Plot Summary:
We left off Jounouchi asking Dark Yugi to hold his Red Eyes Black Dragon to take as opportunities to get strong enough to get it back and to duel against Dark Yugi, a learning experience, Dark Yugi gladly accepts the request and challenge.
Jounouchi and Dark Yugi goes separate ways to find their next opponents, it focus on Jounouchi seeing a crowd of duelists watching a duel between Dino Ryuzaki and Esper Roba, victory going to Esper Roba, Jounouchi challenges Esper Roba.
Esper Roba accepts his challenge and the duel starts, Jounouchi makes a small mistake on forgetting Battle City Tournament requires super expert rules (sacrificing a lower level monster to summon a high level monster - level 5 and over), Roba claims having psychic powers and be able to get what cards Jounouchi has, the duel comes to for a real start.
In the process of the duel, Jounouchi discovers Esper Roba is actually a fake psychic on his own by noticing a small mistake from his opponent or "his psychic powers", the readers get to know who are the "psychic powers" being Esper Roba little brothers... as the duel goes on, during the duel reveals Jounouchi's deck is a Gamble deck, in other words, totally relies mostly on luck.
The duel ends with the victory on Jounouchi's side, we get Esper Roba reaction to his defeat showing some more of his characterization and an interesting discussion between the two players and ending with a strong message.
Key points:
Jounouchi sees as steps in becoming a true duelist, according to Jounouchi's steps in becoming a "true duelist", I'll interpret it as becoming active in duelists community, taking initiative by challenging those who are a duelist in front of you and seem stronger than him, steps in becoming a better and become a more experienced player, Jounouchi is already starting building his own definition of "true duelist", since each individual is different, of course will be different it's definition, Jounouchi own way starts shaping up from here...
If you want to continue reading click "read more" below:
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What's good to see in these panels it's his growth as a duelist, according to Jounouchi kind of judgement we learn from Duelist Kingdom and here is that he is good at finding contradictions and flaws in the opponent moves and assumptions, even line of thinking or mindset (like he did about Duelist Pride in Duelist Kingdom), in this case is starting to get polished which can prove very useful skill in tough situations.
Once Jounouchi realized the contradiction about a 2nd Graceful Dice when it was Skull Dice under Graceful Dice before get to Jounouchi, I want to take this panels in Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, from the looks of this card game in Yu-Gi-Oh! world manga, it seems these cards doesn't have the colors to be able to distinguish them such as trap card being violet colour and magic card being green or the kids doesn't have enough knowledge about the card game there is specific colours to distinguish certain type cards, let's face it, it has to be this way in a manga being black and white tones, so it can be clear for the reader.
Now touching on Jounouchi growth as a duelist, he figure out by himself Roba telepathy powers, not just as a duelist but being able to tell between a fake and real one, he was found out, but Roba says to not make baseless accusations, well failing to predict the skull dice and assuming a 2nd graceful dice kinda proves it, it really isn't baseless, nice catch on Jounouchi.
One of the most admirable traits of Jounouchi is his willpower and fighting spirit, as the series progress makes it clear and is his biggest strengths, people tend to underestimate these kinds of strengths, because it makes the person look too passionate or emotional or heated, to some people it's all they have to keep going and moving forward, we see people like these who are activists of a movement and hard-workers, I do believe willpower is something we all need as well, even if just some of it, but good amount enough to keep us in applying ourselves to reach our own goals, since is about strength of will, will to take action on what truly matters, it can fight conformism or procrastinating habits and becoming more productive yourself, so yes is important to have it, at least to the right amount.
To portray the intensity of Jounouchi and duel, the solid vision seems being able to throw people off...exaggerating for the sake to make this scene dramatic and impactful, now re-reading again is a bit ridiculous...well that's shounen for you.
Esper Roba getting irritated by Jounouchi's "not give up" attitude and he asks why Jounouchi doesn't give up and his reply being "because I'm a duelist", he is finding his own answers slowly.
