Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 7 (Dark Yugi VS Kaiba Part 1/2)

As it insinuates in the title, this duel will be covered in two posts, because the events it happens during this duel is huge, last time I did with a duel of this scale was Dark Yugi and Yugi VS Pegasus (the difference is it was all in one post, back then I did say to myself, next time something like this happens, it will be in two parts), so there.
This duel is pretty long, the entire duel could fit in one volume if it could, but in this duel, the transition to the next volume comes in part two...that's how long it is...so we will be staying yet in Volume duelist 22 (Volume 29 in japanese print).
It took long to publish, lots of interventions...

Plot Summary:

After the little talk, Kaiba finding the site for their "ultimate duel" is too drab, so he activates a virtual stage, then they start their duel with lot of back and forth by testing each other and see who will be summoning their god cards first...When their god card are both in the field, it can be seen from the distance inside the battle ship of how huge these monsters cards are in size, Ishizu is watching while being at Rishid's side, Honda noticing, he grabs Jounouchi and holds him and puts him on angle so Jounouchi head is facing the window, in case he wakes up and sees this, as this happens, the ECG moved a little...
While Dark Yugi and Kaiba are in a position when both god cards are equal in power and attack at the same time making a huge blast and with this the Millenium Rod starts glowing on it's own plus the Millenium Puzzle, so Kaiba and Dark Yugi have an out of body experience, watching a memory of the pharaoh and the priest, almost everything looks destroyed, you see a priest looking a lot like Kaiba speaking to the Pharaoh, who looks almost exactly as Dark Yugi and both start summoning their ace monsters from the stone slabs, the vision ends, both of them are back with shocked expressions while holding their breaths from the intense experience, emphasising the importance of their duel was always meant to happen.



Key Points:

 

Kaiba really loves to go big...specially when it comes to his rival, created a virtual stage just dedicated to their duel to decide who will be "the ultimate duelist" -.-", good grief with this guy but serves to show how hyped he is for this duel in particular, so the site of the top of the duel tower is only too drab for their duel...not for others, his standards are so ridiculous...
It's clear to see where he sought inspiration, based in Rome Colosseum on the gladiators times.

Dark Yugi is getting hyped as well, figuratively thinking as what represents sword and shield, I do mostly agree, until it reaches pride, my usual problem with pride, well they are very intense characters when it comes to convictions and competition...(Kaiba is mostly intense in general).


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Unboxing : Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Side of Dimensions DVD (Manga UK)

Sorry for taking so long to show this...it did arrive in 9th June from Amazon...

The quality is ok, from my smartphone, sorry for being, um, stretched...  I have forgotten to point something that I noticed only later after I have done the video, you can actually remove the cover, with the backside having Kaiba and his "alternative Blue Eyes White Dragon" and frontside being the cover and back cover (I'll scan it after I'm done with the Manga and start moving to Dark Side of Dimensions).

 

Before finishing this post, I would like to confirm to you that the subtitles are pretty fine and has with the characters original names and everything (I don't know about the english dub, but because I find it cringy, I didn't go check it. But I really like the cover, it's very nice, I don't about the Obelisk card though, so it will remain inside the DVD, wish would have been "Mahado" card, oh well.

To end this post, "Thoughts and Observations" about Dark Yugi VS Kaiba, will be divided in two posts/parts, take some time to be published, specially Part 1, since I still have visitors at my home.

See Ya Next Post!

Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 6 ( Duel Tower Break Part 1 )

This time around is the rare occasion when a break makes the transition between two volumes instead of the duels making the transition, so we're going from volume duelist 21 to 22 (in japanese print is 28-29), which means 2 volumes to go before we enter the Memory World Arc...this "break" will be unexpectedly long...be aware.
Once again, it took a bit of time 😒 for the same reasons stated in the previous post, the next post will take time too...

Plot Summary:

The last summary post ended with Jounouchi losing consciousness, friends and Jounouchi's sister shocked and in distraught finding out that he isn't breathing, later they take to the medical room in Battle Ship, and not having any reaction, in other words, clinically dead...Shizuka was crying, Honda not believing himself , Anzu was shocked and depressed, Ishizu being comforting to Shizuka, Dark Yugi is so deeply shocked that he is in a contemplative state of mind and tries to find sometime alone to sort his emotions and thoughts in deciding what to do now, suddenly ...as he is reflecting and feeling indecisive, suddenly he feels Jounouchi's presence at his side and this presence disappears, then the millenium tauk given by Ishizu which was supposed to be weakened after her duel with Kaiba starts glowing and shows a vision of a future after the tournament he sees himself preparing to duel against Jounouchi...this vision has given him hope to keep fighting and moving forward.
Dark Yugi comes back to Jounouchi's medical room and puts Jounouchi's duel disk on his arm, who hasn't given up on him yet and is aware Jounouchi is fighting too, as he walks away on the way to his fight with Kaiba, Anzu feeling distressed about the current circumstances about their friends (Mai, Ryou and Jounouchi) follows Dark Yugi and both have a very important talk, when Dark Yugi reaches the top of the Duel Tower, Kaiba still waiting for their duel and have a little discussion, their duel is about to start.


