Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 177 Targets!

The only targets I want to talk about right now are the ones where I can get decongestants from the pharmacy isle. Gracious, but I am SO stuffed up right now. It's like gravel is stuck up my nostrils, and my throat is on fire. As bad as it is, I'm praying to literally EVERY GOD I HAVE EVER HEARD OF that this one doesn't last a whole month like the flu I had in January. Hell, I'll even throw the God of Duelists in there for good measure. If that one is done giving the win to Yami every time, I could really use its help.

 

 

Great, now making sure my grimy leaking nose doesn't last more than a week should seem like child's play in comparison to the victory of this child winning a card game. Irony is the greatest bitch of all.

 

The doll's expression gapes in lolling incomprehension while Marik fumes in a somewhat dumbfounded rage in the background. He's in pure disbelief that he was forced into a loop of action that made him run out of cards like that, that he LOST. Maybe should have considered the drawbacks of your strategy rather than how close a resemblance to a god you have, eh, Marik? Even Pandora had the foresight to research Yami's deck and strategy, but Marik couldn't even be bothered to do THAT much work, I suppose.

 

Speaking of Yami, he's staring at the slouching doll from a distance, reciting terrible poetry in his head about how Marik's power only seemed infinite. Something about how the god's weakness was hidden beyond infinity, or something, I don't know. Save it for the open mic night at your local café, Yami. He shifts his glare to Kaiba atop the retaining wall above him, knowing that he never would have figured it out if it hadn't been for that colossal douche.

 

Mokuba has one foot over the edge of the retaining wall when he jumps for joy at Yami's victory. Be careful, you little snot! I can just see him tumbling over down that wall and breaking every damn bone in his body. He just scoots, though, and manages not to break any limbs as he makes his way down to the duel-site. Kaiba stays stock still on top of the wall, as though he doesn't already tower over everybody anyway. He'd look like an idiot shimmying down that wall in his starched coat too, so it's a no-win situation.

 

Especially when he does that stupid giggle of his and congratulates himself on the fact that his rival has to be nothing short of the best. They continue to glare, Yami frowning, but Kaiba smirking, and thinking that it would have been pointless to date defeat him if he weren't at his level. Soooooo, when are those wedding plans, Kaiba?

 

Meanwhile, Mokuba approaches Marik's doll, whom I assume is abandoned due to being slumped on his knees like that, cards scattered around his reactionless body. Mokuba waves a hand in front of the doll, commenting that he's like one, and wondering if he's dead before coming to conclusion that the unresponsiveness is just because he lost like a loser. He picks one of Marik's cards up off the ground, Slifer the Sky Dragon, as well as a puzzle card, pausing to marvel at the second god card for a moment.

 

He straightens, drawing himself to his full (unimpressive) height in order to announce to Yami that he's the "Steering Committee Chairman" for this tournament. Is that a thing that's real? I don't know, I've never been in a tournament. Regardless, Mokuba says he's judging the ante for this duel and hands over the god and puzzle card to Yami as reward for winning. He warns Yami not to get used to it, though, because his brother is going to win it off him pretty soon. Mokuba grins, pointing and laughing, and I can't believe this shit has become CUTE over time. I'm not... I'm not even annoyed anymore! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO ME??

 

Yami doesn't seem the slightest bit annoyed either, but that may be because he's pretty busy staring at his new acquisition.

 

It sure is, Yami... No need to shout about it, my man. Especially not to the only three (four?) people around you who already know this.

In the next panel it looks like some sort of rumble is issuing from Kaiba? Maybe he's hungry? Anyway, as Yami turns to walk right off, Mokuba continues the tradition of calling his brother by their shared last name as he notes that both of them have god cards now. Suddenly, he gapes at something off panel, and I wonder if it's that he didn't realize Yami was leaving until just this second. No, Yami stops and glares off in another direction as well. Is my fever producing this chapter? What the balls is going on?

Turns out Kaiba is sliding his deck into his Duel Disk, and he says Yami knows what this means...

That too. Kaiba says that when two duelists meet face to face in Battle City, they have to fight. Mokuba is quite alarmed that Seto (my distinction, not his) is challenging Yami right NOW. I'm only alarmed that Kaiba the kat is willing to jump down from his perch to face Yami instead of demanding Yami meet him up top. Especially since we don't get to SEE this. Seriously, in the next panel, Kaiba is already at the bottom of the retaining wall, walking toward Yami, and we never get to see his ass jump off that wall!

And since we didn't see it, I'm going to assume he scooted like his brother before, because it makes me laugh. So take that, KT.

Marik uses his doll to tell Yami not to worry, because he didn't give his loss of Slifer a second's thought. Yeah, that's why the doll spent several minutes now slumped over in defeat while you were busy NOT giving your failure a second's thought. Or throwing a screaming conniption fit. Which I totally believe you did NOT do.

Can you imagine this fucker throwing a tantrum on the highway, though? Pulling that motorcycle over so he can kick and yell until he's hoarse that he lost a card game several miles away? That would sure be something to witness.

Marik tells Yami that he had forgotten to mention something earlier, and Yami gives him a sharp look. Apparently, Marik is getting really close to Domino City, and once he arrives, his plan will go into motion. How this is different than the plan that's already well underway right now isn't part of his current explanation, which consists of telling Yami all about his tri-ocular vision. He's got three pictures of what's going on simultaneously in his head, a three-dimensional broadcast is what he calls it, because he clearly doesn't bother to learn what words mean before he uses them. One view is of Yami through his doll's eyes, one is of the highway and Domino beyond, and one is through the eyes of one of his Rare Hunters within the city already.

