Hellos!!
Finally reaching in updating and expanding the Monster World Arc, technically is called Millennium Enemy, but the name is long and trickier...so I went with a more practical, smaller and quicker to write name.
This part is more Yami Bakura and Ryou Bakura focus, with some highlights of character development on Yugi, Anzu and Honda, some that are easier to overlook (Honda's and Anzu's specifically, it's fair since previous post, Jounouchi had a lot of focus).
For reaching the Monster World Arc, it means this project is closer to end, thus meaning by the end of April I might publish Transcend Game One Shot and in mid-May will be Dark Side of Dimensions Movie.
Plot Summary:
A new transfer student coming to Yugi's class, he is named Ryou Bakura with shoulder length hair, who quickly gets girls attention for his pretty looks, Jounouchi is a little envious but also very welcoming to him that he invites him to the seat that is close to his and introduces to his friends who gets to know that Yugi and Ryou have the same hobbies as both being gamers and not in a competitive sense, but most girls of the class wants the new student's attention and touring the school for him, Ryou feels uncomfortable around the girls, the Gym teacher called Mr.Karita (I don't like him, so I'll refer as Karita or gym teacher), scolds Ryou for having too long hair for a boy and tells him to have his hair cut by next day (doing it out of spite for being popular with girls for Ryou having pretty looks), then Ryou asks the girls to let him go to the restroom, he wonders about what he felt when he saw Yugi's pendant and being similar to his own pendant, the millennium Ring and starts hearing a voice...
As Ryou is leaving school, Yugi and the gang approach him ask him if they could play the game Monster World adventure RPG with him, but Ryou is concerned due to strange "rumours" about him, the gang says that they don't give importance to the rumours and want to spend time with him as friends.
Ryou arrives home, writing a letter to his sister (apparently) then starts hearing the same voice, that voice responds to him, having talk and claims he is a soul residing within the millennium Ring and claims he is a thief who robs tombs, Bakura (but is easier to refer and distinguish him as Yami Bakura) and sharing some info about the millennium items, takes over Ryou's body forcefully to "punish" his gym teacher.
The next day, Ryou was absent, the gang concerned about him went to visit his apartment to see what is going on...and go play with him...they arrive, Ryou tries to warn them to not come but is interrupted by Yami Bakura taking over...Yami Bakura invites them over acting as a "Ryou"...Yugi notices the slight difference...
The game starts with like tabletop RPG, the gang create their own characters as adventurers and start playing with "Ryou" as Dark Master (Game Master or Dungeon Master, but main role in this one is to act as an antagonist to the adventurers), strange hints starts to come up, such the figures seem to talk on their own...then to "penalty game" on Anzu becoming a figure, the gang gets worried, this is not normal, to Jounouchi having the same "penalty game" to Honda, Yugi on the other hand asks Yami Bakura before comes his turn to making him become into his own figure with the intent in permitting Dark Yugi to take over and help them to rescue them, Yami Bakura fulfilling his request...to his surprise from the moment Yugi becomes his own figure, Dark Yugi is now taking over Yugi's body.
Key Points:
Ryou Bakura's debut appearance and becomes part of the gang, he was a transfer student, this is pretty common in mangas, who very quickly get attention from the girls and think he is very pretty, the fat girl one comments that he is "high level all right", as if they kind of already have one however this "other high level" in terms of looks, it's still growing and is very short 😏 (he is never been "pick on" or bullied by girls, in fact he seems to get along pretty well, Anzu thinks Yugi is very cute, which might be kinda common knowledge, even Jounouchi secretly thinks so, the digital pet episode implies this much plus Yugi knowing Miho's friends), since Ryou Bakura is taller than the girls and is considered pretty good looking, he gets popular with the girls (poor boy, I feel sorry for him in that aspect).
If you wish to continue reading this post, click "Read More" below:
This scene is quite interesting but more about how the girls perceive Jounouchi, after their teacher pointing out the seat next to Jounouchi:
Jounouchi: "That's me! Over here!"
F!student A: "Eww! Be careful, Bakura!
F!Student B: "Don't let Jounouchi pollute you!"