Key Points:

 

For everyone is a shock seeing Jounouchi unconscious, specially friends scared for his life due to the penalty game being death...even Yami Marik is shocked but not for the same reasons as the others...Kaiba may look expressionless but looking at his eyes...hmmm is not shock...

The art in this aftermath is quite impressive, I love the work from Takahashi on this break.

How rude 😠 ! and conceited plus arrogant, the major flaws of Marik's personality right there, his realisation of almost losing to Jounouchi makes him throw up a little... but then again treating Jounouchi as if he is a peasant and himself as if part of some nobility, I think that kind of mindset is the disgusting one, Jounouchi may not be born a natural for this kind of things, but he worked hard for it and earn it.


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Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 5 ( Yami Marik VS Jounouchi )

So we have reached Yami Marik VS Jounouchi, volume duelist 21 (in Japanese print is volume 28), wow...Memory World doesn't look so far off now.

The post itself will be long due to the importance of this duel, sorry for taking this long, lots of relatives coming and go simultaneously...


Plot Summary:

After they reached the top of the Duel Tower, the match between Yami Marik and Jounouchi will start shortly, there is some talk between Kaiba, Dark Yugi and Jounouchi about the following match...

The duel starts with Jounouchi first, when comes Yami Marik's turn, the shadow game will begin, there are some discussion and responses to this, right off the bat, Jounouchi starts to experience the same kind of torture in the ears Mai got it through, feeling more motivated to defeat Yami Marik.
Jounouchi gets to fight back against Yami Marik moves and the shadow game, so there is plenty back and forth with some Jounouchi comical flavour.
For two times Jounouchi was very close to winning against Yami Marik, mostly because he underestimated Jounouchi, the first time after with Jinzo turn on the tables on Jounouchi's favour and lastly because of the attack from Ra god card in phoenix mode to destroy all the monsters in the field and the shadow game, takes it's toll on Jounouchi's mental resistance, somehow Jounouchi can stand up slightly and has vision of the finals if he could stand up to the end of the duel, Jounouchi summons subconsciously "Gearfried the Iron Knight", when he almost sent his monster to attack directly Yami Marik, Jounouchi loses consciousness.


Key Points:

 

According to Yu-Gi-Oh! lore, normal people can't truly control a god card much less the Ra god card unless those who were chosen by the millenium items and tomb guardians, Divine attributes cards in this lore are special kinds of cards who chose their wielders ( reminder: the Nordic Gods in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, in its lore they're Divine attributes cards while outside of anime, in other words, OCG, they have different attributes being Dark, Light and Earth), I do disagree with the way Kaiba is phrasing of Jounouchi not being worth to touch a god card, I don't think these kinds of cards doesn't pick their wielders by their worth exactly, but more by connection and resonance, besides Jounouchi has a different kind of value, who doesn't need to be treated like a special snowflake like the gods cards are and do...

I think Kaiba can be a little hyperbolic when comes to games (or most of the time, xD), Ra god card special effects surpasses mortal thought...so over the top, but I do agree is overpowered.


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Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 4 ( Battle Royale )

Now starting the transition from volume duelist 20 to 21 (27 to 28 in Japanese print), It's about the battle royale happening to decide the matchup of the semi-finals, so I will focus on "true duelist" subject and it's influence on Jounouchi's character development plus slightly on Dark Yugi, Kaiba very little...this post will be a little big.


Plot Summary:

The judge starts explaining the rules of this battle royale and how influences the order of the matches and the matchups, basically if the player uses good strategy, they can choose the opponent they wish to fight.

There is a lot of back and forth in the battle royale, Kaiba focusing on attacking Yami Marik and Jounouchi so he can fight with Dark Yugi first before Yami Marik (because of Ra god card), Yami Marik is somewhat indifferent but will focus on Dark Yugi due to main Marik have wanted to kill him for so long, Dark Yugi is Jounouchi but displays in an overprotective manner, while Jounouchi is facing a dilemma between his promise with Dark Yugi/Yugi and saving Mai, through Kaiba provocations to Jounouchi and Dark Yugi, Jounouchi made his decision on focusing Yami Marik.
When Dark Yugi sees Jounouchi at a disadvantage, he feels undecided who to attack in order to keep his promise with Jounouchi until Jounouchi himself interrupts and tells him what he have learned so far and convince Dark Yugi to attack him and is aware he is the one who is at the most disadvantageous situation, with this it goes on Yami Marik going first in the gondola, then Jounouchi who sacrificed himself to be second to climb the gondola, lastly Kaiba and Dark Yugi.



