Thoughts&Observtaions | Mangá: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vol.1-3 Part 2 - Episodic Arcs Phase 1

This is one of the new posts which will be added to the analysis of the manga series regarding the first 7 volumes, for example, in the first half (volumes 1-3), it will be consisted of 3 posts dedicated to the episodic chapters and and the arcs which domains the first 7 volumes (same will be applied to the 2nd half, but the main arcs will 1 post extra, such 1-3 about Shadi will be around 2 posts with 2 episodic arcs right before volume 4 where Death-T starts...
Plus I had and still has to re-do the whole panels ensembles photoshop thing because I lost everything I have made progress on the SSD that became broken, it made me cry a lot, I was so close finishing the panels ensembles too, I was in the last volume...all that hard work to waste and having to re-do it...

So it's going to take awhile, as the first post dedicated solely dedicated to episodic arc, the plot summary to cover the essentials of these episodic arcs which is about three from chapter 2 to chapter 4.
Update (12/06/2020): I finally finished this post, sorry it took so long, only recently I have completed my LV5 specialised/training course with the internship now is only missing to get the diploma, but the process takes time, no study and no essays anymore to take away my ygo blog time focus, it will take time to recover my previous pace.

Plot Summary:

Chap.2 - Lying Eyes

Jounouchi and Yugi recently becoming friends, Jounouchi tells about a pervy video with censored bits as they're heading to school, when they arrive to their destination they see a TV van at the front of the entrance of their school, Jounouchi and Yugi suspect of a possibility of a star at school, Yugi approaches the window of the front seat on the left, Yugi discovers is a one-way mirror (or glass), so you can't see anything on the inside, but the one on the other side is a reporter, notices Yugi as he approaches the window and decides he will be the target of his reportage with the theme of bullying, he orders his assistant director (A.D.) to play as bully as an act on Yugi, he went to look for him and find him.

Yugi and Jounouchi are discussing about the TV van in front of the school with Anzu, Jounouchi becomes stubborn about a star in school, Yugi gets worried, someone approaches him, the A.D. pretends to be a student as he talks with Yugi and lies about a star to lure him behind the gym to punch and kick him while being filmed, Jounouchi catch up, but can't do anything because of the camera filming and the director, so Dark Yugi/Atem takes over, challenges the director to a game of dice, the director loses and receives a penalty game where he sees everything censored.

Chap.3 - Hard Beat!
It starts with Yugi attempt in thinking positively when going into the bus, he meets one of his classmates, Hanasaki who ignored him and one of the students and same year but the class next to his, Sozoji threatens him in selling tickets for his live show despite of many witnesses that is torture to your eardrums that you become sick, Yugi can't bring himself to tell Jounouchi he is trouble neither sell to Anzu because he doesn't want to subject her to this situation, he almost goes to sell to Hanasaki but he holds back then Hanasaki comes to him to sell Yugi 5 tickets, then Yugi offers himself to sell Hanasaki's tickets and leaves, but Sozoji watched everything from behind, Hanasaki becomes next victim of his karaoke.
Then the live show comes and Yugi came alone, he gets tortured for not selling any tickets, then Sozoji reveals Hanasaki has been fallen victim, because of this, Dark Yugi takes over and challenges Sozoji to a shadow game, Sozoji loses with his penalty being by listening his beating heart sound loudly...

Chap.4 - Jailbreak
A dangerous criminal breaks out of prison with a gun and the next day,Yugi and Jounouchi talk about the new burger fast food restaurant that just opened, Burger World and thinking of going there, as Anzu hears this and warns them there has been rumours about food intoxication and reminds them about the news regarding a dangerous criminal as fugitive with a gun from whom the school advived to go straight home once they leave school...then she leaves...Yugi and Jounouchi discuss the recent behaviour of Anzu being kinda unusual and decide to investigate, the results were that Anzu was working part-time at Burger World to save money to study abroad to become a professional dancer.
The criminal on the news enters the Burger World and takes Anzu as the main hostage with cloth to cover her eyes, the criminal (fugitive prisoner) calls on Yugi as "the wussy little one" to bring vodka and cigarettes, Anzu worries being Yugi and tells him not to come in order to protect him, then the criminal slaps to shut her up, Dark Yugi takes over while challenging him to a game about using one finger, Dark Yugi wins, because of the criminal own clumsiness and stubbornness, he dies on fire...when Anzu removes the cloth and sees the normal Yugi.


Key Points:


Chapter 2 - Lying Eyes

 

Awww Yugi already considers as special treasure, he kinda did before he even completed, I guess for believing that completing the puzzle made his wish come true, hmmmmmmm, to me he made his friends on his own but he isn't aware, what his grandfather said is correct regarding the shadow powers, but as we have seen in last chapter, he doesn't remember anything when Dark Yugi took over...

From their interactions, you can tell it passed a few days since they became friends, the fact that he is calling Yugi pervy as a high school student but also at the same time as a little kid since his appearance and behavior looks like a child.

Update (14/08/2019): I'm not the only one who thinks Yugi's wish was accomplished on his own, I think the readers can agree on that, Dark Yugi/Atem thinks the same because it's implied he has vague memories from the moment right before Yugi completed the puzzle, remember the most important piece, Jounouchi picked up and given back from being moved by Yugi's gesture trying to protect him and Honda and as Yugi was building the puzzle at the time...probably he only remembers the few hours before the puzzle was completed and by then his wish became reality before the puzzle was completed.