Yami immediately becomes alarmed, because let's face it, the pronouncement that someone is watching your friends is a rather ominous one, no matter the context. Marik giggles when he sees Yami's distress and elaborates that he's been having the Rare Hunters keep tabs on Yami's buddies so they can be used whenever he wants. Yami's worry turns to rage, his eyes narrowing and teeth grinding when he calls Marik scum. Marik doesn't give two shits about the label, and in fact seems to think it's funny. He tells Yami to go and find them before "something bad" happens to them. Personally, he's pretty sure Yami will give back the god card if his friends' lives are at stake.

Taking after your Uncle Shadi pretty hardcore, aren't you Marik?

Marik offers Yami one more piece of information: that the Rare Hunters are aware he's coming for his friends, so they'll be ready for him. With this last word said, Marik giggles and wishes Yami enjoyment for his game before peacing right the fuck out of his doll. He collapses to his knees again, and then onto his side. Yami screams at Marik, but that dude has already hit the road, Jack. In the meantime, Yami is freaking out about Jonouchi being in danger, hunched with his fists raised. He turns to run back into the heart of the city, Mokuba calling to him as he does so, but it's not Mokuba who halts him.

"I don't know if you noticed, but this other asshole just totally threatened the well-being of people I care about, so if you could just FUCK OFF for now, that'd be great."

At least, that's what I would have said to the guy, but Yami settles for a less obnoxious angry shout at Kaiba that the Ghouls are after Jonouchi and that he can't let his friends die. Kaiba glares, thinking on this term "Ghouls" for a moment silently. Yami takes this moment to start running again, Mokuba looking on in worry as Kaiba turns back to the wall. He scoffs at Yami's choice of friends over pride, but I seem to remember him making a similar choice back in Duelist Kingdom for Mokuba, because that suicide bid was PRETTY shameful. Even if he voices disdain, Kaiba gives Yami's retreating back one last glance.

Yami runs between buildings in a desperate bid to find his buds, but to no avail. All that surrounds him are strangers. He reflects on how big the city is, and wonders where Jonouchi can be found within it. He eventually comes across something of more immediate concern, though.

... Is this the best Marik can do until he pulls into town? Wow. Just wow.

Yami wonders if these are Rare Hunters, which, duh, but decides in record time that he doesn't care. He tells them to move their asses out of his way. The one on the right says that if they let him pass, Marik will kill them, then the one on the left says that besides this, if Yami refuses to duel then, then Jonouchi's life will be forfeit. Okay, maybe these guys don't fuck around after all.

Yami growls at the two, who proceed to... argue over who should duel Yami first, playing rock-paper-scissors in order to decide. Well, never mind on my previous assessment. They're just as doofy as I had first assumed. This is what I get for giving assholes a chance. Should have learned my lesson after that guy who gave me creeps in college ended up stalking me...

Growling in frustration, Yami fumes over the fact that the more time he wastes here, the more danger Jonouchi is in. Of course, the doofus-duo continue to throw down the same moves for rock-paper-scissors each time they shoot, accusing each other of pausing or something occasionally. Yami tells them to hurry up, and they apologize to him, explaining that they keep tying the game. It's a regular comedy of errors. They are starting a new match when they're suddenly shocked by the appearance of something off-frame.

Are we certain he didn't mean they were going to pair OFF, like, at the end of the series?

But no, seriously, Kaiba's coming to the rescue AGAIN?? This is TWICE. In a ROW. I mean, is this even a cold as much as a dramatic shattering of my worldview? I thought I knew this douchebag and now... Well, all I have is a runny nose.

The two morons consider this offer, complete with doofy expressions as they work out the logistics of a tag duel. Meanwhile, Yami is staring openmouthed and speechless at the cross-armed Kaiba. He tells Yami not to get the wrong idea, because he's just fulfilling one of the purposes of his tournament here by eliminating the card-stealing scum that are the Ghouls. It's not like he's helping Yami and his stupid friends or anything. Pshaw. Pshaw, I say!

Yami smiles at him, probably having gotten the very idea that Kaiba told him not to. Across from them, the Doofus Twins have finally deliberated enough on the subject and decided to go ahead and do this tag duel thing. All of them already have cards set and everything when they declare the start of their duel, which doesn't seem right...

Doesn't matter, since Kaiba says this will be fast, and demands Yami watch him. I wouldn't bother, Yami. I mean, the guy probably thinks his toilet time is newsworthy, so this isn't likely to be as impressive as he thi-

... Oooooookay, I stand corrected.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? What the hell, Kaiba? Why won't you just let me hate you? And that goes for the BOTH of them, elder and junior. They've both become endearing to me, and I'm really becoming annoyed with it. Every time Seto Kaiba helps out Yami, you know it's not pure altruism; he is doing it because it benefits him in some way, big or small. Here you can kind of glean that he's teaming up with Yami in order to speed up the process of finding those friends, so that Yami won't be distracted by their safety while dueling him. He knows that if he wins when Yami's head isn't fully in the game, the victory doesn't mean anything, tying into his statement above that if his rival wasn't on his level (in sound of mind just as much as skill), then beating him means nothing.

And yet, Kaiba puts forward this weak-ass "don't get the wrong idea" schtick as well, a thing someone says only when they don't want to be viewed as a big softie when they're being a big softie. There is at least SOME understanding inherent in Kaiba's decision to help Yami find his friends, because he wouldn't be savvy to the fact that Yami wouldn't have his head in the game without knowing they're safe if there wasn't. So, that's a SMALL, MINISCULE amount of empathy Kaiba feels like he has to cover up. It's a tiny bit of weird insecurity, but I keep latching onto it because it's the only method by which I'm allowed to really connect with Kaiba as a character.

