Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 12 (Epilogue of Battle City)

Now it has reached the end of Battle City and Duelist Section of the manga series too, next up is...Millenium World.
Speaking of Millenium World Arc, this one will be done in a bit of different progress format since I will be covering 7 volumes and is heavy plot focus, so I intend to re-read twice the last 7 volumes, so it will take while for when the first post about this arc to be published...


Plot Summary:

After being announced Dark Yugi as the victor of the duel, the gang congratulate Dark Yugi, the Ishtar family have an important reunion and conversation about their current situation and future onward, while this happens, Kaiba himself congratulates Dark Yugi too and Mokuba takes the chance to remind them about the ante-rule, Marik gives the Ra god card to Dark Yugi and finally fulfil his last duty as the heir of his clan of the tomb guardians by showing the carvings in his back (the revelation of the location of the pharaoh's memories) and gives his own millenium item (the Rod) and then Bakura's Ring and informs Dark Yugi that his friends who were under his penalty games will come back conscious (Ryou Bakura and Mai) together with the main villain Yami Bakura...After this, Kaiba announces that the Duel Tower will self-destruct in one hour, so they hurry up to the Battle Ship and find Ryou and Mai already awaken (while pulling a little prank on Jounouchi)...
With 20 minutes missing, Kaiba's employees aren't finding the Kaiba brothers while themselves are getting ready to leave but differently from the others, when it misses few minutes, the Battle Ship takes off...while Alcatraz is self-destructing and the Battle Ship already a bit ahead but worried about Kaiba...then islater revealed that they are flying on a fighter plane, surprising almost everyone...while Kaiba brothers are going to America, the others are coming back to Domino City...Battle City ends with Dark Yugi and Jounouchi about to start their duel in the streets of the city...


Key Points:

 

While the gang went to congratulate Dark Yugi, in this scene inside his own thoughts by thanking his friends and his cards, then that he owes to all of them, he is someone who relies on emotional support a little too much, he's not mentioning Yugi here, who he owes the most and Kaiba, but since he already thanked Yugi twice during the duel, there was no need, as for Kaiba...will be approached a little more ahead in this post...

There is other part of this scene I would like to point out is when Dark Yugi asks Anzu if she has her own mind back, this is the first time we see him actually initiate it with Anzu, since in their dynamic is usually vice-versa, I only say this because he never asked when it came to Ryou being controlled by Yami Bakura even though they can tell, but sometimes Yami Bakura can hide it well, what I mean with this is that currently Dark Yugi sees her as a closer friend (before the "date" event, he was a little distant when talking to her) not to the same extent and comfortability he has with Yugi and Jounouchi but is getting there.

If you want to continue read click "read more" bellow:

 

I really like what Ishizu says here to Marik, you can tell from the way he addresses her, he definitely looks up to her, not only as an older sister but also as a maternal figure (remember their mother died when Marik was just a baby), she says what Marik needs to hear, she mostly right with what she says but it gets a little over the top when she says that they had this duty and going through all of what they through so the pharaoh soul could teach them the message to not dwell on revenge and hatred, I disagree with this mostly for the the reasons being the truth about their father's death then was Yugi and Dark Yugi compassion, forgiveness and empathy and lastly Rishid inspiring words, but she gives the positive side of Marik's role that was his destiny to end the destiny of the tomb guardians (traditions and customs), there is more light she brings to Marik's situation and assurance to Rishid that he needed to hear.

 

When Marik asks Ishizu:

"Ishizu...Can our family still live? can it live out of the dark...?"

When he mentions them as "our family", he is including Rishid, in their past, you could see Marik treated and wanted Rishid as big brother, he doesn't only see Ishizu as elder sister and maternal figure but also a family authoritarian figure for asking authorisation if they can live out of the dark (not living in the underground) and seek assurance, as the leader of the family, but he is not the only one...

