Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 1 (Prologue of the Semi-Finals)

Okay, I have finally reached the finals of Battle City, it feels closer to the Memory World Arc now, I'll be covering 5 volumes from here on out, volume duelist 20-24 (in Japanese print is volume 27-31), I think these volumes will be a little challenging for me, since the main duels of the finals are long, specially Dark Yugi VS Kaiba and Dark Yugi/Yugi VS Yami Marik.
To make a proper prolog of the finals, this post will deal with the aftermath of the story of the tragedy of the Ishtar family.

Plot Summary:

After Ishizu told the tragic story of her family, everyone has a bit of talk about the future duels that coming the next day and it's revealed that when Ishizu lost to Kaiba, the powers of the millenium tauk was weakened since Kaiba changed the future result of the duel, the gang were shocked and impressed, Ishizu gives her millenium item to Yugi and confirms to him a part of the conditions of the vessel of the pharaoh and now she did her part in accomplishing her mission as a tomb guardian.
While the gang goes to their rooms, Anzu catches up to Ishizu to ask an important question to get an answer she is suspicious of...after this there is some conversation between Yugi and Dark Yugi before Yugi sleeps.

Yami Marik prepares himself to kill Rishid but suddenly his arm which he was using doesn't move because of the Millenium Ring power and reveals that Yami Bakura is back but accompanied by the Main Marik to stop Yami Marik in general and from killing Rishid, they challenge Yami Marik to a duel in form of a shadow game...before the duel starts there is a small discussion between Yami Marik and Main Marik.


Key Points:

This particular scene, it confirms the gang hasn't told anything to Yugi or Dark Yugi about Mai's condition, the ones who know is Anzu and Jounouchi, they probably haven't told the other two(Yugi and Dark Yugi) to not put them in a pressure, since they do tend to take responsibilities, especially Dark Yugi to save everyone.

Also, we see Jounouchi made a decision to be himself this time to save his friend, to not put this kind of responsibility on Yugi/Dark Yugi, and a part of him probably feels responsible for thinking that his dream has hurt her feelings.

 

This scene bugs me a little, the beginning of this section of panels, when Jounouchi tells Yugi that he hasn't forgotten their promise (to the both of them), Yugi's response is where it starts to bug me, even though I love his character (mind you, he is one of my favourites) and wish to become more independent, getting stronger, still has some low self-esteem issues which I'm fine with because he is progressing mostly on his problems, but seems there is a block for him to evolve further...

"Yup! Battle City isn't over until we have a real duel! The other me is looking forward too!"

This phrase can give multiple interpretations, so it's a little weird, there is a bit of selfish wish on clinging in referring to Dark Yugi as "the other me", even though he and the gang is well aware he is an entity of his own, he could refer to him as "spirit of the puzzle" or "puzzle spirit", maybe it feels too troublesome and want to keep this way while he is a vessel until he gets his memories and remembers his real name, there are other possible additional meanings as well, that being Jounouchi will duel against them separately, which is very likely, it's pretty normal Yugi speak on behalf of Dark Yugi and himself separately like this as participants and duelist, of course, Dark Yugi is attentively listening.

Shizuka, you can see she is a bit mischievous and likes to tease her brother a little like the gang, if you look at it, the ones who likes to tease Jounouchi the most are Kaiba (obviously), Mai, Anzu, Honda, Ryou Bakura and a little from Dark Yugi (in the ending of Duelist Kingdom arc when he insinuates he wants to duel against him in a teasing manner) and Shizuka, it seems Yugi is the only one who doesn't tease him, actually Yugi doesn't generally tease anyone due to his personality.



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Now here is a interesting point about the millenium items, in this case, after Kaiba defeated her, he also defeated the power of the millenium tauk therefore losing it's powers or became weakened, according to this logic, the wielder loses the connection to the millenium items, we saw Pegasus after being defeated and so his millenium eye, he became weak himself because of his own shadow game had tired him out, probably losing it's connection, maybe? But there are special cases like Yami Bakura and Dark Yugi, who are 2 entities residing and sealed in their own respective millenium items, which is why Yami Bakura could come back again and again, after being beaten, being a spirit may be weakened and it can recover itself, so the powers in the millenium items isn't lost with the spirits sealed, however were they to leave the millenium items...probably would lose it's powers and the connections would remain, weakened but not lost since they resided in their millenium items for thousands of years. (In the Yu-Gi-Oh! series there is more lore than it looks).

