Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 152 Battle City Begins!

Are we certain this city isn't a bit too chaotic to house structured battles? Ever since readers were introduced to this hellscape of limited adults and children committing all kinds of havoc on each other, I've been considering Domino to be a setting befitting a Lord of the Flies tale - consistently revealing man's brutal nature in a series of over-the-top violent acts that kids just end up engaged in, like it's their job or something. Sure, we've been getting away from that with more current storylines, but Duelist Kingdom and our previous arc have revealed ANOTHER violence that Kaiba seems all too ready to invoke upon Domino now; the economic kind.

But before we dive into that...

Oh yeah, this completely unnecessary duel happened. It was such a forced and contrived conflict that I was hoping it didn't really happen for the sake of the story, but, there it is.

Jonouchi is aghast that his opponent in the cloak managed to draw all five pieces of Exodia, and Cloak-guy chuckles as he explains that they ghouls are master counterfeiters, capable of replicating even Exodia. He doesn't explain why Exodia would be more difficult to produce than any other cards, instead opting to mention that he has three of each of Exodia's pieces in his deck, and that no duelist can beat him. Jonouchi growls, starting to describe Cloak-guy with some choice adjectives, but Cloak-guy smacks him upside the head with the Duel Disk still strapped to his arm.

Why did Jonouchi let this guy get close enough to hit him? Furthermore, why is Jonouchi not defending himself?? He's an experienced street-brawler! He should be wiping the floor with this guy! But for some strange reason he's brought down to his knees when he stayed on his feet while being beaten with an array of crazy things back in the early chapters of this manga. Maybe he's gone soft?

Cloak guy commands one of his cloaked homies to steal Jonouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon and the homie reaches for it, successfully pulling it off a weakly protesting Jonouchi on his hands and knees. The cloaked homie admires his new acquisition and how it shines in the moonlight - you know, BEFORE that whole tournament thing. He looks forward to the morning when the town will be overrun with little dueling kiddoes, meaning a good hunt is in the cloaked gang's future, and a particular tasty morsel that has the God of the Obelisk card.

Yeah, I think you'll have to work a bit harder for that one, guys.

As the cloaked gang walks off, they exposit that they already have the Sun Dragon Ra card and Slifer the Sky Dragon, and if they get Obelisk, they'll have all three of the invincible god cards. That sure is how math works, mmhmm. Jonouchi has collapsed all the way onto his belly now, cards scattered around his face in the pavement as he mumbles uselessly that Yuugi should watch out, because they're coming.

When the sun comes up outside Sugoroku's game shop, he's standing outside, holding a broom above his head horizontally as a salute to the sun and laughing that jolly old elf's laugh of his. He looks back at the building and comments on how Yuugi's light was on all night, meaning that those "two" boys must have been up all night putting their tournament decks together. Is he under the impression that Jonouchi is still there, or is he referring to Yuugi and Yami as different too, now?

You made a pile! Good job!

Yuugi peers through his blinds, astounded by the fast arrival of morning, while Yami holds their new deck up to examine. Uhhhhh, how is this happening? They've shown up separately before, but one has to be spectral since they share the same body - so each of them manipulating physical things with two bodies is super impossible here. They ARE holding the cards and pulling at the blinds with opposite hands, so maybe it's really the one body represented as two for the picture?

Yeah. We'll go with that.

Yami fits the deck comfortably in it's loop on his card utility belt, addressing Yuugi as he does so. Yuugi asks what's up and Yami admits that this isn't just any tournament to him, but a battle to find himself. Yuugi appears confused by this statement, wondering what that means. Yami doesn't elaborate, saying instead that he'll need Yuugi's help to win the fight. While he holds up the belt with the cards inside, he tells Yuugi that no matter what he'll keep faith in the cards they chose together in every duel, and that Yuugi should keep his words in his heart. Yuugi happily agrees, no longer looking confused, though Yami is being more vague than ever. He knows better than anyone that Yami would never duel just to get a rare card, but he won't ask what Yami is fighting for or what he wants either. Yuugi's cool just riding along to find the answer.

You two are so adorkable.

There's a scattered crowd hanging out in Domino City Plaza as of eight in the morning, most of them examining the cool doohickeys they purchased just yesterday. I say most because one older guy slouches through the crowd, adjusting his glasses and wondering what's going on with all these weird people with their fancy arm-fashion. One of these weirdos tells the old man that "NORMS" like him better keep their distance. Instead of following this up by claiming he's from Newgrounds, his friend states that the town is about to become a battleground.