Ishizu replies:

"Yes. The three of us are tomb guardians! No matter where we we live, that will not change! We are family! As long as we have that bond, we can overcome any obstacle."

Ishizu's perspective on being a tomb guardian is different from Marik (more inclined to the darkness due to his trauma), she sees as family, specifically her, her brother Marik and Rishid for the traditions and customs they endured together and supporting each other (as shown when they prepared a plan so that Marik would go outside a little a bit and in their father's death, etc), Ishizu sees her family as the light in those dark times (so she is more light inclined), making more of a contrast of light and darkness between them, also Marik's expression when Ishizu won't live in the dark/underground anymore, he light up.
The other point I want to bring up is Rishid's reactions to her words relating Rishid as family like her brother Marik, he was shocked at first (Marik wasn't surprised because he already knew) and became tear-eyed, he had full confirmation that the Ishtar siblings see him as family (he already knew from Marik's side, but from this reaction, he didn't ever had the confirmation from Ishizu), also he does see Ishizu in similar manner and respect as Marik for Ishizu.

The first and only panel we see Dark Yugi in this key point, he is mentally thanking Kaiba for his cooperation in winning this duel, he is very right, the card Kaiba gave was very important, it didn't fully work but it did gave some time and insight that Ra god card isn't unbeatable, overpowered, yes, but not unbeatable.

Now Marik about to fill his final duty as the heir of the of tomb guardians...

 

I find this particular scene pretty curious after Marik informed Dark Yugi/Yugi (he is addressing both to be quicker) that the spells he casted on their friends are broken and soon they will regain consciousness...Jounouchi, Honda and Dark Yugi's reactions are interesting to make a small distinctive reactions, in the panel when it shows Jounouchi and Honda being happy that their friends are going to recover soon with no thoughts in specific which means being Mai and Ryou, while Dark Yugi emphasises more on Mai, besides Jounouchi and Honda reactions are on the same panel while Dark Yugi in a separate panel, it could be pretty well together and showing both the same expression, it says a lot about who he feels slightly closest to, possibly more than Ryou due to his very reserved personality, when we look back at the beginning of Battle Ship, specially right before Mai has her duel, he did initiated to wish her luck, which isn't often, in fact very rare outside of dueling...with most friends he feels slightly awkward (Mokuba is one of them, Anzu from the beginning until recently -  Jounouchi and Honda was after the events of the bald teacher, but there is one more), it does say he feels more comfortable with Mai than Ryou, there will be more evidence about this later... (There will be much more detail about this in this post and a future one)...

While Marik gives Ra god card, as he said previously, soon his friends which has been gone and in a coma would regain his consciouness, since Ryou was one of them and he is the permanent host of Yami Bakura, so it applies to Yami Bakura to be free from it too and once again he is at a good advantage, he will be able gather the intel about the other half of the conditions missing for him to know...

 

While Dark Yugi is in contemplation about the first part of his journey to recover his memories, it's revealed to the readers about Yugi's thoughts on having the 3 god cards, despite being slightly reluctant and accepting about his role as the pharaoh vessel, he can't help but feeling curious and he wants to know even though he knows the price for it...

 

When Marik was preparing himself to show the scars on his back that carried the location of his memories, I find fascinating that there is Dark Yugi's reactions before Marik shows his back, Dark Yugi didn't really want to see it, because he knows are scars of burned skin and knows well it won't be a pretty sight, so he is hesitant, but hey, even though isn't his fault, but should at least to let the tomb guardians show their hard work for generations...as it shows in the last panel...

 

Dark Yugi's expression to this, it is not what I would say as shock, because he already knew from Ishizu and Yami Marik, but seeing it for himself, he is very impressed and moved but with deep compassion and empathy for their sacrifices and hard work in order to protected his memories for generations, Anzu is not the shock of "what!?" but more in a sense seeing for herself what caused the tragedy of the Ishtar family by understanding it too that she feels sad for them.

