Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 167 Infected!

Not according to the doctor I had a visit with yesterday. Despite the strange waterlogged feeling and sound in my right ear for the past couple of days, he said it looked somewhat pink, but altogether NOT infected. Not that I'm not happy I haven't got a miserable ear infection, because I'm pretty stoked about that bit. I'm just a little sour that my dumb body wastes my time by tricking me into thinking there's something wrong with it, and subsequently spending an hour waiting to be told that it's just trolling me.

Jerk-ass body...

And speaking of jerk-asses that like to troll people, Haga yucks it up about how it's been a long time since he last saw Jonouchi in Duelist Kingdom. Jonouchi stares with some apprehension, knowing that even if Yami managed to beat Haga in the first duel at the Kingdom, there's no denying that Haga used to be Japan's champion at Duel Monsters. Anzu says that Jonouchi shouldn't even give Haga the time of day, not least of all because Haga threw Exodia into the ocean on the way to Duelist Kingdom. She is 100% correct, and as all correct women are, she is promptly laughed at by the guy she is discrediting as he expresses his gratitude that a girl so cute remembers him.

#HerToo. Fuck you, Haga.

Jonouchi guesses that the bug freak is only here for one reason, and it's not catching flies. Haga says that Jonouchi is smarter than he looks, pointing and grinning as he challenges Jonouchi to a duel right here and now, unless Jonouchi is afraid of course. He had heard that Jonouchi went pretty far in Duelist Kingdom, but Haga is convinced that Jonouchi is only as powerful as a locust's fart up against him. Two things: 1. that simile was painful, and 2. Jonouchi getting into the finals of a tournament you couldn't even get through your first duel in is a pretty good indication that your assessment should be flipped. But facts are beyond the delusional, and Haga is convinced he'll crush Jonouchi, and then Yami afterward. Suuuuuuuuuure. Whatever you say...

Bakura asks Jonouchi if he's going to fight Haga, and when Jonouchi shouts an affirmative, I have the brief hope that he means with his fists rather than cards. But hey, at least I know fantasy from truth and am quickly able to realign myself with the reality that this manga is still all about cards. Anyway, Jonouchi says that it's karma for Haga to meet back up with him to get his ass beat, because he goes around stealing cards from kids. Haga is beyond amused that Jonouchi actually believes such a story from the squirt he told to con him. Yeah, so idiotic to think that you would steal a kid's cards, Haga. No, you just hire them for jobs for which you never issue the promised payment and spray them in the face with poison.

Haga pictures the Parasite Paracide he knows is in Jonouchi's deck now and wishes for Jonouchi to consider it a gift. There's some part of me that really likes the impossible idea that this is some weird self-awareness on Haga's part that his plan will inevitably backfire because that's what always happens in duels involving Yami and his posse. That part of me really wants to write a fanfiction about the personal hell these villains endure knowing that no matter what they do to win, it will turn out to work in their opponent's favor instead. Would anyone read that?

Jonouchi is raring to go while Haga laughs, but Anzu warns him that Haga is obviously up to something, saying that she doesn't like that strange chuckle Haga has going. Jonouchi tells her that a true duelist doesn't run away from anybody, because that's what cowards do. Or it's what people who have critical thinking skills do when they see no point in giving a piece of garbage any satisfaction of acknowledgement. That too. He says he's dueling for the courage he wants to give Shizuka in this match too, which... well, we've already talked about why that's a load of horse shit.

The guy paid for her operation and she seems surprised he even exists...

Honda explains to her that Jonouchi is at a card game tournament in Domino City right now, fighting to give her courage. She hangs her head, thinking about Jonouchi fighting for her in disbelief. AGAIN, he paid for her operation, so I don't see what's so shocking about this.

Meanwhile, Ryuji is confused and wants Honda to explain to him how Jonouchi's personal accomplishments in a tournament are supposed to help SHIZUKA feel stronger too. After all, if she's going to learn to be brave, she has to do this herself, right? I'm in agreement with Ryuji here, but Honda thinks that he and I just don't get it, man. Honda insists that people sometimes have to help each other out, and not only CAN people get courage from others, it's the ONLY way. Leave the sermons to the pastors, won't you, Honda?

Ryuji scoffs, crossing his arms defensively as he mumbles internally that this is what he came here to find out. However Shizuka is on his side. She says that she's the only one who can decide to be brave, but she's scared. Shizuka trembles when she admits she's afraid that the bandages will come off and everything will still be dark, so she'll never get to see her brother again. She sobs softly as a reaction to her pessimistic thought, while both the strange boys look on awkwardly, Ryuji scratching his temple.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Honda whips out some clothes he brought with him, having packed the hand-me-downs from his sister just in case Shizuka didn't have a change of clothes on hand. He flaps them, saying that he's not sure if they'll look good, considering they're a bit loud. Shizuka keeps her head bowed, so Honda gets serious again, inviting her to go see her brother with him again. He tells her that she doesn't have to take off the bandage if she's not comfortable, because he and Ryuji will be her eyes for the trip.

Shizuka puts on a politely surprised expression (judging by the exclamation point above her head, since we can't see her eyes, obvi). Honda wants to let her know about one more thing, regarding an amendment to the statement that Jonouchi was fighting for her.

Okay, I can tell we're going to have a problem with this girl's expressions all looking the same until she finally shows us her eyes.

Ryuji suggests they get going, and a single tear escapes the underside of Shizuka's bandage as she mumbles that she wants to see her brother. Then she loses her shit altogether and screams that she wants to see Jonouchi. Calm your shit, child. Honda begins to help Shizuka to her feet, telling her that the train leaves soon and they need to hurry, while Ryuji knocks on the door to request the nurse get Shizuka's clothes for her. Honda encourages Shikuka one more time to get going with them.

And this whole time I'm wondering how old Shizuka is, and why she would be allowed to be checked out of a hospital by two teenage boys with no family ties. Is this a Japan thing or a KT-Doesn't-Think-These-Things-Through thing?

The next panels show decks being inserted into Duel Disks, and it's no secret who's getting ready for an overly complicated game aided by overly complicated machinery. Haga suggests he and Jonouchi bet TWO puzzle cards in addition to their one rare card, which Jonouchi is down with. Of course, the fact that he's out of the tournament if he loses both his puzzle cards in this duel is not lost on him. But, no time to dwell on that when there's glaring to be done so the comic can make clear who's dueling whom here! And then the start of the duel is called.

Bakura warns Jonouchi not to let down his guard and Anzu just tells him to beat the beetle-face. Sugoroku has his analytical face on when he considers the fact that even in knowing Haga has an insect deck, there are a ton of different strategies he could use. Jonouchi declares he gets to go first and asks if Haga is ready before slapping his Panther Warrior card from his hand onto his Duel Disk. He characterizes it as a super tough four-star monster that won't lose to any bug. Haga retains his smug grin and chuckle.

Haga puts a card face down, which Jonouchi hates because he can never know if it's a spell or trap or something equally nefarious, I'm sure. Then Haga summons a monster called Skull-Mark Ladybug in defense, which is just what it says on the tin: a ladybug with a skull-shaped mark on its back. Jonouchi is NOT impressed, mocking Haga for always choosing bugs for his monsters and asking if he EVER tries anything else. Haga isn't the least bit ashamed, though, thinking that once Jonouchi gets a taste of this super insect strategy, he'll have to boast through six feet of earth. And given the track record of characters literally trying to kill others, I'm not counting on that being hyperbole.