If You wish to continue reading, click "Read More" below

Here is an interesting quote of his:

"If we catch him getting beat up on camera, then it's perfect! The public wants reality TV...you've got a documentary element, and you've got violence! It's perfect! If we can get this on TV, we'll raise our ratings for sure!"

I usually have a bad impression of anyone with this kind of mindset regarding how they put themselves in the media and what good entertainment is, that includes not just any kind violence and sex, it's what it means being mature...when is actually a pretty cheap way of doing this, the same to be applied on comedy for cheap laughs, yes, I'm pretty critical about this subject, but this represents a good majority in the media, I think this is part of the intent of the author because isn't often shown this side of the media, a good portion, we the spectators and readers suspect it was all a set up, like those WWE fights and some reality tv shows, yet they claim as "reality" tv show, when most people know is mostly an act...but many people rely on "violence" element as it's main element for entertainment...fortunately you find creative, thought-provoking works, even documentaries a little more often to address what needs to be given awareness and becoming informed.

The theme this director guy wants to portray in his reportage being bullying, it's nothing new, but it's still a difficult fight against bullying in schools, there has been improvements but doesn't mean that  there are works to be done, because here it is the way this director is approaching this is not okay, in creating an "act" and using one of his employees in playing the bully by doing his dirty work, when he could just try finding where bullying is more active in a school, plus targeting an innocent who doesn't know it has been chosen target  just to make it more "believable"...

 

This is some of the times we see Anzu as pretty smart by the fact she questions it, Yugi is starting to doubt if there is a star and the van there might be for other motives, Jounouchi, well, I wouldn't say dumb...just simple-minded who will get smarter as he evolves as a character, more street smart.
As Anzu and Jounouchi are arguing and Yugi questioning it, the A.D. ask about the boy whose photo the director took, apparently Yugi is well known around within his year, the student which was asked from implies he is not from the same class, even Ushio which was obvious he was a "senior" knew about him, well, it's kinda impossible when you think about it with his spiky tri-colored hair to not notice him...he stands out a lot and Yugi is not even aware of....just with his hair alone...😑

 

Yeah, yeah, A.D. does the dirty work so he won's get fired, it's annoying when bosses uses this low tactic, it's not unheard of unfortunely, because you can tell is something he really doesn't want to do it but for what reasons, for moral reasons or is because is too much of hassle, I'll bet more on hassle.
It's funny how A.D. quickly spotted Yugi, you can tell he was looking down first then the moment Yugi passed by him, it was straight away, once again I'll say, it must have been his hair for sure, it really stands out and even more for someone so short...
As for the conversation between Yugi and Jounouchi, you can tell Yugi is starting to suspect there could be other reasons and something fishy going on, Jounouchi feels offended that Yugi is not on his side in the suspicion of maybe a star at school, Jounouchi is someone who can get easily offended by something trivial...Yugi, you were just stating your opinion about the van tv in front of school, there are people that takes awhile to learn in listening and accept different opinions...
Now here is a reaction of Yugi when A.D. called him, he was surprised and...

 

You can tell Yugi was surprised and also not, because there is a drop sigh as he asks who is this person, it seems is often people does come to him and knows his name while he doesn't know this people and his reactions despite not saying, it's like he asks to himself "how these random people know my name?", xD

As for the general interactions between A.D. and Yugi, it's already pretty suspicious how he comes to Yugi saying there is a star at school and present himself as student that Yugi never met, it's pretty sudden and random, he is having fun lying to him because is like lying to a child since Yugi looks like one and you could tell he heard their conversation on corridor, that's some quick improvisation, impressive I admit.

Regarding Yugi believing in him from this random person he just met, well he has that naivete of a child sometimes, but he is also the person capable of giving the benefit of doubt in a more practical manner as we have seen so far of starting to get suspicious about the tv van, I think after this and after the next one, he starts becoming more cautious but still willing to give a chance of trusting someone you just met.

 

I have to admit, what the director said it was just coincidence that they picked up Yugi as victim, his face shown leaned on a one-way glass plus his hair makes it easy to spot with his innocent look, it makes him for an "easy target", so it isn't completely bad luck, but there is a lot students like Yugi though in Domino (in the next chapter will appear one like Yugi), also as much I hate to say it, the director is really smart, using his camera as his blackmail to prevent Jounouchi from punching him, but I'll give credit even though I don't mention here in the panels, but he will censor the scene with blur or pixels of the fight.

Now as for him using his smarts with the camera to prevent Jounouchi beat him up...then leaving Jounouchi off guard and...

 

It's a very low move but it also shows that he has strong moves even in a fight, well he is an adult, so of course he does, but even so it's not an easy feat with a knee strike (it's a pretty common martial art move, with different kinds in Muay Thai, MMA (mixed martial arts), kickboxing) plus as proven later in Duelist Kingdom, Jounouchi can beat an adult in a fight such with Bandit Keith (which has shown he did had some experience in fight) when protecting Yugi, so this director move is not simple and against Jounouchi who can defeat an adult in a fight, the director is right, the power of media is very powerful, but recently there is something which has more power recently regarding sharing information and media, that being the internet...

Now Dark Yugi is starting to take over...

