Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 209 For the Sake of Bonds!!

No one can question our main characters' dedication to the concept of bonds. Not just in practice, but symbolically as well. One might laugh at the small "bondage" look both Yuugi and Yami sport, but it has been meant to literally represent the links between them and their friends at least in one instance; that chain on the Millennium Puzzle. Not the most subtle of fashion statements, I suppose, but at least it's less awkward than some I've seen.

I shudder at the fact that asshole!Bakura seems to think he can steal Yami's murder-grin while he's not using it, for example. Arms outstretched, he's prepared to receive the attack Yami has just called on him, the whole time wearing that smile like he's Jeff the Killer - which, by the way, is NOT a compliment. He's also spending his final conscious seconds internally defending why he's jumped to the defense of his host when this could be considered an entirely non-evil act. Apparently he's not too concerned with losing this battle in particular, because he's sure he's going to be the one getting those powers of darkness in the end. In order to accomplish the long game, though, his host body needs to stay intact, at least until he gets all the Millennium Items. This tournament aside, asshole!Bakura is certain that Yami will be trapped in eternal darkness not too long from now.

And with that, he's out.

... What was the point of him being in this tournament again? Oh, yeah, Yami had to win against SOMEONE relatively unimportant in the first round. This is made all the more obvious by Moar Cards Guy holding his hand up in a very unflattering salute as he declares that Yami is the winner of this first duel of the semi-finals. KAIBA himself has NO line here. Do the administrators of this tournament not give two shits about the safety... you know, I'm not going to ask the question I know the answer to all too well.

Yami's sideline friends call to him as he runs to Bakura's side, asking if he's okay. Give him time to check, dudes, geeeeeez. They're impatient, so they jump up onto the dueling stage to make sure as well, while Yami kneels to haul poor Bakura's head and shoulders up into a reclined position. Bakura stutters and wheezes, though his eyes are open and he's barely conscious. Yami implores him to hold on, with the rest of the gang surrounding them. He assures everyone that everything seems to be okay, since Bakura is at least AWAKE again, but Honda points out that Bakura's arm is still bleeding heavily and he'll need proper treatment. Maybe some stitches, if it's THAT bad. And a place to rest that's not on top of an airborne blimp. Anzu suggests they take Bakura back to his room. Mokuba, the one person in charge with even a smidgen of empathy, commands Moar Cards Guy to bring Bakura the first-aid kit.

Yeah, no. He didn't stub his fucking toe. Actual doctor. Stitches. For real.

Meaningless as it may be at this point, Moar Cards Guy agrees to but out that lackluster first-aid kit, directing the group once Bakura is lifted piggyback onto Honda and they begin to get him out of the frigid wind. Yami hangs back, contemplating poor, poor Bakura, while Anzu stoops to pick up the Millennium Ring, left behind in the rush to get Bakura to a better place. She regards it thoughtfully, reiterating the fact that Bakura was possessed by the spirit in there and admits she forgot how dangerous wearing it was. Yeah, apparently Bakura forgets that on the regular too.

Yami is considering the ring too, but in a different way. He thinks about its reasoning, sacrificing itself for its host. He can't help but conclude that this must be the fate of any spirit in a Millennium Item, evil or not; unable to protect the other self. Except that asshole!Bakura has succeeded in that endeavor? I'm not really certain if this is a mistranslation or a typo or something...? Anyway, in this way, whatever way that happens to be regarding the nature of protecting one's host, Yami thinks of asshole!Bakura as no different from himself.

Yuugi appears to Yami in the darkness of their internal conference room (I'm guessing), and says he thinks there's a bit of a difference between the two. Yami looks around at Yuugi with surprise, as though he's never been approached in mind-space by Yuugi before. It's weird. Yuugi gives him a meek smile and before making his case, says he understands that there are similarities; the two minds/one body deal is undeniable, as well as the spirit of the ring protecting his host mind. But, Yuugi says he actually WANTS to help Yami and isn't fighting against him. Yami stares silently while Yuugi goes on to say that ever since he finished the Millennium Puzzle and the two of them met, he's been hoping to get stronger, for Yami's sake as well as his own. I'm guessing this is another dig at Bakura for being weak in comparison. Some friend Yuugi is.

Yami considers this sufficient cheering-up, and agrees. Yuugi offers to do the only thing he can to help now, though, which is switch places with him. He argues that Yami should rest after his grueling battle with asshole!Bakura. Again, Yami nods in agreement, and the two of them do a mental high-five, excited to switch like it's a cool party trick. Well... maybe it is, in a way.

Yuugi takes control, I guess in a particularly conspicuous way, because Anzu looks over at him and exclaims his name. Scratching his cheek, he suggests that to her, "this" might be a bit pointless. Not sure what "this" is, because after a moment of confusion from Anzu, Yuugi starts to run after the party taking Bakura below decks, declaring that they have to help Bakura first.

Moving along, Anzu looks back down at the Millennium Ring and it seems to radiate some sinister energy. Anzu calls out to Yuugi and he turns to look back at her.

Great. Now SHE'S going to be carting it around where it doesn't belong. Fuck this ring.

As Yuugi begins his sprint after his injured friend again, Moar Cards Guy informs him that he's entitled to a rare card from loser Bakura's deck. Yuugi of course yells back at him that he doesn't want a fucking card from Bakura's deck and it isn't the time for that shit anyway. Good boy. Both Kaiba brothers stand off to the side, looking pretty relaxed for guys whose event has some major medical complications going on in there. Mokuba states again that Yami won the match, hands behind his head and elbows in the air as a weirdly reclined pose while he stands.

Elder Kaiba hums thoughtfully, musing that the person who beats Yami would also have to be one chosen by a god (card). He promises to beat Yami in the dueling field, like this is news or something. Why do these panels even exist? I don't know, but Moar Cards Guy announces that the second match's duelists will be determined in twenty minutes. You'd better be serving some hard whiskey during that twenty minutes, bro. I don't generally advocate under-age drinking, but I feel like I need it, and I'm not even THERE.

DOES he seem fine? I don't know if I would consider those dark bags under his eyes as "fine", but I guess that's just me.

Jonouchi warns everyone not to let their guards down, even though Yami won this past match, hunched and serious for once. Yuugi expresses some surprise that Bakura was capable of putting up such a fight, and Anzu reminds him that it's because of that other personality of his. Yuugi is well aware of THAT factor, as is anyone with eyes, so he clarifies that his concern stems from the fact that this intense effort interrupted a potential loss by Yami. Anzu, as if she hadn't been watching the duel at all, seems confused. Yuugi elaborates further that during the last turn, when regular!Bakura showed up on the edge of death, Yami just COULDN'T attack. If asshole!Bakura hadn't come back, Yami would have lost for his lack of attack. Jonouchi is in disbelief at the implication that asshole!Bakura actually let Yami win, but Yuugi amends that asshole!Bakura thought that Yami would attack, and so switched to protect the regular one.