Jonouchi plays another monster, Little Winguard, with little wings everywhere from its oversized hat hiding its face to its boots. It also has four stars, which is the first thing Haga notices about it, and assumes this indicates Jonouchi's intention to summon a higher level monster on his next turn. At least for a moment, his grin turns into a grimace and his eyes narrow. Jonouchi moves into his battle phase by making his Panther Warrior leap forward and cut the Skull-Mark Ladybug cleanly in half. This has Anzu and Bakura cheering for Jonouchi, but Sugoroku shoots that shit down immediately.

Jonouchi is in angry disbelief that Haga gained MORE life from the death of his ladybug, silently chastising himself for not reading the fine print. Are you ABLE to read the opponent's cards in the hologram version of this game? Because I've always just assumed that those overlaid card pictures on the panels were for audience benefit and not actually visible to players.

I wouldn't beat yourself up, though, Jonouchi. We can't ALL be card-catalogues like Sugoroku. A state of being that creates a long monologue in his head, by the way. He thinks about how four-star bugs don't generally have a lot of attack points, but special abilities to make up for that, working well in combos. Sugoroku mentally warns Jonouchi to watch it if he don't want to get his ass beat.

Haga summons a new monster, the Pinch Hopper, again in defense. He encourages Jonouchi to come at him bro and make his day and similar stuff, all with his smug grin back in place. Sugoroku knows that even if Jonouchi kills the Pinch Hopper, Haga will have a replacement for it in no time. I guess that's the benefit to working with insects, being so numerous and all. Jonouchi is already irritated about what a pest Haga is, but finds consolation in the fact that he can summon a high-level monster by sacrificing the two he has on this turn. Yes, that will work so well in eliminating your current problem - the fact that the special abilities of Haga's deceased monsters keep giving him benefits in the game.

But Jonouchi isn't wrong that the Jinzo in his hand will give him immunity to Haga's future traps, and has high attack points as well. He draws exuberantly on his announcement that it's his turn and his eyes nearly pop out of his skull at the face of his new card.

Follow-up question: what are those tentacles doing to that guy's FACE? I'm starting to regret taking a closer look at that card than I did before...

Jonouchi recoils from the unfamiliar card that is obviously not his, wondering what it could possibly be doing in his deck. Haga giggles, judging by Jonouchi's look of disgust and confusion that he drew the foreign card. What gets Haga even more grin-y than ever before is the fact that apparently you're forced to play the card when it's drawn, no questions asked. So, a hologram is automatically forming of the card despite how the Duel Disk shouldn't have the capacity to read it if it's not touching the device. Jonouchi stares in alarm, and then horror when the tendrils from the two dimensional image start wriggling out into three dimensions. Haga's eyes bug in his anticipation at seeing those tentacles make Jonouchi's monsters their hosts, which it wastes no time in doing, shooting toward each while they look on with fear. Jonouchi is unclear what this frightening business is, but Sugoroku knows exactly what the parasite card is doing. A tentacle rises from the depths of Panther Warriors agape maw with cracks and growls.

As Kim Possible once said, it's a vivid image. But hey, don't take our word for it.

Gross.

Jonouchi observes how nasty his monsters have become and Haga responds that as long as he has a parasite card out there, Jonouchi's monsters will be infected with them. While Jonouchi's eyes widen in shock, a clueless Bakura says he just doesn't understand why Jonouchi would put a card like that in his deck. Anzu responds with the "duh" statement of the reality that it isn't anything Jonouchi put there. Is Bakura going to pull his head out of his ass anytime soon?

Sugoroku now realizes that he was right about that squirt, and Jonouchi accuses Haga the creep of doing this to his deck. Haga mocks Jonouchi for coming to this conclusion way too late, and brags that a brilliant strategist starts strategizing long before the battle. Yeah, that's not so much STRATEGIZING as it is a MILITARY OCCUPATION AND INVASION. Just ask Poland in 1939.

Haga continues to shoot off his mouth, claiming his deck has the ultimate power over insects and he can make them do whatever he wants. Sounding a bit rapey today, Haga. Because of the parasite possession of Jonouchi's monsters, the game considers them insects as well, and after asking Jonouchi if he understands this, Haga says that there's no way he can win. Jonouchi's heart pounds and his teeth grind.

Should have just flipped Haga off and walked away, dude.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I think KT realized really fast his mistake in centering Jonouchi's motivation on Shizuka again, and is attempting to hang a lampshade on that here. He's essentially presenting us with an answer to the question we never asked about the situation: "Is it possible to get courage from others?" versus "Is this motivational problem a bit backwards?"

And yet, strangely, it works. He's essentially given us a new way of looking at the potential value of Jonouchi's motivational attachment to his sister's condition. I don't think it works strongly, and can be a little fragile as a concept, but it does provide at least a little value to the situation. Whether or not one can draw strength from others is a worthwhile question that is oft debated with many a meme online. You've got the Ryuji view of the only one who can be responsible and in charge or your emotions is you, and the Honda view that deriving strength from others is the only way to go. It might be really interesting to see Shizuka stuck between the two viewpoints and trying to reconcile them. If KT is willing to let her be at least a little active, anyway.

I have little hope for what Haga is pulling in this arc, though. I don't see how a "parasite card" like his could even work in the game, let alone the Duel Disk. Yes, I did just propose the hypothesis that the Duel Disk is tapping into that ancient magic that allows the ACTUAL monsters to be summoned, but Kaiba and the producers of the cards don't know that. How could they create something that would force the player to use it when they could just as easily take advantage of the distance in the duel the machine affords and not even bother?

How could someone think a card like that would be useful in a game like this to begin with? I suppose if one wants to turn all their non-insect cards into insects this would be helpful, but then why not just get insect cards to begin with and skip a step? And the compulsory nature of the card kind of suggests that the person playing it wouldn't want to, so it stands to reason that the developers of this card WANTED the card to be inserted into an opponent's deck without their knowledge. It's like rohypnol for card games.

That's seriously fucked up.

Inuyasha Manga: 108 Sango's Betrayal

Wow, that was quick enough to make my head spin. There's usually a longer waiting period for these kinds of betrayals that were bound to happen eventually. I guess Kohaku's critical condition helped Sango's betrayal jump to the top of the list, though. Strange, I don't remember the life-saving personality transplant happening until MUCH later in the story.

"C'mon girl, gimme the deets." You've been hanging with the gossiping Kagome WAY to much, Inuyasha.

Sango remembers Naraku's command to steal Tessaiga if she wanted her brother back, and haltingly tell Inuyasha that nothing happened. Besides, she reminds him that she already said her brother wasn't capable of the cruel slaughter they had seen the aftermath of earlier, so whoever that was, it was no longer Kohaku. She glares at her lap while she makes this assertion, so Inuyasha retorts with a question as to whether she really thinks it's that simple. Sango's glare turns back on him while she sweats, and Kagome's seemingly sleeping form is a bit TOO quiet for the panel not to take note of it.