 

It's pretty funny that the director didn't forgot him neither the name of Yugi, I guess his hair stands out that much, huh? also since he is pretty smart, he notices differences between Yugi and this "Yugi", since their hair again is pretty recognizable and what changes are the shape of his eyes and the extra golden hair plus the behavior and posture is clearly different...now getting to the interesting part of these panels, as something I have been noticing recently about this scene is what Dark Yugi says about historical facts and how he pronounces himself is curious by quoting him...:

"It's nothing to be afraid of...just a simple game of dice! People have been staking their fate on dice since Ancient Egypt! Although back then, we used «Astragali»...the uneven heel of bone of calves and sheep..."

Update (22/0/8/2019): It seems to be implying that he has vague memories from the time he was alive, he is using even the "Royal We" from when a monarch expresses his opinion, also we have to remember a number of things, this was pretty on a early stage of Dark Yugi/Atem take over of Yugi's body, he is somewhat aware that he is not Yugi for even referring Ancient Egypt and "we" with past tense, the "we" seems to be more something of a "subconscious habit", I'm not the only one who noticed this...someone already pointed out , while forgetting there is evidences Dark Yugi does indeed have very vague memories as Pharaoh Atem and even after he died and the time spent before the puzzle was completed, such as this case, among others even in these first 7 volumes (that I can't mention yet), but I can mention from Duelist Kingdom and up, this includes the time spent with Yugi's grandfather before the puzzle was completed... like before Dark Yugi duel against Kaiba in Duelist Kingdom , the day before the duel against Mai with Yugi talking to his grandpa , during the "shell game" in DDM Arc , other occasions implies his memories from the time he was alive such his duel with Pandora and his favourite cards being Black Magician and Black Magician Girl, in this case they were familiar to him, since it's the "Ka" of his childhood friends that strongly resembles them too, there is the Hieratic text mentioned by Yami Marik, Dark Yugi's reaction was it that it sounded familiar then later we see in Memory World when he recovered the memories of this mentioned text , then later when Dark Yugi saw the main secret of the tomb guardians in Marik's back, he couldn't read the text but he could understand it's concept from his subconscious memories , as it was revealed later that his memories were the whole time inside the millennium puzzle and that the carving stone memorial to the pharaoh was a "door" or "ticket" access to his memories in his subconscious inside the millennium puzzle , with the prologue of Memory World proves that not only Dark Yugi/Atem had his memories before becoming an amnesiac spirit but also Sugoroku could see him and talk with him apparently because he could hear him call by the name of Atem's/Dark Yugi's vizier, we can conclude, Atem learn a lot about other games from him  besides the ones he knows from when he was alive like the "shell game" with "playing card" which isn't something from Atem's time but often in Sugoroku's time, remember he was a professional gamer, a legendary master of games even , a good amount of his knowledge about games that Yugi didn't even know must have been from Atem observing Sugoroku, besides if we think about it, the most recent memories before he got "formatted" (before the puzzle was completed) were about games since Sugoroku picked the millennium puzzle.

But that isn't to say that the author had everything planned out from the beginning, it's more towards that he had the base of the story, as we know, the author initially didn't had the intent to be mostly of card games, but odd games as we see in the early volumes, but the end of the story, I'm pretty sure he had always intended to be a Shadow RPG as we see in Memory World arc in his final battle against Yami Bakura, however as the card game was pretty popular, then the card game was what expanded and part of the middle the story, if the card game wasn't so popular, I don't think the middle section would be the same, just similar, because the card game was inevitable because of Kaiba's obsessive rivalry with Dark Yugi, as much as I hate to admit it, Kaiba was and is a crucial character in expanding the story.

 

A reader could judge in this scene of how Dark Yugi won the game as cheating, but the director was throwing a dice at someone's face, it's not cheating but it's lack of conduct, while Dark Yugi protected himself with his pendant (millennium puzzle is too long), luckily made the number 7, higher than the director, it's a gambling game anyway in here by using a dice as the main tool to play the game which purely relies on luck.

I find the director's penalty game really interesting because besides being very fitting for him based on his job and how he does things, like I have said before, in the beginning, he didn't have to go all this trouble, he could just go to the most problematic school and where bullying was more frequent, investigate it, not "creating" or "bending the truth", and he was getting dangerous, he was actually considering filming someone being killed by actually killing someone...he is a prick, to be honest I think Dark Yugi was way too soft on this guy 😒, well at least seeing everything pixeled and censored would feel scary.

Chapter 3 - Hard Beat!

 

Before starting to analyse, first I want to quote what Yugi in the morning when he goes into the bus for school in his thoughts:

"I hope something fun happen today!"

Yugi seems to start the day thinking positively (more towards trying), but this quote has continuation and closure, soon enough I'll be mentioning...it's pretty funny, but is for a reminder about his thoughts after he left the bus, I find the author dry humour very amusing xD.

Now this scene in particular I find interesting, when he meets one of his classmates, Hanasaki, funny enough they're about the same height apparently, when Yugi called him and you clearly see he deliberately ignored Yugi (Yugi, he did realised it was you, for having the same height and your hair being hard to miss), now here is an interesting thought of Yugi:

"I haven't spoken to Hanasaki all that much...his invisibility rating is almost the same as mine in class, we're two of a kind..."

