Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 269 Card of Fate!!

Ever draw the "Devil" card in a Tarot reading and think, "Yeah, thanks for the heads-up on something I already figured out"? I've developed a lot of bad habits in the past year, one of which is slacking off on my various projects, despite the ample time I've had to work on them, and it's become all the worse in the last few weeks. It's like I'm about to graduate from 2020, and I'm having a lot of trouble summoning the amount of fucks necessary to get anything done that I want to before the 1st of January. If I manage to put this out by the end of the month, I'll be VERY surprised. 

Now that we have a nice neat recap for other!Marik's previous bout of bullshittery, Yami repeats the frustrated thought that Ra is going to be revived again on the next turn. But other!Marik, veering into a different tactic for more shock-value, helpfully reminds Yami that he has the chance to draw one more card before that happens. Yami stares at other!Marik over his Duel Disk, who goads him with speculations about whether this last chance card will keep him alive a little longer or bury him in darkness. 

Yami looks down at the Duel Disk on his arm now, a somewhat fearful expression on his face. Other!Marik urges him to draw that card gleefully, chuckling. Below the platform, Kaiba glares up at Yami, knowing that unless he draws one crucial card, it's all over on the next turn. Jonouchi, forever hunched in frustration, curses over how Yami doesn't have any defensive monsters, and it's over if he has to take another attack from Ra. This confuses Honda, who says he thought that the god phoenix effect only had to do with monsters and not players. Jonouchi says that he hears Ra has yet ANOTHER power, though, and someone else expresses just that level of disbelief too. How many hidden powers does this card have?? As many as it needs to keep the tension up, apparently. Jonouchi says that if his hunch is correct, it's probably a power that will give Ra attack points so it can damage the opponent with its quick attack.

... Or Anzu is saying it, since the speech bubble is sort of pointing at her. As much as I would love for her to start putting more solid input into her contributions to the peanut gallery, I feel like this is a bit much for her character, so I'm going with Jonouchi instead. Plus, the next panel features Jonouchi wondering if there's a way to overcome this hypothetical power, not suggesting it was someone else's idea, so my assumption of credit tracks. Anyway, he says something generic about Yami having to win, as all of them do. 

Back on the platform, after a short pause for another establishing shot taking account of everything out on the field, other!Marik says he has something interesting to show Yami. Shocked, Yami watches other!Marik reach under his cowl/robe thing as he asks if Yami hasn't noticed that one of his buddies is missing. Fair question, considering Yami was the one who put him in the medical wing, and didn't really make an effort to visit him after that. 

Did they even KNOW Bakura was gone? I genuinely can't recall if anyone was ever asking after him when he disappeared.

Man, Bakura don't get NO respect, not even from me. 

Other!Marik says that this ring is his spoil of war, and sticks his tongue out to lick it like he does EVERYTHING at this point. Then he says that their friend has probably been completely consumed by "the darkness" (TM) by this point with a little chuckle. Yami mentally freaks a little, in disbelief over the disappearance of the guy he couldn't have given two shits about a few minutes ago. Other!Marik recalls asshole!Bakura bracing against the fiery blast from Ra while gritting his teeth in futility, which makes the present other!Marik guffaw. He tells Yami to wait until the next turn, because he'll show him the power that sent asshole!Bakura to Hell. 

Yami growls at this baiting, thinking on Mai and Bakura's mild faces in his memory. He decides NOT to forgive other!Marik for hurting his friends, as though he was contemplating doing that before. If he was, I'm glad he reconsidered, because that guy's been acting like a douchebag ever since regular-sized-Marik lost control. Other!Marik either thinks or says that there's nothing Yami can do except draw his final card and despair. As usual, it's a bit difficult to tell. 

Not to be too sympathetic to other!Marik here, but I'm getting a little impatient too, if I'm being honest. This ain't the Matrix, Yami ain't Neo, and KT ain't the Wachowski sisters slowing down the action for more dynamic and visually stimulating shots. 

Unfortunately, Yami is contemplating the deck in his Duel Disk all the HARDER now, thinking it's destiny given form, that he can see the back of the next card, but he can't see what it is that awaits him. He wonders hopefully that it's maybe, just maybe, the card Kaiba gave him before the start of the match. Or, threw at him in a tizzy, anyway. After this comforting thought, he thinks in this case, he'll stake his future on this card, that he AT LAST begins to draw. 

Not sure what about Yami drawing this card indicated such a conclusion, but okay Ishizu. She probz knows what she's talking about right?

Yami swings his arm out, holding the new card away from him with his eyes closed. His eyes remain closed as his slaps it on his Duel Disk, playing it face down before ending his turn. Talk about blind faith. Even Honda is grinding his teeth in disbelief over the fact that Yami didn't even LOOK at the card before playing it, Jonouchi or Anzu wondering aloud if he CAN even play it without knowing what it is. Won't HE be embarrassed when the card turns out to be a monster. 

Oh, who am I kidding? KT wouldn't DARE humiliate Yami like that. He can't be wrong; he's YAMI.

Other!Marik interprets this very iffy move as Yami being unwilling to look his defeat in the face, which isn't an illogical conclusion. Mokuba asks his brother if that was HIS card Yami played, but Seto is speechless as he stares up at Yami, who confidently declares it's other!Marik's turn. Other!Marik glares in response, but Kaiba is in a state of shock, sweatdropping. For some reason he's just FLOORED that it's as if Yami knew what he drew without seeing it, like Yami hasn't pulled similar crap before. To be fair, though, I'm not sure at this point if he's done so in full view of Kaiba, so maybe this is a first for him. He wonders if Yami could have... done something, but dismisses the thought as impossible before he can finish it. 

Enabler.

Other!Marik follows Yami's announcement of his turn with a repeat of the sentiment, and a silent vow not to let Yami get away with the rule violation. According to other!Marik, the punishment for rule-breaking of this magnitude is dying screaming in pain. Not that he needed an excuse to want that to happen before. I guess this is just another twig on that flaming desire. 

Pulling a card from his hand, other!Marik yells that this is it, predictably holding out Monster Reborn for its second play in the match. Yami grits his teeth, bracing for what's to come. Other!Marik slaps his reborn monster on his Duel Disk, "as surely as the sun rises", as he puts it. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, a real divine prophet YOU are, kid. YAWN.

But it turns out that's not exactly what he means. Parts of him start to disappear in a flash of virtual steam as he laughs it up, and Yami stares in disbelief. He's just having the time of his life turning to digital vapor, I guess, because the laughter continues into the next panel, until he gains control of his funny bone long enough to offer to show the presumably curious Yami what Ra's final power is. Yami, understandably, is still a bit stuck on the fact that other!Marik is VANISHING before his eyes. Everyone on the ground is just confused, one of them demanding to know what the hell is happening up there with all the creepy steam, and another calling Yami's name. 

Other!Marik's disappeared parts start to reform in a strangely hunched, leaning form. He declares he will join with god. 

When religious folks talk about deceased loved ones going to God, I don't think this is what they have in mind, under normal circumstances.

Yami continues to stare in shock at other!Marik's merged form with Ra. Kaiba also wears an expression of horror as he recounts in his head what he learned this means from the Hieratic on the card: the player leaves one life point while giving the rest to Ra as its attack points. A more classical kind of sacrifice, to be sure. But that's apparently not all. Other!Marik announces that he's also sacrificing the other monsters he has out in the field, so Ra can also absorb THEIR attack points, which makes makes them stronger than ever. Ra shrieks in Yami's direction, a whopping 4699 points. Yami clenches his jaw, and likely his buttocks, at this number, one to which his 3300 life points pales considerably. 

Honda has read the writing on the wall - he yells that if this direct attack succeeds, Yami's dead. Jonouchi asks what Yami is going to do in a panic. Mokuba trails in his assessment of how Yami's chances look, while his elder brother stares speechlessly. Seto Kaiba does wonder at Yami if this is really the end, though. Yami and he wear similar determined, dignified glares now. 