Inuyasha asserts that no matter how much Kohaku may have changed, he's still Sango's brother, even if it means that Sango answers with more glare than ever. He's looking at his lap now when he says that Kohaku shouldn't be able to forget or hate Sango so easily. Kagome is awake after all, opening her eyes a crack so she can look out of her periphery in Inuyasha's direction. Sango asks Inuyasha sharply what the hell he would know about it, but Inuyasha remains speechless, looking a little sad this time around. Kagome is only too aware to whom Inuyasha is referring: that undead priestess who shares her likeness.

Suddenly, Miroku says Inuyasha's name, opening his eyes a bit to warn him not to be careless, since they're surrounded and all. Were ALL of these fuckers awake this whole time??? Sango AND Inuyasha seem surprised by the fact that they're surrounded, despite the fact that Inuyasha's nose should have been on top of that shit. I guess part of his weakness as a hanyou is that his dog-nose only works when it's convenient to the plot. Whatever.

Kohaku is standing stiffly a few yards from the entrance to the hut.

This is your fault, Inuyasha.

You're bad.

Of course, once the youkai behind Kohaku see the main group poke their heads out of the hut, they immediately rush for the door. Inuyasha and Miroku steel themselves for a fight, while Sango gets all shocked all over again by the appearance of Kohaku. The youkai shout for Inuyasha and company to be murdered, but Inuyasha whips out Tessaiga with a curse, bringing it down on a head or two as he tells those wimps to get lost.

Don't you call Kohaku's bros wimps. He'll come after you.

Kohaku swings his sickle down on Inuyasha's blade with what looks like all his effort from the look of those gritted teeth. Inuyasha scoffs at the level of strength in it, however, and grabs hold of the chain to snap like a whip, sending Kohaku flying backwards. He advises Kohaku not to challenge him with that weak shit. He does NOT play.

Sango and Kagome gape, the former looking somewhat more appalled and the latter telling Inuyasha not to go killing Kohaku. Inuyasha yells back that he knows, MOM, and as Kohaku lands catlike on the balls of his feet, vows to grab him and wake him up instead. Inuyasha's habit of thinking that all problems can be solved with a good beating aside, this is not looking like it would go well if it were to actually happen. Kohaku is looking WAAAAY too defiant for that.

Yeeeeeaaaaah, I'm pretty sure if stabbing himself in the shoulder didn't wake him up, your fists aren't going to make much of a difference either, Inuyasha.

Sango shouts Kohaku's name in question while Kagome recoils and the Shippou perched on her shoulder gasps that Kohaku injured himself. Wonderful observation, Shippou. You are an invaluable member of this team.

Because Kohaku is clearly the kind of dude who likes to gross people out, he sticks his undoubtedly dirty finger into the wound he just created. The sound effects are even specifying how the digits are sinking in, and I'm a little queasy at the moment. Kagome's constitution is a bit more sound, though, and she lets everyone know in a panic what she can see are Kohaku's true intentions: he's reaching for the Shikon shard in his back so he can pull it out. Sango freezes in horror and alarm, her mind immediately jumping to what Naraku told her about how Kohaku's life is tied to that fragment in his body and how he'll die if it's removed.

Hiraikotsu goes spiraling into the scene, but doesn't go for an enemy. Instead, it knocks Tessaiga out of Inuyasha's hand, startling him. He glares back and shouts Sango's name, as Tessaiga is caught up in the boomerang's momentum and carried toward her, its transformation melting away. Its point sticks in the ground just a short distance in front of her while she catches Hiraikotsu. Kagome and Miroku call to Sango but make no moves to head over to her, only staring. For a moment, Kohaku just stares as well, a pained snarl still lingering on his sweating face.

He stands in a swift movement, one of his accompanying flying snake youkai slipping under him to carry him off. Kohaku stares down at Sango as he flies away, wordless. Sango stares back, wondering if this is a test to see if she takes Tessaiga herself. When she looks back at her eye level, she and Inuyasha face one another, and Tessaiga stands in the dirt between them. Instead of his usual cocky self, Inuyasha is wide-eyed and sweaty, leaving a sentence to Sango trailing and unfinished. She glowers at him, calls to Kirara, and grabs hold of Tessaiga, all while her new friends stare in utter disbelief.

"This seems like a sound decision. I can't see how I would EVER come to regret it."

Inuyasha is back to his old glare-y self when he jumps to follow Sango, asking what she's doing. All she can hear are her thoughts asking if this is the only way. Miroku prompts Kagome to join him in running after their rogue friend as well, and she stutters in agreement. All the while, Sango is determined to restore her brother to normal, no matter what it takes. That much is already clear, sweetie.

A whoosh of air later...

Hey, haven't we been here before?

It only takes Sango a moment or two to realize that this castle is the place where her father and the rest of their exterminating team were killed. Time to torch that place with your magical fire cat! Actually, not quite. Sango lands first and yells at Naraku to show himself. Of course, she needn't have been so loud about it.

I don't think your vision board is nearly big enough to make all this THAT easy, Naraku.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Let me just address the elephant in the room first and admit that YES, I deliberately left out the images of Kohaku digging his fingers into his wound and all that. I almost left out the image of him hurting himself at all because there's something about it that struck me more than most other images I've shown here. Usually, when someone gets hurt, it's not a deliberate action that they themselves take. Even if it is, it's for reasons other than forcing another character to do something they wouldn't normally do, or establishing a sick power-dynamic. The fact that Kohaku is a child and has been brainwashed into self-harm just compounds the immediate disgust I feel.

Which is, ultimately, what those images are supposed to accomplish. I want there to be no mistake here; I think the chapter is important and powerful. As awful as it is to see what will become one of my favorite characters self-mutilate as a warning to his sister, it's happening for a reason. It's not shock-value and it's not gritty realism in a vain attempt to be edgy. It's depicting an impossible and terrible situation in which each character (the conscious ones, anyway) has to evaluate and second-guess every single step they take.

Sango's struggle is the easiest to identify, as she can't know one way or another if stealing Tessaiga and giving into Naraku's demands is going to pay off. The only thing she knows is that Naraku has made Kohaku's life such an unsure matter that she can't be sure in NOT delivering on Naraku's terms.

Inuyasha's struggle has been somewhat understated, though. He knows very well what Sango is going through, even if Sango hasn't been around long enough to have picked up on the details. He's seen someone he loves brought back to life at the behest of someone who wanted to use that person for their own selfish ends. At the beginning of the chapter, he seems a bit eager to talk to Sango about this similarity, and the clear empathy he's expressing by holding back in being his regular violent self. He even looks especially hurt for a panel or two by how quickly Sango ran over his comradery in order to steal his sword.

I don't want to say for SURE that it's because he's desperate to talk to someone who is going through the same crap as him and needs Sango's shoulder as much as he believes she needs his, but... I'm leaning in that direction.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 166 Eyes that See the Future

More psychic characters? Listen, real or fake, I think the whole psychic bit is wearing a bit thin by this point. Can't we just be happy with the non-psychic and barely psychic characters that we already have instead of getting a new one every five seconds? I know we live in a consumer society that encourages us to throw away everything we own when it's not working perfectly anymore, but seriously, CHARACTERS should be honed and perfected rather than just replaced.

After all,

If this garbage tournament isn't being sold for scrap, then we should probably be giving the characters in it more of a chance too.