At least for Yugi for thinking his own "invisibility rate" is almost as Hanasaki, it shows Yugi is slightly aware that his spiky star-chaped tricolored hair stands out, however probably he thinks is the only thing that makes him even stand out a little, well he isn't completely wrong, it isn't the only thing though...we'll see in later chapters there is other things that makes him stand out more than he realizes (the fact he gets invited to plays to basketball with his other classmates when it seems Hanasaki isn't even invited).

 

This scene is quite interesting, Yugi's class is B and this guy is class C, which means, they're class neighbours, he is quite huge, Sozoji, he seems to know Yugi, in fact many of the school knows Yugi apparently, you'll see more of passages, which kinda implies Yugi is well known, Yugi isn't even aware (in Japan, sometimes the students doesn't know the names of their own classmates from the same class since the number of students is quite large, average being 38 students for each class, that's a lot), so it's kinda surprising, I guess Yugi's hair stands out that much, no matter how much Yugi tries to have a quiet presence.

You can tell these panels alone says Yugi will unintentionally attract trouble...poor boy 😓

 

Yugi can tell even himself that he just attracted trouble unintentionally from this student who so quickly spotted him that he had a 3 second freeze, must have been scary...
So to make the panels summarised, it's more or less this guy to give his "all night solo shows" in a karaoke, who boasts having a beautiful voice (yeah sure, so beautiful that no one is around you), according to students who came to "his live shows" suffered a lot to the point of sickness and consider as torture, this alone is already ominous...he is about to give another one...Yugi here in the panel on right, it starts for not looking forward to this announcement at all...

So Sozoji requests Yugi to sell 10 tickets...Yugi is now into fear, Sozoji threatens him, that's bullying and "abuse of power", but that not just it, this guy is quite despicable and he has 3 days...

Now the continuation of the funny part, in first point  Yugi hoping something fun happens today...now:

"As I reach school I think something different...I hope something fun happens someday..."

Yeah... I do like some depressing sarcasm xD, it's funny for me at least because is quite relatable, it also implies some other things in Yugi's daily life, it's that he sees or is attracting unwanted trouble for him, specially from those who abuses "their power size and strength", it seems it's a bit common of people taking advantage of him or threaten him...

 

I find this scene really touching, Jounouchi despite not looking like it or is this way most of the time, but he can tell from patterns when something is off, in other words, he can be sharp at times, I usually see as sharpness that has been underdeveloped due to various reasons which will be approached in Phase 3 of episodic arcs, such as this moment of him being able to tell when Yugi is feeling down or depressed but there is other things that he was able to tell as not just a friend.

As for Yugi, the boy is so humble that the fact his new friend was able to noticed something was wrong with Yugi and shown sincere concern that he actually cheered him a little, and lied that he was fine because he didn't want them to be involved, specially Anzu, this is one of those moments of Yugi of using himself as a "shield", a "white lie", because he doesn't want to make Jounouchi to pick up a fight with Sozoji (from how loyal Jounouchi is, we all know he would do it even if you didn't ask him and even do it "behind the scenes") and Anzu, well childhood friend and crush, so big no for Yugi to involve them.

Next up, it's Anzu in this scene, Jounouchi doing the "pervy joke", Anzu immediately punch him, well she is a bit punchy and she is someone who won't stay silent when something is simply not okay at all, Jounouchi doesn't fight back but still the "pervy joke"..., I'm glad he matures way more later, his pervyness is still not 100% in check even in the last arc 😓, a kick in the balls would do 😒 (sorry for the language, but couldn't help it, when it comes to these, a punch in the face doesn't do it).

 

Yugi was about to sell his tickets to Hanasaki and initially thought it would be okay to sell tickets instinctively since he wasn't a friend however he quickly regrets, ends up also being the shield and even go as far to take Hanasaki's burden by selling his tickets too, by thinking himself as a jerk, believe me most people would do what Yugi was about to do and Hanasaki did without a second thought, truth to be told, I don't know myself though, not due to selflessness like he is doing right now, but simply due to lack courage in selling tickets around in the first place even if was for school (communication and social anxiety problem that needs to be improved for me 😕).

Here is something is not pointed out here in the panels that I didn't implemented, that being that Sozoji asked Hanasaki to sell 5 tickets while Yugi was 10, now I wonder why, I think is one of those details one can easily overlook, why Sozoji makes Yugi having to sell more than Hanasaki, why these two is very obvious, because they are "easy targets" to "overpower them", as what I want to focus is why Yugi had more than Hanasaki, remember how Yugi seems to be quite well known, for starters his hair stands out, besides he currently has two friends and also other thing...(but that will be approached in later chapters...).

 

Hanasaki even asks if Yugi is really okay with this, Yugi claims he is fine with it, the real reason takes this selfless approach is because Yugi himself thinks he deserves it for almost thinking of selling tickets of hearing torture to Hanasaki was fine since he wasn't his friend, Yugi...most people would do is selling the tickets, because you can tell Hanasaki would have a hard time himself selling and he doesn't seem to have friends...the classmates even later chapters doesn't seem to interact with him only with Yugi, Jounouchi and Anzu after this incident...

Hanasaki saying that he thought Yugi was kind of gloomy...then by that logic what says about you...a much gloomier person, but I guess he is just basing on his own first impression the fact Yugi is usually quiet not counting his friends, but even himself is also quiet... and the way he expresses that Yugi is "pretty nice", it's the fact despite that reclusive behaviour, he is pretty friendly is in that sense he means.