Other!Marik warns Yami ironically to brace himself, because his blood will be boiled to steam. It's how everybody is going right now, so I'd say that's fitting. But when other!Marik begins to call out Ra's attack, Yami interrupts him to reveal his face down card. You know, that one he didn't even look at? What a shock, it actually IS Devil's Sanctuary, the card Kaiba threw at him before this duel's start. Not only does Kaiba freeze in alarm at this, but other!Marik repeats the name of the card in disbelief. Meanwhile, Kaiba puzzles over how Yami knew that was his card. 

A wild alchemical circle has appeared! It better be super fucking effective.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It's got most of KT's regular issues; snail-pacing to cover just one-two turns, unclear speech/thought bubbles, and awkward forced narrative decisions so that his main character can get away with things he shouldn't. Though it wasn't established that there was a rule against playing a card blindly like Yami did, it makes sense that a player REALLY shouldn't do that. It might be a card that can't be played a certain way, so it's just an illogical move. So it makes sense for Moar Cards Guy to call foul on that play. 

But Kaiba having to rebuke Moar Cards Guy for it bisects his reaction to Yami playing the card - he's shocked, then coolly defensive of the move, then shocked again. It's very dissonant, and breaks up the flow of a chapter already suffering from the reduced pace so everyone and their grandmother can say their piece. It would have been much better for the writing if Yami had just LOOKED at the card, and the audience wasn't shown what it was to preserve the element of surprise. As it stands, I'm not surprised by the card's reveal, just a little annoyed. 

Although it IS intriguing that Yami doesn't know what this card even does yet. He didn't have time to study up on its use before the duel, so he's going into this blind anyway, and in a far more interesting way than the manufactured one KT tried to do before its activation. It's a mystery that I'm really looking forward seeing unfold in the next chapter, because it developed in a natural way. Besides, Yami not knowing what ANY card does is rather shocking to me, since he always gives off the vibe of knowing just about everything there is to know about this game. It's a headcanon of mine that he spends his ample time holed up in the Millennium Puzzle when Yuugi is driving their shared body just thinking on his strategies and the various cards that can be used. I suppose it's silly of me to assume he's heard of every card EVER, but it's just... how he's framed, lol!

I'm also a fan of how other!Marik fused right into Ra's head like he did, because it's just another one of those fun things that KT did with design that I can't help get the impression that he had an absolute blast putting it on paper. It's just fun to LOOK at, even if I'm a little confused about the logistics of it. There was an indication at the beginning of the duel that no one outside of the match could really see the illusions other!Marik was conjuring with his shadow game, but here it's not clear whether or not anyone is seeing his fusion with Ra. No one comments specifically that they do, but the amount of shock and awe that the transformation garners gives that impression. 

All in all, it was an okay chapter by the end. I'm pretty satisfied with how this final (finally!) special ability has manifested, because it's living up to the hype well. The next chapter should be interesting, at the very least, and I'm looking forward to it, just like moving on to the next year. 

I hope everyone reading this has a happy new year, and that 2021 treats you so much better than 2020 did, because you deserve it! Thank you for spending another year with me, no matter how difficult it was!

Inuyasha Manga: 210 Onigumo's Memories

He might be better off without those. Burned head to foot, paralyzed in a cave, while some chick he thristed after hardcore sat right next to him and he couldn't even make a move? Not to mention how he trolled around stealing and murdering all day every day before that. Hell, I feel like I would be better off not knowing the shitbird that guy was for his whole existence. He should look at this as a second chance, start over, and find a hobby to channel his weird aggression into. Basket-weaving, or pottery, calligraphy.

Something solitary that keeps his psychotic hands away from everyone else.

Oh shit, is this going to be THAT kind of chapter?

Kagura hears her name called off-panel, and does not seem at all pleased at the address. No surprise, because Naraku has appeared out of the surrounding darkness, to mockingly refer to her desire to go out. I bristle, because my entirely over-quarantined ass feels personally attacked right now. Kagura forces a smile, repeating a promise she's made before; she won't try to run away again. After a doubtful pause, Naraku tells her to follow a man calling himself Musou, a man he identifies as her younger brother. She considers this new incarnation with a little curiosity. While she's still in chains, I assume.

One narrow sky transition panel later, a corpse falls to the ground, eyes wide and blank.

The AUDACITY of someone to die fighting. Who the hell did he think he WAS, anyway, wanting to LIVE?

Musou tucks his victim's sword into the belt he also pilfered off the dead man, mumbling now that he has his clothes on again, in preparation for more hijinks, no doubt. But he sees a couple of familiar hell-wasps floating nearby, staring as he recalls that a swarm of them merged to become his new arm when Inuyasha blew off the old one. They turn and flutter a little distance, one of them glancing back at him, as though over its nonexistent shoulder. Musou interprets this as encouragement to follow them, which is probz a good bet. 

Meanwhile, Kagome rides her bike, Sango rides Kirara, and Miroku runs, all presumably behind Inuyasha, whom the former asks to wait up for them. Miroku asks what Inuyasha is so worked up about, and Inuyasha barks that he can smell Musou. Smelling the guy who almost carried away your current girlfriend because he mistook her for your ex-girlfriend will probably get you a little worked up. Granted, one can only guess, since that's a situation literally ONE guy has ever experienced. 

Kagome looks shocked at this news, and Shippou appears at her shoulder, asking Inuyasha what he's talking about. Her refers back to when Musou and Inuyasha fought, and Musou was blown to bits by Kaze no Kizu, so Shippou's conclusion is the guy shouldn't be alive. Inuyasha knows that Musou was definitely destroyed by that blast, and yet there's a big "but" on the end of that thought. Something he's not interested in communicating any more NOW than he was at the end of the previous chapter, it seems. 

And he doesn't have a moment to say anything anyway, because an unnatural gust of wind greets the surprised group in the next panel. 

Oh good, chains did NOT suit her at all.

Inuyasha asks that bitch if she came there to interfere with them again as she stands, and she says plainly that she didn't show up to fight today, asking for confirmation that they're searching for Musou. Kagome and Inuyasha gape at her, Kagome making an alarmed noise, while Inuyasha processes the information that Musou is in fact still alive. As if sniffing him out didn't already give him that. 

Kagura says that Musou is heading for the cave where Onigumo stayed while Kikyou cared for his crispy ass, and Inuyasha grits his teeth and looks to kind of recoil, whether from disgust at recollection of the Onigumo story, at the prospect of going back there, or both and then some, I'm not sure. With that, Kagura pops back open her fan, says that this concludes her report, and bids them farewell, turning to leave. 

Kagome lunges forward a bit, asking Kagura to wait. She haltingly referred back to "that time", trailing a question about whether Naraku knows Inuyasha's secret of becoming human at the beginning of every month. Because she's aware Kagura sure does, having seen Inuyasha without his ears and with black hair not too long ago. 

Inuyasha, dude, WHAT is that face you've got right now?

The moment he realized he was a cartoon. This is going straight onto my discord server, I fucking swear.

Kagura ascends into the sky on her giant feather, and Kagome stares up at her, thinking about how she hasn't told Naraku Inuyasha's big secret yet. I don't know why she has any reason to believe Kagura was telling the truth when she implied such, other than reading the script, of course. On the other hand, Inuyasha voices a suspicion that Kagura is planning something. After a pause, Miroku says that it seemed to him Kagura was running away when they recently fought her for the Shikon shards. Sango piggybacks off of this statement to suggest that Kagura doesn't appear very obedient to Naraku. These kids are drawing ALL the right conclusions - guess they passed that script around quite a bit.

Inuyasha points out, rightly, that none of this (at best) speculation makes her an ally. Kagome is still staring at the sky, thinking that while Kagura keeps Inuyasha's secret, it means they don't have to worry about being attacked on the first day of every month. 

Up in the air, Kagura contemplates a topic beyond her understanding: Naraku. She recalls his creepy ass telling her to report to Inuyasha Musou's location, and then to just hang back and watch. She thinks it's as though Naraku wants to observe Musou's attitude and reactions, then it occurs to her Musou isn't like her - Naraku doesn't control him. 

Outside of the narrow opening in the hillside that was Onigumo's cave, a Saimyoushou hovers. Musou is just inside, wearing a critical look as he makes a trailing assessment of the place. 