Jounouchi: "Me pollute him?! Why I oughta---"
It's simple, Jounouchi, they're worried that your pervert ways and sometimes sexual harassment on your female classmates and female students will influence Ryou, they might say that because of Yugi hanging out with you, but since he is gentleman...that's why them saying be careful and the "pollute"...let's say Jounouchi doesn't have a good reputation with the girls and Jounouchi doesn't understand why (why he doesn't? because he is the kind of person who is not good at reading the room/atmosphere and still hasn't learned his lesson, it takes experience for him...), as much it shows Jounouchi is a natural when comes to take initiative and socializing without even knowing it.
The scene when Jounouchi introduces Ryou to his friends, it's interesting that he took interest in Yugi due to his store being a game store that his family runs, they relate to each other immediately that both love games, the more traditional ones that isn't videogames and both don't see it in a competitive way, theirs is a more pure and innocent love for games, Yugi doesn't have favourites in particular and loves them all (there is a reason why...looking around "Let's Find Love" chapter, Yugi invents or creates games and in Dark Side of Dimensions we get to understand that better) and Ryou's favourites are more tabletop RPGs and board games, specially Monster World....then Yugi is quite interested about Ryou's favourite and specially coming his favourite be board games.
Yugi explains to his gang what the game is, Yugi explains very well, detailed and highlighting in what makes fun to most who plays and even for him and the way he explains it makes it sound fun too, as being a mix of adventure game with tabletop RPG, it's an adventure RPG.
What gets me the most is Ryou being impressed with how knowledgeable Yugi is about games (it was even in bold), Yugi goes modest with a "Naaah..." while feeling flattered, so Yugi knows he has lot of talent in gaming but doesn't boast or anything, he just loves games and is a fellow gamer.
The game sounds fun too.
Jounouchi, that was fast! way too fast! Suggesting to play next day, I can somewhat understand the excitement about the game (I have always been interested but didn't ever got the chance), Ryou was worried about something, Yugi noticed his expression as "not really into it" and reluctantly accepted the idea...there is more meaning to it, Yugi.
Ryou didn't just became interested in Yugi to be a fellow gamer and his family run a game store, but his millennium item, the millennium puzzle, their interaction in this moment on Panels Ensemble on the Left is quite interesting...:
Ryou Bakura: "Um...by the way, there's something I've been wondering about...where did you get that pendant, Yugi...?"
Yugi: "Oh, this? It's called the Millennium Puzzle! It came from the tomb of an Egyptian Pharaoh!"
The more curious points is how Ryou mention his millennium puzzle as "pendant" being in bold, before Pharaoh Atem smashed to pieces to beme the millenium puzzle, it was previously "Millennium Pendant", it's possible it came from "something else".
The other interesting part is how Yugi said that it came from a tomb of an egyptian pharaoh...which means he paid attention and heard this detail by his grandpa, is it possible Yugi was starting to suspect "the other me" was an egyptian pharaoh but tried to deny it all this time?
It's brought up in Duelist Kingdom when Yugi is thinking to himself as much in DDM Arc and after DDM arc in the hospital and then Battle City...it was probably a "lingering thought and suspicion".
The sharp pain in the chest Ryou felt, what could it be...for future reference...
Besides, Jounouchi the reason you're not popular is your perverted behaviour/sexual harassment with your female classmates, maybe if he stopped treat women less like an object and more like a human who has their own agency and desires and boundaries like yourself, maybe you wouldn't suffer much from their incessant criticism because of your pervy actions...^_^. To be honest Jounouchi has potential, he has good looks, it's just his behavior doesn't help (even if you're good looking but behave like he does with the girls in his class, you don't get away, if anything it can be like this as well)...to make it more obvious, when the girls approach the gang, the girls call out on Jounouchi only, Honda participated before but he stopped, so they don't call out on Honda too (the Miho's incident really stuck with him), not on Yugi and Anzu since they are well liked by their class and year, which leaves Jounouchi who kinda are on bad terms with most girls due to his pervy actions.
Ryou thinking is not good with girls, he just not good at dealing to be in the spotlight and being "surrounded" like walls of girls...not good at saying "no" and being way too passive.