Sozoji...a bully with his stupid hair and sideburns, the guy is not assuming that Hanasaki took the easy way out, it's just an "excuse" to bully him by "punishing" him for "trying to get away" from him...the bastard...😡

 

I actually like this scene, specially the drawing shot when Dark Yugi turns around, to be honest I like these kinds of drawing shots when the character is turning around like this in mangas.

Now the evolution of the artwork after 3 chapters (1-2, this is chapter 3), I think what makes it more noticeable evolution and settlement of the style is in Yugi and Dark Yugi, the lines in the early chapters, the lines were more curvy, while in this chapter is more symmetrical and upright and towards the style that we're more familiar with, the curvyness is still there.

Also I think Dark Yugi was intended to be more curvy lines in early chapters, specially his hair, because later in Death-T arc comes back "curvy lines" but on the hair when the "extra hair" that comes from Dark Yugi starts to appear and take over, in the early chapters 1-3 Dark Yugi in artwork looks more sinister and scary, while here is more towards intimidating and determination that goes more with Dark Yugi/Atem natural taciturn expression and face, I would say the millennium pendant/puzzle magic was giving the "extra hair" and change slightly his face and height (because in ceremonial duel and memory arc is clear that Dark Yugi/Atem is slightly taller than Yugi), as if the spirit resided within and the power of the millennium item was adapting and adjusting to its host.

It confuses me a little, why Yugi and Hanasaki are apologizing to each other as if they were wrong about the tickets in attitude, when the one at fault is Sozoji, who I may add is a bully, taking advantage of the more "timid" and "reclusive" students being more vulnerable and have passive personalities, that's not okay at all, Dark Yugi with his sense of justice understands very well who is the guilty one here.

Just to point out, when Dark Yugi took over, Sozoji was surprised and even said:

"Hey! Hey! Hey!What that look supposed to mean?! You got something to say to me?"

It means you're in deep trouble and went to his bad side. In all seriousness, Sozoji was quick to notice the difference in "Yugi" which I underlined where it hints it, to emphasize it further...

 

In the previous point I said that it quickly hinted Sozoji that he noticed the sudden change when Dark Yugi took over even the appearance slightly, while here even his "inner monologue" says it all:

"Is this really Yugi...?! It's like he's possessed..."

Technically he isn't wrong... "possessed" word has understandable negative and intense connotations, so I use the term "taking over" to not sound so intense...also is implying a lot of things in the future chapters, that it will eventually confirm he is spirit taking over Yugi's body but acts only to protect and save Yugi and his friends, at the same time confirming all the moments Dark Yugi is not "a darker yugi" or "other yugi" but inherently another individual with sudden changes moments slightly in appearance and the most striking is the demeanour change and air.
In Dark Yugi art in the panels despite is here when it happens more and constant the transition from kinda scary and sinister to more determined and cocky young boy...because the artwork we're familiar actually came a lot earlier than people think, remember this is chapter 3 not chapter 10 or 25 or 60, call this the "transition period", so I think is intentional, the more "sinister artwork" panels like the ones above, while the previous point shows panels with the ones we're familiar.
To anyone who have already read Memory World Arc, I do think is intentional in these early chapters, specially this chapter showing the contrast in art of Dark Yugi between the "sinister Dark Yugi art" to show the lingering dark influence from a millennium item, while the "current Dark Yugi art" is to show in these chapters that the influence from a millennnium item in Dark Yugi/Atem is starting to dissipate because of one of Atem most strongest trait in his core is his strong sense of justice...together with Yugi and his friends presence influence.

Now, one of the most interesting traits of these early 7 volumes are these strange games, some are quite dangerous, others is generally harmless if you play with conduct and fairly, so far the most dangerous are the one in the first chapter but chapter 2 and this one is harmless, while the next one is more dangerous than in the first chapter, so chapter 1 makes a set up there will be dangerous games as a "warning" towards the end of chapter 1 (the shadow game between Dark Yugi and Ushio) and light moments of games that are mostly harmless like the "pop up pirate" in the beginning, Yugi solving the puzzle that there will be challenges in between those that are mostly inoffensive and dangerous ones.
In these strange games sometimes uses stranges "toys" objects like this one called "Sound Pierrot" and some I didn't know before until mentioned in the manga (ex. Pop Up Pirate), this is a toy sound, basically a toy that reacts to sounds (probably through vibrations of sound), the way Dark Yugi uses to make as a competitive game is a good challenge and somewhat creative, you cannot make a sound...(it's execution is a bit similar to the "stare game" when you think about it too deeply), sometimes you will see toys like these used in shadow games.

 

Here is a mix again between the "sinister Dark Yugi" and the "current Dark Yugi", on the panel on the left where it starts to the page panel on the right, when Dark Yugi bring out the sound that is making the Sound Pierrot move, Dark Yugi is in "current Dark Yugi mode" but is transitioning to when he gives the penalty game in "sinister Dark Yugi mode" (this is getting long, I'll start calling the early dark yugi as "sinister mode" and the ones we're familiar as "current mode"), then goes back to "current mode".

A little emphasis on particular art of the panel page on the left, the bottom middle panel, later we see him make similar expression but the current Dark Yugi doing it in Memory World Arc , this is just a side note on the art, there is a different contrast, here is sinister while the other I given link of is more towards cockiness.