Remember in this post of how the first key point, Ishizu pictured by emphasizing who she feels who is most likely to save her brother..., in this scene, she is asking them directly, Yugi/Dark Yugi and Jounouchi, their reaction to her request is by understanding and also considering her request.

Finally, Ishizu gives her millenium tauk, so Yugi has few more steps to accomplish his duty as the pharaoh's vessel, now Yugi and Yami Bakura both have 2 millenium items, one of their respective ones and the others were gained (Yugi's case) and stolen (Yami Bakura's case).

 

The meaning of Ishizu's words in the first two panels above is pretty much her role as a wielder of the millenium tauk and her part in the Ishtar family mission is finished, she explains to him that Yugi is on his way to accomplish his mission too and one day it will end...she knows much more than she is letting known...

In the last panels of this section, you see Anzu exiting Mai's room but looking around, it's notable she was waiting for them to leave, the moment Ishizu turns a corner on the way to her room, she follows Ishizu to ask a question that has been bugging her to confirm the answer she is suspicious of...

 

You can tell when Anzu asks this question, deep down she knows the answer, but doesn't feel she is ready to accept and nevertheless is an answer she feels she needs to hear as well, Ishizu replies there are no exceptions when going to afterlife, it applies to every mortal, herself, Anzu, Dark Yugi is a soul of a mortal who died millennials ago, so he has to go too, Ishizu knows that Yugi's final task as the pharaoh soul vessel is to send him to afterlife and it's when Yugi's role as his vessel and wielder of the millenium puzzle ends...It's implying to where the main plot is going to end.

 

That's an intriguing aftermath of Ishtar family backstory being told to them, Yugi is lost in thoughts when he discovered it was a misunderstanding on Marik's part and knows is based on a trauma he went through from the so mentioned deep scar on his back which holds the location of the seal of memories...

Now this is off-topic, but it has to do with a panel where Yugi is resting his head on a pillow, Yugi's hair being quite spiky, it seems to almost piercing the pillow, it's spiky from behind as well, characters with spiky hair like this have always been a mystery to me, they've such naturally anti-gravity hair and probably very strong hair too...

Yugi sharpness asking very good questions, he is spot on the questions, because of the recent knowledge about the tomb guardians, he can't sleep, perfectly normal especially after gaining such crucial information, so Dark Yugi noticing he asks if Yugi can't sleep, he really takes his responsibility very seriously in protecting his host and behaving like a big brother as well, it's adorable.
It still irritates me a little when he calls Dark Yugi by "other me", even though I know where it comes from but...

 

Dark Yugi learning that Yugi and him actually have similar wavelengths when comes to intelligence and critical thinking, Yugi giving assurance to him about his promise in fulfilling his duty as a vessel, Dark Yugi is paying close attention to him regarding Yugi's decision to help him, probably feels or senses that is something deep down he doesn't want to do but made a decision on fulfilling his role, plus at the mention of the millenium items and the tablet of the pharaoh memories, Dark Yugi and Yugi are in deep thought, they both probably suspect how this going to happen, the last task of Yugi...(sending Dark Yugi to afterlife).

Yugi being aware that it will be difficult for him emotionally, like in some posts, he sees Dark Yugi as his role model, like a brother he didn't have (he is an only child), duelling partner (they both build the deck they have), sort of a roommate and friends, it's a very close bond, you see this silent exchange in the first panel, they know very well what the other is thinking.

The path Dark Yugi mentions, it has to do not only his memories, he is very conscious that after gaining his memories back, he will have to go to the afterlife...

 

Marik coming back into action in a different shape as a part of his own mind in Ryou Bakura as an effort to save Rishid, but you see there is something more, he asked the help of Yami Bakura, you can see his manner of speaking changed a little, it's a different tone of determination unlike before which linked to revenge, this time is in a more caring tone, Yami Bakura is willing to help for his own benefits and convenience, of course...

What I find bit strange is that Yami Marik didn't predict this and forgot there was a part of main Marik in Ryou Bakura, being his split personality should have sensed somewhat and used the millenium Rod, I guess he is so overconfident that he doesn't remember and sense such tiny crucial details...

The dynamic between the two villains and a duel between them, main villain of battle city story arc VS the main villain of the whole series, it's not often we see events like this with a clash between villains and both sides strongly willing to play a shadow game, I think it is a rare occurrence in stories in general.
Yami Bakura brings up an interesting point about those who are wielders of millenium items must settle things in a shadow game, this is actually quite true, because in the end is settled in a shadow game, Dark Yugi VS Shadi mental games, even against Pegasus - in the beginning, there wasn't but because Yugi was beating Pegasus's mind scan and to turn the duel in his favour, Pegasus made it become a shadow game -  and Dark Yugi VS Yami Bakura in Monster World story arc, which seems to be a rule...