According to comic, about three hours have passed since the start of said tournament. Someone is shouting, asking if somebody else has found "them" yet. The next panel reveals the shouter as Anzu, fists on hips, while Bakura and Sugroku converge on her location and admit that they found nothing. Consternated, Anzu wonders aloud where they could be, mumbling that Yuugi should get a cell phone. Hey, take it up with his grandfather; that guy is clearly the one doing the monetary support in that home. All Yuugi's mother ever did was brandish ladles.

Bakura shades his eyes, still looking around, but also warning that it could take a while to find someone in the large city. Sugoroku whines that he wants to take a break. Scratch that suggestion to take the cell phone suggestion to him, Anzu. Not sure he's up for the responsibility of a cell phone plan.

Anzu suddenly turns to Bakura and starts chewing him out for having to wait on him for half an hour. Bakura apologizes with a sheepish smile, admitting that he stayed up all night writing his new tabletop campaign. Just watch out for that upside down and the Demogorgon, kiddo. #StrangerThingsFTW.

Anzu continues to grind her teeth, now over Honda going on some sort of trip, imagining him waving cheekily over his shoulder with a bag slung over his back. Deep down she's worried that everyone is kind of drifting apart these days. Bakura gives her a reassuring smile and tells her not to worry, because no matter where Yuugi is, he's doing fine because he's the literal best at this game. Or, at least half of him is.

This does nothing to quell Anzu's determination and she insists that they keep looking, against Sugoroku's continued pleas that they stop and rest for a moment. They keep walking around at her behest, Bakura amazed at how many people there are dueling everywhere. He happens to look over and see a crowd that draws his curiosity. It's a group of people marveling at someone shadowed in the foreground, who according to them, has been in the exact same spot since the previous day and hasn't done so much as taken a bite or drink of anything. Someone says this has to be some sort of record as Bakura sidles up to the crowd, trying to see what they're all looking at. When he finally does, he seems rather smiley about it, and Sugoroku has joined him with a reluctantly impressed face.

Woah. I'm not one to judge by appearances normally, but he looks like the human embodiment of a Mr. Meeseeks's attitude.

Sugoroku supposes that this mime is doing that trapped-in-a-glass-case routine, and for some reason, this seems to make Bakura think that he has license to get all up in the mime's face. Dude, that is the HEIGHT of rude to a street performer. You best BACK UP. Bakura does the opposite, shouting at the mime's stone face for his attention. EXCUSE YOU, BAKURA.

This freaking child. Can't take him anywhere, I swear...

But because this mime is a true professional at the height of his career (I assume), he doesn't so much as twitch. Bakura frowns, thinking that he can't feel any life from the guy at all, as if he's some sort of doll rather than a person. I'm sure that doesn't have anything whatsoever to do with the warning Yuugi got from Marik in the last chapter.

Anzu barks that this guy isn't a duelist, so they should just go. Bakura reluctantly follows, even though he clearly has a connection with the lifeless mime guy. The clock in the center of the plaza chimes noon, which prompts Sugoroku to whine some more about how he's starting to get hungry. He suggests to Anzu that they go get lunch, and this gives her an epiphany about where Jonouchi is.

Cut to the entrance to a restaurant called "Beef Buster". No lie. I don't know if this is an accurate translation or if it's just a joke name the translators came up with, but I am struggling not to laugh in front of my coworkers right now.

Could it have been the gigantic piece of card game machinery attached to his arm that gave him away? He of course adopts the smuggest of expressions when he announces that the guy behind the counter is correct. Not sure how he does all this while he's stuffing his face, but you know, he's talented like that. Jonouchi claims you can't draw cards on an empty stomach, and even a warrior needs a break. I wouldn't doubt that he needs to eat if he wasn't being so insistent.

But the guy behind the counter is only too happy to have Jonouchi as a customer, regardless of how confusing his need to provide excuses for EATING. He tells Jonouchi to eat the restaurant's beef with his blessing, and gives him a side of pickles for free. Aww! How nice! Jonouchi's exuberant nomming isn't being so nice to his neighbor at the counter, though. He keeps smacking the guy with his Duel Disk, like a sharp elbow to he face. Finally, Jonouchi's neighbor demands that he take the Duel Disk off his arm, because it's in the way. Jonouchi is immediately annoyed by this, threateningly leaning over his neighbor to ask him what he's talking about, declare that the Duel Disk is part of his arm, and say that the guy may as well cut his whole arm off while he's at it.

And they say GIRLS are overly dramatic.

Jonouchi's neighbor is pretty disturbed by this behavior, and the guy behind the counter tells Jonouchi to stop bothering his other customers, significantly less jovial now. Jonouchi reluctantly says he'll knock it off if his server says so, and then turns to his neighbor again to let him know that he's only forgiving him because the dude behind the counter gave him free pickles. I don't think HE'S the one in need of forgiveness here, but I've been considered rude for merely EXISTING before, so maybe I'm not the best judge of the intricacies of manners.

Jonouchi slips his Duel Disk off his arm and sets it on a table behind him before leaning back into his food. At the same time, a shifty-looking squirt is walking by between Jonouchi and the table, sweatdropping as he does so. Jonouchi notices this while he's taking a sip from his hot drink, just in time to see the shifty squirt snatch up his Duel Disk and make a dash for the door. Jonouchi spits his drink right in his neighbor's face, ever the gentleman he is, calling the kid a punk for stealing his equipment. He's about to go after the thief when the guy behind the counter reminds him that he hasn't paid yet. He slaps a coin on the counter with a curse before running out the door, shouting at the squirt to get back there. Across the street, Anzu is there to recognize Jonouchi as he chases a kid down the road like a maniac.

He reaches out and grabs the squirt by the collar.

Said little jerk is hunched on the a park bench in the next panel, telling Jonouchi that he's sorry and he'll never do it again, and asking that Jonouchi not hurt him. Jonouchi reattaches his Duel Disk to his arm, questioning why the squirt tried to steal it in the first place. The squirt explains that he was upset because he was in the tournament today too, but he lost to someone very good in his first duel. Sorry kid, but it has to happen to SOMEONE. That's kind of how tournaments work. How this tournament DOESN'T work, however, is the winner taking the loser's Duel Disk as well as all his cards, which is what the squirt says happened to him.

Jonouchi is flabbergasted by this while Anzu clarifies that the squirt took Jonouchi's Duel Disk in order to challenge the kid he lost to before. The squirt confirms this was exactly his logic, and he was going to give back Jonouchi's Duel Disk once he won back his own. Sugoroku hums and strokes his chin, doubting the story that this kid is a tournament-ranked duelist. Jonouchi tells the squirt that his plan would never have worked, because a duelist's deck is made from the soul of the guy who built it. He insists that only that person can bring out its true power, and the squirt would have lost even if he had used Jonouchi's deck. Jonouchi assures him that his problems are over, though, because HE'LL go up against the scoundrel that stole the squirt's deck!

Anzu looks skeptical when she asks Jonouchi if he's sure, and Bakura suggests he wait and see how good the guy is before he challenges him. Jonouchi ain't hearing it, determined not to let the guy get away with it. He hates guys who steal cards from weaker players, after all. Guessing that doesn't apply to puzzle pieces...

