Yeah, I might be just a TAD salty about the whole thing.
Marik swings his leg over his bike to dismount, annoyed that he has to deal with this clown just when he almost has hold of Jonouchi to bait the trap for Yami. Welcome to the "I'm Constantly Inconvenienced By Douchey Idiots" Club, Marik. He gestures to his minions, telling them to keep an eye on Jonouchi while he and this Millennium Itemed stranger talk. He then requests from Bakura that they speak somewhere private if this is about the Millennium Items, which he's sure Bakura will understand. Sure, it's perfectly understandable that you would like to privately discuss these items that both of you and the main character flaunt on an regular basis and that you just mentioned loudly in public setting.
Even more understandable that after Bakura smirks wordlessly, we see the two of them standing several feet apart on what appears to be a small dock - again out in the open. Marik, I'm not sure you understand what the word "private" means. I shouldn't be surprised by this, though, considering you're not so great at using words properly to begin with. Marik asks Bakura what it is he wants, and Bakura puts on his crazy face to say that he wants Marik's Millennium Item, promising to let him live if he gives it up nice and quiet. Marik doesn't seem to be shitting his pants at this threat, but instead smirks back.
He asks if Bakura is collecting Millennium Items (unaware of Pegasus's eye no doubt, but it was a fine reminder) and if so, why.
Marik glares, wondering how Bakura would know about the tablet, which is supposed to be a secret of the tomb guardians. Regardless, he coolly informs Bakura that his information is a bit incomplete, because it takes more than the Millennium Items to open the "Door of Darkness". This news sours Bakura's expression. Marik knows that the TRUE secret to opening up that door is carved on his back in hieroglyphics, and speculates that one could say he was given life to guard the secret, not that it matters now...
He asks Bakura if he knows the owner of the Millennium Puzzle, Yuugi, and if he's planning on getting rid of THAT guy eventually too. Bakura gives him a cryptic "maybe", smug smile back on his smug mug. Marik makes a non-committal noise and then asks who Bakura happens to be. Bakura tells Marik what he can call him as though he's giving out an alias, even though it's his... regular old name. Looks like SOMEONE has a lot of admiration for worst-spy-ever James Bond.
Marik tells Bakura that he actually doesn't give two shits about the Millennium Items, and all he wants is Yuugi's life. Bakura looks intrigued, so Marik continues, saying that the Millennium Rod won't mean anything to him if he can bury Yuugi here in Battle City. Still, he's got to keep it for now, so he's willing to make Bakura a deal. Holding up the prize to shadow his face, Marik proposes that if Bakura agrees to help him, he'll hand over the rod without hesitation when all is said and done.
So, instead of asking what kind of "help" would be involved here, Bakura goes straight to asking what would happen if he refuses. Okay, just assume that whatever he's going to want you to do isn't doable, that's fine. Marik tells Bakura that he won't leave the pier alive if he doesn't agree to those terms. Well that simple deal just took a fucking turn...
Bakura scoffs, wondering indignantly if Marik REALLY knows more about this tablet than he does. Does it really matter? You still get the Millennium Rod at the end of this with minimal effort and a whole lot of cooperation. Just take the deal, dumbass. Marik offers Bakura five minutes to think about his yes or no answer, and Bakura glares speechlessly. He wonders whether or not Marik should be made an enemy, because he apparently has a mental block against cooperation or something. Marik just stands there and smiles, thinking he can use Bakura no matter what his answer is.
Inside the aquarium, Marik's Ghouls have identified Jonouchi next to the killer whale tank, while some of the audience members laugh at what a terrible duelist he is. One of the Ghouls states that they must watch him until they receive further orders. Thanks for that wooden statement of the obvious, watchdog.
Anzu shouts through her cupped hands for Jonouchi to calm his shit. For some unknown reason, she only reminds herself that if he wins this duel, he'll be able to face Yami in the finals just like he wants. Maybe it's because Jonouchi doesn't really look like he needs reminding, sweating up a storm and grinding his teeth already.
Ryota declares it's his turn and draws a card. As he does so, Jonouchi notes the one monster Ryota has on his side, convinced that it'll be used as a sacrifice for summoning a more powerful monster to lay into him. But Jonouchi is thankful for the one face down card he has on his side, Chasm of Spikes, which will surely throw a wrench into Ryota's hypothetical future attack with a high-level monster. He's grinning again, without the slightest concern that his poker face is garbage.
Ryota also gives a moment's consideration to Jonouchi's face down card, which he determines to be a non-threat. He shouts that he's attacking now without doubt, directing Flying Fish toward his opponent with an outstretched finger. Jonouchi clenches his fist, convinced Ryota has fallen for it, without any kind of thought toward the fact that the monster attacking right now is a "FLYING" fish. He activates his trap loudly anyway, revealing the Chasm of Spikes, and it is a surprise to absolutely NO ONE that the next panel shows his dumbfounded reaction to a flubbed countermove.
The Flying Fish hits Jonouchi right in the face with its Torpedo Charge, knocking Jonouchi back, and bringing down his life points to 3200. Anzu lets out a discouraged exclamation, while Sugoroku says that Ryota saw right through Jonouchi, and he should get himself a better strategy. Or maybe having a strategy AT ALL might help a little. Just saying. Ryota, with a derisive scoff that suggests the fun he was having at Jonouchi's expense is now over, ends his turn with a face down card. Don't think he's done whaling on Jonouchi verbally, though (pun intended). He says he's disappointed and hates goofy duelists like Jonouchi who can't take the game seriously.