Key Points:

I'm a little surprised that Anzu didn't notice, but Honda is unusual to say such a sharp fact, I can assume he understands about the overall on the subject of competitions, also he is quite right because the other two, Kaiba and Yami Marik will help Dark Yugi since Dark Yugi tends to be the centre of attention and interest among competitors and also the competitor can choose who they want to duel with or choose an opponent who they have a better chance of winning, so it's pretty much a big mind game as Honda says.

 

Jounouchi feels he is in a dilemma to choose between his first opponent to be Dark Yugi in order to keep his promise and Yami Marik to save Mai, to me is a bit difficult to understand why is a dilemma, because the two mentioned burdens doesn't hold the same weight, I would be okay if it did hold similar weights, but the truth, in this case, it doesn't, someone's life to save ( be it a friend or a stranger ) should be top priority over a promise with a friend...someone will unintentionally "help" cast away Jounouchi's doubts...


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Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 3 (Finals Destination: Alcatraz Island)

This will be the last post covering volume duelist 20 (vol.27 in Japanese print) alone, next post will be this volume and the next volume covering the Battle Royale.
In this post, Dark Yugi and Yugi plus Kaiba will have a lot of focus, so be ready, the plot summary will be small but the post itself there is plenty to approach in detail.


Plot Summary:

While Ishizu is helping Marik in saving Rishid, Kaiba is still analysing and studying in order to find and create methods to overcome Ra god card, Mokuba is concerned about Kaiba still not having started to sleep and discuss with his brother about where the finals will be held in a man-built island full of high-tech called Alcatraz Island, previously built and owned by Gozaburo Kaiba, the stepfather of the Kaiba siblings and previous president of Kaiba Corporation...
Yami Marik comes back to Rishid medical room and discovers Rishid is gone, meaning Marik through Anzu and Ishizu saved Rishid and hidden him on time from Yami Marik.
As the night still going, Yugi is having some difficulties to sleep and reaches the corridor of the two souls rooms between his and the millenium puzzle, Yugi is sensing something strange from Dark Yugi's room soul, it's the first time he is entering his room, he finds out that Dark Yugi's room soul is a maze and is deeply impressed by his room soul, Yugi hears Dark Yugi's voice from behind surprising him and moreover start discussing about Dark Yugi's soul room being a maze...and someone is eavesdropping their conversation...
As they're closer to reach Alcatraz, the night is over and the participants and cheering squad starts waking up, Kaiba claims to himself that he found a way to overcome Ra god card...
When they arrive Alcatraz Island and in front of them there is a tower which Kaiba named as Duel Tower, Kaiba reveals some details about his past related to Gozaburo Kaiba and Alcatraz Island, the participants and the gang walk towards the tower to see how the order and the matches will be decided.



Key Points:

In the same manner that was in previous posts showing moments of Kaiba vigorously studying and analysing Ra god card, even though Kaiba is very talented, extremely intelligent, you could even say, a prodigy but he is a hard worker and very dedicated to his goals, he is a very single-minded individual, which explains why he is intense about most things.

 

In these panels reveals what Kaiba Corporation previously was before becoming a game company, it was a company related to military equipment with a purpose of creating militaristic technology, Kaiba Seto, destroyed the former company to rise from it in order to create a new one, the kind which is linked to what he loves, games.
Mokuba mentions the Duel Tower which Kaiba built on Alcatraz Island as a symbol of  Kaiba Seto's decision of making as his own kind of company when he took over KaibaCorp...


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Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 2 (Yami Marik VS Yami Bakura and Marik)

Even though this duel isn't a tournament official duel of the finals, it's still not a selection of matches or the main matches.
I'll still be covering the same volume, vol. duelist 20 (vol.27 in Japanese print), there will be a little less focus on the duel, except maybe for the god card Ra, this will be a small post.


Plot Summary:

The Shadow Duel (as they like to call it) between Yami Marik and Yami Bakura is about to start, the rules in this shadow game are by each life point you lose, your body and soul are consumed into the darkness...
The duel dynamics, there is plenty back and forth since is between very skilled players, Yami Bakura is very close to win again, Yami Marik turns his tables around with the most powerful special power of Ra, Yami Bakura is defeated and leaves with a message related to what he truly is...while the main Marik being in such desperate situation when the part of himself was in Ryou Bakura disappeared, he came back to the part of him still in Anzu to ask his older sister for help to save Rishid from Yami Marik.


Key Points:

 

According to what Yami Marik is saying, there are special kinds of shadow games for those chosen by the millenium items...a millenium shadow duel (makes a cool name), if you think about the one Dark Yugi fought with Pegasus are these specials kinds as well, even though the duel between Dark Yugi and Yami Bakura is the only exception so far of not having a shadow game...even though they're both spirits sealed in the millenium items...

 

Again I'll say it, it's curious seeing two important villains to the plot clashing against one another, the other funny thing is that they're both sadistic and have the same kind of tastes when it comes to a thrilling game and both are excited for this kind of duel, their dynamics are very entertaining.


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