Number 48: Shadow Lich

Number 48: Shadow Lich was introduced in the Primal Origin booster set, released internationally in May 2014. As part of the Zexal era of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, the card draws inspiration from the long-running Numbers archetype featured in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal anime series. The design centers on the Shadow Lich, a spectral, necrotic entity that reflects the dark, supernatural themes prevalent in the game’s expansion sets during this period.

The card was designed as a Rank 3 Xyz Monster, intended to provide strategic utility through its token-generating abilities. As a common rarity card, it was produced to be accessible to a wide range of players rather than acting as a centerpiece of the set's collector market. Like many cards from the Primal Origin era, it was created by Konami’s design team to bridge the gap between niche archetype support and broader deck-building strategies, receiving a standard reception as a functional, tactical piece within the game's competitive ecosystem.