Lost Star Celebrates Yu-Gi-Oh! Anniversary With Competitive Duel at San Diego's 2006 Comic-Con International

NEW YORK, July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yu-Gi-Oh TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) -- the world's number one trading card game -- celebrates its 5th year anniversary at the 2006 Comic-Con International with a competitive "Duel" between Lost star Malcolm David Kelley ("Walt") and reigning National TCG champion, 11-year-old Austin Kulman of Bellvue, Wa. The action will take place in the main exhibit hall on Saturday, July 22, at 2 p.m. at the Upper Deck booth (#2829) and will be followed by a meet-and-greet session with Yu-Gi-Oh! fans.

"I've been collecting Yu-Gi-Oh! cards and have been playing the game for the past couple of years," Kelley said. "I would be really surprised if I were able to beat Austin during this match!"

Kelley has been a part of the ensemble cast of the Emmy Award-winning Lost series since its debut on ABC in 2004. Kelley portrays Walt, a 14-year-old boy who, upon being reunited with his father, embarks on the ill-fated flights that crashes in the South Pacific.

As the youngest Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Champion ever, Kulman defeated over 350 of the nation's best Yu-Gi-Oh! players at last month's National Championship event. As the National champion, Kulman will represent the United States in the Yu-GI-Oh! TCG World Championship Tournament this summer in Tokyo, competing against 25 countries for the coveted title, "King of Games."

Since its introduction in the U.S. by 4Kids Entertainment in 2001, the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG has become a worldwide phenomenon with 15.8 billion cards sold, which not only surpasses all other trading card games, but has qualified the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG for a nomination into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Yu Gi Oh! TCG is a game of strategy, where players create individual decks of cards collected from starter sets and booster packs. Two players engage in a Dual while using cards that represent powerful monsters, magical spells and surprising traps.

The Yu Gi Oh! TCG is a product of the Konami Corporation and is distributed worldwide (with the exception of Asia) by the Upper Deck Company.

In addition to the trading card game, Yu-Gi-Oh! has seen tremendous success as a videogame from Konami and toys from Mattel. The original Yu-Gi-Oh! television series will air this fall on 4Kids TV and new episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX will debut on Cartoon Network next month. The show was number one on Cartoon Network's Miguzi block last season.