As for Mokuba, he's just a typical ridiculous little boy at this point, and I have to admit he kind of reminds me of the kids I used to counsel in the summer recreation program I worked for a while back. He's become really easy for me to like despite his... creepy debut in this manga.

Other than that, My big issue with this chapter was that really strange page in the middle there, when Seto was rumbling, Mokuba and Yami looked up at him without a single thing indicated to draw their attention, and Seto showed up at the bottom of that retaining wall with no coverage of him getting down. It was just a sloppy page altogether, considering the pages around it weren't showing any problems. I don't know if this one was just the last one made and rushed for a deadline or what, but it was far below the standards of quality that KT has set.

Although, since it's the lowest in quality I've seen in 177 chapters, I've got to admit that he could have done SO much worse.





Inuyasha Manga: 118 Kodoku

Isn't that a grid logic puzzle where you have to put the correct number in a square based on which numbers are in its row and column? I used to play those all the time back in college, when I didn't have to think so hard about my life or what I was doing with it. Just go through the motions and get all the right answers, right? Man, those were the days. Now my brain feels burned out all the time and I can get some terms confused.

Oh well, at least there's always manga, where I can feel comfortable in constant confusion.

To be incomprehensible, of course. Or "mysterious", anyway. See what I mean about getting terms confused? Anyway, she's here because the plot demands it, dammit!

Kikyou doesn't answer Kagome's question, just... glaring wordlessly. Sango notes silently that this priestess looks a LOT like Kagome. She walks straight past Kagome and her friends, heading for the passage into the mountainside, flustering Kagome. She shoots to her feet with bow and arrows in hand, telling Kikyou to wait up. Sango calls her name in warning, and Shippou is apparently in disbelief that Kagome is going after Kikyou. Kagome shouts over her shoulder for Sango not to go in for the purposes of not being "got" by the evil, and instructs Shippou to stay beside her.

The two clam up, staring after Kagome. Sango urges tiny Kirara to follow Kagome, and Kirara bounds toward the passage as well. Once they're all gone, Sango references that priestess in a trailing sentence, and Shippou simply says that it's Kikyou. Over a panel of Kikyou walking down the dark shaft, he says that Inuyasha was in love with her, a long time ago. Boy, I hope Shippou gives a more thorough explanation than that, because I don't think it does justice to what a clusterfuck her even being alive right now really is.

Kikyou puts a hand over her chest, worrying that the dead souls she stored in there are trying to get out. She wonders if the evil inside the cave is affecting them, because I guess they just sit there like a brick normally. She also notices that Inuyasha is in the midst of the evil ahead, which she also looks a tad concerned about. She's gotten over her murder impulse toward him fairly well, hasn't she?

A rumble floats down the shaft from the big cave at the end.

I'm surprised a rumble is all Kikyou heard when this is going on just down the hall. She would make the BEST neighbor.

Miroku yells at Inuyasha to put Tessaiga away, because he mustn't fight. He shouts back over his shoulder that if he DOESN'T fight, he'll die. So, because Inuyasha has expressed that he has the time for a long explanation, Miroku breaks down for him the fact that this youkai he's fighting has fought and defeated countless others in the pit, who have been absorbed into him. The ogre, having politely waited for Miroku to finish, informs Inuyasha that he's going to die, and then he'll be the only one to leave there alive. Through the hole in the top of the mountain, evidently, because he won't be fitting through that passage, clearly.

His previous hints a bit too subtle for Inuyasha, Miroku compares this situation with a "fuko" spell, which produces a "kodoku". Inuyasha all but scratches his head as he glares over his shoulder at Miroku, thinking he's speaking nonsense again. It's finally hit me that Inuyasha is the stand-in for a stupid, clueless American who is terrible at understanding the slightest bit of nuance or culture. We are one in the same. I'm not sure how to feel about this...

Miroku regales us with the process of "fuko"; a variety of poisonous insects, lizards, frogs and other animals are put into a single container and made to kill each other, the last one surviving becoming a "kodoku" with the help of the spell. Of course, that means this cave is such a container for creating a "kodoku", and even if Inuyasha defeats this conglomerate youkai, he will be absorbing the loser. The ogre remains quiet, only a slight hiss issuing from him. Inuyasha grimaces at Miroku when he says that no matter who wins here, their bodies will fuse together. Clearly this idea is distasteful to Inuyasha.

The ogre laughs, opening the mouth in the face superimposed on his gut that he got from that dinosaur thing. It shoots a burst of fire at Inuyasha, who jumps out of the way. He blocks the rest of the blast with Tessaiga's blade, telling Miroku to cut the speech, because there's no way to get out of this but to kill this creature.

So, get your ass in gear, Miroku. Chop, chop. What are you waiting for?

Maybe it's HER:

She doesn't really look like she's up to the task either, though, especially not when she catches sight of Inuyasha below. He looks shell-shocked when he sees her up top, too. Their awkward reunion is punctured by the restless souls in Kikyou bursting from her body, feeling the confines of uncomfortable teenage excuses for communication, if I had to guess. Kikyou's eyes widen in alarm, and the realization that she won't be able to move if they continue to leave her.

Inuyasha gapes at her distress, while the ogre behind him laughs; the souls escaping Kikyou have been sucked into him, just as Kikyou herself observes in disbelief in the next panel. She figures out the "kodoku" connection just like Miroku before toppling over the edge of the ledge, Miroku looking after her in shock. Inuyasha gapes too for a moment.

Again, to be incomprehensible. Or to save the day. But that obviously isn't working out well, given how Inuyasha is bopped one real good by the ogre as he's running to intercept Kikyou before she hits the rock below.