The squirt asks if Jonouchi will really beat this mysterious duelist for him, and Jonouchi promises to waste him. The squirt says he's going to go get the dude for Jonouchi to pummel then, and runs off. When he's gone, Sugoroku advises Jonouchi to check his deck, because the squirt may have stolen some of his cards. Jonouchi seems pretty upset by the implication that he was tricked, which makes Sugoroku stutter out a little of a backtrack, saying that he only meant to be on the safe side of things. Glaring off into the distance, Jonouchi mutters that everyone is so cynical these days, which receives a few gapes in response. He tells his friends and honorary grandfather that they've just got to have faith. When Bakura says his name with an unreadable expression, Jonouchi asks what they can trust if they can't trust people.

Boy, do I have an answer for YOU, coming from the dystopian hell-hole I do these days! What a time to be alive!

Anyway, Jonouchi rambles a bit about how he has faith in his future, and is going to continue fighting in the tournament to end up in the same place as Yami. Anzu appears amazed at his words, somehow. He's not paying any attention, still expositing on his plans to duel Yami, though he's not concerned with whether he wins or loses, because either way he can hold his head high as a duelist. He says that if he can carve out that future for himself, then perhaps he can show HER a future as well. I was confused by this, but Anzu is on top of her friend-code and deduces right away that Jonouchi is talking about his sister Shizuka. She asks him how Shizuka is and if she's recovered from that surgery Yami gave him the money for, and receives the worst of news.

WHAT??? Are you fucking for REAL right now, bro????

After a panel of speechless shock between her, Sugoroku and Bakura, Anzu has pretty much the same reaction as I did, recalling with some distress that Jonouchi told his friends that the surgery was successful. Jonouchi says that there weren't any complications or anything, but she's resting at a hospital near his mom's place and doesn't have the courage to take off the bandage. Anzu and the others are speechless once more, during which time Anzu hangs her head as she realizes Jonouchi entered Battle City for his sister.

Wow. It's deja vu all over again.

Jonouchi happily announces that if he can win the tournament, he's going to go see his sister and show her the face of a guy who won his future, along with courage. Anzu, Sugoroku and Bakura respond with smiles and looks of determination. Jonouchi urges them not to tell Yami/Yuugi about this until after they duel however, because he's only told them and Honda so far. Anzu agrees not to say anything. Fair, considering Yuugi has already learned that one of his friends is trying to keep shit from him. Maybe best to spread those revelations out a bit.

Speaking of Honda, though, Jonouchi would like to know where he is if not with Anzu and the rest of them. Anzu scratches her head, saying that Honda was supposed to be there, but he's gone on some sort of trip. For whatever reason, this prompts Jonouchi to yell that Honda is a dirty rat. Sure, I guess.

Is this little shit looking for sympathy over the fact that stealing things is difficult? Cry me a river.

The bespectacled villain he's speaking with doesn't seem to care much about this sob-story either, only interested in whether the squirt managed to do what he told him to. The squirt confirms with a grin that he did indeed slip two of Haga's cards into Jonouchi's deck. Oh, did I mention that the bespectacled villain is Haga, the first to lose in Duelist Kingdom? Sorry, I just forgot to give a crap.

Anyway, the squirt talks about what a moron Jonouchi is for falling for it, and Haga laughs and rolls his eyes like he's on an acid trip. It's kind of freaking me out. He thinks that Jonouchi is as good as dead now, what with parasite cards like his Parasite Paracide destroying his deck from within. Am I the only person who remembers that a deck is only supposed to have 40 cards in this tournament? Am I the only one who cares?

The squirt haltingly asks Haga if he'll hand over the rare card he promised for a job well-done. Haga makes like he just remembered, and presents the squirt with a card, seemingly graciously. At first the squirt is grateful, until he actually sees the face of the card he got.

Haga, just because the squirt is a "bug" in the colloquial sense doesn't mean you should squirt Raid in his eyes. And anyway, don't you LOVE insects? What are you doing carrying that around with you?

While the squirt is crouched on the ground screaming with his hands over his eyes, Haga asks him rhetorically if he said Jonouchi was waiting in the square, chuckling. As he walks out of the alley, he plans to beat Jonouchi, luring Yami out with news of his friend's defeat so he can crush him too. Haga fantasizes about repaying Yami twice over for the humiliation dealt him in Duelist Kingdom, and I'm betting that's going to STAY fantasy. Still, he thinks he's got a SUPER insect deck now when he steps into the square and up to Jonouchi, who frowns at him. Haga announces that they've met again, and Jonouchi recalls that Haga was once a Duel Monsters champ in Japan. With all that "you again!" business out of the way, Haga is ready to do this thing, grinning with narrowed eyes.

Meanwhile, at what looks to be a remote train station, FAR from the city, someone seems a bit frustrated. It's Honda, accompanied by Ryuji, wondering aloud exactly where they are, having had to look further in the sticks for something than he had anticipated. Ryuji says that they should still be able to make it back to the city before dark, at least. Winking, Honda teases Ryuji for being someone who just HAPPENS to be going the same way as him but is also following him pretty far. Ryuji scoffs, admitting to have heard about Jonouchi's sister and owing Jonouchi and his crew a favor. I'm not so sure Yuugi/Yami DOESN'T know about this, considering even RYUJI knows about it.

They look for a map to get going, and eventually reach their destination, a beat-up looking hospital called Yonezato.

Yeah, let's milk the shit out of this miniscule subplot while we still have the chance!

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I've felt like a chapter has taken FOREVER before, but this one was probably the longest in feeling that I've ever covered so far. Granted, part of it was that I had to take several days to write this post up, because I've started a new job and haven't quite gotten used to juggling this and a different workload yet. Still, it's ONE chapter of a manga, which wasn't the greatest at holding my attention. I suspect that's because it wasn't the best at holding KT's attention either. I can't think of many other reasons why it would cover so many places, points of view, and plotlines, in combination with a regression in motivation.

Because that's the only thing I can call Jonouchi's sudden reference to his sister here. At some point, KT must have realized that Jonouchi's reasons for being in this tournament were really weak, so he went back to reasons he knew were solid in Duelist Kingdom... without realizing that the stakes were no longer there. She's cured, she's just afraid to take off that bandage, so Jonouchi's sudden focus on her and her fear is weirdly misplaced.

Now, if SHIZUKA was the one who contacted Honda or one of Jonouchi's buds and asked them to come and get her, thinking the urge to see her brother would give her the kick in the ass she needed, it would be good motivation for HER. I would have been only too happy to see that, actually, given that it would add a little more dimension to Jonouchi's otherwise one-sided struggle to get Shizuka the care she needed. Add in a little guilt for her own perception of wasting the money he spent if she still can't see, and you've got yourself a decent side-plot there. But with Shizuka just passively sitting there, without the will to even aspire to taking off her bandages, it's putting the focus on the wrong hero here. This isn't Jonouchi's struggle to overcome, and KT just has him appropriating it so that he can give SOME meaning to the stupid decision to have Jonouchi join the tournament in the first place.

I'm not sure why the mime was covered in this chapter either. I understand that he's Yami's next opponent, that much is obvious. But it looks like he's just here to fill space. There's no point in Bakura yelling at him like an idiot or taking special note of him at all. I suppose he had to be introduced at some point, but what was the purpose of doing it here, when we had SO MANY OTHER CHARACTERS to pay attention to at the moment?

