It might be because this translator is going out of their way not to translate perfectly translatable words and phrases in the next couple of panels. I guess "Good morning, grandpa!" is just too much English for this hipster translator to handle, so Anzu says "Ohayo, Ojiisan!" as she approaches Sugoroku instead. He also wishes her a good morning, or ohayo if you're so inclined, as Anzu informs him that she and Yuugi are set to go to school together. Sugoroku turns to yell up to Yuugi in the shop behind him, informing him that Anzu is there to meet him. From a window at the top, Yuugi calls back in surprise, saying he'll be right down.
He's fondling the puzzle around his neck, which is now attached to a chain instead of a rope. While Yami's image stands straight next to him, smiling, Yuugi grins awkwardly as he leans toward the mirror. Yami tells him it looks really cool, but Yuugi thinks putting the puzzle on a chain is kind of like showing it off. Kiddo, it's a big gold ornament you've been wearing for some time now. I doubt a chain could draw ANY more attention to it than it would normally have gotten. Yami says the chain is definitely not too showy and that he would wear a bracelet to match if he were in Yuugi's place, giving him a wink, a thumbs-up and a stuck out tongue all at the same time. When did he become so goofy?
Yami asks Yuugi if he wants to try out the bracelet idea, but Yuugi stutters that this idea isn't him at all. He runs out the door and past his mom, who shouts after him that he didn't eat his breakfast. Yuugi clearly isn't listening, because Yami takes that moment to tease him from within his head, urging him to let Anzu see his handsome side. Yuugi tells Yami not to joke, and his mom stares, holding up that ladle she had in her last appearance. She worries that Yuugi's been talking to himself a lot lately.
Better than carrying around a ladle all the time.
Anzu notes the chain on the Millennium Puzzle with a grin and Yuugi smiles down at it too. Yuugi explains that because the puzzle is the most important link between him and Yami, the chain is both a literal and symbolic installation that ensures it not be broken again. Smiling, Anzu thinks that since Yuugi met Yami in Duelist Kingdom, he understands that Yami will always be by his side. Which is why he must be concerned enough to put the puzzle on a chain now. Makes perfect sense.
They walk away, Yuugi calling out a goodbye to his grandfather. As they're leaving Sugoroku behind, Anzu says she's really glad. Yuug asks about what, and Anzu elaborates that Sugoroku looks really energetic. They had all been so worried that Sugoroku's soul wouldn't come back just a little while ago, so it's a relief to see him about. Yuugi nods and says that when Sugoroku came back, he said he saw Yuugi's grandmother, who had already passed away. Awwwww, that's really sweet! Man, Sugoroku has grown on me from the weirdo pervert that he once was.
I'm sure he's still that weirdo pervert, but at least he's not invoking my ire by reminding me. According to Yuugi, though, Sugoroku has some ire of his own. He whispers to Anzu that Sugoroku has been in an awfully bad mood lately, and when Anzu asks why, Sugoroku comes charging into their muted conversation to yell that it's just too much. He begins ranting and raving about how something can happen to a man so old as him, and that his beloved store will be closed soon. What is he talking about? He points to indicate what has shoved that giant bug up his ass.
Anzu presses her forefinger to her chin as she examines the site, repeating the name. Yuugi explains that it's a new game shop that opens up tomorrow, adding that it's opening just opposite his house too. I don't think that needed to be said when everyone can see it across the street, Yuugi. Sugoroku watches the clown handing out balloons with a melancholy air, from his observation that it's really crowded even before it's opened, trailing off in his speculation at how much more so it will be once it DOES.
He says word on the street is that the Black Crown will have exclusive rights to sell certain games that their talented and equally exclusive inventor creates. Yuugi casts a curious gaze at his grandfather while he repeats the phrase "game inventor" in his head. Sugoroku continues that when the store opens tomorrow they'll be selling a brand new game from said inventor already. Yuugi internally admits that although he feels bad for Sugoroku, he's REALLY interested in this new game.
Yuugi begins to run across the street, calling for Anzu to join him in checking it out. Yuugi, you're being kind of a dick doing this right in front of your grandfather, aren't you? Sugoroku doesn't say anything about it, though, so I guess he can't be too terribly bothered. He's the kind of dude who speaks up when he's pissed off, for sure.
The clown continues to hand out his balloons while kids mill around the front of the brand new shop. When he turns around, Yuugi notices a sign on his back advertising a new game called "D.D.D.", and he wonders what kind of game it could be. The clown suddenly turns and leans close to Anzu while offering her a balloon silently, grinning. She recoils, holds up a hand, and says she doesn't want a balloon, as she thinks that the clown looks sick. Anzu turns to Yuugi and warns him that they'll be late to school if they keep hanging around, muttering about how his expression changes whenever he hears anything about a game. He denies it, but when they're walking away and Anzu suggests they can get together and play on Sunday, Yuugi happily agrees.