Now the important details I wanted to talk about what Ishizu says to them:

"These hieroglyphs contain a prophecy passed down from the first tomb guardian, who served under the royal family three thousands years ago."

Remember in this post I questioned who created this idea about the methods in protecting pharaoh's memories? Here we have the answer, but there is some questions to hold, for example, this prophecy was passed down starting from the first tomb guardian who served under the royal family...this implies plenty of things, it was the royal family or the first tomb guardian or both...

When they mentioned "royal family", they didn't mean the pharaoh specifically, but more the pharaoh's direct relatives and of who would be next in line to be pharaoh after Dark Yugi died and soul being sealed in the millenium puzzle.
As for the methods to protect the pharaoh's memories and information necessary to send the pharaoh to afterlife exactly, I don't think it was the royal family but entrusted the first tomb guardian for this task which means who created this methods and conditions in most safe method believed to work was probably by the first tomb guardian or the generation after...

Now for the prophecy itself...

"In the Future, One will come will wield the stone slabs of the three Gods...By the Gods shall you know him... For it is he in who the pharaoh's soul resides."

Obviously the prophecy is referring to Yugi and Dark Yugi, the vessel being Yugi "he in who the pharaoh soul resides" and the pharaoh soul being Dark Yugi, of course, I think is interesting the prophecy is about these two, even the way is phrased it could either way being those two doing the process of collecting the three gods, which in a sense it is in many forms.

The rest of what Ishizu says we already knew and approached few posts ago from Dark Yugi VS Kaiba and Marik himself...

Next being is how Dark Yugi is being capable of reading them, Yugi didn't learnt the language, I do think there is a subconscious (sometimes it has memories deeply sealed) part inside the self (spirit/soul) besides the brain and mind but since he has no memories so it couldn't be really the case so there is more to make the connection...

 

As Dark Yugi states, it's not the words exactly (which means he only had accessed a very small portion of his sealed memories) but more towards feeling (intuition and presentiment), which could mean it is his own subconscious memories making the connection and the resonance with the god cards by sending a vision of the location, how Dark Yugi phrased this thought on the conclusion of the vision of the location of his memories or could be the translator, it's pretty funny "sealed in that block of stone I saw in the museum?" (pfft)

 

Dark Yugi wondering where is Bakura (Ryou), because Yami Marik pick up the ring, only the body of Ryou was gone and since Yami Bakura  is spirit sealed in the Millenium Ring like Dark Yugi is the pharaoh spirit sealed in the millenium puzzle, he wasn't really affected, he was very weakened for sure and for other unknown reasons, Yami Bakura claims he is darkness, so it's possible Yami Bakura is part of Shadow Realm and shadow game itself...Dark Yugi didn't think fully through yet (since Ryou was gone before they arrive the Duel Tower)...

The scene after, I think is pretty cute, for the way Ishizu stated:

"We three will take a new path...and rebuild the Ishtar family in a shining future!"

She is pretty much hinting that she won't only reform the customs and conditions of tomb guardians and her family lifestyle (not living underground anymore), now why Ishizu? The reason is simple, we can't forget her full-time job besides being a tomb guardian, she works in Secretary General, Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and as Kaiba stated before talking to Ishizu for the first time, she is an important person in the Egyptian government, she has more than enough political power to do this.

I think is very nice of Marik addressing Dark Yugi as pharaoh and Yugi as Yugi, it shows very well that he knows it was both of them working together who helped Marik save himself and that he saw them interact with each other in the shadow game and clearly two different people/individuals.
But what he lastly says when addressing them:

"If you ever visit the land of Egypt...I hope you will see us again..this time as friends."

It does sound a bit weird for me, because it's soon, specially Dark Yugi being very reserved, slightly socially awkward and bit intimidating appearance and I can't imagine Marik and Dark Yugi being happy-go-lucky friends or "normal friends" plus there is still the pharaoh and tomb guardian, so more as acquaintances, Yugi on the other hand is kinda easy, because he is someone you can get along easily, friendly nature and appearance, he is very approachable, specially now (before he was very shy, you can see as he grows, he comes out of his shell more).