Yugi really wants to play with him a lot for thinking "we'll have to play monster world sometime", it shows is very important for Yugi to find friends he can relate to and are gamers like him that isn't in a competitive way and more creativity inclined like Ryou,
"However, there's rules at Domino High, mister! like this hair!! Long hair for boy is against the rules! Listen, mister fashionable! Or should I say «little miss fashionable»? I want you to have a crew cut by tomorrow! Then I'll treat you as a student of this school! Bwahaha!"
Tch, that's toxic masculinity. There is this silly dressing codes, dressing codes can be quite stupid most of the time, in all honesty, regarding Ryou's hair is something you can let it slide, I mean look at Yugi's spiky star-shaped hair, it's natural, this teacher wanted to find something to nag about him due to Ryou's popularity with the girls, he would like to have and he doesn't and he even brings up "problems" Ryou had in his school, it comes from envy and malice, at the end of the day.
If Ryou likes having long hair for a boy (it's medium length for a girl, these "genders standards and expectations" pisses me off), leave it be. it's someone's hair.
Here we get to know that Ryou has a millennium item too and a wielder too (he would have died if he wasn't), curious this time around "my pendant" is the "my" that is in bold...Ryou as can be noted that he is sharp and good at deducing things, he found the similarities between his "pendant" and Yugi's "pendant" and suspect that they might be connected.
Regarding the voice of Yami Bakura he starts hearing, Ryou can hear the spirit of the millennium Ring earlier than Yugi's millennium item, there is many factors.
The Gang approaches Ryou initiated by Yugi if they could play the Monster World with him while Ryou reluctantly refuses, Yugi wonders if is because he doesn't wantn to, then Ryou's answer:
"No, that's not it! I want to play the game with all of you! The thing is...At my last school, I used to get together with my friends to play Role-Playing games...but when I did, a strange thing would happen...People who played games with me would lose consciousness. They're still in coma in the hospital...You may not believe me, but it's true...That sort of thing kept happening, so people started avoiding me...that's why I kept changing schools...Now I'm living in an apartment by myself, away from my family...I want to be friends with you! And I want to play games but...I made a decision...I don't want to lose any more friends...so you shouldn't get too close to me...well...I'll see you..."
That's a long quote. 😅
On topic, there is some interesting facts that can be observed about Ryou Bakura, it seems that he lives by himself and had RPG's campaigns with his friends that wasn't just Monster World and happened with other RPG games that these strange things happened, also the other things is that like Yugi before, he had and has "blackouts", the reason he lives by himself and away from his family, it's so his family wouldn't get involved and be in a coma too 😟, he must have been quite lonely, these strange incidents with his friends being coma is clearly a "penalty game" by the voice Ryou heard awhile ago.
Also the result of this "penalty game" is that people in coma who suffered it...aren't dead yet...
Yugi's inner monogue:
"People going into comas because of a game? That can't be possible...can it?"
Yugi is kinda suspicious but it's more recognizing the pattern and feeling familiar with this pattern, like his "blackouts" plus the strange things that happened to the ones who harmed him and his friends, however this case involves genuinely innocent people and friends with Ryou...no "grave invaders" (Shadi's), no "malicious and ill-intent people" (Ushio, Karaoke guy, Director guy, criminal fugitive, poison man, etc).
He starts hearing the same laugh again and asks "who's there?!", the voice responds like this:
"So...you can hear my voice now, can you? I guess from now on, I'll be able to speak with my host...truly a day to remember! h-ha ha ha...and yes...something else worth remembering...I've finally met him! The other boy with a millennium item...after 3000 years...The millennium items must be resonating with each other to produce some kind of field...and that's why you can hear me now..."
The bold placements in this talk is interesting as much relevant, for starters is that Ryou now can hear and "speak" with the spirit of the millennium Ring, Yami Bakura, the fact he says that is truly a day to remember that he can speak with his host, which implies that it applies the same for Yugi and Dark Yugi, IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN IT FINALLY HAPPENS!! (I'm just emphasizing of how important it is Dark Yugi and Yugi VS Pegasus duel, this duel is so overlooked and forget after this duel is when Dark Yugi and Yugi, spirit and host start speaking with each other like we see here between Yami Bakura and Ryou).
The question is why now? Yugi and Ryou had their millennium items for the same amount years, 8 years, they were both 8 years old too (same for Marik with the millennium Rod)...according to Yami Bakura's explanation, their millennium items are resonating...however here is the thing...it didn't happened with Shadi or Marik in that sense...so why?