Close enough.

Cut to Yami wearing his jacket like a cape again while he stands around in the crowd. He worries about Jonouchi's tardiness, but his attention is immediately diverted by Mai approaching him with a friendly shout and wave. Yami greets her too, just before she affirms that this is the place and it's almost time, with everyone gathering under the big clock in the center of the plaza. Yami agrees that it's almost time for the tournament rules to be announced, because KT doesn't know how to write small talk.

Mai makes their meeting less awkward by bringing the subject back around to Jonouchi, asking if he shouldn't be entering. Yami confirms that Jonouchi should be there any minute and Mai all but squees in response. She's genuinely happy that he seems to have made the cut, before Ryuzaki and Haga make their appearance nearby, commenting on how long it's been since they've seen Yami and Mai. Mai is obviously LESS happy to see them, saying their names in a somewhat biting manner. Ryuzaki points his finger, demanding attention for his declaration that Mai and Yami are going to pay for what they did on the island. I understand making Mai pay, since she was a total asshole to him in Duelist Kingdom, but what the fuck did Yami do?

Haga jumps into the bragging ring to warn Mai and Yami that it won't be as easy to beat him this time, because his insect cards are many times as powerful now. Ryota (Otherwise known as fun ocean bro) pops up to laugh at the insect deck of Haga, because his Fortress Whale is bound to swallow him whole once he sets his eyes on it. Ryuzaki shouts that if they're going to compare sizes, his dinosaurs are massive.

First of all, please don't, because we all know what you're compensating for with those "dinosaurs". Second, whales would still win that size battle by their sheer tonnage alone, boy. Better recognize.

Mai is already tired of these clowns and their petty bickering, so she suggests to Yami that they walk away. Yami complies without so much as a peep of protest. Elsewhere, it looks like Cloak-guy is sitting outside a coffee shop holding a steaming mug and tapping on a little laptop, much like I'm doing now. Unlike me, he's pouring over the tournament roster, muttering that #312 has quite a nice rare card as well, basically picking out his victims for the tournament to come. Pshaw, I picked out MY victims ages ago.

An speaking of picking out victims...

His corporation determined the eligibility of each duelist standing in the plaza by their ranking in this completely subjective database, and all their Duel Disks are proof of that! Kaiba is very methodical about picking his victims. Yami holds up his arm sporting the Duel Disk as though Kaiba can see this as Kaiba continues, stating that their tournament will take place in the entirety of Domino, which he has okayed with the civic authorities of the city.

This place has POLICE??? Oh yeah, I remember those ineffectual bastards from the card bomber fiasco. Of COURSE they agreed to this nonsense.

Kaiba says that no matter where any two duelists are within city limits, they may duel if they meet up. He specifies the more mundane aspect of the tournament of 40 cards per deck, just in case someone was thinking of pulling a fast one, I guess. Then, when he mentions that the winner gets to choose which of their opponents rare cards they want, I'm a little surprised. I thought the ante was discussed BEFORE the game? Whatevz. Kaiba describes the effect that winning has on your game, making it stronger and stronger, but losing makes it hard to catch up. He doesn't mention taking cards out to keep their decks at 40 cards for the tournament, but maybe you're SUPPOSED to play with extra or fewer cards the more you win/lose?

Yami muses on how the ante rule, players at risk of losing or gaining rare cards, will make this tournament as cutthroat as it gets. Meanwhile, Kaiba says that according to his reports, there are 48 participants in the tournament as a whole, but only eight of those will make it to the finals. This is quite the shocker for the crowd, but Kaiba presses on about the location of the finals, which is a secret, but within the city's limits, just like the rest of it. Yami looks astounded at this development, and I'm not sure why. He SHOULD be saving that shit for Kaiba's next reveal, which is that HE doesn't even know where the finals are out of fairness, because he will also be participating in his tournament.

But everyone is still hung up on the fact that they don't know what this secret location means, and someone shouts a question about how they're supposed to find it, then. Maybe Kaiba can see them, because in answer to this, he asks them to look at the underside of their Duel Disks, which has a transparent card stuck to it.

Kaiba is holding his own card up to his face when he describes it as a puzzle card. He says that all 48 of them will reveal a map of Domino when stacked together. Yuugi understands that each card has one piece of the map, but bumps up against the fact that there are only eight finalists. Not to mention the fact that being able to see a whole map through the different layers of 48 cards would probably be impractical as shit. Kaiba rescues this failing idea with the information that each card comes equipped with a special prismatic coating, so that when any six cards are stacked together, a light shines on the location, which will be their finals location.