This suggests to Jonouchi that the ploy of switching to regular!Bakura was a complete waste of time, then. Again, Yuugi has to correct him. He says that actually, there's yet ANOTHER mind in Bakura's head, and bringing out regular!Bakura was THEIR idea. Jonouchi and Honda are understandably shocked and confused by the fact that there are THREE personalities in there, even though the third one basically admitted it back when he brought regular!Bakura out. Through a proxy, at least, but shhhhhh, that's a secret.

Yes, Yuugi has concluded that the third person who's taken up residence in Bakura's mind is Marik, a fact that Jonouchi seems rather blown away by, despite being the last person who should. Man, I'm so jealous of this kid's ability to just block out or compartmentalize everything bad that happens to him. He's a fucking champion at it. He asks for clarification that it was the big cloaked guy; you know, the one who made the announcement that he was switching the personalities at the time? So unexpected!

Yuugi is certain that Marik used Bakura's life as a shield in the hopes of winning, but was stopped by asshole!Bakura. Marik was the one who was able to predict that Yami wouldn't be able to attack a severely injured opponent, not the spirit of the Millennium Ring. Weird, considering asshole!Bakura has known Yami a whole lot longer than Marik and should be a better predictor at this kind of thing. But whatever.

If for no other reason than that he's stealing character judgments from people who are more qualified to have them.

Anzu asks Yuugi how Marik even got into Bakura's head. I don't know, Anzu, maybe you should be asking yourself that question. Regardless, Yuugi has the external answer she's looking for: the Millennium Rod, with which Marik can brainwash people. Extreme closeup on one of Jonouchi's eyes as he jumps up from his chair, and asks if this is the same guy who brainwashed him to play that sick match with Yuugi before the semifinals. Has... has he actually forgotten this information? Because he seemed to know who Marik was before and now...

Yuugi hums his confirmation, and Jonouchi growls before thrusting his fist into a nearby wall, cursing, saying that he can't forgive this, and then vowing to defeat this dude. Yeah, good luck remembering with your track record. Just above the dent Jonouchi has put in the wall, Moar Cards Guy appears. As Jonouchi clutches the wrist of his stinging fist in agony, Moar Cards Guy announces that it's time for them to pick the next dueling pair, asking them to gather in the communal area. Jonouchi recovers quickly at this request, declaring himself the duelist of justice and responsible for defeating the evil-doers, aching fist raised resolutely. Yuugi and Honda stare at him, part embarrassed and part put-off.

Shizuka follows Jonouchi and his friends from the room, cheering him with her fist in the air as well. Anzu, however, remains sitting, promising to stay and care for Bakura. The boys agree to this, Honda expressing his faith in her capable hands, and as the door clicks shut behind them, Anzu puts on a suspicious little smile. Bakura continues to snooze, but...

"I think I know where I'm gonna put this..."

Moar Cards Guy is just as enthusiastic as ever once everyone is gathered around him, declaring it's time to pick the next two duelists on the docket once again. He's holding a hand high over his head as he announces the start of the Blue Eyes Bingo Machine again. His excitement seems to overshadow that  of the duelists themselves. Kaiba, give this dude a raise.

The lots bounce around in the dome, minus the seven and five, of course, representing the remaining six who haven't had a turn yet. Jonouchi demands that the machine spit out his number, but Mokuba insists that Seto's number is next. Which one of them is right? The two lots roll into the mouths of the dragons at the bottom and Moar Cards Guy says that the next two lucky semifinalists are...

If this isn't a cautionary tale to be careful what you wish for, I don't know what is.

Jonouchi hasn't figured out how fucked he probably is, though, to NO ONE'S surprise. He glares over at "Marik" with hatred and shaking fists. He promises to beat the brainwashing bastard with those very fists. A short time and a speed-line panel later, Jonouchi and "Marik" face each other on the dueling stage on top of the blimp, glaring. Yuugi cheers from the pit next to the stage, shouting that he has to win and Mai cheers next to him. Shizuka calls at him to do his best. He's not paying much attention to this, dwelling instead that there won't be any love lost between he and "Marik" when the duel concludes, bidding "Marik" to prepare himself. "Marik" of course just glares right back, but I'm pretty sure that's just how his face looks.

The real Marik describes Jonouchi as a little mouse who is caught easily by small traps, so mentally urges Rishid to use the trap method to quickly dispatch him. Yuugi just stares at the man he believes to be Marik with anger. Kaiba smirks, thinking that if this Marik guy really has the Ra card somewhere in his deck, Jonouchi will make a perfect lab rat for its use. Man, everyone is referring to Jonouchi as a rodent right now. If Marik in Kaiba's head too?

Anyway, Jonouchi calls for the start of the duel, eagerness fueled by pure rage.

Aaaaaaand here we go again.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? This translation was a bit difficult to parse, so there were a couple of parts that I'm not sure what the conversation is trying to convey. That comment that Anzu might find something unspecified pointless? I'm just honestly baffled. The best I can guess is that she might have thought the switch between Yuugi and Yami was pointless, but I can't imagine why Yuugi would think this. It's just bizarre. I tried to find a better translation but couldn't, so...

Regarding the difference between the Yuugis and Bakuras, I'm a little surprised at how short the conversation was. It seemed to try to open back up that old insecurity Yami had about being an "evil" spirit, way back at the end of Duelist Kingdom, but it just... stopped? Part of this quest to find his memories includes the possibility of finding some not-so-flattering bits to his character, so you would think this might be an understandable insecurity to build on as the tournament goes on and Yami gets closer to learning those memories. But Yuugi appears to resolve this issue with some commentary on his own place in their relationship - his consent in the process. It's a great place to go, because it's obvious that Bakura is just not as active in his relationship with the spirit of the ring, and at worst is very against it. Both this and the evil-spirit conflict deserve a lot more attention than this, and it MIGHT get that attention, but... I don't know, this interaction seemed so abrupt and FINAL. We'll see.

Speaking of that evil-spirit conflict, this is certainly Marik's attitude toward Yami (another reason this should be addressed in greater detail for Yami's personal unease). He's constantly referring to Yami as the reason Marik and his family have suffered so much over the millennia, and he's gunning to get rid of him for this primary reason. So WHY would he turn around and believe that Yami is capable of withholding an attack and losing for the sake of his friend's life? This is something that is fundamentally good, showing mercy and wielding power with caution and benevolence. It should go against Marik's characterization of Yami entirely, yet here he is, pitting Yami against friends and putting said friends in danger to make him hesitate, the way he wouldn't if he were the villain Marik constructed in his head.

For that matter, WHY is Marik trying to make Yami lose AT ALL at this point in the tournament? I know I've asked this question before, but it doesn't make much sense that Marik isn't willing to wait to face Yami like everyone else. Sure, sure, I can see Marik using his Rare Hunters and Ghouls as a window into Yami's strategy to prepare himself rather than going in blind. But out-and-out trying to get him to lose long before he faces Yami himself? It's gone beyond toying with the enemy and straight to what looks an awful lot like cowardice.

Or, more likely, outright nonsense. Marik is another Kaiba - just doing and saying and believing whatever the plot requires in order to make outlandish things happen. Just think of how different this duel might have been had everyone acted in accordance with what the characters had already established. Asshole!Bakura would have been the one to bring out regular!Bakura in order to trip up Yami, Marik wouldn't have switched them back at all because he doesn't care a whit about regular!Bakura and thinks he's an inert soul anyway, and Yami would have had to lose.