Well do you want to have fun or do you want to get serious? Make up your mind!
At this contradictory statement, Jonouchi looks like he got punched in the gut. Anzu looks on in pity, knowing that Jonouchi IS being serious, but he's so desperate he's running in circles. Ryota isn't aware of this, though, and proceeds to give the speechless Jonouchi an obnoxious lecture about how he always gives it his all when he duels as a sign of respect to his opponents. He apparently reels in as hard as he can when fishing too, no matter how small the fish, because otherwise a big one will swallow him one day. A little preachy, but it's not a bad analogy.
Jonouchi looks down, taking an entirely different message from what Ryota is saying. He thinks the point is that he's always chasing after Yami's successes like a dog (this dog theme is somewhat grating at this point), trying to act cool but falling right on his ass. Another fair assessment, but not really what Ryota was getting at. I think they're talking/thinking past each other, but regardless, Ryota is still shouting his head off about how he can't got out to sea right now because of his lack of a boat. The prize money is why he's in the tournament right now; a sufficient fund for buying a new one.
While Jonouchi looks on with a dead-eyed stare, Ryota continues his inspiring speech. Even if it takes him a while, he's convinced the sea will wait for the day they do battle. Ah, THERE'S the connector. Jonouchi looks up with a renewed determination on his face, declaring that he knows exactly how Ryota feels because he wants to fight someone too. His is even an actual PERSON!
Jonouchi shouts to announce drawing a card, a weird whack-a-mole type picture on the front from what I can gather. But that's not the one he plays. He instead summons Alligator Sword, and supplements its attack position with two face down cards. Ryota is pleased by the fighting spirit he can now sense from Jonouchi, the duelist pride that will prevent Ryota from just walking all over Jonouchi. Still, he's quite convinced that HIS fighting spirit is stronger. He calls out the start of his turn and not long afterwards uses his Flying Fish as a sacrifice to summon the Amphibian Beast, a half-man half-amphibian that reminds me of something...
Jonouchi, on the other hand, is not. He's got a somewhat fearful/disturbed look on his face, but strangely he doesn't call Ryota out on the obvious hypocrisy of being into weird creepy monsters. Ryota explains without provocation that this is a rare monster that can attack both on land and water, then asks if Jonouchi is ready. He doesn't wait for an answer, though.
Ryota grinds his teeth in confusion, unsure whether he has to pick the right hole or what. Jonouchi gives different instructions with a mischievous grin; can Ryota's monster hit Alligator Sword as his head pops out of those holes super fast? The Amphibian Beast watches Aligator's head pop out all over the box, too fast to catch out of one individual hole. Ryota has a grin of his own, though, when he tells Jonouchi that it was a nice try and all, but he's got himself a counter-trap.
It's a field spell card called Umi, which covers their duel in a layer of virtual sea water, straight up to an alarmed Jonouchi's waist. It takes the duel underwater, just as Ryota suggests, and Jonouchi's Fairy Box sinks to the bottom. A line of bubbles issues from one of the holes, as Ryota commands his Amphibian Beast to hunt Alligator Sword down. It targets the hole with the bubbles, but Jonouchi isn't out of tricks yet. He calls out his other face down card: Skull Dice.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The middle was a little difficult to slog through, because not only were we lacking a bit of action, but there was a comment from Jonouchi that didn't really make sense within the context of Ryota's speech. Ryota didn't even MENTION Yami, speaking more broadly about valuing every competitive experience, easy or difficult. I'm not certain how Jonouchi ended up coming out with such a far-fetched interpretation. Perhaps Yami naturally popped into his head as a big fish that could end up swallowing him whole if he's not careful to learn and grow from the smaller fries along the way?
Or it could just be that this was the only way KT felt he could shoehorn in a new insecurity that will be cured by reaching the "true duelist" goal in the future. I don't know. I mean, it's not WRONG to use this as a source of conflict for Jonouchi, and it seems in fact to be a more concrete statement of the issue Jonouchi had with taking back the Red Eyes Black Dragon from Yami in the first place - he can't just keep letting Yami defend him, because it means Jonouchi won't ever be able to stand up to him as an equal. I'm just not quite sure this is the best place to express that sentiment, even though, in a VERY cramped way, it might fit. Maybe. It's just a bit awkward.
Speaking of awkward, what was with Bakura's forced reluctance to make a deal with Marik? I could understand if he was skeptical of the deal, unsure that Marik would follow through at the end. I could even understand if Bakura wanted to hold out for a deal that included the special instructions for how to use the Millennium Items to open that special door. But no, he just comes across like he's just being difficult to be difficult. Like KT had seen a lot of movies where people made deals like these, but didn't QUITE understand the context in which people would refuse them. The result are vague objections with no real reason behind them.
And the Calvinball begins.
ReplyDeleteFlying Fish would be destroyed by Chasm of Spikes in the actual game, so that's nonsense.
You absolutely cannot play a field spell card in the middle of your battle phase. And the air bubbles stuff is just complete nonsense no matter how you look at it.
KT definitely didn't have the most believable ideas for this duel's progression. It's a bit cringey, in all honesty.
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