Regarding the penalty game, another evidence in comparison to most millennium wielders this is a very soft penalty game, it's fair this time, but damn, it must be quite nerve-wracking, stressful and kinda scary listening to your heartbeat this loud 😦, also Dark Yugi leaves with some trivia, I think is the sort of knowledge that Dark Yugi that sounds like Yugi doesn't know himself sometimes, this is isn't the first time,...he takes Hanasaki with him, he does seem the kind of person if he wasn't awkward socially initially and kinda rude later, Dark Yugi could very well and easily behave like a gentleman which he becomes a little mannered when he becomes more humble, specially at the end of the series.

Chapter 4: Jailbreak

 

I'll mention a trivia about Yugi and before this scene, it shows Yugi loves burgers (in his official profile about Yugi in Gospel of Truth that burgers is his favourite food), as a way to expand upon it, when Yugi and Jounouchi discuss in going to the fast food restaurant Burger World, Anzu interrupts by warning them of intoxication (but it's a lie) while Yugi finds it strange because it doesn't coincide with what he heard about it, that it was really good not a problem of intoxication, Anzu is smart on this one because in burger restaurants is a common problem, also to justify of them not going by reminding them about an escaped convict running around and their teacher advised already to go straight home...this one is the smoothest but also she is technically right but...(in later key points... she doesn't really despite the warning given in the news and teacher).
Yugi kinda freaking out when being reminded by Anzu, yeah, with the exchange from Jounouchi assuming Yugi having no guts and scared, but he said jokingly also that's Jounouchi not taking seriously warnings as Yugi argued emphasising the criminal has gun and should be taken seriously and he is right, specially with COVID-19 situation in the world, some people or many don't take seriously the instructions are given, it can happen...Yugi tends to be cautious while Jounouchi being someone who is used to fights, doesn't feel threatened, but Yugi brings up a good point that the criminal has a gun, it's a dangerous weapon, there is a reason why there is a lot of discussion about gun laws still on today...Anzu looks like she is taking the instructions to the letter...

 

This is one of those moments when Jounouchi we see despite his behaviour seems to not be able to "read the room", if you will, in fact he can (he just doesn't care) and has a wild personality and seems wouldn't notice small details and patterns changes from one his classmates like Anzu, yeah, he can be unexpectedly sharp and even noticing Yugi's feelings for Anzu, at this point in time, Anzu is more of friend of a friend to Jounouchi through Yugi, the same for Anzu with Jounouchi, Jounouchi wasn't too far off except "the job" after school he assumes is completely wrong, Yugi went 100% shooting down Jounouchi assumption of Anzu "escort service" job after school, well I'm pretty sure for Yugi who has known her since childhood also he believes she is not that kind of girl (yeah, she is for the most part she is a responsible person and when deviates from the rules, usually does unless there is strong reason for her to do so, someone with her own principles too).

So they tail Anzu to investigate what she has been up to...Yugi feels quite guilty for tailing a friend since childhood, I'm with him on this one but...Anzu could have more faith in Yugi to tell him...

 

One of the things that annoys me about Jounouchi is his  assumptions because of his pervert mindset besides underestimating Yugi intellect (to an extremely irritating degree for me 😒)..., fortunely he grows as a character even though there is still traits he still needs to work on later in the series...
They find out her "job after school" was a part time job in Burger World which is what most students do when it comes to part time jobs (fast food restaurant, family restaurant, convenience store, cafes, bars, newspaper deliver like Jounouchi, etc).
So Anzu didn't follow the warning instructions either and went for her part time job, the question is why she makes so much effort to hide she has a part time job, it isn't an "ilicit" job, so why would be the case... I wonder...side note:I find it funny is how she dodged by going back inside to Burger World.
Fom Yugi and Jounouchi reaction, they were shocked and understood as to why she was hiding it...now as for why she was hiding from friends...more specifically Yugi...and even has a part time job.

 

The reason she didn't say to her classmates and even more with Jounouchi because is against school rules to have a part time job, someone who has a big mouth like  Jounouchi, specially when is about himself is understandable not telling him, but Yugi, Yugi, it is where it confuses me the most, Yugi is her childhood friend, I think she could entrust Yugi just fine, I mean look at his behaviour, he felt bad from the beginning they shouldn't even enter and could tell she was mad, he told her the puzzle to her which was intentionally and originally kept secret, he clearly knows how to keep secrets, so why? it always confused me, I mean, Yugi may not entrusted her on everything but is usually due to his own secretive personality trait of his but he trusts her more than Anzu trusting Yugi, I say it confuses me because they are childhood friends and my idea about childhood friends is more or less, someone you can entrust things like these, that it helps to avoid this kind of "awkward problem" and anxiety...to make it matters worse, I would understand do the threatening with ketchup on Jounouchi's burger, but Yugi...that's just unfair...she knows very well Yugi wouldn't tell, Jounouchi is understandable as I mentioned, but Yugi, nope...

Yugi obvious crush on Anzu and him reaching puberty, because regarding the costume/uniform I can tell you based on my own aesthetic sense, the costume/uniform that Anzu is wearing is not cute and is not even practical, Anzu good looks is what makes the costume bearably cute 😐, there is two outfits she wears that I simply hate, it's this one and the one in Death-T.