That corner KT wrote himself into assassinated a LOT of characters, now that I think about it. 

Inuyasha Manga: 150 Reversal

Jokes about this title have eluded me for several days, despite the fact that I'm pretty sure there are some obvious ones I could make. They're just very elusive at the moment. An opportunity for a joke could be staring me in the face and I wouldn't be able to take it. I wish I could say my inability is as noble as not wanting to blast through all the innocent observances of propriety acting as a shield, but I'm not as heroic as Inuyasha is in this arc. I'm just not very clever, the only affinity I can claim with our main character.

I also have the distinct advantage of my enemy jokes not attacking me. Man, that was a clumsy metaphor.

Inuyasha silently curses the fact that the villagers are in his way, reminding himself that he'll kill them if he takes the opportunity to strike that Kagura is presenting with her self-created Kaze no Kizu. He doesn't have long to dwell on the hypnotized faces of the villagers (they no longer look angry, since the illusion doesn't have to be kept up anymore), because a new tornado jabs down at him out of the sky and he has to hold the flat of Tessaiga's blade in front of his face to block it. He skids backward from the force of the blow.

While the sword is guarding Inuyasha's head, Kagura unleashes a series of wind blades on Inuyasha, which slice at his arms and legs. He groans, recoiling from the attack, this time cursing aloud and breaking a serious sweat. Kagura notes how frustrated he's become, and internally promises to let him cut the scar in her wind soon. She adds that it'll be at full power, too, but she sure doesn't seem like she's planning to die from it. She's entirely too smug for this to be a GIR-like self-destruct plan.

Meanwhile, Miroku is carrying Kagome piggy-back accompanied by both Sango and Koharu's unconscious bodies slung across Kirara's back. Shippou is also bouncing alongside him on his other side, explaining that the girl youkai with the mirror appeared to be friends with Naraku, with which assessment Miroku agrees. He keeps his question about why this girl in white wasn't noticed by them before in his head, though. After all, Inuyasha said he didn't smell any youkai nearby, and Miroku himself didn't sense any either. He remembers how the girl in white retreated into the dark recesses of the house like a ghost, all spooky-like.

Back with Inuyasha again, he's getting slammed in the gut by the point of one of Kagura's whirlwinds, and ends up sprawled in a heap on the ground, groaning. Kagura seems somewhat surprised, wondering out loud if Inuyasha is exhausted already. She feels like she could finish him off all by herself even without some round-about plan. Just as she thinks this, the villagers in front of her start fucking off to the sides of the battle, no longer guarding her. Seems she waited a bit too long to come to the conclusion that she's capable of breaking from the plan, because she recognizes the retreat of the villagers as a sign that the plan is going ahead. She does the mental equivalent of a shrug. C'est la vie.

I'd ask him to question WHY that is, but he's probably lost too much blood for his cognitive faculties to be functioning at a critical level by this point.

But Kagura's not exactly making it a mystery what she's up to. She declares that it's time to put Inuyasha out of his misery, which should make it pretty obvious that an attack at this point would be against his interests. He's pulling himself to his feet when she lets loose a new barrage of wind blades, vigor recovered for a moment.

It's Shippou who sees the girl in white peek out from behind Kagura, and he calls out in distress at the sight, but it's too late. Even as he yells at Inuyasha not to cut wherever he's aiming, Inuyasha is already swinging down Tessaiga, calling out Kaze no Kizu. It rips up the ground in its path right toward Kagura, and through the destruction, he's just able to make out the girl in white stepping in front of Kagura before the cut reaches her. Inuyasha is visibly confused and shocked to see the kid putting herself in the way, but not as shocked as he's GOING to be.

He's getting the Sango treatment now.

OUCH.

My comment above can't be in enough caps, because the next page shows Inuyasha's face gaping in pain and horror as he lays sprawled on the ground again, covered in blood. It stains the ground in rivulets stretching from where his Kaze no Kizu was blowing, a ways past him. It's actually pretty visceral.

Miroku stares at his fallen friend as the residual wind from the attack blows past them, in disbelief that Kaze no Kizu was blown back. Shippou looks downright anguished when he tells Miroku that Sango was brought down the same way. She lays, still unconscious on the ground, with Kirara placing a protective paw over her. Koharu also lies propped on one of Kirara's haunches.

Inuyasha, in contrast, has his eyes open, but barely. They're blank and half-lidded, staring into space. As he lays there, an new figure appears out of the fog behind Kagura and Kanna. Shippou hangs from Miroku's shoulder while he leans forward in anticipation of seeing the jerkwad behind this scheme.

That expression, though. The anger is real!!

He runs out to stand next to the incapacitated Inuyasha, preparing to rip the sealing beads from his right hand, while Shippou runs to Inuyasha's other side, yelling his name desperately. Naraku warns Miroku not to do anything HE wouldn't do, which includes opening his Kazaana at the moment. THAT would involve sucking up the souls of Kagome and everyone else's stolen by Kanna's mirror. She stands close to Naraku, not backing away from him or anything. Miroku curses, wrapping the beads back around his wrist.

In addition to the souls, there's a few Saimyoushou hovering around behind Naraku, who says that Miroku is the only one left now, like a threat. I'm sure he means the only one who can stand up to him, because Shippou and Kirara are still souled and mobile, after all. I guess Naraku isn't much impressed with Shippou's... spinning top illusion deal. Can't really blame him.

Even so, Naraku is still quite wrong, because as she lays propped against a hill of rubble, Kagome continues to cling to consciousness. She weakly calls Kirara to her side.

I admire your dedication and will to stick by your guy, lady, but I don't envy you seeing like this. Even I'M disturbed by this image, and I'm not in love with the guy.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The expressions of these characters get me every time, and I think this chapter is one of the best examples of how expressive RT can be with her art. There aren't any moments where I'm confused or led in a random direction by a character's face, because every expression is carefully crafted and evocative. And the character designs aren't exactly the most intricate, either; this comic has an extremely simple style that isn't busy, but that helps to convey intense emotion, in a way. Whenever a character is disturbed, their faces are so unmistakably disturbed as well that it's impossible not only to notice, but empathize. It's really amazing.

The other thing that's amazing, something I may have mentioned before, is that RT isn't afraid to make her good guys lose, and lose HARD. The first time I read this chapter, I was hard-pressed to figure out how the protagonists were going to get out of this, with every hand tied so tight. One of the best things about Inuyasha is how close RT is willing to cut it, seemingly writing her story and characters into corners to give these story beats urgency and suspense. Here she has fucked Inuyasha up in the worst way yet, and even knowing the outcome, it's still a nail-biting scene. Not just because one can wonder how he's going to survive (or indeed if he has), but because the characters around him react and express themselves in such believable, visceral manners. I can't help but really feel the desperation of the characters, and I don't think I'm the only one.