He flops down on his back, muttering that it was like this, then reaches over to the grassy area next to the patch of dirt on which he's reclined. It was there, at a spot within his reach, that he remembers Kikyou leaning over him. He sneers about how she always had a placid expression, then recalls once more that he wanted her, even if he had to sell his soul to youkai. 

Musou sits back up rapidly, and we get a close-up view of half his face, with a wide, bulging eye as he affirms he is. WHAT he is, he doesn't say, but I'm assuming he's realized he's a totally irredeemable asshat. From the mouth of the cave, someone asks who he is, while he sweats from his unstated epiphany about who he is. In the next panel, it's shown to be Kaede, leaning into the cave to ask what the hell this weirdo is doing here. She even asks if he's human, to which he doesn't respond, just scoffs and calls her a wrinkly old bat. That's QUEEN wrinkly old bat to you, dipshit. 

Musou stands to stoop toward the mouth of the cave, telling granny Kaede that she's got some bad luck. He speculates that if she had been 50 years younger...

... I thought you said she had BAD luck.

Inuyasha appears to be nearby in the village, if the roof over his shoulder in the background is any indication. He's shouting in disbelief at someone over the information that Kaede went to the cave. One of the village women tells Miroku that Kaede said she felt some kind of unusual evil, looking rather concerned. Inuyasha whirls around and curses, and as he starts off in the direction of the cave, Kagome appears on his tail to suggest they hurry.

But Inuyasha tells her to stay there. She starts to protest, and he cuts her off with the rather sensible point that it's dangerous, since Musou thinks she's Kikyou. Miroku runs up beside Inuyasha, giving Sango a similar order to stay behind with Kagome. Sango has no complaints, agreeing immediately and holding a comforting arm out in front of Kagome. Inuyasha invites Miroku wholeheartedly along, and in his mind urges Kaede to stay alive. 

Back outside the cave, Kaede has fired a couple of arrows at Musou, which stick out of him as he walks toward her in the tall grass, looking totally unbothered by this. As Kaede draws another arrow, Musou even asks her with an easy smile what she's doing. She draws the new arrow against the backdrop of a marbled atmosphere, stating that he really must be an evil spirit. Really shouldn't have taken more than one of those arrows to confirm that, but okay, Kaede. Musou says he's not so great as that, and lunges at her to swing his sword down on her, declaring that he's just a garden-variety villain. 

By way of sound effect, there's a crack, a whizz, and the tip of Musou's sword snaps off to embed itself in the dirt below. Inuyasha has struck a defensive stance in front of Kaede, claw raised toward Musou while he tells Kaede behind him to get back. She says his name in a dazed sort of way, having fallen back in the shuffle. 

To be fair, it can't be easy to forget about those iconic ears.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It was interesting watching Musou slowly regain some of his identity as Onigumo - the scene in the cave was strangely intimate. It gave us something of a sympathetic view of the guy in a way that I don't think I've seen often. The way he moves in the cave, the way he lays down in that spot, feeling his way around the area, there's something about how he expresses himself in that space that does what his dialog doesn't. It gives us the impression of this "regular" guy, someone who isn't particularly special just getting eaten up by his unfulfilled desires. The line toward the end about just being a villain was a great reinforcement of that, driving the point home instead of making it for him. But as interesting as it is getting to know the weird intricacies of this sociopath is, and the dissonance that comes with sympathizing with someone who would clearly not be able to do so with another character, that was really the only enjoyable part of this chapter. 

Mostly I was just frustrated with the fact that all the characters were jumping to these conclusions that were largely unsupported. Inuyasha just had this vague feeling that Musou was still out there, and everyone just kind of brings themselves around to implicitly believing Kagura, despite a lack of evidence she's telling the truth. The fact that these conclusions are CORRECT just kind of makes the whole thing more frustrating. Characters being right without the proper support for their viewpoints is frustrating, because it doesn't feel like that viewpoint is earned so much as instilled by a lazy writer. It just looks like RT didn't want to come up with valid reasons for Inuyasha and company to believe these things, but didn't want to maintain their skepticism about Kagura, or their ignorance about Musou either. The latter is especially irritating, because this chapter would have come across as more believable if Inuyasha had thought Musou was dead, and then was thrown into confusion and worry over picking up his scent again. I don't know why he couldn't be surprised by Musou still being alive; it really doesn't make any sense. 

Something else that doesn't make sense? The timeline here. It seems like Tessaiga shouldn't have blown Musou away so far, and seeing as how this is the very next chapter after it happened, it can't have been more than a day, but it feels longer because Miroku and Shippou are speaking about Musou as though he's already old news. I think RT might have managed with this tone if she had put a couple more chapters between this one and the last, making it seem more like Musou was really gone, but for some reason she decided against that. Also, the lack of communication about Inuyasha's feeling that Musou is alive, and Kagome's for that matter, is a bit frustrating. There was this tense atmosphere at the end of the last chapter, a feeling of wariness and an unsettled sensation that could have been explored more between the characters. Instead, we get Miroku and Shippou displaying this strange certainty on Musou's death that just doesn't fit with the tone of this or the previous chapter.

Honestly, it seems like RT was cutting a lot of corners in places that I thought it might have been easy to draw out this story line, which probably would have lent to the serial nature of the plot. I'm not sure why she's rushing past all of the proper development of the main group's trust of Kagura, and then drawing out Miroku and Shippou's dismissal of Inuyasha's senses, but it's kind of giving me a headache. Hopefully the next chapter won't play games like this.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 268 Ra the Immortal

Uhhh, Ra isn't exactly unique in this regard? All the monsters in this game are in a sense immortal; they don't die of their own accord like actually living creatures, don't grow old or anything, and a player actively has to murder them. And then, they just come back in the next game fully formed and ready to do it all again. We're already accustomed to this kind of thing, so Ra won't exactly get headlines with that title. 

If, on the other hand, Ra is operating on the kind of immortality that won't even let it be KILLED... perhaps we should start seriously asking where the special effects end and the cheating begins.

Okay, right off the bat already just leaning on the unremarkable definition. Probably the safest move, if I'm being honest. 

That's a great chapter title you have there, KT. What a shame you wasted it on the previous chapter's cliffhanger ending. 

While the giant bird and massive lizard hiss and roar at each other over everyone's heads, other!Marik has a laugh riot on his side of the platform. Yami gapes up at the monsters, turning over how Slifer's 6000 points had absolutely no effect on Ra in his head, and wondering if this is Ra's hidden power. I would say Yami should be so lucky, but in the next panel, other!Marik confirms that he's right; Ra has the power of immortality and nothing can kill it... for this turn, anyway. What a big ability to hold back until the very end. Mind-blowing. 

I hope my sarcasm is bleeding through the screen right now. 

Someone, though I'm not sure who, out of Yami's friend squad says that this is Ra's true form as they all gape up at the god monsters. Then it looks like other!Marik shouts from the platform that this is the monster that beat Jonouchi? I don't know if it makes much sense that he would bring that up at this juncture, but the speech bubbles are a bit unclear. Jonouchi himself exposits that this special power, the "Egyptian God Phoenix", burns up all of the monsters out there regardless of attack points if other!Marik coughs up 1000 life points. Honda asks what in the world that means, if Ra bites it too, and seems rather adamant in his confusion, at first refusing that answer, and then saying he doesn't know. Unless that's Yami talking up on the platform, which I don't know why he would be.

These speech bubbles weren't thought out very well...

At least I know it's Jonouchi speaking when he says he doesn't know how strong that Ra thing is, but he's really worried that it might put Yami into shock just like it did him. Valid fear. He begs Yami silently to hang in there, glaring up at the platform as if trying to beam his determination into Yami's brain. And I'm still half-convinced he can, considering my old "a piece of Jonouchi is TOTALLY in the puzzle" theory.

Yami accuses other!Marik of thinking he's safe, though Slifer isn't done attacking yet. Other!Marik adopts the most normal straight expression I've ever seen on him, and it's almost scarier than seeing his tongue lolling like a perverted maniac. Yami explains that he activated Slifer's special ability the moment other!Marik summoned Ra.
 

Yami, other!Marik is one of the few people who even knew about the existence of these god cards before a few days ago. How in the world did you for one moment imagine this might surprise him?