It relates to Millennium Ring abilities...it's attracted to the millennium items and can also sense something is happening like a magnet, therefore the whole "produce the field", so why isn't affecting Yugi and Dark Yugi? Yugi for 8 years spending time to "solve" the puzzle, it's still very recent Yugi "wielding" the millennium puzzle while Ryou has been "wielding" the millennium ring for much longer...for 8 years (if look at Ryou's backstory in Dark Side of Dimensions)...also because Yami Bakura was overexcited.
The other interesting placement of what got my most attention is when Yami Bakura said "I've finally met him! the other boy with a millennium item after 3000 years", what does he mean by that? does that mean that he knew someone was solving and was successful and wanted to meet the person who solved it..."the other boy with a millennium item" and "finally met him!"...I think Yami Bakura meant in Japan, since Ryou and Yugi live in the same country and were nearby by taking into account to Millennium Ring abilities.
This will be a long quote and long text about it too...:
"Who am I? I've been with you for a long time...hiding within you...and within the ring of wisdom. The Millennium Ring...H-Ha ha ha...Now you can't take me off...because of you, I've finally found the bearer of the millennium puzzle...I've decided to keep you as my permanent host! Now, now...Don't be so cold, believe me when I say, it feels good in here! In you! And instead of paying rent, I grant your wishes! Why, I've granted them almost every day...Didn't you think this when you were playing those games...? «How fun this is»! «I wish I could play games with my friends forever»...!I granted that wish for you! [Ryou Bakura: Wh-What are yo talking about...Y-...You can't mean those...] Well...You'll realize soon enough...In any case, this is my chance to get my hands on the Millennium Puzzle!! If I let this opportunity go by, I don't know how long I'll have to wait for another one...The millennium items are relics that houses souls from the past...like memorial stones or portable tombs...However...if there is a guardian of the tomb...there must also be a thief to rob the tomb...!H-Ha ha ha...!"
There is a lot of pivotal information here, specifically in terms of worldbuilding and lore, becomes more significant as the plot moves along, just like we have seen in his methods, Yami Bakura says mostly facts or half-truths while omitting things at the same time, he does in a passive-aggressive manner too, manipulative too...
As for the intel...Yami Bakura emphasizes a lot on Yugi when comes to millennium puzzle, in the previous key point "finally met him! the other boy with a millennium item" and saying thanks to his "host" for finding the "bearer of the millennium puzzle", he explains as the millennium items are like portable tombs or memorial stones...he says "there is a guardian of the tomb", then remembering what Imori said being whoever solves the puzzle becomes the "guardian of darkness", it seems Imori misinterpret it, since Yami Bakura said that the bearer of the millennium puzzle and millennium items are like "portable tombs", Yugi is the "guardian of the tomb", since the millennium puzzle was in a egyptian pharaoh tomb...but he is in a rush and the whole "not knowing how long next time"...there is a lot of possibilities considering everything that was already pointed in the previous and this key point. Yami Bakura ability through the millennium ring that he sensed "other boy with a millennium item", it was nearby and the millennium puzzle being solved and was recent...millenium items being relics that "houses souls from the past"...by this time, Yami Bakura must already knew that the millennium puzzle "housed" the "Pharaoh soul", he thought maybe the "pharaoh soul" may haven't emerged yet...or hopeful about it to be this excited and in a rush, like Shadi was in a rush too...how curious, how very curious.
As for the "rent" with "wishes" mixed in with millennium items being relics that houses souls from the past, he makes it sound that Ryou's body is like a house to "pay rent" through wishes...😑, he has a messed way to "pay the rent", of course, he does have other intentions, they're preparations for something...it may started since he "sensed" the other boy with a millennium item.
I have to say, Yami Bakura is very intelligent (methods, acts, highly intelligent, he is interesting as a villain but to me he falls flat when comes to his motivations), he can read the situation and gather intel very quickly too, he was always watching and gather intel even at the time when Shadi was "alive", if he was even alive or dead for that matter and the time when the millennium ring was still guarded by Shadi.