Kagome is still running along the shaft, because she is slow as hell, apparently. Also, she's again asking herself why Kikyou is here, because she just doesn't get it. She also thinks there's somebody ELSE here, and it's evidently not the little kitten monster Kirara running along next to her. No, it's someone with a Shikon fragment who's come awfully close. She trails in speculation about who it could be, but the next couple of panels give away that she's probably hit the nail on the head by showing a silhouette with long wavy hair being blown by a strong wind on top of a jagged mountain.

And outside, Sango is pumping her fist saying she fucking KNEW it.

Naraku stares at the caldera in the mountain, certain that his conglomerate monster will come out of there soon. His thoughts reflect the spell that Miroku was describing earlier, with the last remaining survivor in there being "the one". The one what?

This begs the question: how did Naraku get to the top of that fucking mountain without a working body anyway? Did Kohaku carry him again? Boy is stupid buff by now...

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Kikyou is a bit on the shady side of illegitimate here, when you think about what lead up to this moment. She just happened to get called to Naraku's side at the time when he was in the midst of building a new body, requiring a caravan to travel there, so you know she wasn't following some vague trail of the guy she had heard from Kagome about. She goes to where she feels a giant evil amassing, with no explicit intentions either way, but we have to assume to vanquish it. Then she's unable to really DO what we assume she went there to do because she loses all her juice to the monster and has to pass right the fuck out.

It's no wonder everyone is asking WHY she's here throughout the chapter, when it looks from most angles like a contrivance. You would think her meeting with Naraku at this very crucial time would have been more than just chance. You would assume she would have been able to hold her own at least a tad before fainting like every damsel in distress ever. She's a damn LEGEND, for fuck's sake! I would expect her to be just a little more discerning about any situation where she felt like she might lose all those souls, too, considering she's faced it before.

It's not the worst shoehorn I've ever seen, no. After all, it at least makes sense that human vassals knowing nothing of Naraku's true nature that he's tricked into thinking they're in service to would search for a talented healer to cure his ailments, and there's no one more talented. And you could conceivably say that Kikyou wasn't going to walk back out of that shaft to face Kagome, Sango and Shippou's inevitable questions about what she's there for and why she left and what's going on. Way too embarrassing, and the girl's got SOME pride. Still, the first question was asked three times in this chapter alone, and that's not exactly drawing attention away from the fact that Kikyou just went into the "kodoku" chamber to pass out and be a liability.

Looks like Miroku is the only one that's available to loosen that spell after all. I don't envy him, because I wouldn't want to do it if I were in as much agony as he seems to be right now. Not that I loosen spells on the regular when I'm feeling well or anything...

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 176 God Falls!?

Is that a bad or a good thing? I've been conditioned, pretty well in this particular instance, to favor opposition to a god, but what would it actually mean when this god loses? Will the sky fall? Will the world be cast into darkness? Will brother kill brother, humanity roll their eyes in madness? Will they start willingly taking poison and ignoring their own and others' well-beings in order to issue a grand cry of loneliness and impotence to the empty cosmos?

Because a lot of that doesn't sound too terribly different from what occurs on a regular basis. If we're being honest.

Marik looks like he might lose it in classic fashion before the fall of his god too. His faith seems awfully easy to shatter.

Yami holds up his hand, claiming he's just drawn the card he needs for his infinite combo. Marik grits his teeth at the mention of the phrase, and I'm inclined to follow suit. I'm reminded of my childhood, in which my friends and I would insult each other to "infinity" and "DOUBLE infinity" and "TRIPLE infinity" because we were stupid and didn't know it. These clowns are significantly older than I was then, though, so it's like they're regressing back into an infantile state by using the word in increasingly inappropriate ways.

You could call it an... INFINITE REGRESSION.

... I'm funny you know.

But I seem to be wrong about Marik's faith being easily shattered. He starts laughing through his doll, unironically questioning Yami's use of "infinite" and also claiming he said that it was beyond the limits of god. He asks if Yami is out of his mind, because there's nothing greater than the god cards, and even offers to show Yami that fact right now. Marik reminds Yami of his permanent spell card, Card of Safe Return, which works across the field. This of course means that Yami's resurrection of Buster Blader allows Marik to draw three new cards. Yami just frowns and glares wordlessly.

Marik giggles with glee while he rubs it in Yami's face that his doll is drawing three new cards thanks to Buster Blader, with each card meaning...

13,000 is undoubtedly the luckiest number. Slifer blasts Buster with a lightning loogie to the face, and Yami encourages it to hold on. That little mouth only deals 2000 points of damage, and since Buster has 3100, it won't die from it. Marik chuckles at Buster Blader clinging to life, with attack points reduced to 1100. He asks Yami if he still intends to attack Slifer with that pitiful number, and offers to let him switch Buster to defense if he wants. So kind.

Of course, Yami is offended by such a suggestion to HIM of all people and declares he's attacking anyway, prompting Marik to wonder just what in the hell he's planning. He's actually starting to sweat a bit.

Back on top of the retaining wall, oh hey, look at that, the Kaiba brothers are still hanging out. I kind of forgot they existed for a sec. Mokuba is gaping at the spectacle below while Seto is just chillin' with his arms crossed. While little Mokuba just can't figure out where Yami is going with this, the elder Kaiba just continues to think at Yami that nothing is infinite, not even god, and the illusion can be broken. He's certain the duel will be decided on this turn.

I half-expect to see a tumbleweed rolling across the foreground.