Of course, that attack disperses with no damage to Ra, and Yami is just floored by this. Meanwhile, other!Marik laughs his ass off that Yami thought that measly lightning bolt would penetrate the armor of fire around Ra. Normally I wouldn't find the word "penetrate" suspect, but considering this is other!Marik we're talking about... Yami growls in frustration while other!Marik announces it's his turn to attack, muttering in ancient Egyptian once again. Kaiba knows that this is it, the 3rd power described on Ra's card in Hieratic text. 

Why the hell not? KT has spent this whole arc building up Ra as the biggest and baddest; I say we see how big and bad it can get. Slifer can take one for the team. 

Other!Marik says that activating this power costs 1000 life points, leaving him with 3000, but he's pretty sure the darkness will be perfectly pleased to take this offering. A pretty big chunk of OG Marik's forearm is taken, and with a typically creepy grin, says that Yami will burn along with his dragon now. Ra rockets above other!Marik, who prays for the flames to consume Slifer, as is appropriate to a god-creature. It descends upon Slifer, flaming tendrils consuming the roaring dragon. 

While everyone on Yami's side gets toasty, other!Marik declares that Slifer is dead triumphantly, yukking it up. Yami is hunched on one knee, an arm up to guard his face against the virtual fire, while Honda and Jonouchi shout both encouragement and uncertainty that he can make it at him. Mixed messages all around. Yuugi, with his missing knees and elbow, groans, and Yami echoes the sentiment from the ground. By this point, the flames have died down enough for other!Marik to see they're both still alive, and he says this is good, because he "needs" them to suffer more. I feel like this word is being used improperly, so scare-quotes go around it.

Yami glances up sideways at Yuugi, asking if he's alright. Yuugi can only wince and groan in response at first, but eventually forces out a statement that he's fine. Yami just looks at him, speechless, no doubt not wanting to call him a liar, buuuuuut... Anyway, they both know they've lost their god card, and they only have one left. Still in a much better position than someone who had none to begin with, so count your blessings, boys. 

Other!Marik tells Ra that this is enough, almost in a scolding way, and commands it to go back to the graveyard. Then he addresses the hunched and barely-standing Yami, informing him that now his turn's all over, Revival of the Dark dictates that Monster Reborn goes right back in Yami's graveyard. A blurred streak shoots into Yami's Duel Disk for maximum effect, though Yami observes this more with an anxious exhaustion than anything. It's his bad luck that other!Marik isn't done yet, stating this is when he does something ELSE, restoring shock and horror to Yami's features. 

Oh great, he's invented another perpetual dueling machine to do the hard work for him again, just like when OG Marik had the trick to give him "infinite" cards. At least he's not abusing mathematical concepts this time around. 

Yami is in exasperated disbelief that after that whole business with the prior turn, other!Marik gets to use the card AGAIN. Other!Marik of course asks partronizingly if Yami knows this means Ra gets special summoned yet again on his next turn, grinning in that deranged way he does. As he fondles the Monster Reborn he gets to play once more, he asserts that this means Yami will be a victim of the One-Turn Kill. Jonouchi uselessly comments in distress that this isn't good, because Yami has no monsters to protect him, and Honda says that Yami is toast if Ra is summoned again.

Hahaha. "IF".

Sweating and grinding his teeth, Yami growls. Other!Marik offers one small consolation that Yami gets to draw a new card per the fine print on Zombie's Jewel as though it's in the palm of his extended clawed hand. He wonders aloud how long one measly new card can keep Yami alive. As he laughs it up across the platform, Yami takes a hard close look at his Duel Disk. 

Kaiba, if you want to maintain the illusion that you actually want Yami to lose so he can stop believing in miracles, maybe you should stop looking like you're manifesting his win so fucking hard right now. Just a tip.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It started out quite awful. There was no logical arrangement of the speech bubbles, so there was no telling who was saying what. Even when the bubbles seemed to be in the correct places for the correct characters, the information was off. This final special power for Ra that hadn't been revealed as of yet appeared to have come from Jonouchi and Honda's mouths. There was a general chaotic disorganization to the dialog that I haven't really seen before in this chapter, and it gives me the impression that those pages were either planned under a bit of personal duress, or perhaps it was just excitement for drawing out the multiple double-page spreads in this chapter.

And let me tell you, they were stunning. It was really hard to choose between some of them to put in the recap above, because they were all intense and my descriptions of the ones I didn't include just did not do them justice. It wasn't just Ra and the flames, which managed to get that heat across really well, but the expressions on Yami and Yuugi's faces in particular. KT gets across the pain of Yami and Yuugi well, and how Yuugi reacts when Yami checks in with him. The brave face Yuugi tries to put on isn't convincing at all, but Yami doesn't really press the issue, and you really feel the utter exhaustion both of them are experiencing in the wake of the attack as well as their agony. 

Yami's horrified exasperation when he finds out that other!Marik is about to put them through all that AGAIN is palpable too. Granted, part of my empathy in this moment might be attributable to my own exasperation at seeing another circular move to automate a god card's utility. It's not entirely irritating, because this is a different god card and a different set of supplementary supporting cards...

But it does strike me as a tad TOO convenient that there are so many ways to create this sort of "perpetual energy machine" effect.

Inuyasha Manga: 209 Musou

Poor bastard; got his face stolen because it was just so hot. I remember I was a little indignant when I found out that the guy who took my senior picture started using it on his website for advertising soon after, but at least he didn't yank my face right off my head. My anonymous image online selling someone else's considerable skill is infinitely less painful than Musou's fate, and I doubt the faceless man what took Musou's pretty cheeks is going to profit off of it. I mean, he technically raided a couple of villages after putting on his fresh mask, but I think he would have done that anyway. No pretty smile required.

The faceless man has to remind Inuyasha he already said he doesn't remember, because apparently Inuyasha's got a really poor short-term memory. Lifting his chin thoughtfully, he puts forward quite the idea; he can be called Musou. He tells Inuyasha he got his face from the priest by that name, stroking the chin of said face proudly. Old school hardcore identity theft.

Inuyasha growls that this really is the guy who's been going around peeling off people's faces, as if he didn't really have faith in his own senses before the confession. Did Miroku's denial of the possibility that this was the guy put doubt in his head after all? Kagome should bring a squirt bottle to discourage Miroku from being a know-it-all twerp for these occasions.

Anyway, Musou-by-combat over there on the horse asks Inuyasha what's up with his face, and says he doesn't like it. He peers at Inuyasha a little longer and confirms that he just can't STAND that face. I guess Inuyasha is only interested in posturing over lame insults from Kouga, showing a surprisingly thick-skin when he just addresses Miroku behind him that it would be useless to ask any more questions of this guy. Musou smells like Naraku and kills innocents, and that's enough for Inuyasha. He rips Tessaiga from its sheath, threatening to rip Musou apart.

Musou, of course, welcomes Inuyasha to try, pulling his own comparatively less impressive sword and spurring his horse forward. 

I'd make fun of Inuyasha's aim again, but honestly, I'd prefer he avoid the horsie. Horsie good.

Musou stares at the exploding chunks of his arm with... mild confusion? I would probably be screaming in horror, because arms aren't supposed to do that, even when sliced by swords. Also, it's my limb. But Musou seems to care about as little as possible here. Shippou clings to Kagome's shoulder and issues another of his regular cautiously hopeful suggestions that Inuyasha got 'im. Which of course means the exact opposite. A dark mass appears in the sky, a cloud of Naraku's Saimyoushou, hissing and buzzing straight for Musou, much to Inuyasha's alarm as he just watches them. 

Serious issues with proportion and perspective here, but Shippou, Kagome and Sango are all more concerned with the fact that the insects formed themselves into a mostly okay replacement arm for Musou. Understandable for folks who would have to deal with that replacement arm swinging at them, I guess. It looks like it fits him a bit better by the next panel when he pulls it in to have an amazed look, in an in the kind of wide-eyed wonder that is akin to watching a man swallow a fiery poker on a circus stage. Definitely... off. 