The other interesting to note, when he says that the millennium items are relics that "houses souls from the past", as we know overall the series, only the Millennium Ring and the Millennium Puzzle "houses" souls from the past, they're souls that were sealed in these items, but is not reserved only to the sealed souls but as well to the souls and life energy of people that were sacrificed to create these items (Akhanaden, you bastard).
Also kudos to Ryou for realizing who has causing the "strange comas" to his friends...
Quoting the whole interaction and his monologue:
Yami Bakura: "Now...Since I'm feeling good tonight, let me pay my «rent»..."
Ryou Bakura: "Wh-What are you up to?!"
Yami Bakura: "H-Ha ha ha...So you want a crew cut? You may not believe it, but I care for my master...that gym teacher swore at you, didn't he...?"
Ryou Bakura: "!! Don't...!"
Yami Bakura: "Sleep, Ryo Bakura, sleep..."
Here comes the "blackouts", while here Yami Bakura is passive-aggressive even when taking over as forcing his "host" to "sleep", he is quite abusive...while how differentiates with Dark Yugi, looking around, it was always when Yugi was anxious or angry or unfairly or sad with the drive and desire to change something or taking action, Dark Yugi felt similar or the same, when the emotions from Yugi and Dark Yugi were in sync, while at the same time it took longer too, it was when Dark Yugi felt was necessary his intervention and Yugi could hold him back for the most part, besides Dark Yugi's penalty games were mostly temporary while as we see here with Yami Bakura...after given the "penalty game" to the gym teacher by sealing the gym teacher soul into a miniature...which would explain Ryou's friends still being in coma, it has an permanent effect instead until he is defeated, of course, while implying as he did with gym teacher...these "miniatures" of his friends and now the gym teacher's are preparations...
When he says that he cares for his host "master", he means for his own convenience when he needs to play low-key, gather intel, etc...
The gang is quite a stubborn bunch, xD, they've always been, how they got their address? As Yugi mentioned, Ryou didn't come to school (this is next day), since it looks like when a student gets sick and at home, one of his classmates might pass by to give him notes of the classes, it was through that way...
Ryou's apartment is quite something, in the 90s, it lives someone who is well off...Getting into their interaction:
Jounouchi: "This is the apartment where he lives! We all know what the plan is, right? Bakura must staying at home, down in the dumps!"
Yugi: "Yup!"
Jounouchi: "Lucky for him Bakura's our friend! We're going to go play games until we prove that those people going into comas was just a coincidence!!"
Anzu: "Did you hear that Mr.Karita was taken to the hospital in a coma? Isn't that weird?"
Jounouchi or Honda: "That stupid P.E. Teacher?! Serves him right!"
That gym teacher isn't popular with the students, surprise, surprise...Anzu is sharp as always, how do I know is Anzu saying about their gym teacher going to coma and kinda fitting with the rumour..., Yugi probably would say "PE teacher" or "prof.Karita", Anzu when comes to school she refers the teacher in a more formal manner...Anzu is the most on guard, the others are the more optimistic.
Trivial observation, when they came, Ryou calls Yugi first then "guys...", I guess for being a fellow gamer as much being knowledgeable did stuck with him, huh? Yugi is really looking forward to play the game...
Ryou tries to warn them to not come inside to being interrupted by Yami Bakura pretending to be Ryou to invite them to come over....when they enter, Jounouchi comes in first...then Yugi, then Honda and Anzu is behind a door (she is on guard...), Yugi looks like it isn't...but...looking at his inner monologue:
"...[inner monologue: Did Bakura's expression change all of a sudden...?] monologue: must be my imagination..."
Yugi starts getting on guard...
Jounouchi being impressed by his apartment from what it looks like it in decoration and having a "game room", Yugi forgets for a moment when he saw his game room, which is pretty big, again is very impressive, this means his parents have good salary and well off (Ryou's father becomes the director of Domino Museum after Mr.Kanekura's death, they are somewhat wealthy and well connected).
The Monster World is a mix of adventure board game with tabletop RPG, traditionally in tabletop RPG we have the "players" and Game Master (Dungeon Master in D&D) who plays the storyteller and "guide" the players and as stated by Yugi, according to the players "characters profiles and backgrounds, there is a slight difference in Monster World with it's main concept being that the Game Master plays as the Dark Master to stop the adventurers (the players) to reach their goal, Dark Master's role is to be the "antagonist" or "villain" in the game.