Of course, RT isn't consistent in employing her talent for invoking suspense, but I can't help but admire it when she goes all-in like this. It's like watching a unicorn taking a dump. You never thought you could ever see even the unicorn itself, but the rainbow shit coming out its backside just makes it all the more real, like it's an honest-to-goodness creature with all the nasty crap that comes with it.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 208 The Line of Fire

Asshole!Bakura is surely in those cross-hairs, but that's not news. He's been on the track to get his ass shot off since he stole that Duel Disk. It was only a matter of time, after all. So why mention it in the title unless someone other than asshole!Bakura was up against the blowtorch? Granted, this could be another of those nonsensical, meaningless titles, sounding all important but offering very little of substance that KT is so fond of.

Still, I can think of ONE person who's up there on that stage with asshole!Bakura who might get burned. As Yami holds Slifer's card in the air, summoning it along with a shitload of lightning, I can't help but think asshole!Bakura's face contains an awful lot of terror with his disbelief. So much that he might be inclined to retreat and leave someone ELSE to get burned in his place.

I don't know, what do YOU think?

Yami's bystander friends watch Slifer roar in awe, Anzu in particular stammering about this Slifer she's heard... nothing about. Still, it's pretty damn impressive, because that thing's head is about 50 times larger than Yami himself. Just its HEAD. Jonouchi gapes at Yami's god card, but on the other side of things, Kaiba is standing there with his arms crossed wearing a smirk. He's impressed by Yami's draw of a god card on his last turn, and considers him the only valid rival for the title of ultimate duelist.

He is SO up his own ass.

Meanwhile, the "mystery duelist" still in her cabin below, watches the lightning outside, identifying it as one of those god cards. She doesn't seem at all surprised that even the gods do the duelist's bidding, because duh, they're fucking cards. She also reiterates that the person who wins all three of the god cards by the end of the tournament would earn the title of KING, because they rule by DIVINE RIGHT! Get it?

Anyway, more specific to Yami, she knows that once this trial has been overcome, the king's memories will be unlocked, even stating his name. Because if anyone knows who's going to win the whole kit and caboodle, it's her. Oh, and the audience.

Coincidentally, Yami is thinking about how his memories are currently locked in darkness too, and his need to win to shed some light on them. Great timing. This thought is what steels him in the action he's going to take, or I assume so, because he's warning asshole!Bakura to brace himself immediately after.

Asshole!Bakura just stares dumbfounded at Yami instead of taking the good advice. Marik pops back into his head for a gloat, asking if things aren't looking a little bad for this asshole since he's had a god summoned onto him. Asshole!Bakura growls at him, but can't get anything out further before Marik starts evaluating the situation. He tells asshole!Bakura that Slifer's attack points depend on how many cards are in the summoner's hand, and points out that right now, Yami has four. This means 4000 attack points against asshole!Bakura's 3500 life points, much to his panic. It likely grows when Marik reminds him smugly that he's got no monsters to shield him, and he will lose when Slifer attacks.

But asshole!Bakura's eyes are bloodshot, his hackles are up, and he denies the inevitability of dying. Ah, futility. He takes stock of the fact that the monsters Yami used to summon Slifer were brought back with his Deja Vu card, and one of those monsters was possessed by the doll's spirit. According to the rules of Deja Vu, the spirit would be roaming Yami's side of the duel at this time, having been released from its host by the host's sacrifice. Asshole!Bakura's wrinkled nose turns from a grimace to a grin as he sarcastically wonders which monster the spirit should possess.

Get it? Because there's only one? Yet another thing asshole!Bakura should be ashamed of, and he's about to pile on more shameful shit on the garbage fire that is this duel. He commands the spirit to possess Slifer, and it shoots at the god-monster, buuuuuuut....

Womp womp. Marik rubs salt in the self-inflicted wound by calling him a fool for thinking a low-level nothing like the spirit could possess a god. Finally, it's starting to dawn on a sweating, teeth-grinding asshole!Bakura that this is it. There's nothing he can do.

Yami points at asshole!Bakura and states that he's won, prompting number one fanboy Jonouchi to cheer and urge his friend to finish off his... other friend. Who's not really his friend, but an evil spirit. Man, how much more complicated can this comic get? Jonouchi's assumption is that getting knocked around by a god will turn Bakura back to normal. Good to know there's still a bit of that "beat the hell out of 'em" spirit in Jonouchi yet.

As though waiting for Jonouchi's blessing, Yami announces he's going there. As he's ordering Slifer to attack, Marik wears a nasty grin as he assures a stricken asshole!Bakura that his defeat will serve the purposes of them both. Mostly Marik's though. Asshole!Bakura barks at him in anger and disbelief, but then, something weird happens?

Is ANYTHING happening right now? Did Rishid actually DO anything to get their attention or did everyone just randomly look his way?

Either his glare is an attention-getter or he ripped a massive fart, because Yami gapes at him a moment, then wrinkles the bridge of his nose and calls Rishid scum. Rishid doesn't appear at all upset by this, holding out his arm with the Millennium Rod grasped in its fist placidly. He tells Yami that he's controlling asshole!Bakura with the rod, to which Yami responds with disbelief. Yami asks if Rishid is really the one who brainwashed Bakura to be that asshole, and Rishid offers proof for his claim - the release of Bakura's native personality.

Sure enough, after a moment of asshole!Bakura hanging his head quietly...

Does Bakura just bleed MORE than asshole!Bakura or something? Why is he just now starting to hemorrhage? 

Jonouchi and Anzu freak, referring to Bakura by his first name, this as recognition that he's actually returned to normal. See Jonouchi? No god-beating required. Regular!Bakura whimpers at Yami, asking where he is and what's happening. Rishid points out how badly injured regular!Bakura is, and says that if an attack from Slifer will grant victory for certain, but may also send regular!Bakura into deadly shock. Apparently he's secretly a senior citizen. Explains the white hair, at least.

While Yami's mouth hangs open in horror at this notion, Rishid asks him if he's willing to risk Bakura's life. Yami's expression quickly turns to anger at Bakura being used as a shield by this douchebag, who turns away from the stage like it's no big deal. Jonouchi yells that this sitch isn't at all fair, and Honda shouts at Bakura to wake up, even though he already has? Dude, try to keep up, okay? I know it's difficult at times, but you're on the INSIDE, and you've gotta hold it together for me, man!

Marik praises Rishid's acting as Rishid heads toward the elevator bay at the end of the spectator pit. He's rather not in the mood for compliments, though, claiming he has a pain in his heart that's not from the wind that whips past him up here. Uhhh, yeah, wind doesn't USUALLY have occasion to reach the heart, so...

Back on stage, Yami is calling to Bakura in desperation as he continues to slump in pain on the other side of the duel. He's sweating at the possible consequences of attacking. Marik's smile at Yami's dilemma persists, silently warning him that if he hesitates to act on his last turn, the final letter will appear on the Ouija Board, and he'll lose. It's down to Yami or Bakura. Yami stares at the letters on the Ouija Board, heart thumping and perspiring. Moar Cards Guy pipes up, urging Yami to make a decision, because he only has 30 seconds left in the five minutes allotted for thinking on each turn. I feel like this may be a misappropriation of concern here. I mean, there is a kid who's bleeding and in pain in the duel right now. Perhaps a rematch is in order here? Maybe?