It irritates me when characters like Roba asks their opponent to give up, really, or when people say if there is one to ask them to give up in a middle of a game...why would it? why would someone start playing a game or card game they like to just give up? it's just stupid, once you start something and enjoying it at least keep going until the end, giving up in the middle of a project or game is the same as letting something unfinished with no final result and never knowing what kind of result would have if you kept playing or working on it until the end.
It irritates me when characters like Roba asks their opponent to give up, really, or when people say if there is one to ask them to give up in a middle of a game...why would it? why would someone start playing a game or card game they like to just give up? it's just stupid, once you start something and enjoying it at least keep going until the end, giving up in the middle of a project or game is the same as letting something unfinished with no final result and never knowing what kind of result would have if you kept playing or working on it until the end.
I want to have this chance to talk about Jounouchi's deck, of all character decks, Gamble Jounouchi's deck is in 5th place in my top 5 favourite characters's decks (1st is Izayoi Aki, 2nd: Yugi Mutou, 3rd: Atem and 4th is Rua), I do seriously think his deck in Battle City is very interesting, specially being more fitting to his style being around finding contradictions and improvisation and the other trait of his deck as Roba states relies mostly on luck but not just to Jounouchi but affects the opponent as well, making it a 50/50 chance of winning on both sides.
One wonder where this winners/losers - black/white mindset comes from in defining "true duelist"...it seems coming from the duelists community, a little too intense there, no need for this much amount of competitiveness, I always found rather silly, I understand it can be fun with a little competition but let's not get carried away, sometimes they seem to have forgotten how to have fun in a card game to be honest.
In these panels about Espa Roba reaction to his defeat he brings up a bit of subject between being a winner and loser to measure your worth as human, it's ridiculous really, why look down on others for these reasons, it makes me wonder who are the pettiest to get caught up with this blindly in this black/white mindset.
This Roba makes a fine example as chuunibiyou case, at least to some amount.
This Roba makes a fine example as chuunibiyou case, at least to some amount.
What Jounouchi says here is actually pretty interesting, Jounouchi is showing enough maturity to not boast or bragging but is worried about how Roba is taking his defeat because he has seen duelists get so worked up with their victories and losses (Mai, Dark Yugi, Kaiba, Keith and himself but overcame after the events itself).
Jounouchi sees a duelist hating himself if he loses, he sees that's not a good thing, not even healthy...
What I like most about Jounouchi's attitude in this scene is he is worried about his opponent of how he is dealing with his defeat and advise him to not get so worked up with one loss and fight again, he knows this by experience as well.
Now touch on Espa Roba characterization, I think the first panel from panels I presented, to me he was a bit relatable, because is true people like to pick on wimps, innocent and people who look different - to me those who does these things doesn't have better things to do than pick on others who look weak or different - , so for him being part of winner circle in card games was the way to gain respect from his peers in order to protect his little brothers.
This one fine example letting pride get to you, when Jounouchi wasn't pitying, he was just worried about him get so worked up, being prideful makes you rude as well, to me Roba is behaving like a brat and trying to put a bold front...Mai has said before even this is a weakness as well.
I think is cute Espa Roba came to his senses thanks to his little brothers keep encouraging him to still keep fighting as also meaning agreeing with what Jounouchi said and reveal Roba "psychic powers" and again showing how much of a softie he is when comes to brotherly love.
Now as for quote "As long you're not alone...you're always strong!" - do I agree with him? yes and no, it really depends on the circumstances and the individual, loved ones support helps boost your morale a little and the fact that depends on you to act on it is still there, there is situations where it requires teamwork and team effort when each team member has to play their own part while depending on each individual in being cooperative, just like the Global Warming/Climate Change depending in each one of us to save the planet.
Now as for quote "As long you're not alone...you're always strong!" - do I agree with him? yes and no, it really depends on the circumstances and the individual, loved ones support helps boost your morale a little and the fact that depends on you to act on it is still there, there is situations where it requires teamwork and team effort when each team member has to play their own part while depending on each individual in being cooperative, just like the Global Warming/Climate Change depending in each one of us to save the planet.
Next Post I'll give wallpapers I've made recently I submitted on TheOtaku.com for a little break from so many posts of manga analysis.
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