Inuyasha rushes forward, Tessaiga raised for a fresh slash, calling Musou a bastard in a rage. Seemingly without his explicit command, judging by his expression of mild shock, Musou's new arm splits and twists into fleshy pointed tentacles. This is made comical by the sound effects that translate lovingly into "stab stab stab". I don't know if I'm meant to be laughing, but boy am I. They do actually do some stabbing, though, right into Inuyasha's chest and throat. The assault takes him off his feet and he collapses to the ground on his belly, his hand at his neck to stem the flow of blood from the wound. 

Kagome yells his name, running to him, but after an alarmed twist to see her coming over his shoulder, he warns her to stay away. Musou glances over to where Inuyasha is screaming, barely interested. At first. 

TFW when you remember some other person's name before you remember your own. 

Musou also remembers, haltingly, that he really wanted that woman. He lost his memory before he could hit the "purchase" button, though. His wacky inflatable tubeman arm acts with a bit more purpose this time, stretching out to wrap multiple branches around each of Kagome's wrists, much to her gaping horror. Inuyasha forces himself to his feet with a groan, tendrils of air wrapping around the blade of Tessaiga. He brings a Kaze no Kizu down on Musou's creepy tentacles to sever them right in front of Kagome, who winces and recoils from the blow behind her raised hands, falling backward. Not sure about the angle on this one, because in the next panel Musou himself is being broken apart by Kaze no Kizu as though he was in the direct line of the blast, though it probably should have been perpendicular to him to just sever the extended arm. 

Anyway...

The plot thickens? In the way your cream of wheat does when you let it sit on the stove without stirring it and it gets all lumpy and shit, I guess. 

When the dust settles and the Kaze no Kizu dissipates, Inuyasha and Kagome stare a moment down the giant scars left in the ground from Inuyasha's attack. Kagome in particular looks disturbed, in disbelief that Musou mistook her for Kikyou. Come on, kiddo, someone seems to do that every week. Annoying, yes. Surprising, no. Inuyasha wonders aloud why the guy knew Kikyou's name, on the other hand. THIS is a fair question, and Inuyasha seems to be working out the answer himself when Miroku interrupts to blurt out that he's Onigumo perhaps. We get it, Miroku, you're super smart, can you go five seconds without trying to come to a conclusion before everyone else please?

I'm really the only one annoyed by this; Inuyasha contemplates Onigumo's name, sweatdropping nervously. Both he and Miroku have already learned about how Kikyou hid Onigumo in a cave and treated his wounds, from Kaede, an image of which serves as the background for the panel. Miroku recalls in particular that Onigumo had burns covering his entire body, on his face especially. 

Or at least, he probably WISHED he had no face instead of the one he had. How nice of Naraku to grant that wish. Not such a bad guy when you think about it.

Inuyasha also remembers that while Kikyou was looking after him, Onigumo had some pretty nasty thoughts about her in his heart. It was that heart that remained in Naraku, even after Onigumo submitted the rest of his body to the amalgamation of youkai that transformed into Naraku. Inuyasha turns this all over in his mind, arriving at the present moment when it appears that Onigumo has gained a physical form and come out separate from Naraku. He looks again at the long trenches in the earth left by his Kaze no Kizu and wonders if Onigumo's heart is dead now. Kagome's thoughts are very much in line with Inuyasha's, and she thinks that with a direct hit like that, Musou/Onigumo should be dead as a doornail. 

Still, she's not convinced. It seems a bit too easy. She must have read the script.

Or realized her life had become identical to a drawn-out drama in which NOTHING is as simple as it should be. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I actually really enjoy reading Musou's psychopathic narcissism, because his cavalier attitude is so fun in how weird it is. He just doesn't react to things in a normal way, and it has the same essential "wrongness" to it as all of RT's monster designs. Since his first instinct is to behave like a murderous lunatic with a very mild, laid-back personality, the implication is that this was his natural state back when he had his memories too. The parallel between actual demon creatures and this human man's core identity is striking. 

I was a bit unimpressed with the art in this installment, though. I pointed out the most egregious example above, but things were just kind of wonky all around in this one as far as appearances go. It's a shame, because this one had the potential for some good memorable panels, but they just didn't come out right. Must have been a bit of a rough week for RT. 

In any case, we'll see if she can make something of her allusion to Kagome and Kikyou's similar appearances in the next couple of chapters. Fingers crossed.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 267 Slifer vs. Ra!

It took me a while to cover this one, because I didn't realize the VIZ membership I started paying for to get decent quality scans of this comic lapsed. I'm pretty sure it's because I failed to update the recent address change on my card (VIZ wasn't exactly at the top of my list of essential credit card updates), but I'm still a tad annoyed by the fact that I got no notification whatsoever. An email would have been nice so I could avoid clicking here and there on the non-intuitive website to figure out how to start paying them again. Turns out you have to click on the membership "learn more" button to be taken to a place where it will actually recognize that you want to reinstate your membership instead of start a new one. 

Geez VIZ, it's almost as if you don't WANT me to pay you money to make fun of the manga you own. 

Better believe real fucking hard in those cards, Yami. Because I don't think other!Marik is going to let you keep those sacrifices until you can use them.

We get a little recap of what monsters are out and about at the moment; the King's, Queen's and Jack's Knights surrounding Yami, and the indescribable Juragedo hanging out over with other!Marik. There's also a reminder of how many points the competitors have - other!Marik is at his original 4000 and Yami is down to 3300. In his grinning excitement, Honda reverts to the human exposition machine he's in the habit of being, cheering that Yami now has the sacrifices to summon one of his gods, while other!Marik has been deprived of his Monster Reborn so his strategy is ruined. His initial strategy, anyway. Jonouchi thrusts his fist out in a triumphant punch toward the platform, declaring that Yami has taken the lead. But a somber Anzu reminds him that other!Marik still has some face down cards, and that it still might not be that easy for him.

Also, other!Marik is still technically leading in actual points. But no one mentions that, because they're not an asshole like me. 

Other!Marik grins at Yami across the platform, asserting that he's not afraid of him. He knows there's no god card in Yami's hand, since he saw Yami's hand when he played that Exchange card. Meanwhile. Yami is thinking it's his turn to attack, because other!Marik only has De-Fusion in his hand, but still he hesitates. He sees the smugly tripping other!Marik across the platform, whose sinister chuckles just don't stop, and wonders why he doesn't look worried. His god card AND Monster Reborn are both in the graveyard, so it's just mystifying to Yami why other!Marik would still be smiling. Backup strategies haven't seemed to have occurred to him. Strangely.

Tongue lolling, other!Marik throws his arms out wide and asks Yami what's wrong, inviting him to attack already with a hearty laugh. His twisted grin gets all the more intense when he thinks that Yami's going to fall prey to his god the moment he strikes. 

You think?  

Yami ends his turn, and other!Marik chuckles inwardly that Yami's fear saved him this time. Below, Honda wears a perplexed expression, and asks why Yami didn't attack when he might have been able to do other!Marik some serious damage. Seriously, dude? You're not exactly NEW here, so why the confusion over why Yami would want to hold back? Jonouchi sneers at him, saying that Yami's duelist instincts must have told him not to, and that he knows the feeling. I can't help but feel that there's a bit of a discrepancy in dialogue between the Japanese and English here - the translation doesn't add up with the character expressions...

Jonouchi goes on to say that it may look like Yami might have the upper hand, but he feels there's something other!Marik is hiding in the darkness surrounding them. Apparently just placing cards face down isn't enough for hiding things. Jonouchi may be giving other!Marik a bit more mystical credit than he's due. Meanwhile, other!Marik declares his turn, grinning with his hand hovering over his Duel Disk for his draw. 

Kaiba asks Ishizu if other!Marik doesn't have a card in his deck that allows him to bring a spell card back from the graveyard, which seems to surprise her judging by the exclamation point she exudes alone. I guess there was a part of me who thought Kaiba wouldn't really want to chat while he's watching a duel, even ABOUT it. Still, there's another part of me that remembers he's quite the talker on the regular, so it evens out. Anyway, Ishizu confirms that this is the trap other!Marik must be planning, and Kaiba says that he knew it, an obvious deduction he really shouldn't be proud of. He knows that in his expert rules for the tournament, there's only allowed one Monster Reborn per deck, but he's also aware of one terrifying card that would let other!Marik call Monster Reborn back from Yami's graveyard as many times as he wants. Which seems excessive, but so does every card in this game these days. 