Anzu having the sad feeling that Dark Yugi will eventually go to afterlife, It's not just Yugi and Dark Yugi already knowing this, at the last panel she thinks "Oh, Yugi..." I think it implies she is worried about Yugi's feelings about it and her own, so her friends feelings about Dark Yugi going to afterlife...

 

Kaiba, Kaiba, even at the end of this tournament, he wants another rematch, Dark Yugi reacts with a smile seeing he hasn't given up the title of King of Duelists, Kaiba being Kaiba, it's funny, then only now Kaiba warns that Alcatraz will self-destroy in one hour, the others reactions...

 

*That collective sweat drop from the gang, including Dark Yugi* It's so funny because they know Kaiba tendencies to be extreme in decisions as if thinking "only Kaiba..." and I feel sorry for Isono...

Of course, Jounouchi hilarious comment about this Kaiba's decision in blowing up the Alcatraz:

"Stupid Kaiba! There's a limit to being a sore loser!!"

It's very funny, even Jounouchi referring Kaiba as "stupid kaiba" (he must think Kaiba extremeness is stupid) and the continuity of this gets even funnier 😃

 

Bakura answer about where he came back is weird, buried in the rubble of Alcatraz, since his body was gone in the battle ship, you think that's where he would appear, right? it's pretty strange how he found himself in the rubble and not at the top of the blimp.

Mai is quite the troll, she is not the only one here though (pfft), but is a cute scene this one, she is very happy and moved that Jounouchi was this concerned about her to the point of crying, it's great for polarshippers (I'm one myself, I just don't ship it much...) continuing with this scene...

This scene is with Jounouchi's reaction to her prank is very funny, Anzu and Shizuka were just as worried as Jounouchi, Dark Yugi has a pretty amusing expression, I think he chuckled a little off-panel because he kinda knew was a prank since Ryou was back, he's smiling while Mai congratulate him for winning the tournament, I think the tone of the "yes..." while smiling might be related to the intensity of the duel while his facial expression be about her prank that could mean amusement or "you had us worried" or "you shouldn't have pull off that prank" in amusement...it could be both or one of them, he is a bit hard guess, but I think he chuckled a little... oh well...

 

Remember some posts ago and this one in some keys points above due to Dark Yugi's reserved personality, sometimes he is a bit socially awkward (not as much as me though) like this scene shows, the way he makes the white lie, it's adorable and also feels bit uncomfortable telling a lie to a friend, even Yugi thinks was best to lie about the Ring suggested by Honda (he is quite reasonable person most of the time), Dark Yugi thinks the same since he knows Yami Bakura is pretty much in the same situation as them and aware you can't get rid of a spirit sealed unless special conditions are met.
It's pretty clear Ryou special attachment to the millenium Ring, I will approach it a little further.

 

Even though he lost, he still intended to destroy Alcatraz anyway, in this instance he looks at it more calmly, here they are preparing themselves to leave, it implies won't be in the same ride as the others...Kaiba starts getting in deep reflection about what Dark Yugi said to him about hatred being a dead end and power of friendship, he is putting consideration about what he said and the result of this duel he just watched as well...

 

This reflective moment of Kaiba it shows his duel against Dark Yugi and Dak Yugi VS Yami Marik, about what he learnt from these two duels, it did have a deep effect on him, a duel and winning/lose is not black and white, also those negative emotions and feelings he has been  fighting all these years is also a shadow game, in other words fighting his own shadows left by Gozaburo, here an interesting thought he has:

"Was I able to defeat those feelings inside me, holding me back...? even if I destroy this tower...Whenre do I go from here...?"

