Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 284 The Evil Shadow

Whoever is looking for one of those came to the right place. This story has no shortage of malevolent spirits hiding in the shadows of their hosts, and BENEVOLENT spirits doing the same thing, for that matter. Yu-Gi-Oh! offers a variety of shadow-dwellers in its ranks, a veritable supermarket for all your incorporeal headmate needs! Want unapologetic evil (until it's obvious he's about to be disposed of)? Try out other!Marik! Want a slightly goofy kind of freaky? The asshole!Bakura brand is there for you! Want horrible inexcusable behavior framed as noble stoic fulfillment of duty? Shadi's your guy! Come on down today!

"You know, that self-descriptive thing that was mentioned multiple times as a place Yami had to go? How did you forget ALREADY??"

Yami must have taken half of YUUGI'S memory with him in there. Bobasa explains that the god cards Yami got from Battle City have fulfilled the ancient prophecy - when they were presented to the stone slab, it opened "the" door in the Millennium Puzzle (presumably the only one Yami DIDN'T open himself just to fuck with Shadi for rooting around in his mind room) to the place where his memories are sealed. Bobasa claims that these memories from 3000 years before have been revived, and now Yami is just kind of... wandering around in them. Yami asks in a panic if this means that Yami has gone through a time warp to 3000 years ago, which doesn't sound ANYTHING like what Bobasa actually described, so it's no surprise to me when Bobasa says it's NOT that.

Bobasa says that even if Yami becomes part of the Memory World, his memories of the present will remain, which I guess connects back to how this is not a time warp for REASONS? This seems like a total shift in topic, but it's up Anzu's alley, and she asks for confirmation that no matter where Yami goes, he'll still remember them. Bobasa affirms that this is true, but the Memory World is built from events that actually happened 3000 years in the past, so Yami's course is already set and he has to relive his cruel fate. Anzu asks what he means by "cruel fate", and Yuugi says he thinks he knows, suggesting that Yami will have to go through his death all over again. He stares in numb disbelief at the floor as Bobasa confirms this, and states that it's at the moment of Yami's death that the reason his spirit was sealed in the Millennium Puzzle in the first place will become clear. 

Not happy news, by any means.

Behind Bakura's still blank expression, his asshole counterpart is commenting on how interesting this is, though he doesn't exactly look like it's the exciting or "fun" kind of interesting. Asshole!Bakura thinks this means that these 3000-year-old memories are replaying themselves in Yami's soul, and the secrets of the Millennium Puzzle are hidden there too. Do you know that these memories are 3000 years old? Is that number burned into your cortex yet??

Asshole!Bakura wonders if there's any way he can get in on this screening of these memories. Jonouchi appears to be thinking along the same lines, though for supportive reasons rather than... nondescript evil ones, because he calls Bobasa out on talking like they could got to that Memory World before too. Bobasa states that there IS a way they can make the journey, and the non-zombified friends suddenly perk up at the prospect of going to find Yami, eager to stop waiting and get going already. 

Bobasa says the entrance to the Memory World is in Yuugi's soul, and Yuugi is a little puzzled by this. However, he doesn't ask for elaboration, because we've got to move this chapter along already. With an "open sesame", Bobasa pulls open his lock-infested vest, and I thank KT for skipping him unlocking every single one of those with that phlem-covered key. He holds out in his fist the only key that matters to anyone anyway: the Millennium Key, stating that it grants the power to enter another person's soul. Bobasa refers to the time when Shadi broke into Yuugi's soul, which manifested as a maze of many doors and rooms, where it was impossible for Shadi to find the one TRUE door. Man, I didn't peg Shadi as the talkative type, but he really told Bobasa EVERYTHING, huh?

What's the worst that could happen? Searching for so long that we all miss not only Yami's soul journey to regain his memories but also the NEXT 3000 years?

Sounds doable.

And page SIX is our real, honest-to-goodness title page. Took KT long enough, lol! Followed by a page partly recapping where we left off in the last chapter: Yami gaping at one of the priests in particular.

You think? If there was ever any DOUBT that this is the person Yami is thinking of, after he's praised for a job well done by the ancient Egyptian version of Marik's dad, Priest Seto says he's sure it was rather dull for the pharaoh and suggests they draw and quarter the prisoner for the pharaoh's amusement instead. Yup, definitely a precursor to Kaiba if I ever saw one. All that's missing is a theme park built to kill his enemies. 

Akhenaden tells Priest Seto that this is unnecessary, since the evil ka in the prisoner's soul has been exorcised. He suggests that the duty of a priest is to show mercy, even to sinners, asking Seto if he agrees. Seto glares at first, then turns to Akhenaden with a cocky smirk, holding up the Millennium Rod while he monologues about how the resting place of a pharaoh is the domain of the gods and there should be no pity for a grave robber who would desecrate a holy spot like that. His counter-idea is to flay the prisoner, break his bones and execute him as a warning to others like him. 

Shit, he needs even MORE therapy than modern Kaiba, and that's saying something.

You know who only needs slightly LESS therapy? Akhenaden, whose idea of a compromise is to sentence the prisoner pleading not to be tortured and murdered horribly to seven years of hard labor instead. Okay, not as gross, but not exactly the picture of "mercy" you were arguing for before, dude. He orders the prisoner be taken away, and the guards comply, dragging their new slave off. 