Just about the only thing I liked about the chapter was the addition of yet another old Yu-Gi-Oh villain to the I-Don't-Understand-Why-I-Lost-Last-Time-And-Am-Going-To-Double-Down-On-My-Cruelty list. It gives me satisfaction knowing that they're going to lose again, because every god you can name knows that I don't get that kind of satisfaction from seeing similar characters in real life. Quite the opposite, actually. 

Inuyasha Manga: 107 Kohaku's Life

Yeah, and look at what he's doing with it! Everyone was convinced this kid was dead, and now that he's miraculously recovered from being a corpse, what is he using his second chance on? Murdering some random town! I tell you, some children are just so ungrateful for those second chances! A properly reverent kid wouldn't be nearly as brazen!

Do I sound appropriately crotchety yet?

Because I'm pretty sure if I were Myouga, I would be genuinely irked by Inuyasha's constant doubting.

"Listen you big shit, I've seen that kid a hundred times before, so stop questioning my sense of recognition!"

Myouga actually appears not so much annoyed as still reeling from the shock when he confirms that was indeed without any doubt Sango's little brother Kohaku. Kagome looks confused when she recalls Sango telling her that Kohaku died at Naraku's castle, only to see him alive now.

Meanwhile, beyond the misty barrier Naraku set up, he chuckles at Sango. She stands well back from him, even keeping a gap between her and Kohaku, though he's much closer. Naraku tells Sango that she should be thanking him, and she angrily asks him to repeat himself, because bitch could not POSSIBLY have the balls it would take to demand gratitude from her. Naraku explains that he deserves it because he extended Kohaku's life, who just stands there staring listlessly forward.

Sango probes him for what he actually means, and Naraku obliges by saying that back at the castle, Kohaku should have died from his injuries. He reaches beneath a fold in his baboon fur to pull out something he says saved Kohaku. It's of course a glowing Shikon shard, which Sango gives a dirty look. She obviously remembers what kind of saving it gave her not too long ago.

Back on the other side of that swirling barrier, Miroku is talking about the same thing, asking for clarification from Kagome. She says that she saw a Shikon fragment in Kohaku's back as he was running away, looking nervous the whole while. Again we switch to the other side of the barrier, because RT still hasn't realized that hopping back and forth like this kind of sucks. Sango asks if Naraku revived Kohaku, and Naraku affirms this with a chuckle. The reason he's so giggly becomes clear fairly quickly when he says that if the shard is removed from Kohaku, he'll die on the spot. Sango grits her teeth. It can't be very comfortable seeing Naraku's proximity to Kohaku, given that he's not so far from demonstrating that very mechanism either.

Naraku begins to tell Sango that Kohaku's life is in HIS hands, but then backtracks and puts that responsibility on her instead. And there's a reason for that.

She realizes pretty much immediately that she doesn't give any shits about the specifics of Naraku's nefariousness and scoffs as she intensifies her glare. Then she launches herself at Naraku, Hiraikotsu raised, and tells him that she's not interested in no uncertain terms. From the side comes that familiar sickle on a chain to intercept her blow before it can make it to Naraku, knocking her back a bit.

Either he's still sore about that time Sango laughed at him when he wet the bed, or he's been drinking the Kool Aid.

Sango is determined to know which it is, demanding an answer as to why Kohaku is protecting Naraku. Naraku answers for his little bodyguard, saying that Kohaku has forgotten Sango and everything that happened before he woke up from death. He's essentially a faithful dog right now, according to Naraku. A tabula rasa that's been thoroughly graffitied with all kinds of pro-Naraku propaganda.

While Kohaku stands at the ready to defend his master, Sango's glare remains, but a worried sweat breaks out on her temple. Suddenly, Naraku let's one rip - a blast of miasma, that is - and giggles like he's twelve. It splashes toward Sango, who retreats with her arm over her nose and mouth to avoid getting any of that shit in her face. This doesn't last long, because the miasma shoots up into the sky in the next panel, carrying away Naraku and Kohaku out of Sango's reach. If she doesn't think to hop on Kirara again. Which she doesn't.

Oh well, that slow cat probably couldn't keep up anyway.

Sango glares up at the place Naraku disappeared, where instructions are still echoing through the air; he'll be waiting for her to bring him Tessaiga. Now, WHERE he doesn't say. I guess she's supposed to just come back here? I don't know...

And we're back outside the barrier where it's wavering as Kagome, Miroku and Shippou notice that it's disappearing. Kagome emerges while it comes down, her silhouette hanging its head. Her friends look on, Kagome with pity, Miroku with compassion and her name on his lips, and Inuyasha with wariness. She notices them with a helpless and shocked look herself, speechless when Kagome jogs up to her with a trailing sentence about that boy. Myouga is on Kagome's shoulder and is less gentle about it, straight-up asking her to admit that it was Kohaku. Sango, as you can imagine, isn't having any of that shit.

I guess we know where Inuyasha got that lack of tact before the story began.

Sango regains her composure in record time to make a request of a curious Miroku: giving the murdered villagers a memorial service. There are an awful lot of bloody corpses littering the ground back at the village, and while Sango is dragging one of them to a grave on a mat, she thinks of Kohaku smiling the way he did before all this mess. She mentally insists that he was a kind-hearted child who wouldn't be capable of this kind of cruelty, so it couldn't have been him.

Well, maybe not in his non-brainwashed mind, anyway.

Inside one of the mass graves they're digging (judging by the size and depth), Kagome holds a basket for Miroku to shovel dirt into, asking him what he thinks. Miroku's face is one of wide-eyed innocence, like he has no idea of what she is speaking, so she elaborates. Kagome says she wonders what happened inside that barrier. Miroku's only response when he looks over to behold a crouching Sango is that something happened alright. Kagome seems desperate for a gossip when she says that this all appears so heartbreaking. So, Miroku gently tells Kagome that they should all just leave Sango alone for now, until she feels like she wants to talk about it on her own.

Inuyasha has arrived with a few logs hoisted over his shoulder, for some reason that's not readily apparent to me, and of course calls this talk too soft for his liking. Kagome and Miroku stare at him with alarm while he states that since the kid had a jewel shard in him, the chances are that Naraku is involved in some way. He moves to confront her, or "beat it out of her" as he puts it, cracking his clawed fingers on the way. He gets sat for his trouble, before he can reach Sango in her hunched depression. As he munches dirt once again, Kagome sits next to him to lecture him on how he has no decency. Kagome, need I remind you that YOU were just itching to talk about Sango's issue behind her back with Miroku earlier? I think you're more than capable of your own brand of indecency.

Miroku crosses his arms in a long-suffering, exasperated way. He tells Inuyasha not to be in any hurry, because Naraku will show up on his own if they just wait. He DOES have a habit of showing up briefly to taunt everyone, even if it's only in dirt-puppet form.

Fast-forward to evening.

Don't be fooled by Sango snoozing there in the corner. Behind the closed eyes, her mind is racing, replaying Naraku's explanation about how Kohaku has forgotten everything before his death now. She acknowledges that even though they met, she didn't detect the slightest hint of recognition from Kohaku. Sango wonders if Kohaku has really forgotten, I guess having abandoned the idea that it couldn't have been him after all. She remembers how he stood protecting Naraku, and realizes that he not only forgot her, but their hated nemesis too.