He confirms that yes, indeed, all of the puzzle cards of the loser go to the winner of each duel. Kaiba grins as he tells the audience that only those who collect six puzzle cards will be able to reach the finals. We get a panel focusing on some of the more memorable duelists from Duelist Kingdom, Mai and Yami getting their own, and then the crowd throws up their arms in celebration and a collective cheer.

Over the backdrop of a blimp flying over the city and the clock, Kaiba announces that the tournament starts at nine, so they should all probably scatter. One of the nameless duelists panics about the less than half-hour he gets to move to his preferred spot, while another just stands in the middle of the plaza threatening to duel anyone who so much as looks at him. Ryota runs toward the ocean and Haga heads perpendicularly away from him.

Mai peaces out, telling Yami that they'll go head-to-head the next they come across one another, and Yami agrees eagerly. However, as the time approaches nine, Jonouchi tears into the plaza, and specifically the coffee shop where Cloak-guy was enjoying his hot beverage a couple of pages ago. He still is, as a matter of fact, and Jonouchi is pointing at him with menace. Yami wonders where in the hell Jonouchi's been all this time, but Jonouchi is still facing the unconcerned Cloak-guy, sipping from his mug. Jonouchi shouts that he's been looking for Cloak-guy, who is good at disappearing in the crowd but not hiding his snake-like eyes. I don't see how it's not the other way around, given that cloak should make him pretty distinctive in a crowd, but shrugging it off now.

Cloak-guy takes a big obnoxious slurp from his mug before telling Jonouchi that since he has no rare cards, that should mean he doesn't get to enter the tournament.

While you flopped around on the ground like a dying fish.

Yami asks Jonouchi what happened, and Jonouchi finally notices that his friend is there. He warns Yami that there are Rare Hunters in this tournament and to be on his guard. Yami's thoughts reflect Kaiba's when HE heard about the ghouls from Ishizu, calling them a crime syndicate that rules the gaming underworld. I still can't really believe something so dumb exists, sorry comic. Cloak-guy continues to sip at his mug and giggle at the same time, giggling at the same time. I'm expecting him to choke at some point?

Finally, Yami asks the question he should already know the answer to, if that doesn't mean they took Jonouchi's rare card. He looks pissed, glaring at Cloak-guy, and Jonouchi tries to talk him down from dueling this guy, claiming that NO ONE can beat him and his homies with the cards they have. Cloak-guy grins, and Yami decides right then and there that he won't forgive him OR his homies. He informs Cloak-guy that anyone who steals a duelist's cards has to answer to the almighty card master that is Millennium Puzzle Spirit. I may have exaggerated that last part. Maybe.

Jonouchi shouts Yami's name, more desperate for him to take sensible advice, but Cloak-guy is already standing to egg Yami in the other direction, asking if Yami wants to duel him. In his head, Cloak-guy adds that Yami would be facing his Exodia deck. Jonouchi urges Yami to hold up a minute, but Yami shouts at him to stay out of the way as Yami gets his card back.

Hey, Yami's reminding me of someone close to him right now. Who could it be...?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The beginning just reinforced my irritation over the Jonouchi's treatment in the last, but here it was even more blatant. The Jonouchi in past chapters would not have gone down nearly as easy as he did here. It took one hit, when in the past, it took a lot more from better weapons. I'm not by any means saying that Jonouchi should have won this particular fight and not lost his card (although I SHOULD be, given the bogus setup of nonsensical happenings that led up to the moment), but he should have at least put up the fight I know is in his character.

It's even worse at the end of the chapter, when he's just standing there while the guy who robbed him is sitting there. As impulsive as he's been shown to be throughout the series, it seems out of character for him to be hanging back. And deferring to Yami so quickly and easily even as he's trying to convince him not to fuck with this Rare Hunter is just bizarre. Everything about the interaction between the three of them seems unnatural and wooden, because this in not how our two main characters normally act.

It seems like the story is trying REALLY hard to convince me that Yami is not only good and just, but also powerful. The thing is, it takes ACTUAL development in order to convey that power to the audience, not contrived plotlines that go against core character traits. All KT has done here is convince me that he doesn't know how to pull off his own plot ideas without characters being bent all to hell in the process.