 

She finally explains the reason why she wants a part-time job, that being to become a professional dancer, so she can save up money to study dance in New York, it seems to be the fact they were surprised she wants to study in America and not be wanting to be dancer, which surprises me a little and Yugi is blushing a little (still thinking about the costume of how Anzu looks in it I guess... 😑, while I feel sorry for Anzu wearing something like "that"), then when Anzu asks them to not laugh, Yugi reprises Anzu but in a more worried tone because Jounouchi used to mock and bully Yugi, but also trying to be the mediator in case it gets messy, but Jounouchi surprises with supporting her decision and her dream, after this is when Jounouchi and Anzu become friends and not friend of friend relationship...this time around starts to trust more Yugi when comes to confiding things a little more since they are childhood friends, I think this is one of the reasons why Anzu early character development is so awkward because after Monster World when it starts getting smooth.
Now the section of them being surprised she wants to study abroad in America and not about becoming a dancer, it's possible that is common knowledge of Anzu taking dance lessons for a long time possibly, but will be approached later...why I think so.
About Jounouchi in this scene, it shows despite his careless wild personality and many times lack of tact, when he sees someone as friend or starts seeing someone as friend, he is a supportive friend.

Before I get to the Anzu section, so I find interesting about this fugitive criminal says about death penalty executions trivia I find interesting, so I'll quote him:

"Blindfold yourself with this ribbon! I hear when humans can't see, they're so terrified they can't make a sound. They do the same to prisoners right before they execute them! I should know, I'm on death row...heh heh heh..."

I researched this a little and honestly I didn't knew really it was commonly used in "executions", so the reason he pointed out might be one of them, remember there have been blind people who have been executed before even though is rare to happen, so saying "when humans can't see, they're so terrified they can't make a sound", that's a bit of a rude misconception towards blind people who lived with it since young or birth and for many years, so the reason is slightly wrong, how many times there is blackouts to pick a candle blind or light the phone, I just think is a bit flawed assumption, it's more the sudden change of situation like in danger in this case, or build up anxiety towards your execution would cause the blindfold have this effect..., so depends of the situation of instigating fear with a blindfold is effective...

Quoting Anzu scene where it reveals from since when she wanted to be a dancer:

"I've had the dream since I was really little... I won't say Broadway... But I'd like to dance on a small stage at least..."

From the panel image of her wearing the ballerina outfit as a little girl and text she mentions in her inner monologue, it implies she takes dance lessons since she was little, so Yugi and her classmates must know even during this time she still takes it for her dream, one could think, but what about scholarship for foreigner students, well, even for scholarship, might not be enough to study abroad, many students when preparing for college do this and even for their school fees...

 

I feel so sorry for Yugi of how easily he stands out as I constatntly point out if he is at front with his hair and small appearance, to be honest Yugi doesn't look scared neither courageous, more on the concerned and worried side for Anzu, the criminal calls him:

"You! The wussy little one! You're the one!"

He even added "little one" like you say to a little kid, it wasn't "shorty" because well, Yugi looks like a little kid at this time, it's after duelist kingdom he starts getting the growth spurt, but I find Jounouchi reaction to Yugi being called as interesting, he starts to realise not just with the "director jerk", here too, it just happens often to Yugi, he attracts trouble even by not doing anything really and feeling very bothered by it...but most people because of his appearance of a child who is a teenager that one can tell by his uniform, it's nothing new when short people are looked down, which why there is some who are known for their short temper, specially those who have Napoleon complex (there is a lot of discussion about Napoleon real height).

Here comes Anzu thoughts process about the "wussy little one", she suspect fairly quickly the criminal was referring to was Yugi, what could be the reason? From Yugi and others reaction, how Yugi follow through, it implies that is common for him to be called "wussy little one", so Anzu must have heard a lot as childhood friend of his but could be she thinks a little like that too? I think is only a little, but not much on the wussy side but more on the "little one" as he looks like kid, sometimes she forgets for a little that Yugi is technically a teenager...it's not only in the first chapter or this one and there is a few others instances.

Anzu is one of the characters who gets very protective when it comes to Yugi, onward isn't the only one occasion and character with Jounouchi (which is something I mention rather often of Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda, but Honda doesn't shelter him as much as the former two).

As for slap a female character by a male character in the media overall like this scene (between women is funny though), I have to be a little on the critic side as something overdone, make the slap even dramatic, it makes obnoxious, irritating of how overdone and makes me rolls the eyes, let's say is overdone, I get it is not uncommon women go through this, put to potray it with a slap or "beating up", it's classic cliche to show a male character overpower a female character, when is viceversa in the media is even more annoying...even of the same gender is still irritating too, I'm not a fan of scenes of one overpower the other by "physical agression and violence", even those cliche someone putting their shoes over someone's face or turning someone body lying on the floor with a kick, or even kick them...it's a rather repetitive formula to show the antagonism and threat that character gives...

Now Yugi's reaction, considering his character with his pacifist principles which he holds firm and since he hates fighting and violence, specially physical, I think Yugi didn't just reacted to this slap not only because it was Anzu being slaped, but also bases as someone who is against violence by all means.

 

I'll start with the criminal, one more time we see someone who is a complete strangers to each others other than knowing this criminal is the fugitive from the newspapers, he noticed the changes with someone he just met, from Yugi to Dark Yugi, another detail in this scene is mostly the "sinister mode" of Dark Yugi in the art, the more tense moments is a slight "current mode", this shows Dark Yugi and Yugi are way too distinctive to be the same person, it's possible Dark Yugi was kinda predicting based on the conceited and overconfident criminal with a gun by reading him.