Because Bakura isn't the only one in distress, either. As he listens to Bakura whimper about how painful this is, pleading for assistance, Yami stares impotently. He realizes that regular!Bakura doesn't have the mental strength to withstand Slifer's attack (a determination I would LOVE to know the reasoning behind, BTW), as Moar Cards Guy shouts that there's 20 seconds left. Kaiba is losing his mind with ignorance about why Yami is hesitating here, because after all, it's not like Bakura is hooked up to a death apparatus or anything. He's only bleeding to death. It's fine. He tells Yami to finish Bakura off. Anzu is the only one with any sense when she says this is awful and someone should stop this duel, followed up with Honda's insistence that Bakura should be treated or he'll die. Yami's heart pounds some more, and Moar Cards Guy shouts that he has 10 seconds left.

Meanwhile,

Uh-oh, asshole!Bakura doesn't look very happy right now. In fact, the longer he watches his host suffer, the more upset he becomes. I guess he's the only one allowed to abuse Bakura. He growls, blurting that even HE has ways he likes and hates to win. Marik casts him a disgruntled glare, but the Millennium Ring is already glowing at asshole!Bakura's return to the forefront.

He tells Yami he'll let him win this time, so he should attack, being assured that his little gaming buddy won't die in the process. Yami calls Bakura's name, referring to the asshole, of course, and possibly poised to ask why he should be trusted. Asshole!Bakura says that he needs this body in the end, so he can gain the power of darkness. Or dankness. Regardless of how threatening these plans may be, at the moment, they're a bit further off than immanent failure.

Sure, this is a rather ominous ending, but at least the Bakura body can get the medical attention it needs now. Let's face it, this loss did all the guys in there a favor.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? A rather strange chapter just for the odd decisions on actions and dialogue throughout. The fact that Rishid just attracted attention for no reason was mystifying to me. There was just nothing that I could see actually inciting the collective turn to him when he wanted to talk. If you don't want him to talk, at least make the Millennium Rod glow or something. Not having an obvious reason for the shift in attention from the game to a spectator was jarring and bizarre.

I had a similar reaction to Bakura's sudden heavy bleeding when he came out of being possessed. I understand why it happened at that time in the story, to increase drama and tension, but it was too sudden not to question. This one is a little tricky, however, because even if an explanation exists as to why this would happen, there's nowhere in the chapter KT could have put it. It would have broken up that tension it meant to build and ruined it, so I can see where he was stuck between a rock and a hard place here.

Same with Kaiba's reaction to Bakura's situation being leagues different than the horror he had when Yuugi faced Jonouchi on the pier. At first I was a little annoyed at what I saw as an inconsistency in character, but rethinking it, I'm a little less annoyed. Kaiba isn't acquainted with Bakura like he is Jonouchi, there's not a surefire 100% guaranteed death going to happen if Bakura loses, and most importantly, Kaiba is REALLY REEEEEAAAALLY nervous about not being able to face Yami sometime in the finals. As he said before, Yami is the only one that can be called a rival, so of course he would panic at the prospect of Yami being eliminated in the tournament without getting to duel him.

Besides, the game was almost finished, and it would be a nightmare setting up a rematch not knowing when Bakura was going to be well enough to try again. And just like that, there goes your whole tournament, all that planning and the blimp wasted because of a few measly seconds...

But seriously, what's the deal behind regular!Bakura not having the strength to withstand Slifer's attack? I feel like KT is being kind of dismissive of Bakura as a character at this point. The spirit in the ring is really important, but Bakura is just along for the ride because he's the host, and it's a little sad to me. He's in a similar position to Yuugi and you could do so much with that, story-wise, like revealing complex ways in which he's fighting the ring's spirit, or have him bond with asshole!Bakura in a weird way. There may have been a hint of that in the part where asshole!Bakura gets a bit uncomfortable with regular!Bakura's suffering before he takes over again, but the dialogue indicates it's just pride and the need to be dignified in losing.

Regardless, seeing regular!Bakura's side of this relationship a bit more often would enrich his part in the manga. As it stands, he's literally been reduced to a body that the spirit of the ring needs to complete his nefarious plot, and KT already objectified the shit out of Anzu, and that was already too much. 

Inuyasha Manga: 149 Human Shield

The concept of an antagonistic group manipulating a majority of people around them to act in defense of that group despite at best not representing their interests, and at worst actively going against their interests seems AWFULLY familiar right now. You know, I can't quite put my finger on it, but it seems like the villagers have been convinced that a harmless band of people who are a tad different are some sort of threat, while the individuals manipulating this point of view stand safe behind their manufactured smokescreen. Isn't that messed up, that a whole bunch of people could be convinced that the others they have more in common with than a rash of powerful liars are enemies that must be chased away?

Glad that doesn't happen in the REAL world!

Ahh, but enough vague Marxist grumblings. Inuyasha is telling Miroku to head back to where Kagome and the other girls are. Miroku is alarmed by the order, but before he can really question what he's up to, Inuyasha draw Tessaiga. He vows to clean up the bitch. The DELIGHTFUL bitch, mind you.

She's so delightful, she doesn't even have to go on at length about her attack. Kagura just scoffs and throws some air-blades at Inuyasha as he charges headlong into them. He swings his sword to deflect them, shouting back at Miroku to just go, and Miroku turns to do just that, stammering that he understands. Kagura also gets it, informing Inuyasha that it'll do no good for Miroku to run and save them, because by the time he gets there Kagome will be an empty shell. Dammit! AGAIN? I thought Urasue would have been the last one foolish enough to try that shit, but apparently Kagome is going to have to own another dipshit today.

Ain't nobody gonna steal that girl's soul, you hear? She will fuck your shit up.

Inuyasha seems less sure, groaning at the prospect of an empty Kagome again. He silently begs her to hang on until he can get to her.

So far, she seems to be doing a great job.

No, seriously, the little girl in white looks down at the mirror in her hands listlessly, commenting flatly that the soul is overflowing from it. Still, Kanna reasons that at this point, Kagome shouldn't be able to move, so she steps toward Kagome, reaching out a hand to make the Shikon shard on the schoolgirl hers. Kagome twitches, brows drawing down in concentration and anger.

What did I say? What did I tell you?

Kanna looks around at a transformed Kirara stepping into the scene. Shippou is on Kirara's back, shouting at her not to move, or else she can get chomped on by the giant sabre-cat. Kagome squints over at him in desperation, but can only discourage him silently from letting himself be reflected in the mirror and getting his soul sucked out.

But Kanna doesn't go that route. Instead, she turns to flee, much to Kagome's consternation. She keeps her arrow trained on the retreating youkai, though, even as frantic steps echo behind her and her name is called. Miroku bursts on the scene just in time to see Kanna fading into the darkness of the house, his jaw hanging open in alarm. Kagome and Shippou call out to Miroku, the former weakly, the latter with gusto. Miroku kneels at Sango's unconscious side, saying her name, then Kagome's in worry as she begins to lose the strength to hold herself up. He begins to put two and two together, identifying the child in white as the other youkai who is manipulating the villagers.