Yami shouts that his battle phase is beginning, and Marik grins, eagerly anticipating how Yami will apparently be dead before he even knows what happened. Buster Blader lunges to attack Slifer at Yami's command, swinging its sword right down on the dragon's double-mouthed head. Yami grits his teeth nervously, Mokuba is sure that Yami's cards just aren't strong enough, and Marik laughs and laughs. He asks Yami how many times he can make the same mistake, presumptively saying that Buster Blader can't even touch a god. Then he activates his permanent trap.

Predictably, Marik's Revival Jam obeys its Jam Defender instructions and goes to take Buster Blader's hit for Slifer. I'm sure it would have done so even without Marik's incessant screaming at it to. Mokuba is in a permanent state of gawking at this point, now agape at the fact that the Jam intercepted the blow and was split in two. Marik is so inquisitive today, wondering out loud if Yami forgot about his Revival Jam and its self-sacrifice/resurrection combo ensuring that Yami can't even touch the god card; not that it could be defeated if Yami managed even that.

Though Yami couldn't, he does manage a smirk, the first in a while. He says he didn't forget and knew that Marik would "jam" his attack. No, no, NO, Yami, this is MY review, and I'm the only one who gets to make lame puns. You take that shit BACK.

As Marik's face falls in shock, Yami informs him that he's been waiting for this moment. He pulls one of the cards from his hand, what he calls his key card, and slaps it down.

Marik may be stunned above, but not quite for the reason he should be. He begins to giggle, then all-out guffaw at Yami. He finally stops to apologize to Yami, and tell him that Brain Control won't work on a god. And yet having a CARD that controls the god's essence is plenty fair, I guess. Yami is glaring again, but he sure as hell isn't sweating.

The doll points and voices Marik's order on Slifer to attack Buster, and Slifer opens its mouth to comply. Smirking yet again, Yami asks Marik who said he used Brain Control on Slifer. Marik looks a bit dumbfounded when Yami begins to reveal the card he REALLY meant to control. It's Revival Jam, of course, which reforms on Yami's side of the duel. Marik gapes in disbelief at this choice, but Yami encourages him to take his cue and draw three new cards as per the conditions of his Card of Safe Return.

For once, Marik remains quiet as he glares in suspicion at Yami. He doesn't really get it yet, thinking that Yami is only helping him by making his hand bigger. Now, of course, Slifer has 16,000 attack points, but before it can attack, Revival Jam has returned back to the field as one of Yami's monsters again. Yami points, reminding Marik that this activates Slifer's automatic attack function. Marik issues a set of curse-masking symbols while Slifer summons its Lightning Shot at Revival Jam.

The Jam blows up, and Marik knows only too well what this means - that it will just come back again. It reforms, and Yami prompts Marik's doll to draw three more cards again, still pointing, like some kind of RUDE PERSON. Sorry, I'm still salty about that infringement on my pun turf earlier.

So, Marik's doll does exactly that, and Marik growls with growing rage in the background.

I would say Marik still can't grasp the metaphorical nature of this "infinite" term, but he's at least figured out that his deck will soon be gone as his doll draws yet another three cards. Yami confirms this by saying that when a player no longer has a card to draw, they can't keep playing.

Sorry Yami, Kaiba already called that Bingo. Maybe next time you'll speak up sooner.

Oh well, I guess winning this card game is a bit more important in context than a Bingo round.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? This ending for the duel was very satisfying for exactly the reasons I have discussed in previous reviews, but also one more. Yami COULDN'T defeat Slifer. The only way he could managed to win the duel was to make Slifer use up its resources, which is clever, but not exactly a defeat someone might brag about. It was a technicality that Yami exploited in the rules of the game, not a weakness of the monster or player themselves.

It puts into perspective just how powerful these god cards are, if Yami was on the ropes for so long and only managed to slip away through a crack in the rules. In a way, the ease with which he wins most of his other games, and about which I endlessly grouse, helped drive home the point here a little bit better; If YAMI barely got through this duel with a win, anyone else facing the god cards doesn't have much hope.

Still, this chapter did show us the return of Yami's arrogant smirk, and it was even more grating than it was before. I don't think anyone who had to have KAIBA hint to them about what the limits of the term "infinity" should have the right to look so smug.

The murder-grin, on the other hand... I miss the murder-grin.

Inuyasha Manga: 117 Oath Fulfillment

I'm glad that SOMEONE is keeping their promises around here! People are constantly telling me they'll do things and they never deliver! It's always, "I'll do the dishes in a few minutes," or, "I'm going to sew that button back on this jacket tomorrow," or, "I'll write that review today because I have the day off and nothing better to do!" Suuuuuuure you will Writch, until you get sucked into a video game for several hours and fail to complete the smallest of tasks. This girl has NO focus if she's not leveling up, apparently.

But at least somebody else can be relied upon! Who do we have...

... Here?

Swerve.

Because Naraku isn't catering to an audience he has no knowledge of as a character anyway, we're not given the details of this oath or even a broad view of what was promised. Sitting in a cell, a sentry on guard outside the door, Kikyou can feel the swirl of a gigantic evil. She also feels it's time for her to go, and looks up at the barred window to her left. A few of her shinidamachu float in between the bars, across the room, and through the grid in the door as well. The sentry's initial confusion doesn't last long, because the shinidamachu wrap themselves around him with speed, or at least I'm assuming so. It's kind of difficult to imagine these creatures doing much else but drifting slowly, but...

The sentry screams at the coiling things, but that too doesn't last too long before his eyes glaze over and his soul filters out through his mouth. I think Kikyou's pets have killed him, until I see he's slouched but still standing when she sidles up to the door. She commands him to open the door and then bring her a bow and arrows. So, is he a zombie now? His spirit doesn't appear to be LEAVING, or fully separating from his body, so is he even fully dead? Did Kikyou murder this fool or not? I'm confused!