A hand in the next panel tosses a die in the air in the foreground as the kids retreat. The owner of said hand catches the die again, heavily lined eyes with black spikes drawn down his cheek from them closed, the clown leering over his shoulder in the same direction. They heard this tiny child referred to as Yuugi, and are intrigued.
Eyeliner Kid asks the clown, whom he calls father, if he really lost a game to Sugoroku a long time ago, and the clown answers in the affirmative, claiming that as the reason he wears the clown mask and has never allowed anyone to see his true face. Man, I've suffered some humiliation in my day, but I was never driven into hiding my face. That must have been a pure spanking. Eyeliner Kid glares, determined to never forgive them. For what? Your dad's stupid decision to hide his face for eternity?
The clown exposits that he raised and trained Eyeliner Kid, so named Ryoji, so that he can exact revenge for his clown!dad. Secondary purpose of the clown mask: to hide his identity from the authorities if he's ever caught in his child abuse. Hey asshole, you don't have kids to exact your petty vengeance. You have kids to perform all the menial household labor that you don't feel like doing. Get it right.
Ryoji is so thoroughly brainwashed that he's well aware of the purpose forced on him and asks his clown!dad to watch him take away all the things precious to Yuugi one by one. He's already invented several games specifically so that he can face Yuugi, and to defeat him for daddy's revenge. He also really wants the title King of Games too, though that title doesn't mean jack. Still, Ryoji plans to start his chain of robberies of all of Yuugi's fun stuff today.
At school, someone is asking about Ryoji and clown!dad's new store with some gusto. Yuugi and pals are gathered around, with Anzu stating that the arrival of the store is pretty overwhelming, and Yuugi explaining that this is why his grandfather is in a terrible mood lately. Jonouchi leans back in his chair and tells them he knows about the store because their ad clip was in the newspaper that morning. Anzu asks if he subscribes to the newspaper and Jonouchi calls her stupid because he's just the delivery boy. Ahhh, throwbacks to the beginning of the manga. Good times.
He's still working that gig because the prize from Duelist Kingdom was spent entirely on Shizuka's surgery. Honda asks how Jonouchi's sister is, reminding Jonouchi to tell them all the great news that Shizuka's eyes are already completely healed. Anzu cheers and Honda suggests that they all visit her next they get the chance, which Jonouchi agrees would make her really happy.
Then Jonouchi turns the conversation back to the Black Crown, asking Yuugi if he knows what new game they're selling at their grand opening the next day. Yuugi answers that all he knows is that its name is D.D.D. Jonouchi says that sounds pretty interesting, despite the fact that it's not because it doesn't denote anything ABOUT the game. Regardless, Yuugi says its interesting (read: dull as rocks) name is the reason Yuugi has decided to buy it without letting his grandfather know. He's all about the dick moves today.
Elsewhere in the classroom, they hear a squeal about how cool something is, and look around to see what it's about.
Ryoji says that THIS time, he'd like to place a bet. He adds another die to his collection, making a total of six, while he tells his admirers to buy him lunch if he's successful this time. No one protests to this bet, so he begins by scooping up the dice in the cup, shaking them around a bit, then slamming the cup down on the desk in front of him. The girls lean in expectantly before the cup is lifted.
Jonouchi is still hung up on Ryoji, spitting that he hates those kinds of jerks who use little tricks to fool all the girls round in circles the most. Anzu mutters that he's actually just jealous of them, but he says with a grin that he's the type to hide his talents and never show off. Arms crossed, Honda questions what this hidden talent of Jonouchi's happens to be, and Jonouchi asks with some irritation if Honda didn't figure it out from Duelist Kingdom. He shouts out that his talent of playing Duel Monsters was already revealed on the island. What happened to not bragging about your talents, kid?
Ryoji takes notice, and comes up to Jonouchi asking if he really has that kind of talent, and Jonouchi confirms. They spend a moment glaring at one another before Jonouchi tells Ryoji the tale of Duelist Kingdom not that long ago, where the U.S. Duel Monsters champ Bandit Keith lost to him in the finals. Anzu and Honda look embarrassed, commenting on Jonouchi's arrogant look and the fact that he had wasted no time in becoming that show-off he claimed to hate seconds ago.
Sporting a friendly grin, Ryoji says that Jonouchi is really cool. Duel Monsters is one of Ryoji's favorite games, and he knows about Bandit Keith too, information that has Jonouchi looking like he's basking in the sun. His ego's not going to do him any favors.
No one else is curious about this except for me, and Jonouchi takes the bait, ready to see who's afraid of whom. No one called you chicken, Jonouchi. Just slow your ass down boy. As Ryoji says he's ready to go, his fangirls all wish him good luck. At first, Jonouchi growls in jealousy, but he convinces himself in the next moment that he'll beat Ryoji and take away all those girls. Yeah, good luck with that.