Then he realizes someone is missing. Looking around, he asks where Koharu is in a panic. The answer comes almost immediately when Koharu addresses him from a doorway to his right. He looks over at her and says her name in return, because that's all anyone can ever say in this manga. She stares at him a moment, wordlessly. Shippou jumps in front of Miroku to warn him that Koharu has also been under control of the girl in white.

As if in response, Koharu reveals what she has in her hand.

I'm getting VERY disturbed by how much this panel resembles Kohaku's forced almost-suicide, right down to the dusting of freckles both have across their noses. It's uncanny...

Koharu brings the sickle closer to the flesh on her neck, to which action Miroku lunges forward and demands she stop. She looks up at him with a sharp glare before slashing at his arm, splattering his blood. Shippou and Kagome watch in horror, the little fox unable to do anything but, yet again, call his name.

Miroku's reaction is swift, though. He smacks the sickle right out of her hand with his uninjured arm holding his staff. As soon as it clatters to the floor, he punches her right in the gut. Instead of vomiting all over him, she just... passes out right into his arms? What? Why...? Never mind. He's looking down at her with sustained wariness, as he should because Shippou informs him that Koharu's soul has been taken by the mirror. Miroku gives Shippou a quizzical look, wondering aloud about this mirror. Instead of explaining, Shippou says that Kagome had the same thing happen to her, while she continues to sweat and strain on the floor.

As Miroku and Shippou waffle about impotently, Inuyasha is facing his own struggles.

I hope that untranslated bit isn't an actual answer. Maybe a scoff or something?

Kagura suggests that Inuyasha is unable to fight without Kagome hanging around, to which Inuyasha just twists his face to hide a silent curse. Since she controls all the wind in the vicinity, he's unable to find Kaze no Kizu, just like last time. BUT WAIT! It seems he judged too soon, because almost as soon as he's done thinking about this, Kaze no Kizu appears in front of him, much to his surprise. He wonders what's going on for her control of the wind to have weakened.

Without sparing a single thought toward the question "WHY", Inuyasha leaps to action, believing this is the time to take the opening. He tells Kagura to prepare to die, but Kagura throws him a sharp look, before the villagers on either side of the fight move in front of her in what looks like a daze. They no longer look angry, but just like shuffling old dudes. Inuyasha yells at them to move while Kagura draws another circle around herself with her fan, calling him a soft-hearted fool. He jumps out of the way of the bout of cyclones she's aimed at him, cursing her for using the villagers of a shield.

Kagura is pondering something Naraku said, which turned out to be true; Inuyasha had been aiming for the place where she had loosened her control of the wind, deliberately, of course. She comes back from deep thought to Inuyasha calling her all kinds of names, again for hiding behind the villagers. She urges him to just stop hesitating and cut her down already, along with her meat-shield.

So wait, if he just followed through on rushing to cut you with no hesitation or thought for the innocents he was killing too, that would be the SMART thing to do? Because that's the alternative to his current course of action, and doesn't really seem all that intelligent either...

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It's really fun watching Kagome be a badass, because I remember one of the criticisms of her character back when this series was popular was that she was weak. Even taking into account that she took to using the bow unrealistically fast, she's being depicted here as struggling mightily to move. She's struggling to sit up, and drawing a bow, regardless of how strangely easy it seems to her the rest of the time, has to be much harder than that. I don't care what anyone says, that's awesome.

And as everyone already knows, I'm a bit more forgiving of Inuyasha's intelligence than everyone else seems to be. Granted, I mentioned that he skipped over the skepticism he should have employed when first going for Kagura's weak-spot, but I don't think it was necessarily out-and-out moronic. He's worried about getting to Kagome in order to help her, wants to wrap this up as quickly as he can, and he's been so on edge being unable to find the literal crack in Kagura's armor that his actions are in desperation more than cluelessness. And yet, even in desperation, he's still unwilling to go for the opening if it means hurting innocents. It's this heroic nobility that makes him so easily manipulated, and gives him a similar quality to the villagers here, which is interesting. They had to be robbed of their human souls in order to support Kagura's plot, and so Inuyasha would have to be in order to defeat her at the moment.

I don't much enjoy having direct access to Kagura's plan right off the bat here, since it takes away some of the mystery, but that's a minor thing.

And seriously, is anyone else a little weirded-out that Koharu and Kohaku have SO MUCH IN COMMON at this point? I'm having a difficult time determining if this is deliberate or not. If it is, there may be some point to be main about how much Miroku and Sango, in turn, have in common with one another, and how EVERYONE the main characters love are treated by Naraku. It could be making a statement of how patterned Naraku's approaches to using loved ones against enemies are.

Or, it could just be RT recycling plot elements, which is a bit of a disappointing notion, considering we're still only at the relative beginning of the series. Don't run out of ideas YET!

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 207 One-Turn Struggle to the Death!

It's been a while, but I do remember who Yami is dueling right now, so I find it a LITTLE difficult to believe that this thing is going to end in death for either opponent. I gave asshole!Bakura his distinguishing title for a reason, but that doesn't mean he's not important in the future. I've been told he's got a role to play at the end of this story, and since we're still in the meaty center of the matter here, I doubt he's kicking the bucket here. Unless he returns later as pure ghost without the fleshy body next time.

Oh man, that would actually be pretty dope. Please don't let KT be using Kaiba's bullshit wide definition of "death", PLEASE.

Oooooooh, asshole's in serious shit now. Yami's pulled out the smug-face.

Not as good as the shit-eating grin, but I'll take what I can get at this point.

Asshole!Bakura frets about the possibility of his combo being defeated in just one turn, and wonders if that smirk Yami is wearing with his piddly 750 life points is a bluff, or if there's some truth to it. If it's a bluff, it's working, because asshole!Bakura is the one sweating, even with 3700 points of padding. He considers the one face down card on Yami's side, and also the fact that Yami hasn't got any monsters on the field anymore. He concludes that taking the low life Yami has left, if he uses a strong monster to attack, he can win. Yet his current monster only has 500 points of attack. He consults his hand to see what he's got, and singles out Ghost Duke with 2000 attack points. But he's still pretty apprehensive about how well an attack with the bigger, badder monster will go over. He eyes that face down card, thinking that it might be a trap.

A foreign laughter enters asshole!Bakura's head, and an image of a grinning Marik, who mocks him for being so careful. Asshole!Bakura is so offended by this comment that his initial disbelief is soon pushed aside so he can instead threaten to kill Marik. Well shit, THAT escalated quickly. Marik isn't the least put-out, though, telling asshole!Bakura to listen to the fact that Yami already knows his combo's weak point. Though the term "weak point" is another gross insult to asshole!Bakura, he doesn't have time to do more than repeat the phrase, scandalized. Marik says he knows what that face down card is before asshole!Bakura can let drop any more death threats. Asshole!Bakura stares at the aforementioned card in shock.

Marik begins the painful and irritating process of explaining to Bakura why his strategy is so interesting - the Ouija Board's ability to reduce the time of the duel to only five turns. I guess, if you ignore how bad it is at the same time. Still, Marik praises this strategy as one of the deadliest ever.

Oooookaaaayyyyy...