Looks like he's not the only one forgetting things, because she must have let it slip her mind that she didn't realize Naraku was her nemesis until AFTER the whole castle incident and Kohaku's death. There's no way he could have known in the first place.

Sango has opened her eyes now, thinking that she'd like to bring Kohaku back to normal and away from Naraku. She knows that Naraku told her to steal Tessaiga for him, and after a small pause, she props herself on an elbow and twists to look at Inuyasha across from her. He's got his arms crossed over Tessaiga, but looks fast asleep, as do the rest of her companions. She creeps closer, assuming that this is the best moment.

WOAH. WRONG. SO WRONG.

Sango recoils, taken aback. Inuyasha's glare softens a bit when he asks her if she feels like talking yet. She merely says his name, probably still trying to get her heart rate under control. Inuyasha takes a wild stab at an explanation of what happened, that Sango went after her little brother but failed to get him, though he never thought she would make a mistake like that. Sango is silent and sweating.

Hey Kohaku! You're just in time to talk about FEELINGS!

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? You may have noticed that this recap was a bit lighter on the pictures than most, and that's because there just weren't very many visually interesting panels. A lot of the chapter consisted of talking, and not much action at all, which can get pretty repetitive in RT's clean and simple style. That made the chapter a little bit of a slog, if I'm honest, though the dialogue was short and sweet in most parts. The characters expressions came through and fleshed out the brevity of the speech bubbles, which is always a treat to see. Still, I always prefer action if I can get my hands on it, and this was a chapter that revolved around discussion.

Not that the discussion wasn't necessary and interesting in itself. The complexity of feeling in this strange blackmailing situation was palpable. It's got Sango all twisted up inside, being hopeful one moment, elated at learning this is her brother, in denial when he's been made to do terrible things, and rationalizing the next moment. When she can't convince herself that it wasn't actually Kohaku, she's dwelling on how desperate she is to get her only family out of Naraku's clutches. Oddly, she wasn't hesitant about denying Naraku that deal when he made it, only pausing for a moment with an "are you fucking serious" look before making to lay the smack-down on him. But Naraku knew that giving her time for consideration was the best thing to do, backing off immediately to leave her with overwhelming thoughts. The new information got mixed in with old feelings and had a little time to stew, bringing Sango around.

Though Inuyasha's part was minor, his reactions to the situation were very interesting as well. He made a big show of attempting to beat up Sango for the truth, but if he was going to, he would have done it long before he eavesdropped on Kagome and Miroku's discussion. The fact he eavesdropped at all was a little telling, because it shows that he, like Kagome, was testing the subject out for broaching. He may not have wanted to hear that they should wait until Sango was ready to talk, but he at least waited long enough to bounce his more violent notion off the others first. More surprising still, when he finally DID get to confront Sango, he was measured and calm, even though I'm pretty damn sure that he knew she was heading for him while he supposedly slept. Inuyasha is being, however imperfectly, pretty sensitive to Sango here, and is aware that she's in a certain amount of pain.

He's expressing a level of empathy that he normally doesn't. Not that it's important or anything...

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 165 The Tablet of Memories

Why would an ancient Egyptian want to record memories for posterity on a damn tablet? That seems way too clunky, and difficult to erase. I remember being Yuugi/Yami's age, and I was a fan of the small paper-based product where I could record my thoughts in an easily destructible way. You know, just in case I needed to prevent someone from having written evidence of how my awful little head worked.

But Yami don't care. He'll write all his shit down in STONE in order to access it later, thereby allowing strangers with the proper tools to grab it at will too. It seems counterintuitive for a teenager, and yet strangely familiar to me. Now where have I seen someone doing that VERY THING before?

Writch is a hypocrite.

And it being a life or death duel, this Pandora dude is about to bite it, big time. He's screaming about his life points hitting zero like that saw is already slicing into him too. Maybe it is...?

Before we find out for sure, Yami is lecturing Pandora about how when duelists treat their cards like mere objects, they go down the path of ruin and defeat. Perhaps he's imagining that it'll be more difficult for Pandora to walk that destructive path if he has no legs. Literally. Which must be why he's not reacting to the horror that is or would be Pandora being mutilated by a saw. No, he's still blabbering about Pandora losing because his own Dark Magician turned against him. Pandora stutters that this can't be true because cards are only cards and don't have minds of their own to turn against their masters. I think it's safe to say he's not getting chopped yet.

Because Yami STILL has to have time to pontificate. Weren't those saw blades faster-acting before? Yami recounts how Pandora cut up his cards and slaughtered his monsters to win, and has lost the "soul of a duelist" as a result. At least, if he ever had one. Pandora growls out of offense as Yami says that his final act of cruelty is coming for him now.

Can we scientifically figure out how he managed to FORGET that he'd set himself up in an elaborate death-trap? I feel like this guy's method of oblivion would be instrumental in curing chronic anxiety.

As the saw creeps closer and Pandora holds out his hands, shouting for it to stop, a click sounds between Yami's feet. The box there pops open, revealing a key wearing a top hat on its end (fancy!) and a puzzle card, just as Yami recalls Pandora promised. Still, Yami glares up at Pandora and growls, though it's not clear why yet.

Maybe because of Pandora's sustained, over-the-top screaming that the saw's got him as he flails. Seems the flailing was just a front for him reaching into his sleeve, though, where he in all his in-underestimable conjurer wisdom hid a spare key. This one is wearing a top hat as well, by the way.

But Marik... IT'S WEARING A TOP HAT. It's dressed up for unlocking locks! You gonna just deny it a party because the dude lost? Lame.

Pandora is REALLY whimpering now, not just out of theatrics. He's asking for help and forgiveness from Marik, but all he gets is an evil snicker in his head and the illusion that his fancy key has disappeared from his hand. He looks left and right, but he can't find the thing still pinched between his fingers. Man, I been there, I feel you. Though it's only because I'm a moron, and not because I have an evil mind-invader whispering in my head that he controls my memories, has erased the invisible object from my mind so that I can't see or feel it, making it therefore nonexistent to me.

I'm not sure which is better, to be honest.

Pandora's eyes pop as he looks to the side where the saw has finally reached his leg, screaming when it starts cutting into his trousers and flesh. Yuugi has come back out from Yami's control, flinging the cape/jacket from his shoulders and launching with determination toward Pandora.

I knew it! Yuugi is the best!!

Huffing, Yuugi pushes himself up off his face after a moment, declaring that it's just freaking SICK dying for any kind of game. I admire your principles, kid, but have you noticed which manga you're in? Dying for games is pretty much par for the course here, in case you weren't aware.

Pandora pushes himself to his hands and knees too, asking a perplexed Yuugi why he went and did a thing like THAT. After a moment, Yuugi's gape turns to one of shock, because the third glowing Eye of Horus just above Pandora's mask is more visible to him now. His regular eyes are glowing too when he identifies Yuugi as the OTHER one, or rather, the Yuugi of this world who houses Yami's soul.

Yuugi notices that Pandora's voice is different, because I guess Millennium magic affects vocal hardware as well. He asks who Pandora, or rather his possessor, is, which reminds Marik that he still hasn't introduced himself to Yuugi-the-vessel. Yuugi must have been running the vacuum cleaner in his mind when Yami met Marik the first time. Totally. Anyway, Marik tells Yuugi his name, making Yuugi sweat a bit.