A ways away, on the rumbling evil mountain, Kagome and Sango crouch a distance from the passage inside the rock. Kagome offers comfort to Sango, whom she asks if the evil is getting to her and if she's okay. Sango has her knees drawn up to her chest and her gas mask pressed to her sweating face as she observes that Kagome seems just fine, by contrast. Kagome says she is at the moment, and Shippou also states calmly that he's perfectly well. A marbled atmosphere radiates from the shaft, and Sango says it would be even worse inside. Kagome agrees, wondering if Inuyasha and Miroku are alright.

Man, I'm surprised that flashlight is able to penetrate the SHADE Inuyasha is throwing right now.

Miroku claims that his harsh training (all that meditation under waterfalls) has allowed him to handle the amount of evil in here, whereas a normal human wouldn't be able to move. Not to toot his own horn or anything... They both look further into the black passage at the sound of a rattling boom. Inuyasha is sure there's not just ONE thing in here making all this racket. He hoists Miroku onto his back and runs along, and his passenger is looking half-terrified, probably trying to avoid vomiting all over Inuyasha's shoulder.

It's not long before they see a light at the end of the tunnel. Literally.

The view doesn't just extend piles of igneous rock, either, if you can believe it. Inuyasha kneels on the edge of the small cliff in front of them, observing a swirling pool of roiling... something. Voice muffled through the hand over his mouth and nose, Miroku asks what this is. Inuyasha doesn't answer, but he sees pieces of youkai bubbling up and around the pool of mysterious substance. It begins to form something awful.

The WWE is really pulling in all kinds of "talent" these days, isn't it?

The weird dinosaur-headed dude lunges at the ogre-looking guy, latching its jaws onto the ogre's shoulder. It's got a ton of spikes on its back that look like stalagmites, which is totally awesome, and that's why I'm rooting for it. Is it strange I've picked a side already, when Inuyasha still seems to be hung up on the fact that they're fighting at all? What can I say? I'm American, and we're all about watching things fight for our amusement.

Miroku observes that there appears to have been many hundreds of youkai to start out with, and Inuyasha agrees. He assumes that the remains still floating in the gross liquid below are the ones that lost. Miroku says that those remains are what rained down on the village they visited in the last chapter, indicating the hole in the top of the mountain as the exit point. He still hasn't figured out what all this is set up for, though.

Meanwhile, the ogre twists the head off of the dinosaur, and there goes that twenty bucks. The dinosaur head is tossed carelessly into the youkai soup below, absorbed by the boiling muck. The rest of the body twists and stretches, wrapping around the ogre's waist.

That's ONE way to take a trophy.

Miroku goes over all the facts in his head, from the several hundred that start out to the way the loser is absorbed into the victor. He's slowly coming to a conclusion while the ogre complains that it can't leave, it looks up at the hole in the mountain-top, too far away to reach. It looks around, insisting that there was only one more left to beat, and then freedom had been promised. It suddenly glares off to the side, where Inuyasha and Miroku are still crouched on the ledge in the passage, declaring that Inuyasha must be the last one. Inuyasha recoils slightly, as would anyone faced by that thing.

Like so many other things in this chapter, though, this doesn't last long. Inuyasha doesn't want to be rude and deny the ogre what it wants, apparently, so he leaps right off the edge of that cliff hand on the hilt of Tessaiga. Miroku calls for him to wait just a bit late, but Inuyasha doesn't want to hear it anyway. He announces that the ogre is the origin of the evil, slashing at it with his blade.

Miroku screams at Inuyasha to stop, fearing his hypothesis about what this monster is might be correct. If it is, and the fight continues, then... something. Miroku doesn't finish the thought. Suspense!

Outside, night has fallen, and Shippou has produced some fox fire for Kagome and Sango as they wait. Sango complains that their companions are very late, and starts to stand, wanting to go and see if they're alright. Kagome holds her down by her arm, telling her she'll collapse if she goes inside. Her attention is drawn by the sound of footsteps behind them.

Good guess, Sherlock. How did you figure that one out?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? This one was mostly comprised of cool visuals, which is always a treat. RT's monster designs are a spectacle, quite the contrast to how samey her human characters can look most of the time. The detail that went into both of our brawlers today was astounding. I joked earlier that I was endeared to the dinosaur-type because it had those stalagmite spikes on its back, but it was true that those stuck out (pun intended) as a really neat detail on a monster fighting in a cave.

One of the things that struck me about this chapter was who was affected by the evil coming from the arena in the mountain, and who wasn't. Miroku and Sango seem to be suffering the most from it, while everyone else appears to range from mildly antsy (Kikyou) to in perfect health (Shippou). I'm not sure if I can spot a RULE here, because while Miroku is really having a ton of problems with the atmosphere, Kagome is a human with spiritual powers and NO training and she's not sick at all. Meanwhile, innocent Shippou is sitting pretty as the tainted demoness/priestess Kikyou has some reaction to it, though it's not clear if it's painful to her yet. There doesn't seem to be a spectrum that I can identify here, because it all presents as pretty random.

Inuyasha's use of Kagome's technology is so understated as to be almost conspicuous. I may have mentioned how refreshing it is to have characters from the past that don't freak out at advanced technology, and this is one of the moments I appreciate it a lot. Inuyasha has adapted fast to the tools Kagome brings from her time, and it's not a big deal to him OR Miroku. Writers of time-traveler stories, take notes.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 175 A Duelist's Power

Can I plug my laptop into it? Because I've been having trouble with this outlet I've got in my office that can be rather unreliable. Not that my dear laptop isn't overdue for retirement right now, which might be part of the problem. Its own adapter software has been known to crap out on me quite often to the point where it knows it's plugged in, but somehow won't pick up the charge it's supposed to. The battery will just keep draining, and it'll complain that it only has so much energy left for me to use it for my nefarious and uproarious writings.