Yuugi is side-eyeing the scene, thinking about the reasons "he" is playing this game, and I can't be sure if Yuugi is referring to Jonouchi or Ryoji here. No time to speculate, because Ryoji is starting his game by showing he has the cup in one hand and a single die in the other. He tells Jonouchi to watch carefully now, as he throws his single die into the cup. It rattles inside, and Jonouchi determines with a glare that it's really in there. Ryoji shakes it up a bit, eyes closed in concentration.
The cup is once more slammed onto the table, lip-down. Ryoji displays open hands to Jonouchi in the next panel, and I note Ryoji wears a ring on his right pinkie finger here where he didn't in the last. It's not important, but inconsistencies tweak my brain in the wrong way and I have to share the discomfort. Anyway, Ryoji tells Jonouchi that his die is now in the cup, and there's nothing in his hands. In the next panel, the ring is gone again while Ryoji asks Jonouchi if he wants to bet he can get the die out from under the cup without touching said cup.
Jonouchi smirks because it seems like a safe bet to him. He knows the die is in the cup and he can't think of how Ryoji can get it out. He doesn't seem to have realized that this, much like Ryoji's last show, is more of a magic trick than a game, and everyone knows you NEVER bet with a magician. But Ryoji sweetens the pot by offering to do anything Jonouchi commands if he should lose, like frog-jumping or barking. A couple of Ryoji's fans are freaking out at the promise, as Ryoji proposes the conditions if he WINS; Jonouchi has to do what Ryoji tells him for a whole week. Jonouchi thinks this is intriguing while I'm screaming at him not to take this bait. ABORT. ABORT.
Too late. Ryoji states that the bet is on, and Jonouchi confidently thinks that unless Ryoji is telekinetic or something, he can't get at the die. He looks forward to making Ryoji bark like a dog in front of all those girls and thus humiliating him. Again, good luck with that. Yuugi leans his head on his hand, knowing that the cup really DOES contain the die, so Jonouchi CAN'T lose. Except Yuugi is forgetting that Jonouchi has been goaded into a whole hell of a lot more than moving a cup for his opponent before.
Sure enough, Ryoji points to his right fist, claiming that during all this talking, the die has already moved. Jonouchi's eyes widen in shock as he shouts in disbelief, so Ryoji encourages him to check for himself. Jonouchi, you are hopelessly gullible.
Because a bet is a bet, Ryoji says that from this moment for a whole week, Jonouchi has to do what he says. While staring at Yuugi's poop-face, Ryoji internally declares that he's using Yuugi's friend as a puppet and will tear their friendship apart.
Insert evil laugh here.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? We have another abusive step-father? I thought that was Kaiba's shtick. Maybe it worked so well for that character, KT decided to slap another villain with it. Can't have a character with a HEALTHY relationship with their parents, no sir... And hey, while we're at it, just give Ryoji a plot that revolves around him palling around with Yuugi and friends while hiding his ulterior motives and the expertise to invent something specifically designed to take Yuugi out.
For fuck's sake, he's like discount Kaiba, or Kaiba mixed with a bit of Bakura at least. But, Ryoji seems to have more social skill and a greater ability to hide those ulterior motives, so there's that. Still, he's striking me as annoyingly similar. KT should know better than anyone that the last thing we need is another Kaiba.
Other than that, I enjoyed all the reminders of the character's different stories and the updates on how they were resolved. It was great to see the chapter started with Sugoroku to alert the audience that he is, in fact, okay. It's nice to know that Shizuka's seeing great now as well, though she's a bit more removed from the immediate vicinity. Lastly, I'm glad there was a reference in this chapter about how much time has gone by - we get confirmation that indeed, these kids are officially a grade higher now, which helps drive home the amount of growth they've undergone in the past.
Not that they'll DO anything in this new grade. This school still doesn't seem to offer actual lessons so much as a place for the mains and their villains to bump into one another. Some things never change.
In the anime, Clown Dad never shows up for some reason. First 4Kids censors Yugi's mom and now this! Otogi instead has a beef with Yugi for attacking Pegasus and ruining his chance of making Dungeon Dice Monsters successful. Though, as it turns out, Pegasus' letter in the mail was a bit delayed. Likely because of Bakura, the little shit.
ReplyDeleteJoey has a duel against Otogi, where they both build a deck using cards from random booster packs. Joey is then forced to dress in a dog fursuit when he loses, which seems like someone's fetish.
I mean, there's this widespread phenomenon of people being scared of clowns, so maybe they were trying to avoid triggering a whole bunch of coulrophobia or something. Doesn't explain why they removed Yuugi's mom from the equation though. Is there a widespread fear of moms too? I dunno... XD
ReplyDeletePegasus's letter being delayed because he had his Millennium Eye clawed out by asshole!Bakura sounds about right to me, frankly. We'll go with that.
The dogsuit seems like a LOT of peoples' fetish, judging by how many pictures you can find of Jonouchi in it online, lol! The anime folks hit a goldmine with that little addition, inexplicably!