Kuriboh might seem harmless, but it is a monster that acts peculiarly both on and off the battlefield. There is no doubt that they are one of Yugi Moto’s most popular monsters. Even though they might not be as powerful in the state department, they have spared the duelist’s life over and over because of their unique abilities. These benign-looking creatures seem to be so useful that there have been many variations of the card covering much of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise. But Kuriboh is much more unique and has abilities that go beyond its trading card nature.
It appears that Kuriboh has some degree of sentience. Although it can also express affection and emotion in a way that few other monsters can, it has some intriguing abilities as well. We see Yami Yugi confused as he has to pick a Deckmaster alongside him during the duel against the Big 5 in the virtual world arc. But even when he is still contemplating which monster to choose, Kuriboh acts on his own accord as he comes out of the virtual card to show some affection to the Pharaoh. It appears that the monster had chosen itself as the Deckmaster. While some good counter-arguments can be made for this specific scenario like it was a virtual world arc. But still, it does not go against the claim that Kuriboh shows a greater degree of autonomy compared to the rest of the world’s virtual monsters.
But Yugi’s experience is not exclusive as other characters have also experienced some game-breaking experience with Kuriboh. Yugi had given Jaden Yuki his winged Kuriboh in a chance encounter without thinking much of the printed piece of paper. Surprisingly, as it turns out, Winged Kuriboh was a scarce card that housed a Duel Spirit- to which Jaden could even interact with. The Duel Spirit used to go around with Jaden and was always there on the top of the deck whenever he needed it. Jaden’s bond with his Winged Kuriboh is quite similar to the one that Yugi shared with his Kuriboh. It can be said with confidence that Winged Kuriboh did affect Jaden’s game, but the same can’t be said for Yugi with certainty. It is unwise to assume that Kuriboh could affect every card he picked, but if it was sentient, it could easily influence where it stands, leaving little to chance. Kuriboh’s sentience makes another interesting revelation that if it can appear in its owners’ hands as per its wish, then it means that this is another cheating tactic perfected by the protagonist.
Source-Yu-Gi-Oh!: Are Kuriboh Sentient