I love the reference to RPGs video games and difference to tabletop RPG with this interaction between Yugi and Anzu:
Anzu: "«role-playing game»? You mean like video games?"
Yugi: "Video role-playing games are more common today...but the original role-playing games were played around a table."
This is trivial detail but judging from their interaction, Anzu plays video games to an extent and board games with Yugi, while Yugi as we have seen in arcade and how he explains about the original RPG came from tabletop RPG , you can tell he likes playing video games but clearly he prefers board and table games over videogames.
I have always been interested in tabletop RPGs, usually you need to find people to play with...
From Yami Bakura's reaction to Yugi's explanation, "That's right!" to then ask what is the true meaning of role playing to them...you can tell he appreciated that Yugi is a very knowledgeable gamer...
I find Yami Bakura's explanation of "true meaning of role-playing" interesting:
"Playing a role! You have to become the character! By getting inside the mind of the character and acting out your part, the players can enter an imaginary world! It's the original virtual reality! That is the true beauty of this game!"
Hmmmm, for once...I can understand and relate to what he means but as someone who enjoys daydreaming to be in imaginary worlds but more in a "avatar"-ish sense, representation of yourself as an adventurer, very few games and platforms gives me the experience that he just mentioned, I'm talking about video games, light novels, mangás, fantasy literature where the fantasy world feels almost tangible and sparks one's imagination, after all the main concept of an RPG is the Game Master and campaigns are the "storytellers" but the players are the "characters in the story", as interactive story.
He isn't wrong but his explanation doesn't apply only in "role-playing" or RPG, but in literature, movies, wherever there is a story, but to him there is more meaning to what he explains (as game master, it's where he can have control over be it the world, the characters, everything in it, like a puppet master creating a "play", being the one who pulls the strings).
Yugi's reaction to his explanation:
"Bakura seems different from yesterday..."
Look at that, Yugi keeping his guard up again, Yugi is quite sensitive to notice these small changes and when his intuition tells that something is off..
What final touches does Yami Bakura means, this is when the gang haven't noticed that this boy isn't Ryou but someone else...for the time being, it's going to take awhile for them to notice the person in front of them isn't Ryou but a malicious spirit if you will.
Is it just me or does the eyes of Honda and Jounouchi look the same...? While Yugi and Anzu has a more "cute" and "pretty" look and also have more detail? It's on purpose...even to Yami Bakura aesthetic sense he thinks Anzu and Yugi are pretty or easy on the eyes, he isn't wrong anyways but I think Jounouchi does to an extent has good looks in aesthetic considered by society aesthetic standards, therefore the detail on his hair...
Jounouchi was impressed by the details of the figures (he thinks the same huh?), the reasoning for Yami Bakura make the figures so similar to the players is he claims that he prides himself on attention to detail (I admit that I relate to this too, tch, well Kaiba is the same, Dark Yugi too, Shadi and Pegasus, Ryou is the same, I think).
What Yami Bakura does later in the computer, it's so that the computer does the combat tracking makes a difference in critical fights during the game, there is software on PC as much apps on tablets and smartphones that does these things by implementing the data character sheets of the players as to make it easier to oversee the game and the characters progress.
Anzu's suggestion in going to town to gather intel in an RPG and makes reference to tavern which is the more "common" way to get info, Yugi quickly agreeing, yeah, she plays Video RPGs once in awhile, doesn't she? It's pretty smart though, the irony of it is that in Memory World in the Shadow RPG that closes the circle of this story with the main antagonist, Yugi remembers the same thing in gathering info around "town" in a tavern (royal capital in Ancient Egypt of the Dark Yugi's Memory World).
Yugi and Jounouchi are quite impressed by the details in this game, Jounouchi as commented by Honda in the Bottom Panels Ensemble that he is really into it (it's so funny because is true 😂), if you notice the old man character moved on its own.
😁😁 The friends commenting that this game brings Jounouchi's bad side is pretty funny....
The cooler part though is Anzu pointing out a detail...in this interaction with Yugi:
Anzu: "Hey, Yugi...is there a speaker in there? it sounds like the old man's really talking ..."
Yugi: "No, no...In a tabletop RPG, characters other than the adventurers are acted out by the game master. They're called «Non-Player Characters»."
