
A superstar of retro formats, any Edison player knows that if you have game on board, just attack, to play around this trap card
Torrential Tribute
200
Daichi Misawa
Bastion Misawa
200
This normal monster has one of the most famous censored arts in the TCG, considering its original art was just it..... nude
Water Omotics.
200
Sacred Fire King Garunix/Cornfield Coatl
1700 DEF
200
Although you probably associate this quick-play spell with Joey (it was the cover card for his starter deck), it's actually made appearances in Gx, used by both Alexis and Blair
Scapegoat
300
Delta Crow - Anti Reverse was the first trap card that could be activated from the hand. This card was the second.
Black Sonic
300
Once an important piece of its deck back in 2014, this card is now best known for a ruling about trigger effect location, involving it and Call of the Haunted.
Satellarknight Deneb
300
Ryoga Kamishiro
(Hint: Shark is not acceptable)
Reginald Kastle
300
This fusion monster is indeed female, despite having the word "king" in its name.
D/D/D Oracle King D'arc
300
Spright Pixies/Therion "Reaper" Fum
1400 ATK
300
First released in Invasion of Chaos and despite being one of the best normal traps of all time (seeing play on release all the way even through 2023), the only time this card was activated in the anime was in Gx, by a side character against Jaden.
Compulsory Evacuation Device
400
To summon xyz monsters, you needed to use monsters with levels. This was the first one to specifically require xyz monsters as material
Number f0: Utopic Future
400
Trigger effects in private locations do not have to "see" their triggers met to activate. We know this because of the interaction between these two LIGHT monsters.
Star Seraph Scepter/Star Seraph Sovereignty
400
Placido, Luciano, Jose
Primo, Lester, Jacob
400
Based on the gender of its human counterpart, it's likely that this synchro monster is female, making it unique among its 3 other counterparts, whose human counterparts are male.
Clear Wing Synchro Dragon
400
Junk Synchron/Swap Frog
500 DEF
400
One of the most infamous level 1s in the game's history, you would think that Akiza plays this tuner monster, but it's actually played by Luna.
Spore
500
XX-Saber Gottoms is famous for being one of the only synchro monsters that does not specify it needs "non-tuner" monsters for its synchro summon. Later, Mannadium Prime-heart would become the 4th synchro monster that could be summoned with only tuners, after these two, released in the same set.
Shooting Star Dragon/Red Nova Dragon
500
The special rule about trigger effects in the hand owes its existence to a ruling about this monster.
Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest
500
Mokeo Motegi
Belowski
500
Every Synchro monster that requires a Synchron tuner is associated with Yusei, except for this one.
Chevalier De Fleur
500
Cyber Jar/Gate Blocker
Rock
500
This card has never been played in an English-dubbed episode of Yu-Gi-Oh. Its only appearance was in one episode of Yu-Gi-Oh GX season 4, played by Trueman to counter Neo-Spacian Grand Mole
Skill Drain