Marik explains that he's controlling Pandora from a distance, including all the fool's senses, which is why he can see, talk to, and hear Yuugi. Yuugi demands to know the more important facts about why the hell Marik is out to kill him and Yami. Marik assures Yuugi that it has nothing personal with HIM, per se, but business with Yami. REVENGE business. He tells Yuugi that he's the heir to a clan of tomb guardians who have lived in darkness for 3000 years, and he's going to make Yami pay for that.

Yuugi feels like he's heard about this "tomb guardian" thing before, following his questioning of the revenge bit. Marik begins a long narrative about the remote parts of Egypt in the Valley of the Kings, where he and his tomb-guarding family lived apart from others and hid in shadows. They passed the task of protecting seven secrets and the lost memories of the pharaoh down for generations, so that said pharaoh could rise again. Woah, what a drone. You'd think Marik wouldn't come across as so desperate for a chat, what with all those Rare Hunters he's got waiting on him hand and foot.

It takes Yuugi a moment to place the familiarity of the phrases "memories" and "seven secrets" but he eventually blurts that Marik may be talking about the Millennium Items, those objects that are supposed to fit into that Tablet of Memories. Marik appears dazed in his physical form miles away when he tells Yuugi that he holds one of those items, charged as a child to guard it with his life until he has to present it to the Pharaoh's soul. He says that the problem was actually finding that soul, the only clue to which was written in the original Book of the Dead. Apparently it says that one would know this soul by the three god cards it wields. Marik has interpreted this as meaning that whomsoever has those three cards will be crowned king, regain all those Millennium Items, and get back his memories.

Yuugi is too busy putting two and two together to point out the logical flaws here, combining those mentions of three god cards in connection with the lost memories. Meanwhile, Marik continues to ramble on about how his family suffered in their guarding of the Millennium Items for several generations. He spares a wrinkled nose for a thought of his father, before declaring through Pandora that he's going to put an end to he and his family's pain. He's not planning on welcoming that king they've been waiting for, and instead kill him a second time for revenge. He wants to fulfill that prophecy himself by gathering all three of the god cards and becoming the new king.

Yuugi is sweating at the phrase "new king" because change is scary. Also, what if Marik starts possessing him occasionally like Yami does, because Yuugi is the pharaoh's vessel? Because Marik's shown he could do it, and also that it's probably not going to be as... COMFY. Marik informs Yuugi that he formed the Ghouls specifically to get at the god cards, and he has two of them already. The third, he says is here in Battle City. The three cards seem to hover like a crown over Yuugi's head while he thinks of them. No symbolism here, folks! Move along!

If "the world" constitutes a nice padded cell and straight jacket to go with that imaginary crown, Marik. Otherwise, I don't see how. 

It seems that Yuugi missed the part of Marik's monologue where he said part of his plan was to murder Yami (and him, because why not smash the whole jar?). Yuugi is now considering the notion of working against Yami's quest to collect the god cards, so he'll never find his memories and stay with Yuugi forever. He immediately rethinks this, however, realizing that Yami probably REALLY wants to know who he is and his own fate. Yuugi recognizes that he and Yami are both pushed into the future by their memories, but if Yami can't find his past, his fuel for being propelled forward, he'll be stuck in the same stasis forever. Yuugi finds this idea the saddest he's ever considered.

Clutching the chain above the Millennium Puzzle, he concludes that even if it means he and Yami are separated, a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do. He opens his eyes to glare at Marik through Pandora, shouting that he won't let Marik kill Yami and that they will fight. Marik scoffs and says Yuugi is just a vessel, to which Yuugi provides no retort but more glare. Marik is convinced that Yuugi's going to die too when the time comes anyway.

He continues to use Pandora to tell Yuugi that it'll take him a while to get to Domino yet, but he doesn't want Yuugi to get bored in the meantime. Marik informs him that there's a Rare Hunter in the city with a god card already.

Marik-as-Pandora warns Yuugi that he'll see this guy before he expects it, and to beware the silent doll, giggling. Yuugi looks confused by the unfamiliar reference, but is still sweating nervously.

But it looks like Marik is all talked out and turns his attention to Pandora instead, deciding he has to tie this loose end up. He rummages a bit through Pandora's brain, finding that he considered suicide twice in the past after the deaths of his mother and a lover who died in a poorly-performed magic trick. When I surmised that he considered women the root of his suffering, I didn't imagine THIS would be the vindication of that. Marik is grinning as he plans to dredge up all those old memories so the moment Pandora wakes up, he'll be driven straight to suicide.

There is no response to this I can give that even comes CLOSE to the amount of disgust I have with this, but here's a couple vastly inadequate gifs that are at least in the ballpark:

The LEAGUES LONG BALLPARK.

With that unbelievable bit of fuckery, Marik peaces out of Pandora, thinking he'll see Yuugi again. Pandora crashes into the floor with his face in front of Yuugi, groaning. Yuugi shouts at Marik, but the douchebag is already gone, so he takes a moment to gaze off into space in alarm. Then...

Okay Cersei.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? This one consisted a bit too much of info-dump. Because of it, I'm a little confused too. On the one hand, Marik is talking to Yuugi as though justifying his plan to a third problem - like he cares what Yuugi thinks of this, if only he wishes Yuugi to be shocked. On the other, He talks ABOUT Yuugi as though he's not a person at all, but a body for Yami to hang out in. There's some dissonance in how I'm supposed to understand Marik views Yuugi, which is a little jarring. He should either consider Yuugi a player in the drama he wants to influence, OR a non-person who doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme. Either position is interesting when consistent, but I don't like BOTH being in there at the same time.

Something else I was slightly disappointed by was Yuugi's immediate realization that his impulse to sabotage Yami's memory mission was wrong. I think it should have happened eventually, but it really would have been fascinating to see Yuugi trying to undermine Yami's efforts for a while and then tearfully explain himself later on. It would be a powerful bit of relationship development that would have, at the same time, made future duels REALLY interesting. Imagine Yuugi distracting Yami during a duel, or giving him bunk advice that Yami follows because he trusts Yuugi. The strain between the two of them looking like a breakdown to everyone on the outside would have been a valuable conflict in the story, and bring down Yami's ease of winning. Call me crazy, but I think it would have brought something unique and valuable to the message of friendship. The need to let friends follow their own paths, even if it means losing them.

But the ease with which Yuugi reaches this conclusion, even if it is a little frustrating to me, is somewhat in character, so there's that. I still think the other idea could be done with Yuugi's character intact, though. Just saying.

Something I think DIDN'T need to be here was Marik's way of inciting Pandora's suicide. I'm reasonably sure KT isn't going to SHOW us this, but the thought kind of upsets me in a way BEYOND how I'm supposed to feel about Marik. I'm also reasonably sure that KT won't mention Pandora again after this, or whether Yuugi calls an ambulance for the guy or something. Probably, since he did for that scorpion-shoe guy at the beginning of the manga. Still, you know how I feel about making up headcanons and all that.

Maybe this once I can imagine Pandora being taken to the hospital and put on sufficient suicide watch and therapy until he's somewhat recovered. He's a shitty person, but that doesn't mean I want him to die. Also, it will have meant Yuugi would have saved his skin for nothing, and that's just wrong. Sick and wrong.