Other!Marik at last draws his card, glancing at it while Yami glares at him tensely. Then the motor on his mouth starts again, other!Marik stating plainly that he knows Yami doesn't have a god card in his hand, and how pathetic he thinks it is watching him wait for that god card on every draw phase of Yami's turns. There haven't been THAT many turns in this duel so far, but go off I guess. Other!Marik says that even if Yami draws Slifer, it wouldn't do him any good, because the few cards in Yami's hands would ensure only minimal attack points. So, he generously offers Yami a gift, with so much excitement, he decides putting his card in his mouth is a great idea? So he can turn up his palm in a strange claw-like gesture? He's becoming just... utterly incomprehensible, I swear. 

Yami stares, gaping, as other!Marik (card now removed from his mouth, thank goodness) announces he's going to play a card that helps them both. It's "Card of Sanctity", letting both players draw until they're holding six cards. Other!Marik demands Yami give thanks to the god of his opponent for his blessings as he replenishes his hand. With a little smile, Yami promises other!Marik that he'll regret this. They proceed to draw cards. 

I guess that'll do it for the both of them. That title won't be made a liar, I see. 

Yami announces his turn, draws a card, and notes he has seven cards in his hand, meaning Slifer will have 6000 attack points if he summons it now. Other!Marik wonders if Yami will do it, sneering at him from across the platform and looking quite the opposite of worried. He doesn't have to wait long for Yami to ask his noble face cards to be his sacrifice dramatically. The king, queen, and jack are all surrounded in a virtual whirlwind while Yami slaps his Slifer card on his Duel Disk. 

KT is having a shit ton of fun drawing the divine cards once again, and I am NOT complaining.

Slifer roars with its big main mouth right in other!Marik's face, and he responds with an excited grin and a greeting that suggests he's been waiting for this moment. Honda cheers that Yami did it, Jonouchi identifies Slifer as Yami's card in jubilation, and Anzu states the wowing 6000 points it has as an exciting highlight. The epitome of shallow commentary, and I should know - I've been doing this for a good five years now. Jonouchi adds an elated comment that other!Marik is dead, and Yami has already won. What is that old saying about counting chickens before they're hatched?

Kaiba stares intently and Ishizu does the same, with a little silent appeal to Yami as well. What looks like steam seems to issue from between Slifer's clenched fangs as Yami asks other!Marik if he's ready, though I don't think the question is sincere. Other!Marik hasn't even begun to answer when Yami, arm curled into a determined fist, tells Slifer to go get him. 

Don't worry, Yami, you know other!Marik doesn't pass up any opportunity to run his smug, twisted mouth. He says this card allows him to use a spell card from Yami's graveyard, namely his newly discarded Monster Reborn. What a shock. He calls to the great god that sleeps beneath the earth, imploring it to be reborn as a fiery phoenix, and mumbles a bunch of Ancient Egyptian to drive home his point. While he grins in creepy self-satisfaction across the platform, Yami stares in shock. 

Other!Marik laughs like the maniac he is, a surge of flames erupting behind him in the shape of a giant bird. As if we can't see this very thing happening on the page, Yami (or who I'm assuming is Yami) narrates how other!Marik has used Ra's special effect and summoned it in Phoenix Mode. Ra's not only manifesting as a gigantic pillar of fire, but it's also absorbing Slifer's lightning, and the attack isn't getting through at all. 

And cue Yes's Roundabout and a "To Be Continued..." ending card.

So what did I think of this chapter overall? Aside from the god cards making their debuts, there's not much here. Not that I don't ADORE the theatrics of each appearance of these over-powered things, but it's very much style over substance. There's not any forward motion on any character in this chapter - Yami and other!Marik appear to be going through their mechanical motions without any real focus on their respective "sacrifices". Other!Marik's taunting of Yami regarding his lack of a god card in the middle there is rather stale for how often he pulls those faces and weird gestures, and Yami doesn't emote much in this one. Yami's friends and cheerleaders don't say a THING we don't already know, and they're pretty much making appearances to remind us they exist at this point. 

The only thing that was "surprising" in a sense was Kaiba making casual conversation with Ishizu, and that's only really because she seems mildly shocked that she's being spoken to. Kaiba addressing her to confirm his suspicions is only surprising in his lack of a typical scornful tone while addressing anyone. But, given that he's not trying to hide his self-doubt and insecurity in his relationship to others behind a sarcastic veneer, I'd say it's not that big of a deal.

I don't want to say this chapter is boring, but it's not exactly the kind of content I'm going to remember tomorrow either.

Inuyasha Manga: 208 The Man With No Face

So after the mild rage I experienced after having to deconstruct how awful the implications of the previous chapter was, I'm ready for the FUN kind of horror that this comic can pretty reliably provide. By the looks of that title, it seems like this chapter is prepared to partially make it up to me. I can't say it can ever FULLY redeem the bad taste left in my mouth by the previous chapter, but at the very least it can put some distance between me and my need to give Miroku all the criticism he's not getting from his so-called friends. He'll lay low in this one if he knows what's good for him. 

Especially when I have a whole new group of douchebags riding up on the first page to distract me in a large caravan of bandit horsemen, one of whom exclaims that they've got women and sake, and another suggesting to their boss at the head of the parade that they live it up tonight. Death flag, if I ever saw one. Said boss and the first few men galloping close behind him are alarmed by something they see just ahead. 

Something you most assuredly should not be messing with. 

So, as you might expect, they dismount and get closer. You know, like idiots. The boss identifies this thing with some confusion as a lump of flesh, and one of his underlings says chillingly that it seems like it's alive. They all start stabbing the thing with their myriad spears and swords, because poking it with a stick is always SUCH a good idea, and when the the underling's blade slides out, a hand is gripping it loosely. This surprises the bandits, but for some reason doesn't prompt them to get back on their horses and fuck off. They just stand there as a man rises up out of the ball of flesh, dumbfounded. There is a very familiar spider scar on this man's back.

How do you spend your life in an age when entertainment was mostly stories around a fire and ever fall victim to something like this? It's the era of mother fucking ghost stories, you guys are WEAK.

Cut to Inuyasha rushing at the reader, catching a whiff of Naraku's scent, apparently, and leading the others in its direction in a hurry. They run into the remains of the bandit caravan, corpses, overturned carts and all, stopping dead in alarm. Clinging to Kagome's shoulder, Shippou proclaims they've all been killed, while Kagome stutters that it's an awful scene. Inuyasha kneels down next to a body lying face down on and mutters that they're bandits, then something else seems to take him aback. 

Too graphic? Or is it just that RT is no Jhonen Vasquez and has no good way to depict that level of gore? 

Either way, all the corpses are conveniently face down as Inuyasha confirms that they've all had their faces taken off. Kagome kneels nearby, and turns to Inuyasha to tell him that there's a survivor. It's a woman reclining absolutely petrified in Miroku's arms as he tries to soothe her. I'd advise her to watch his hands, but I think she's so traumatized by being kidnapped by bandits and then watching those bandits be massacred by a man born from a ball of guts, molestation is probably not even on her RADAR at this point. 

Sango kneels in front of her and asks who did this to her, and she lifts a shaking hand to her cheek, fixing her lap with a thousand-yard stare while she drops that it was a man with no face. Makes sense in combination with his observation of the missing faces, but Inuyasha gapes like it's some sort of unbelievable revelation. Dude, that kind of deduction doesn't even reach the level of amateur, so just cool it.

A sky/tree-shot transition takes us to the faceless man himself, still naked as a babe, and kneeling by a body of water, head in his hands, while a stolen horse tied to a nearby tree whinnies. The man lowers his hands to look at his reflection in the water, to reveal that he's gotten himself a face. One of the bandits he murdered stares back at him, and he must not like it very much, because he immediately tears the features from his head, tossing them onto a bloody pile of other bandit faces he stole. 

Someone steps up to the pile of pilfered faces while the faceless man's spider-scarred back is turned.  