Anzu: "Then Bakura must be throwing his voice..." (glances sideways at "Ryou's Yami Bakura with suspicion)
Yugi: "I guess..."
That's my girl! she recognizes patterns when is out of place, moments like these she shines as well, this observation did stuck with Yugi...with the "I guess...", that he also growing suspicious too, he started awhile ago...things are getting more off with this out of place pattern...Yami Bakura with a darker expression as if thinking "these two are sharp, my acting might get caught eventually" and irritated too.
Honda's and Jounouchi's reaction to a figure miniature that looks closely to their gym teacher as hilarious is funny, then the miniature gym teacher started speaking, it's curious that he calls to Jounouchi and Honda for help, Yugi and Anzu isn't included...I guess he deals with them all the time, once again pointed by Anzu (creeped out this time), by that miniature did seem that it really talk, Yami Bakura came all menacing to the miniature gym teacher and threatening him telepathically...due to his abilities for sealing the gym teacher soul in the miniature figure...Yugi's inner monologue:
"That villager miniature really seemed like it was talking...almost like it was alive..."
This time Yugi is agreeing with Anzu on the inside, but this time having a bad feeling about it, not only keeps getting suspicious, his guard more up and can't pretend to himself anymore, he gets more attentive from here on out.
These are the more common dices used in tabletop RPGs, apparently you use them once in a area where there is more chances of monster encounter, but you also use it in your battles and choices in certain circumstances, these 10 sided dices, in a literal sense would be a lot longer such "pentagonal trapezohedron dice", but it has it's own acronym being "D10 dice", sounds a lot more pratical and easier to say and refer.
Summarizing this scene, they see an NPC lying down, Yugi is the most suspicious about the NPC due to it's main objective of the Dark Master VS the adventurers (Players), Honda and Jounouchi are on the fence, Anzu feeling they shouldn't ignore...they decide to give the benefit of doubt and go for the treasure to get "the sword" that defeats the main villain "zorc"...
They finally meet Zorc, the irony of all this is that since this time, Yami Bakura's real name is Zorc, Zorc Necrophades also this form of Zork is also close to the later Zork we see in Memory World Arc...It's revealed in by revisiting one of Memory World Arc Observation and Thoughts posts:
It confirms that Takahashi-sensei knew how it was going to end, the middle part of the series, it's when the cards games took over most of the story and is where it went off the rails 😂, since it was intended to be more about different games, it was this way initially but the card game was so popular and requested that became more about "card game battles" besides the card game would have more spotlight anyway because of Kaiba's character...it was somewhat unavoidable the card game get the most spotlight or taking over the story.
It's very impressive that the gang realise from this game and remembering this Monster World game during Memory World Arc that Yami Bakura's like Dark Yugi's have his real name too, since the gang's quest in Memory World is finding Pharaoh/Dark Yugi's true name, they made the correlation that it applies the same way to Yami Bakura.
Usually and commonly the storytellers know how is going to end, undecided how to begin but the middle part is where it gets always tricky and off the rails sometimes 😂.
It's interesting that Yami Bakura wanted to start with the more perceptive and clever ones, he wanted to target Yugi after Anzu originally, but Jounouchi and Honda went forward with it first because they were so mad...probably he wanted to started with clever ones before they would realize he was cheating or the game was rigged...
For him to start with Anzu first, he must have felt quite the grudge against her for always pointing out what was "out of place", like the miniatures seem to actually talk...Yugi is concerned and the "RMB" is starting...
Regarding Anzu...she got knock out unconscious with the "Mind Doll", this scene alone explains why the strange rumours happened, when we think about it, being in coma for a very long time (Persistent Vegetative State - PVS), it can be considered worse than death...if there is higher chances of recovery, it's not that bad, but if there isn't one...which always challenges morally from a medical and ethical standpoint many times, in this case, Yami Bakura did this to many innocent ones, here again is doing the same, if is for several years or months or weeks it can lead to death...a slow death, it makes sense, the body can't stand for too long in coma or the body will start to decompose and stop regenerating.
The scary part of this situation taking into account PVS and their souls being sealed in miniatures, if their body dies, you would be a miniature forever...if your "miniature" gets destroyed with the soul sealed in "it", you would die as miniature and body, that's just awful...and scary...giving some food for thought.