Regarding Anzu noticing differences, by quoting her inner monologue after hearing Dark Yugi's voice and lore reveals aspects when Dark Yugi takes over:

"This voice...Yugi...?! No! It sounds similar, but it's different, it can't be! This confident voice can't be Yugi! I don't know who it is, but he's crazy to talk like that to someone holding a gun!"

This is after Dark Yugi challenged the criminal to a game with cocky mannerism like he always does when comes to challenge someone to games...😒.

So even Anzu could detect the differences between them before knowing it was Dark Yugi taking over Yugi's body, to me the interesting part is she thought "Dark Yugi"'s voice was similar to Yugi and highlights as "confident voice" couldn't be Yugi, which is one of the most stand out qualities of Dark Yugi, she is well aware Yugi has low self-esteem therefore lacks confidence (but even when Yugi becomes a confident individual, it's notable in Dark Side of Dimensions movie but Yugi has his own confident voice and is different from Dark Yugi, I'll approach this once I come to Dark Side of Dimensions or after it as to why), because of these mentions and Anzu's observation about "Dark Yugi"'s without knowing is or who is Dark Yugi, I think it also reveals that the millennium pendant/puzzle powers in changing a little "Yugi's vocal cords sound.

As for the game and rules, it's unusual and simple but once again Dark Yugi "creates" a game on the fly based on the limited materials or equipment available to him, that's some resourfulness, thinking-ahead, observation and creativity mixed with some power of suggestion ("You can even pull the trigger").

Be aware, the criminal is wielding a gun, if he want to he could do it right now pull the trigger, he could and he is putting his cigarette in his mouth already and is confident about by just wielding a gun and pull the trigger he wins with many people life in danger, even Dark Yugi despite his confidence and cockiness, he is still in a life-threatening situation...

 

So this is the moment, the guy forgot the lighter, a small detail Dark Yugi noticed with the criminal overconfidence, technically what is giving the criminal this much confidence that everything goes his way is pretty much is his past to be convicted in the first place and the fact he is holding the gun from an observer in this situation and for good reason still, so Dark Yugi is more or less outsmarting his confidence and it's source while firing it up his ego, where Dark Yugi put the lighter like you would put in games of balance over the criminal hand holding his alcoholic drink, so that is interesting subtle reference, but to accurately describe his situation...

In this scene by describing the criminal situation left by Dark Yugi while considering pinpoints of importance, the criminal can live if he stay still and accept his loss gracefully or surrender to live since alcoholic drink he is holding and putting to the cup is a vodka which has high percentage of alcohol reminded by Dark Yugi to the criminal because with the lighter over his hand and if he pulled the trigger with the trigger pull force, the lighter would fall and he would die...making matters worse he is smoking... if he let go of the cigarette, he dies too..., just so you know his source of his overconfidence is not just as his experience as a criminal and holding a gun, there is an unreliable source of confidence, in the beginning of this chapter, he mentioned about his horoscope said his luck will be on his side...so continuing with the scene...

 

Instead he insists on his "horoscope luck" and let go of his cigarette to mumble "but my luck...", idiot, he could just spit the cigarette to the side, or as I said he could admit his loss at the game, let go of the gun then pick the lighter or surrender...then he dies by mumbling about his luck then cigarette fall to the spilt of vodka and he dies....but the main discussion about this key point is if Dark Yugi killed him intentionally or kill him indirectly intentional or non-intentional, I think it was indirectly intentional while knowing the risks for his opponent not surrendering or admitting his loss and him surrendering because Dark Yugi takes Anzu by her wrist to stay away from a "human bomb" may happen or far away of someone who could let go of the gun on the table and take the lighter and pick up again his gun, I say this because we have seen cheaters like Ushio (who was close to lose his hand and Director), that's right he could have lived if he made different choices as the ones I mentioned.

Even though being intentional directly or indirectly, it's legitimate self-defense, the guy was ready to pull the trigger with a gun on his hand to Dark Yugi's face or anyone who moved, it was still a life-death situation, nowadays is still hard to be in control of these situations when there are hostages involved.

This is the moment when she started crushing on Dark Yugi when he saved her, quoting her inner monologue:

"Who was that man...? Who saved me? I'll never forget that voice. «Let's play a game...» After all I've fallen in love with it's owner"

Remember when I said that Anzu's early character development is very awkward? it starts in this chapter, specially in this moment, it's fascinating that it relates to Dark Yugi and Yugi...I always find her crush on Dark Yugi early on, based on a idealized version of a more mature Yugi but is also mixed with having a crush on Dark Yugi, she thought when she heard the first time the owner of the voice(Dark Yugi) had similar to Yugi however was a "confident voice", to her at the time was what made her think it was different and similar to Yugi, besides the millenium lore doing the magic make it closes to the true voice of Dark Yugi/Atem, but to her stood out too "let's play a game..."(Yugi is into games, so is Dark Yugi) it was not even the first words Dark Yugi said to the criminal...she sees as someone separate and as a "man"(mature) simply based on being aware Yugi is not a confident character despite trying to encourage Yugi to be more confident in the first chapter...but these aren't the more notable hints about this "mix" being attracted to Dark Yugi and idealazation of a mature Yugi in later chapters.

See Ya Next Post!!