I don't really have the funds to replace it right now, though. So if you notice I've just stopped posting for a month or two, it's probably because I couldn't find a duelist to charge up my laptop proper and it full-on died.

I won't bother Yami with the request, considering he looks completely drained of not only energy but HOPE right now. Probably best to ask Marik, who is making the claim once again that his monster's power is limitless. Much like his misunderstanding of the term "infinity". Just can't seem to grasp that counting concept, can you, Marik?

He isn't wrong that Slifer will continue to get stronger with every turn, though, saying that the only option left to Yami now is defeat. Yami actually seems to believe this, hunching as he thinks there's just no way he can win.

But then, out of the darkness, comes a shining douchebag who tells him to get up on his feet. Kaiba, if you'll recall, stands on the edge of the retaining wall above, arms crossed and looking sternly down on Yami kneeling. He insists that Yami's life as a duelist isn't going to end here. Yami stares in shock at the unexpected appearance of the very LAST person one could imagine coming to encourage him. Because hey, remember that one time Kaiba said they weren't fucking friends? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

And now I'm hungry. Hold up, I've gotta grab something from Starbucks across the street real fast.

Okay, we're good.

Kaiba says that Yami is one of the only people he recognizes as a real duelist, and as the self-appointed grand arbiter of real duelists, he asks Yami where his pride at. Yami doesn't answer, eyes wide and teeth clenched, still hunched in near defeat. Mokuba chips in with the command that Yami HAS to face his brother in the tournament, so he mustn't lose to this weird bald dude. Kaiba is looking somewhat distant as Mokuba talks, like he's had a long hit off a joint, but he provides a reason for that faraway melancholy.

How would Yami be able to see it if it's farther than the eye can see? Get your idioms straight, Kaiba! And maybe you should also stop taking those pills. Boy is high as balls.

Kaiba advises Yami to MOW DOWN GOD if he stands in one's way, which... Wow. I'm pretty sure that statement is the personal philosophy of every dictator who snatched away religious freedom from their people. Kaiba tells Yami to have no regrets, and this is when Yami finally raises his head. He bids Kaiba stay right where he is as he slowly stands, because he wants Kaiba to see just what his zealous encouragement has wrought.

Where do he and Kaiba get their lines? From the strawman atheist religious douchebags keep citing as the core of atheistic nonbelief?

Also, title page came a little late, didn't it?

From within his doll, Marik cackles at how convenient it is that Kaiba, the holder of the final god card, has shown up. He plans to fuck up Kaiba when he's done fucking up Yami here, but Kaiba is convinced that the only one who can defeat Yami is him. Meaning no one can ever defeat Yami.

Yami asks Marik if he's ready, because it's his turn. Looking at his hand he takes stock of the two there, Baphomet and Big Shield Guardna, neither of which would last long against Slifer's attack power. With Kaiba's pep talk fresh in his brain, though, he has been persuaded that there has to be a way to make this work, resolving to trust in the next card he draws.

It's Monster Reborn, though he doesn't look too terribly happy about it. He's contemplative a moment, then slaps it down as a face down card, and then plays his Guardna in defense. Marik reminds him with a smug grin that Slifer attacks as Slifer opens the smaller mouth in preparation to do so. Yami grunts, Mokuba gapes, and as far as I can tell, Kaiba's just standing there like he's in line at the DMV.

Marik commands Slifer to perform its lightning shot, which silhouettes Guardna in its light as it makes impact. Marik is very impressed with the reaction time of his dragon, striking right when Guardna shows up, while Mokuba is in awe of how it just did 2000 points of damage in one shot not on its turn. Kaiba is subdued when he talks about Slifer's awesome power, enough to wipe out nearly any four-star monster in the game. A close-up on his face shows that there's some of that same awe his brother has for it too. He contemplates that this is the equal to the Obelisk card he has, not just winning the game, but CRUSHING opponents. He's back to looking blankly ahead by the  next panel, though, even if Mokuba is still gaping.

This time it's because Yami's Guardna is still in play, presumably because of its higher defense points.

I mean, okay, but did you even SEE that thing??

Yami reflects anxiously on the fact that if he runs out of monsters, Slifer will hit him dead on. DEAD on. He wonders how he can beat the "infinite" powers of this god monster, but he doesn't have a lot of time for contemplation of his doom, because it's Marik's turn again, and he's only too eager to have his doll draw a card.

And of course, since Marik draws his card, that brings the total points of Slifer up to 10,000, to match the thousand multiplier on the number in his hand. I'm afraid this breaks poor Mokuba's mind, because here he goes again calling his brother KAIBA while stating dumbly that the attack points of Slifer are dependent on the number of cards in the doll's hand. Nah, it's just the official English translation being a fucking idiot again. Surprise.

Mokuba has also observed that Marik's doll played Infinite cards, so there's no limit to the size of his hand. Except for the limit of how many cards are in his deck, but Mokuba is under the impression everyone else is right now, which is that the word "infinite" is quite literal. He asks Kaiba how Yami can possibly beat a monster with "infinite" attack strength, and... Oh, I forgive HIM for it, being a tiny baby child. A tiny baby MURDER child, but still not old enough to take a counting class.

Man, I'm so tired of complaining about this misconception EVERYONE so far has had about what "infinite" means! Isn't there SOMEBODY who isn't going to be drawn in by a literal interpretation of this word? ANYONE???