 

You see Marik is not only determined but also with urgency to give away all the info about his own deck to Yami Bakura to defeat Yami Marik, there is more than the protection of Rishid here...even it's his main priority...

It's funny to see two villains acting and thinking so conceited and over-confidently, but Marik is obvious he has become more humble...

 

This exchange between Marik and Yami Marik is very fascinating, main Marik confronting his own split personality that he created, Yami Marik informs from what we already know, but the interesting part comes here when Marik says that Rishid sealed him away, then Yami Marik reveals that even sealed away he played a role in Marik's psyche and subconscious being his split personality that he can take away other negative feelings such as guilt that Marik himself never knew he had but was buried deep in his subconscious, the same can be applied to memories (which is common for people with DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder) for not remembering the roots of his hatred came from the ritual of the tomb guardians not the "will of the pharaoh".

By the way, I find it funny how Yami Bakura find this situation confusing, it's great that Kazuki Takashi puts some humor between the villains, which is cool.

 

It's chucklesome to see Yami Marik and Yami Bakura calling Marik "father-killer", even though it was Yami Marik who started, so it's amusing seeing Yami Bakura play along with "father-killer" joke.
Getting into the important parts of this conversation, Marik reveals to the readers and to the split personality that he has been listening Ishtar's backstory told by Ishizu through part of himself in Anzu, at this time he knows the truth and says it was his split personality who killed his father, while Yami Marik replies rightly, albeit in a weird way...

"Hey, hey...You and I are two minds in one body...! Don't act like you aren't responsible, just because I had the upper hand! You father-killer!"

In a sense he is right, but the way is phrased is wrong, Marik's case isn't the same as the wielders of the millenium ring and the puzzle (with spirits sealed in their respective millenium items before the chosen wielders were even born), his case is based on his creation of his split personality coming from his trauma and roots of his hatred, the way he should have phrased it is that they are two halves of one's mind.

 

This has gotten very interesting, especially at this time when I watched recently Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Side of Dimensions, yeah, it strongly connects to this small reveal of Yami Bakura link to Shadi as in this scene is implied by Yami Bakura thoughts that Shadi was already dead before this event of 5 years ago...hmmm (yeah I'll approach in detail when comes the time to analyse Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Side of Dimensions).

I find it curious and confusing that he thought Shadi was the "resurrection of the pharaoh" who wears the millenium item Ankh and while he did the revenge on Yugi  and Dark Yugi as knowing Dark Yugi is the pharaoh soul and it was through the millenium puzzle and not millenium Ankh, unless he was confused because it doesn't make much sense these processes of thoughts, he kinda knew the Ankh Shadi was wearing was a millenium item, there is no way two millenium items are "the resurrection of the pharaoh", it's just his logic doesn't make sense if not at the time that the "resurrection of the pharaoh" had one millenium item and in his quest for revenge in battle city has thought he had two with the millenium puzzle, however, he still should've known better, the ancient stone slab where it reveals "the pharaoh soul" wore the millenium puzzle but then Ankh symbol represents life and is connected to resurrection as well, so maybe he thought Shadi was "the one who caused the resurrection of the pharaoh soul", so his quest for "revenge" wasn't only on Yugi and Dark Yugi, it was on Shadi too.

Even Marik's tone in offering his help to Yami Bakura this time is different from the last time Yami Bakura dueled (against Dark Yugi), besides feeling determined and sense of urgency, there is humility too, these are nice signals of character development for Marik.

Yami Bakura way of preferring doing his things in his own way is still funny and amusing, what makes it interesting is the additional condition being the carvings in Marik's back because...

 

We have confirmed in this post that he didn't know the other half of the conditions, I'll say this again, Yami Bakura makes a very interesting and unusual main villain, even his own role, you see that both Yami Bakura and Dark Yugi need these conditions to achieve their own respective goals, they're both spirits sealed in their respective millenium items, it's obvious they're like two halves of a mysterious past, story regarding and both sharing a special connection to all millenium items...despite their different roles and goals.

The Marik's part is another signal of development, he is willing to sacrifice himself if this means to stop his own split personality and save Rishid, Yami Bakura response to Marik's sacrificial decision is a bit funny.

If we look at Yami Bakura manner of speaking, like Dark Yugi, he speaks in an ancient vocabulary mostly, it's very rough, much rougher than Dark Yugi in this aspect.

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