Dude has a beauty mark and everything. This is the worst possible monster he could confront. 

He has a doughy hunched companion behind him, who warns him to be careful, calling him "Musou". Musou just warns him to stand back, then goes back to addressing the faceless man, asking him where he came from and why he does such atrocious things. I think you can glean the answer to the second question if you're keen, Musou, but if you were, you might have high-tailed it by now. I mean, all that face is missing are some shoujo sparkles. 

The faceless man wonders where he came from, but tells Musou he's drawing a blank. Then he reaches out with a weak gesture and tells Musou to give him his face. Musou, of course, does not comply, holding out his branching staff as his expression hardens and he states that the faceless man is resisting despite his actions. Much like a bloodthirsty cop, Musou uses this "resistance" to justify yelling that he'll punish this creature, and bringing that staff hard down on the faceless man's skull, which is as soft and mushy as an infant's and just caves at the pressure. Musou's tag-along calls out in his certainty that the leading holy man got the monster.

He spoke too soon. The faceless man lunges toward Musou like he's using the staff as a monorail right toward his shocked and horrified, if not still handsome face. After a brief panel showing Musou's eye in profile amid a series of chilling sound effects, Musou's follower stammers out his name before screeching in fear and running in the opposite direction. The faceless man says Musou's name too, in a halting, experimental way. Next we see, he's kneeling by the water again, head in hands, a little distance between him and Musou's face down corpse in the foreground. 

That asterisk? It indicates a translator's note that points out that the faceless man sounded gruff and youkai-like before, but more human-like when he speaks with Musou's face on. So, this translator is essentially telling me that they are more interested in conveying important story information than a useless Japanese lesson I never asked for? I'll be goddamned and go to hell!

Back with Inuyasha and company, who are now running like they're late for an appointment (Kagome riding her bike), Kagome speculates that the "man with no face" the woman behind them referred to is another new Naraku incarnation. Wait, did they just leave that poor traumatized lady in a field of corpses and a dwindling will to live? These are our heroes, folks. Inuyasha calls over his shoulder that it has to be something like that. Surely he would know, with his sense of smell that can detect that Naraku musk. He can smell the blood ahead, at least, noting it in alarm.

When they arrive, everything is on fire, and corpses are lying every which way, one of them with a sword still sticking out of its back. Inuyasha declares this is the faceless man's doing, but Miroku points out the bodies still have their faces, and these killings don't fit the faceless man's MO. Inuyasha turns to that smart-ass and says with complete confidence that he smells him - it's Naraku's scent. He declares that the bastard is still in the burning village, raising his claws at the ready. 

Inuyasha sees a living woman, screaming as she shields and crying baby in a hunched position, a figure on horseback looming behind her. Inuyasha intercepts the spear thrust down at her by the horseman before it can skewer her and her child, clawing it in two. 

Seems like a question you should be contemplating about yourself, dude. 

Inuyasha yells at him not to play innocent, and demands confirmation that he's one of Naraku's offspring. The artist formerly known as the faceless man replies with confusion, asking what the fuck a Naraku is. Inuyasha is taken aback by the innocent tone he's taking, even more when the not-so-faceless man asks if Inuyasha knows about him, or what he is. Face reflecting the highest of suspicions, Inuyasha utters a phrase of disbelief.

Miroku steps forward and asks the no-longer-faceless man if he's the one who killed all the bandits and stole their faces. The man with a face says this is true, but those faces were all bad, so he couldn't use them. He touches his new cheek and declares this one okay, though. Sango leans toward Kagome, around whose shoulder Shippou peeks warily, and mumbles that the dude doesn't seem to be joking. Kagome mutters back that he doesn't even know about Naraku, or himself. 

While she's thinking that this is a different kind of Naraku incarnation than they've seen before, we cut to familiar mansion in a familiar marbled creepy atmosphere. Inside, Naraku watches the scene between Inuyasha's group and the not-so-faceless man in the mirror Kanna holds up for him like she's a cheap Ikea TV stand. Naraku scoffs that they've finally met, and admits in his head that the formerly faceless man was born from him, "with the most abominable flesh", whatever that means. Regardless, Naraku birthed this new monstrosity just for Inuyasha, apparently. I hope he included a gift receipt in the box, because I'm pretty sure that's a present Inuyasha's gonna wanna return.

Back with Inuyasha and his new customized Naraku Incarnation, the previously faceless man is looking over the fiery destruction he's caused, saying that he felt like if he murdered some folks, he'd be able to remember who he was. 

Apparently the kind of asshole who complains about "just" having fun. Wouldn't be surprised to find out his name is fucking KYLE.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I'm always so excited when the classic horror pops back up in this comic. It's always so well-done and creative, and this latest example is no exception. The lump of flesh just abandoned in the middle of nowhere was reminded me of this disembodied amniotic sack, a parody of a normal human gestation. It's made all the creepier by the psychological aspects to the faceless man's character - his vague feeling that he should kill to jog his memories, and his strange sense of vanity prompting him to discard any face that isn't perfect just solidifies him as a classic psychopath, along with the way he talks to Inuyasha, like he's just talking about the weather or making other small talk. It's somewhat chilling. 

Much better than the annoying I had to endure in the previous chapter, and the main group managed to behave in this one too, so I have nothing to complain about in this one! Inuyasha got to sensibly use his nose in this one too, which I'm always stoked about, considering sometimes RT seems to forget that Inuyasha has it when it's inconvenient in the moment.  

I would say I'm happy as a clam this time around, but while I was writing up this post, I got the news Miroku's English voice actor, Kirby Morrow, has passed away from unknown causes at 47, joining the Miroku's Japanese voice actor, Koji Tsujitani, who passed in 2018. Miroku as a character is trying, and he REALLY pissed me off in my previous review for this manga, but his voice actors were giants, and they will be missed. Rest in peace, Kirby and Koji.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 266 The Quick Attack Trap

I took a small peek at how many chapters there are left in the Duelist section - just the list, not the spoilery pretty pictures - and while we are getting very close the the end, we're not close ENOUGH for me to believe the trap referred to is going to clinch the duel for either opponent. It was probably a good title when the chapter first came out to continue to build tension by implication alone, but even then there couldn't have been much expectation that the final duel in this tournament would have spanned a single chapter, so it couldn't have garnered MUCH in the way of nail-biting. To be fair, though, it doesn't take much more than that to convince me to keep reading things I'm not habitually putting under a microscope for blogging purposes. But can you blame a gal for rolling her eyes at the barest of tension hints when she's ridden out the past four years with nerves stretched as taut as a rubber band only to allow them to slack over the past WEEKEND?

Of course you can't. 

Now my nerves may be a little TOO slack, though, because all of this is just kind of getting a shrug from me at the moment. Even when Yami spends a panel in horrified alarm that his losing means Yuugi will die too, I'm just in a kind of cozy mood? Life has to have you pretty emotionally exhausted when you see other!Marik thrusting his thumb at his OG self over his shoulder to emphasize his statement that his other personality will also be obliterated if he's the one to lose, and your main thought is that you could do with some hot chocolate. 

This isn't how I normally operate, I SWEAR. 

Yami is appalled that other!Marik's sacrifice is regular-sized Marik, while other!Marik says they were both chosen by the Millennium Items. I thought he might find some way to connect how his this game is connected to why they were both chosen, but instead other!Marik just reiterates that the rule is simply that the loser dies, otherwise the duel doesn't differ much from the others Yami plays. He keeps one TINY little exception to himself, though - if other!Marik destroys Yuugi, Yami's vessel, Yami will disappear too, but other!Marik will remain even after his sacrifice is devoured by darkness. Not sure why there's this difference in how it works between them, considering other!Marik shouldn't be any less connected to his original personality than Yami is to Yuugi. He's probably just cheating, like all the other villains in this comic who refuse to play by their own rules. 

Sweating, Yami clenches his jaw and hunches, until Yuugi calls for his attention from his side. 

Not sure how you can refuse, given you're tied to this match in multiple ways at this point, Yuugi. 