Hang on... What's this? Kaiba contemplates the phrase "infinite attack points" and... HAS AN EPIPHANY??

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

It's the center square!! He said it! He finally said that nothing is infinite, especially not in this fucking game! Bingo! Bingo! Bingo forever!

I hate to say this, because it hurts me a little, but... Kaiba, I think I love you.

Slifer vomits a gigantic blast all over Guardna, which disintegrates. Marik has become elated to the point of absolute lunacy, a freakishly wide grin splitting his face when he asks what Kaiba and Yami are talking about. He INSISTS that his god's power is infinite. In the virtual cloud produced by Guardna's destruction, Yami stands stoic, head inclined. When he looks up again, he's smiling. He knows how to beat Slifer now.

Marik makes a disdainful grimace at the declaration, but Kaiba is smiling as well at the knowledge that Yami has figured this out. Finally. Mokuba clutches his fist triumphantly in support of Yami's newly recovered confidence.

That's tellin' him, Yami!

Marik thinks Yami has gone absolutely off his rocker, which is pretty funny considering how batshit his expression is in this panel. His nose is wrinkled, eyes narrowed, though they still have a kind of blank quality to them (sans pupil faces can be pretty hard to read), and a curling evil smirk. I'm not sure what KT was going for here, but it's confusing and scary. Hopefully that's it.

Anyway, Marik asks if Yami is saying he can dig himself out of this duel-hole in just one turn, and Yami responds that there IS a way. Marik's face suddenly takes a turn, and becomes horrified and afraid. He tries to convince himself that Yami is lying, and that there's no way he can get out of this trap, but Marik's mug gives me the impression he's not really succeeding.

Mokuba is nervous because he hasn't quite cottoned on yet. He sees that in order to win, Yami has to beat the 10,000-point Slifer, and that in itself is just unbelievable to him. He turns timidly to Seto to ask him about it, but Seto tells him to clam up and not say anything. Jeez, rude much? Kaiba knows the one key card is in Yami's deck somewhere, and the outcome of this duel depends on whether he can draw it. He tells Mokuba to watch carefully, because he's going to see the power of a true duelist.

Man, if only I could be there right now with this laptop...

Mokuba looks curiously on at Yami, who still faces Marik's doll, the jam thing, and Slifer. It's pretty impressive, and then Yami decides to ruin his stoicism by declaring this is the last turn, drawing a card in the most elaborate way possible and holding it up to the heavens as an offering to Zeus. At least, that's what I assume is happening here. I don't know why else he would be so ridiculous right now.

Unless... ridiculousness is the true power of a duelist. IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW.

Marik is either not comprehending Yami's words, or he's just too angry to think straight. Either way, that guy isn't on board with this victory speech. Kaiba asks himself if Yami drew the card, and smiles when he decides he doesn't need confirmation. Of COURSE Yami drew it! Not because he's got the hand of the plot guiding him or anything, but because the god cards only choose the proudest duelists as their owners or something.

I understand Kaiba was a little late to the party here, but he's been around long enough to see how much pride this guy Marik has. Either Kaiba meant to use another word here, or he's so full of shit it's about to start coming out his ears. And I would unabashedly buy a ticket to see that. For real.

Yami gears up to make his move, swinging his hand around dramatically. He activates his face down card, which you'll remember is Monster Reborn. Marik looks disgusted by its appearance, nose wrinkled yet again. Yami is FLAILING when he announces he's bringing back his fallen warrior, Buster Blader. It rises out of the floor like with arms crossed over its chest, Yami singing its praises as a mighty dragon slayer. I feel like I'm at a showy concert.

Marik has taken to sneering again, because bringing Buster Blader back from the grave in defense just so it can be destroyed again sounds like a pretty dumb move to him, being only as good as giving Yami one more turn. He's got one tiny detail of this wrong, though.

Well, if Yami IS insane, it's probably not going to manifest in the cards he plays. Thousands of years cooped up in solitary confinement with no room to move is probably the reason for all the crazy and the way he over-enunciates every single action. Come to think of it, you guys might have quite a bit in common, Marik.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It certainly wasn't boring. If I hadn't been bogged down with so many technical errors and random responsibilities, I probably would have gotten the review on this out at the beginning of the month when I started it. I was drawn in by the drama of Yami's dire straights being thrown into reverse by KAIBA, of all people. Not to mention how Kaiba was so quick to give Yami the hint he needed to figure out this puzzle on his own. He didn't give away the answer, but gave just enough of a push that Yami was able to elbow past the ridiculous notions Marik was feeding him about infinity being a literal thing.

This says a couple of things about Kaiba as a character: the first is that he wants to duel Yami badly enough to help him out of this seemingly hopeless situation from the outside, and the second is that he still has a mind for making Yami do the work himself and not compromise the tournament by just out and out giving him the answer. It's a happy medium, and Kaiba was the perfect person to deliver it. If Yami's friends weren't prone to falling into the same literalism as Yami and Marik did (which I believe they would be, let's be honest), they would have just handed him the answer in the most basic terms. Jonouchi isn't exactly the most subtle in his speech. Or in any respect. At least with Kaiba helping out, the reader gets a sense that there's not so much affection for the target that there exists temptation to just blurt it out. Nice change of pace.

Which is a good thing, because the content on the duel was sparse here. It's happened before that KT has just spent a chapter ANGSTING instead of moving the duel and content forward, and it has slowed the pace to a crawl, if not outright STOPPING it. In this case, though, something interesting is happening that's not angst and is genuine character-building, and that kept the pace where the actual plot could not.