As for their reactions overall...Yugi confirms he wasn't hearing things and Jounouchi points out being Anzu's...but the more interesting ones are Anzu's and Yugi's, from Anzu's perspective she sees everyone so big (including Yugi) and when she realizes her situation then immediately calls out for Yugi's help and the other two boys, this is the first time Yugi is taller than her...(after the amusement park chapter and this, she doesn't chase or pursues Dark Yugi anymore) is not just this moment in situations of real stress and emotionally, she seeks Yugi but there is more factors from this arc that makes Anzu goes towards Yugi...we'll see it soon in the next post.
As for Yugi, he uses technical terms of RPGs observing Anzu's situation as turned into a "lead figure", which is interesting that he uses these gaming technical terms, the "RMB" is appearing again...Dark Yugi is extremely willing to help and cooperate but also very angry...
I skipped Jounouchi's because it was the same way with Anzu...Yami Bakura wanted to get at Yugi, but Jounouchi rushed on the attack...pinpointed this part more because of Honda's reaction when Yami Bakura said that "Honda's character" was scared and cursed his cowardice, while Honda is super angry not only feeling his courage and guts is being questioned to a point he felt insulted, while Yami Bakura claims the dice don't lie irritatingly...
Yugi found it that Yami Bakura was cheating and asks what he did to the dice, because getting "super critical" in a row was way too odd (because results of a dice relies on luck and probabilities, it shouldn't be possible getting criticals in the dice rolls consecutively), but Yami Bakura continues "claiming" that dice don't lie...bullshit to your rigged game, Yugi wasn't fooled, he noticed (he's smart, after all).
I love this scene and the next one. 😄 There it is the "RMB" again, which is the the "vibrating" sound effect in comics, however there is a new one..."Rumble", according to researching it means a "resonant sound", it would probably mean Yugi and Dark Yugi are starting to get in "sync", but the "RMB" is for a long time, it's after Duelist Kingdom (in another words, after their duel against Pegasus) when it disappears, because there is some blocks of their own they have to overcome themselves, they already did the first step in Death-T.
Yugi asking before his turn comes up to turn himself into a miniature too, the others are shocked, but the ones most shocked are Yami Bakura and the boyz, this was a courageous choice and decision, there is a lot more meaning to this decision, his trust in Dark Yugi but there is more to it as well...
Starting to quote Yugi in the Panels Ensemble on the left:
Yugi: "I'll fight together with my friends on the board! If they're putting their lives on the line, then so will I!"
Yami Bakura: "Yugi... it would be easy to grant that wish...but if you the last player becomes a miniature, who will throw the dice?"
Yugi's inner monologue: "The other me!" [sfx: Rumble)
He put his life on the line to fight with his friends and allow his "other yugi" to throw the dice, he thought some steps ahead, he already put element of surprise against Yami Bakura, that's some considered thought, he didn't mentioned anything about who would throw the dice or the other Yugi, your high intelligence and quick-thinking and deduction skills was proven many times, if you notice, Yugi is becoming more confident and releasing more of his potential bit by bit...
After Yugi's experience with Death-T when for the first time he remembered all game battles, including when Dark Yugi's took over from Dark Yugi's POV and watching his back for a long time, it was very important for him, he wishes to do the same here, this is a big step for Yugi, his growth shows here since Death-T, he is becoming more decisive...as much his growing and unwavering trust in Dark Yugi, it might also mean, it's not just his friends on the board...going to his inner monologue being Dark Yugi/the other me to "throw the dice", he wants to fight with him too, this growing trust on Dark Yugi is Yugi also seeing and trust Dark Yugi as a friend (I would say as well he might be curious how he looks like when Dark Yugi takes over), I think they all understood but both are very protective of Yugi, they think is too risky.
I wish I could have shown more but would be too many panels, but I had to cut.
The time came around Dark Yugi taking over it was immediate and quick, Dark Yugi was preparing himself and when Yugi soul was transferred to his miniature...Dark Yugi already took over...since they were "sync", it was somewhat fast this time, it's not often for awhile for them to be this "in sync", Yami Bakura received another shock seeing Dark Yugi...
See Ya Next Post!!
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