Kaiba is starting to questioning his own hatred if just comes from only Gozaburo, of course, Gozaburo had the deepest effect since most of his life was spent with Mokuba and Gozaburo Kaiba, so he does realize that these negative feeling has been holding him back, but isn't the only thing that is holding him back (because even when he overcome it, in Dark Side of Diminsions, he still remains quite closed minded, only less than in Battle City), as he starts questioning then he looks at the picture of Mokuba from the time they were in the orphanage, he started to think about Mokuba's words about their childhood before meeting Gozaburo...

 

This is a moment from Kaiba's flashback when he revealed his dream, this dream was mentioned before, before Yugi and Jounouchi saw the duel between Sugoroku Mutou VS Kaiba by Kaiba himself and then at the end of Death-T, confirmed to the gang by Mokuba (I gotta rewrite that part..., it's most of the early volumes), this is the moment when he revealed his dream for the first time and the first to know was Mokuba (then Yugi and Jounouchi, strangely enough), Mokuba's words affected and made him truly re-think about how he will deal with his feelings from now on...

The flashback itself, we see Kaiba was more innocent and pure, smiled more genuinely and lively, one can wonder what kinda of person would he be now if he didn't meet Gozaburo...I imagine he would get along with Yugi very well, best friends even, gaming nerds, I think Yugi must have imagined this scenario, that's why Yugi, probably more than Dark Yugi that wishes to be friends with him (yes, more than Dark Yugi, so Dark Yugi enjoys seeing him as a rival because he likes challenges and is competitive - even though he doesn't admit having these traits of his himself, but also wants to be friends with him).

What Kaiba is thinking here is what he is starting to do it now literally and metaphorically, this dream coming back from the being buried and to rise again and above this man-made Island, he also reflects by being something he has to do himself and in a positive manner and positive and neutral feelings together...

 

Can I say Jounouchi's comment about Kaiba possibly killing himself for being a sore loser because wouldn't be the first time, it's actually very funny? It's bit of dark humour in there, it sweet the gang are worried about Kaiba.

I can't believe he didn't consider he was obviously protecting him from Yami Bakura and themselves, he knows full well there is an evil spirit that he let him willingly take him over, among other times afterwards and hurt him badly too, he is pretty dangerous, you sharper than this Ryou...

The next part is why Ryou keeps bringing the Ring, for starters is obvious he is very attached to it, he knows it has mystical powers being one of the millenium items like Yugi, Pegasus and others, there is interest too and there is spirit sealed within like Yugi's puzzle too, but is more about attachment, why he is so attached to him, there is must be a more personal reason behind it...(I will have to bring back the first Volume Duelist 1, specially after watching Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Side of Dimensions..., the last 7 volumes as well).

 

Kaiba's employees being quite loyal, specially Isono, it's cute, as they take off the island, they're all deeply worried, specially Dark Yugi wondering if he is really going to kill himself...the island when starts destroying itself...

 

What a big troll Kaiba is, as he laughs in this scene, I can picture him thinking "what? you were worried about me? you thought I died or killed myself?", I do find this scene pretty hilarious, some of gang's reaction is funny, even Anzu facepalms and thinking "of course he would do something like this...", it's also because he likes going big, so this is a big stylish and flashy exit...he is so extravagant when it comes to these things, it's very funny too xD...

 

Mokuba revealing to others they'll be making Kaibalands amusement parks worldwide, the first start being America, in other words, they're going to expand their dream and of course, Kaiba is keeping to himself his wish for a rematch against Dark Yugi, the panel when Dark Yugi to himself is saluting Kaiba, probably just glad that he didn't do the same stupid thing he was about to do in Duelist Kingdom and happy along with Yugi as Yugi himself observed about Kaiba expanding his dream is in a way a new dream, then focus on to Yugi thinking about their next journey to be restoring Dark Yugi's memories, mentally preparing himself for this quest...

You can tell once they arrived Domino City, which was starting to get dark, they went to duel or the day after they arrived early in the mourning, who knows...

This is the End of Battle City and the Duelist section of the manga series, next up is the Millenium World!

See Ya Next Post!