Still, I'm sure it means a lot for Yuugi to encourage Yami, telling him to defeat Marik's evil heart, fight the light he's searching for, and that he can do it. Yami considers Yuugi with a serious, concentrated glare for a moment, while Yuugi thinks that it was him who was chosen by the Millennium Items, to lend Yami strength. Cinnamon roll that Yuugi is, he DOES put up with a lot of shit with a smile, so I can see what kind of strength those items were getting at. Yami bows his head in thanks to his partner, then strikes a power pose as he bids Yuugi have faith in him, for he will win. After Yuugi already pretty much gave him all the faith before-hand. Unnecessary, dude. 

Multiple bolts of lightning arc over the tower. Below the platform, Jonouchi reminds his friends that it just LOOKS like Yami and other!Marik are facing off against each other, and ranting wildly about sacrifices and whatnot, but in the minds of the competitors, it's a whole other ball game. Honda wonders out loud what kind of shadow game they're playing right now, but all Jonouchi has by way of answer is a clenched fist and a tense curse under his breath. Anzu frets silently over how dangerous these games are, begging for Yami not to lose or to get hurt. Around the bend of the platform, the Kaiba brothers stare up at Yami as well, the elder pondering whether Yami will use the card given to him (characterized as the strength of another duelist) to better his dismal odds, and if Yami loses, whether he will realize his foolishness. Same ol' desperate refusal to even consider believing in and supporting another human being. He's really over-correcting for his sudden flood of empathy for Ishizu earlier. 

Speaking of Ishizu, she's standing on the other side of him. She broods on the possibility of even Yami losing to Marik's evil, which would leave the world cloaked in darkness and the entire world would eventually fall to it. You know, Revelations shit. Other!Marik chuckles at Yami, but Yami only has a harsh glare to offer him back. Their "sacrifices" hang in their backgrounds. 

And now that we've cycled through the stakes to remind ourselves why literally EVERYONE needs Yami to win here, the opponents take a moment to stand all cool and dramatic, then other!Marik says his turn isn't yet over. Of course it's not. He never stops talking, why wouldn't his TURNS ramble on forever too? He says Vampiric Leech has a special ability, which has come to be expected at this point, which allows other!Marik to put his leech into defense once it's finished sucking on Yami's face in its thoroughly non-sexy way once other!Marik discards a card from his hand. Yami is incensed that this worm think can quick-attack and just as quickly go into defense, while other!Marik makes a big show of which card he's going to get rid of. As if this finale isn't going to be dragged out long enough. Other!Marik chooses a VERY SPECIFIC card. 

Don't hold your breath. 

Hunched and wary, Yami wonders what the card was that other!Marik put in the graveyard, and it looks for all the world that he may have figured out which one it was. Still, other!Marik plays out the rest of his turn without any more pageantry, putting Vampiric Leech into defense as he said he would and putting a card face down on his Duel Disk before stating he's done with a relatively mild sneer. Which in and of itself is suspicious as FUCK, considering how ready this guy is at every moment to crow about bullshit. 

It's not like he's fooling anyone either. Elder Kaiba considers this a rather deadly strategy, assuming the card other!Marik discarded was indeed Ra. From there, all other!Marik needs is Monster Reborn to activate his one-turn kill, as we've already seen. Doesn't always hurt to be reminded, I guess. At least it doesn't make me wince right now... goodness, what's gotten into me??

Anyway, Yami claims his turn, draws a new card, glances at it, and finds it's the "Exchange" card yet again. But, operating on the obvious possibility that other!Marik has already discarded Ra, he thinks it's probably too late and puts the card in his hand. He chooses another card to play instead, calling out the summon in typical overly dramatic style.

Seems like BOTH these kids are utterly transparent. I know my shoulders aren't hunched up to my ears for the first time in literal YEARS, but you guys have got to give me at least a couple of surprises in the finale here. It doesn't bode well when you're reading each other like two 4th-grade-level books. 

Queen's Knight is ordered to attack the leech, at which she launches herself and slices in half with one stroke of her sword, apparently called a "Saber Crush". Other!Marik is completely unimpressed as the leech dissolves next to him, and opens his eyes from his smug unconcerned expression when he reminds Yami that it was in defense, so his life points are safe. Too bad so sad for him. Yami doesn't respond, just plays two cards face down and ends his turn. With his tongue lolling once again, other!Marik announces his turn and draws a new card. Yami watches warily, a bead of sweat rolling down his cheek. Below, Jonouchi silently prays that other!Marik doesn't draw Monster Reborn, and that Yami doesn't lose the same way he did. 

Other!Marik performs a flourish with his arm before looking at his new card and widening his beady eyes to indicate increased manic delight. He chuckles that he's drawn a really nice one, and Yami's heart thuds in his heightened anxiety. To maintain that dread, I assume, other!Marik says he's going to summon another monster before playing the "nice" one he just drew. 

I'm going to be honest, I only took this particular screenshot because I just wasn't sure how to describe that thing in actual words. I mean, what the hell even IS that??

Yuugi groans, a chunk of his shin and forearm erased from existence. Yami shouts out to him in concern, but Yuugi haltingly insists he's still fine, and not to worry about him. He just wants Yami to watch out for the spell card other!Marik is about to use. Yami turns a glare back on other!Marik, growling and grinding his teeth, as other!Marik holds a new card over his Duel Disk and grins. He says it's the card that will kill him, a card called "Left Hand Offering", which instructs the player to discard their whole hand in exchange for one particular card out of their deck, and reshuffling again when finished choosing. Yami's eyes widen at the name of the card in alarm. 

Other!Marik reiterates what the card does, entire hand for a single spell card, but it's super worth it, because he's already using it to pull Monster Reborn from deep in the recesses of his deck. 

In his likely SUPREME irritation, I wonder if other!Marik will think to take Kuriboh from Yami. Dude's always pulling some crazy shit with that card, so I'd personally be stoked to see it in the list of offerings. 

But that's just me. 

Honda exclaims his happiness that Yami narrowly escaped death, Jonouchi cheers that he totally took other!Marik's Monster Reborn, Anzu shouts generic congratulations; you know, basic cheerleader business. Kaiba has on his impassive face, behind which is mild scorn for other!Marik losing such an important card so easily. Like he can talk. Other!Marik is still smiling, though, as he slouches back into place on his side of the platform, ending his turn. He hopes Yami is happy for taking Monster Reborn, but he knows as long as he continues to have a certain card face down on his side, the exchange they had means absolutely nothing. 

Yami announces it's his turn again and draws a card, scoffing when he glances at it. He doesn't waste a single second playing King's Knight, and playing the Monster Reborn he just got to bring back Queen's Knight as well. Other!Marik smirks at him, seeing quite clearly where Yami is going with this while Yami explains that both the queen and king being out and about means that he can summon their loyal servant as well. No shortage of THOSE in this game.

Man I am getting deja vu over here. This duel isn't just a copy-paste of the last one with enough changes to slip past copyright, is it?

So what did I think of this chapter overall? Very worrying, despite how laid-back my reading of it was. When the bones of the thing are so familiar that even CHARACTERS are pointing it out (Yami receiving the Exchange card in the way one might an overabundant one out of several booster packs), the reader has to wonder if KT has prematurely pulled out all his stops. Thankfully, this is just the beginning of the duel, there's only so many ways it can start, and so I'm hopeful that there might be more creativity pending down the line. Still I think part of the reason I've had such a cavalier attitude toward this chapter is that I feel like I've seen a lot of this stuff before multiple times, and it's all starting to blur together for me. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that KT finds a way to freshen the formula up with some character drama like he did in the last few chapters, on top of throwing in some new unexpected ways the players use their cards. He's got a good start to it here - I AM liking that Yami is more vulnerable than ever with Yuugi on the line, and Yuugi having to show a level of toughness that is surprising. It's ALMOST out of character for him, because he's usually navigating situations with his kindness rather than having to rely on pure grit. Unfortunately, there is no way for him to do that in this particular situation, and no friends who can carry his unconscious ass out of there, so he's kind of stuck playing the tough guy here. The only situation I can think of that comes close to him having to display this level of stamina was when he and Yami were switching out for their duel with Pegasus. Perhaps there's a similar resolution here?

We shall see...