But now that he's done buttering asshole!Bakura up, he's got a criticism. It's that in order for the Ouija Board to work, Necrofear has to be in the graveyard. It'll disappear once Necrofear is no longer dead and buried there. This puts asshole!Bakura in the mind of raising the dead, but not in the boner-tastic way he's normally prone to think of such things. He's looking pretty horrified at the prospect, and Marik's confirmation that Yami does indeed have a card that accomplishes that end face down is all the more devastating to his mood.

Along with mine, because even though I TOTALLY CALLED IT, I just feel all the dumber for my obvious prediction. I hope if this "twist" was done on purpose, it wasn't for the effect of making KT's audience feel clever.

Anyway, Yami just stands there, staring speechlessly, not bothering to urge asshole!Bakura along in his turn. He's being very polite in letting asshole!Bakura continue his conversation. Marik is, after all, talking again, saying that even if the big monster asshole!Bakura planned to use attacked, it would just activate the Monster Reborn card, and Necrofear would become the target thereafter, since it'll be Yami's monster from that point.

Asshole!Bakura grumbles about how he doesn't have a card in his hand to remove magic cards from the field, and it'll be just as Yami said; one turn to break the combo. Marik assures him that there IS a way to do this, but asshole!Bakura doesn't want to hear it. He yells at Marik to get lost, because he doesn't need advice. Uhhh, seems a bit like you do, dude. Regardless, he announces that it's his turn and draws a card. Wow, surprised he hadn't done that yet. He hopes this draw will change the situation he's in.

Apparently, his hopes were realized, because the moment he looks at his draw, he starts laughing like a maniac, sure that Yami won't be able to break his combo with THIS card.

Why is the translator asking their AUDIENCE for the name of this monster? It's no wonder no one was signing their guestbook and they threatened to flounce a couple of pages ago...

Things go just as presumed - Yami raises his hand and reveals his face down magic card, and his intention to use it to summon back Nercrofear, this time to his side of the conflict. Asshole!Bakura glares at his Duel Disk as it starts to issue some holographic smoke. At least, I hope it's holographic. Maybe these kids are overtaxing the machinery and it's going to catch fire. Now THAT would constitute a struggle to the death.

The image of Necrofear's card appears on Yami's side, and then the monster itself. Despite his insistence that he was falling into the trap on purpose, asshole!Bakura groans at the sight of Necrofear on Yami's side of the field, and sweats, gaping at his disappearing Ouija Board hologram as Yami announces its exit. In addition, he commands Necrofear to counter the attack leveled against him from the mystery monster above. Its eyes glow and a dark light emits from its body, disintegrating the offending monster. It only takes a couple hundred points off of asshole!Bakura, but he still has an awfully sour look on his face. Yami reminds him that his combo has successfully been broken.

And yet... asshole!Bakura is smiling again by the next panel as he draws a card. He asks Yami how he likes something else - something we can't see yet, but YAMI sure can. He's got a brand new look of horror and alarm to wear.

Hacks! I call hacks! How the fuck did asshole!Bakura manage to do that??

Instead of explaining, asshole!Bakura draws attention to the fact that Yami's side of the duel has changed too. If possible, Yami's expression becomes all the more shocked, as he observes that all his monsters are back - Kuriboh, DMG, and Beta the Magnet Warrior - in place of a missing Necrofear. A wide-eyed Anzu demands to know what this shit is, and Jonouchi says that the recalled monsters were returned. Well, I guess that is TECHNICALLY an answer to the question. Kaiba gapes at the scene, trying to determine which magic card asshole!Bakura used.

He needn't bother, as asshole!Bakura is gleeful as he promises to solve this little mystery. He reveals the card he used as...

I think I can figure out what that means. But asshole!Bakura is compelled to explain it anyway, stating it's power allows him to turn back the clock on the whole field one turn, but the cards Yami used to beat the combo are not about to return to his hand. After all, his hand and his deck aren't part of the field. Yami makes a noise of disbelief, while asshole!Bakura chuckles about how there's no way he can beat the combo from hell now. He promises Yami that he will receive the announcement of DEATH on the next turn.

You know what they say - tomorrow's always a day away.

Yami's friends all express dismay that the situation has returned to the way it was, and call his name impotently. He himself makes the trailing statement that it's his turn now, acknowledging that when it ends, the dreaded word will be spelled out and he'll lose. He currently has no revival cards in his hand. Staring at his deck resting snug in his Duel Disk, he realizes he has only one card to draw that can help now.

Jonouchi shouts at him not to give up, but asshole!Bakura is sure that it's useless and that he's won. Kaiba silently urges Yami to call on the god in his deck. With all of these various comments and thoughts flying around, Yami's hand hovers over his deck, and he agonizes over drawing the card for a moment. As he does, Yuugi appears to him to offer encouragement and tell him to do his best, because the return of his forgotten memories rely on him winning. No pressure or anything, though. :)

Yuugi insists that they have to draw IT, Yami agreeing and identifying IT as the card Yuugi helped to get.

Then shit hits the fan.

Oh shit, someone might actually die right now.

I guess his time-travel card came back to bite asshole!Bakura, huh? And everyone else along with him, if that lightning has anything to say about it.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It's almost as if this chapter was a specific rebuttal to my criticisms of asshole!Bakura's deck being structured in the rigid way of most other villains in this series. He was able to reverse the breaking of his combo despite the fact that, by all rights, Yami had him beat there for a second. It produced a brand new moment of shock and nervousness in me, because I thought this match would follow the formula already well established, but KT blindsided me. It was a delightful surprise, I must say, because it was actually a good red herring.

A true red herring, too, because the combo really DID end up being asshole!Bakura's go-to strategy that he stuck to through thick and thin, just like the other villains. Only this time he had enough foresight to be able to include a card (or two, possibly) capable of bringing it back to him if he lost it. It's not AS rigid a strategy as the others, but it's still instrumental enough to his success that he had to keep it going with everything he had.

I'm somewhat impressed with that, and I'm ready to see Slifer in action with Yami at the leash instead of Marik. Bet you he won't be such a smug, silver-tongued douche in the coming chapter.

... But chances are I'll lose my money.

Inuyasha Manga: 148 Kanna

If anyone is wanting to convince me that there's not an over-abundance of names starting with "K" in this manga, I present to you another. Though I very much doubt anyone else is bothered by this, because I tend to get caught up on details that no one else seems to care much about. This whole blog is proof of that. Latching onto the details is actually one of my better qualities, believe it or not, because making sense of and using them in a greater context is what I do. I'm lucky enough not to miss the forest for the trees.

Miroku, it seems, isn't quite so lucky. Guy hasn't seemed to notice that his attitude toward Koharu has inspired some serious disgust in his friends. Both girls focus icy, exasperated glares on him, Sango flatly asking for clarification and Kagome advising him not to get the wrong idea about what was suggested. He pretends to be confused by the irritation shown him, but he's looking a little shifty there in the cold atmosphere. Inuyasha leans toward Kagome and tells her not to bother steering Miroku away from perverted conclusions, something I can't help but agree with. Haters gonna hate, players gonna play, and Mirokus gonna Miroku.

On the road ahead of them, shadows shuffle toward them in the night, carrying torches. Sango lets out a confused sound, and Kagome speculates its villagers. As they draw closer, this turns out to be the case, though Inuyasha's distrustful focus finds the sharp sickles and hoes in their hands. One of them shouts an order to kill Inuyasha and company, and the group raises their farm implements as weapons, lunging forward.

Inuyasha demands to know what their problem is, meeting them halfway with a punch knocking back the nearest villagers. They sit looking disgruntled and angry that Inuyasha didn't just stand there and get stabbed, apparently. Kagome wonders what's wrong with them as well, because they just look like ordinary villagers to her. An old man standing behind the clocked front line holds up his torch and commands the remaining mob not to let their sudden enemies leave the village, which another man bearing a hoe agrees to.

Sango moves forward and asserts that they're being controlled by something, but Inuyasha contradicts her by insisting that there's not the slightest smell of youkai within the village.

Turns out that those flying things in the background are Saimyoushou, shockingly. I mean, the characters are shocked, clearly, but I have the privilege of dramatic irony. Kagome looks appalled that this appears to be Naraku's doing, not that it could be anyone else, but twists to call after Miroku as he sprints off in another direction. He shouts his worry that Koharu might be rather in danger now, which isn't a bad assumption, for a guy who seemed so tone-deaf a few moments ago.

He runs back to the house where he'd left Koharu, who is lying on her face just out the door. She responds to his approach, lifting her head, reaching for him, and stuttering his name. He kneels next to her, concerned, while she explains that she lost consciousness, though she doesn't say why. As he holds her protectively, his friends run up as well, Kagome asking Koharu if she's okay. Sango casts a wary glare over her shoulder at the threatening villagers following them all up the hill, torches and implements in hand.

NOW Inuyasha is in agreement that the shambling mob seems to have someone controlling them, but Sango doesn't gloat. She merely states that they're surrounded with a scowl. Miroku is speechless a moment, until he looks down at Koharu and tells her to stay put. Though she asks after what HE'S going to do, he doesn't answer, striding up to Inuyasha while he tells Kagome to hold tight as well. She stammers an agreement.

Both boys shout back at Sango to take care of their respective ladies, much to Sango's initial alarm, and then annoyance. Her expression is flat when she wonders if it's just her imagination that they're not treating her like a woman. The grass is always greener on the other side, as they say.

Sometimes a deliberate swing in the opposite direction is just as bad, kid.

Koharu says meekly that she saw something before she fainted, describing it just as a youkai, much to Sango and Kagome's alarm. She also says that inside the house, the headman and his other staff/family have been knocked out too, lying scattered on the floor. One might have questioned how she knows this, having woken up OUTSIDE the house, but hey, I guess that's easily explained by her seeing them unconscious before she tried to flee the house in fear of what happened. But no one bothered to ask, sooooooo...

The girls all creep into the house, Sango with her Hiraikotsu at the ready as Kagome and Koharu cling to one another behind her, though Koharu warns all of them that the youkai may still be hanging out in there. Sango ponders aloud whether this is the force that's controlling the villagers, and Kagome wonders why Inuyasha couldn't smell whatever this thing is at all.

Just as Koharu feared, it was still inside the house, the girl in white stepping out from the other side of a wall with her mirror raised to reflect the investigators. Triumphant that she's found the youkai, Sango swings her boomerang, aiming straight at the girl in white. She is completely placid even when the weapon flies right up to her mirror, which she holds out to it as though she wants it broken. But much to the surprise of Sango and Kagome, a flash of light off its surface preempts a rather unexpected result.

Hooooo boy, that's gotta sting. But considering this is a weapon that regularly rips youkai in half, I'd say Sango got off rather lucky. Quite the opposite result of succeeding at BREAKING a magic mirror, so great job NOT doing that, Sango!

Kagome casts an half-panicked, half-angry look over her shoulder at the girl in white, who  murmurs her name. She's alarmed that this girl is the youkai, considering this a more surprising fact than the one that she knew her name. To be fair, since she knows that Naraku is behind this nonsense, she's probably able to extrapolate from that. She is further alarmed by Koharu curling her arms over her shoulders from behind, holding Kagome still.

And Koharu SWORE she wouldn't get in the way if she were allowed to come along with the group. Was SHE ever the optimistic one...

Underneath a confusingly rumbling moon, Inuyasha and Miroku are a bit more distracted by their own struggle. A crowd of angry villagers are lunging at them with their farm implements again. As Miroku knocks back a series of hoes and sickles, he pleads with Inuyasha to try and remember that his opponents are mere humans, and not to hurt them. Inuyasha snaps at Miroku over his shoulder that he KNOWS, as he lands a punch across some random's face. Uhhhh, Inuyasha, you may not realize that even your punches might be stronger than regular ones, so Miroku's not entirely out of line reminding you of that.

Poor zombie guy is gonna come back to a concussion in addition to himself.

Inuyasha complains that holding back is getting them nowhere, though, as there are too many people coming at them. They're distracted by a familiar voice telling them that they're too carefree.

You shut your mouth, Inuyasha! Kagura is DELIGHTFUL!

To someone who isn't fighting her every five seconds, that is.

Kagura continues to taunt Inuyasha and Miroku by supposing that if they were willing to kill all the villagers, they would have done it by now. Yeah, no shit. Inuyasha barks that she must be the one controlling the innocents, but she informs him that her Corpse Dance is just what it says on the tin - she's unable to control the living. Both Inuyasha and Miroku are in disbelief at this fact, the former realizing that there must be another youkai somewhere around, if this is true.

Again, Kagura goads the boys, estimating that Kagome will have had her soul sucked out by now. Before Inuyasha can voice a question about what that could mean, Kagura makes her challenge.

I would advise Kagura not to get TOO comfy, but I think she's not wrong to believe she's got this one in the bag. What's an Inuyasha without his Kagome, after all?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I might have thought Sango would be a little more cautious when investigating the house, ESPECIALLY on Koharu's word. I admire Sango's ability to provide protection to the girl who's getting some extra inappropriate attention from Miroku, but that nobility actually detracted a little from the story. This might have been a good place to use her fledgling jealousy in a GOOD way; prompt her to question Koharu's awakening while the rest of the household was out cold, and the rest of the village was being controlled, as well as her withholding the fact of her youkai sighting until AFTER Miroku and Inuyasha left. It might have acted as something of an asset in that particular situation, giving it another dimension in the context of the arc. Of course, that would have made the whole thing longer, and there's only so many pages afforded...

That's just a minor thing that I might have done differently, though. I did think the chapter flowed well, with the characters finally getting to engage with the new mystery that's been on its way for the past two chapters. The reasons for the group's separation was done much better than the last, giving us a sense of suspense rather than the idea that the scene is just overcrowded and we have to get rid of a couple of characters with busywork for a while. I always like it when everyone has something to do, and when the action is helping to build the stakes.

I do so enjoy watching fictional people face new challenges, much more than dealing with them myself. The latter is what the new year brings, though, so here's hoping the trials during this one are a bit more bearable than those in the last.

Happy 2019, everyone.