Priest Seto calls to the priest wearing the Millennium Ring around his neck, referring to him as Mahado. He kinda looks familiar, but he's the only one I'm not quite able to place at the moment. Don't worry, it'll come to me. Priest Seto claims that guarding the royal tombs is Mahado's responsibility, and that they're being defiled far too often these days. He asks what Mahado has to say for himself, and Mahado inclines his head in shame, apologizing. 

However, he also mentions that the messages he's getting from the ring these days are pretty erratic, and the number of ka-monsters hanging out in people's souls are increasing quite a lot. He says he can't POSSIBLY detect every single sinner or impure intent out there. Seto counters that it's their duty as the six priests to protect the pharaoh, both in this world and the tombs where he rests in the afterlife. Such a compelling argument full of logic and reason. Never mind that it doesn't actually address the problem that Mahado is describing, that's irrelevant. Mahado kneels in front of Yami and asks for more troops to strengthen his forces at the Valley of the Kings. Just put a sentry on every square foot of this valley, and then you can keep burying all your money with dead aristocrats while the living bulk of society starves! 

Everyone here is so rational that Yami hesitates to answer this request at first. 

What is it, Seto? You want Yami to flay Mahado, break his bones, and execute him as a warning to the rest of you instead?

Whatever his frustrations, Seto points at the slab with the newly graven monster on it, which is ALREADY BEING WHEELED OUT OF THE ROOM BY SEVERAL GUARDS, and demands that they take it to the shrine of Wedju and place it among the others. They humor him by being deferential, but I like to think at least a few of them would call him out on being the moron he is if they could get away with it. You know, NOT be horribly mutilated and murdered for their cheek. 

Yami is STILL stuck on how this guy looks and sounds just like Kaiba. He lowers his face into his palm, mentally bemoaning how little he understands, while I'm just flabbergasted that he seems to have forgotten all of the visions/conversations/hints about how he and Kaiba's past life were connected intimately. I guess he DOES canonically have a shitty memory, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Anyway, he considers the priests who hold the Millennium Items, the Siamun guy who looks like Yuugi's grandfather and says he's an advisor, and everyone calling him "pharaoh". Yami wonders if this is all a dream, or really the world of 3000 years in the past. Too bad Bobasa isn't there to help explain the kind of in-between nature of the answer to this question. 

Siamun observes Yami cradling his confused head and assumes he must be upset about the invasion of the former pharaoh's tomb. So Siamun gets right up in Yami's face, startling him while attempting to reassure him with the knowledge that his trusty advisor by his side has taken personal responsibility for designing the place where Yami will spend his eternal rest. 

With the way Yami yelped there, it's probably not much of a secret anymore!

Siamun continues to whisper at length about how the royal tomb builders are trustworthy and highly skilled. He guarantees that Yami will rest in peace when HE kicks the bucket because the tomb's design contains some of his finest traps, impossible for a thief to get past - this text overlaying a bird's-eye view of the maze of statues that Sugoroku shuffled around. But he had a couple of things going for him, not being a thief and being Siamun's reincarnation, so Siamun's statement isn't technically untrue. Technically. 

Even if someone were to reach the other side of the room, Siamun says, they would find a place of Shadow Games (TM) and send a thief into the dreaded twelve hours of night. Yami leans his head on his hand in what looks like an exasperated boredom as Siamun explains that the tomb of Yami's father served as a prototype for Yami's, truth be told - but Siamun insists that there's no thief skilled enough that can get past the traps of a royal tomb. Dude, I thought you DIDN'T want him to fall asleep in his throne. You've taken him from horrified to nodding off in record time!!

The ancient version of Ishizu lifts her hands to frame the Millennium Necklace around her throat, eyes closed, and Akhenaden notices. He asks her what's wrong, calling her Isis. Oh boy, I can't avoid it now, can I? I'm going to have to use the name "Isis" just to differentiate her from Ishizu. Oh well, at least I don't hear it in the news constantly anymore...

Isis says her necklace has picked up a disturbing future, alarming Akhenaden, Yami and Siamun, all of them in nervous disbelief. She says that an evil shadow approaches this place, with incredible magic powers. The priests all turn toward the entrance expectantly. 

Is... is this dude dragging a fucking MUMMY behind him while he wears its finery??

Metal.

The guards strike a defensive stance, asking how he could DARE to approach the palace and just who he thinks he is. He says that a king is robed in gold, and since he's covered in the stuff himself, he says this must make him a king, a king of thieves. Not sure about the soundness of that logic, but he doesn't seem to be taking it too seriously himself, laughing it up. One of the guards points out that he's wearing gold funerary relics and labels him a grave-robber accordingly. The caller at the palace yells at him to shut it, because he's got no use for the guards. He demands they tell the pharaoh that the king of thieves from Kul Elna has come to see him - the great Bakura. 

Fuck, there's ANOTHER one?? Well, at least thief!Bakura provided me with a handy way to differentiate him from the others in text. Literally the LEAST he can do.

Inside, Mahado's ring starts rattling by itself on his neck, its dangling cones pointing every which way. Shada asks Mahado what's wrong and he answers that the Millennium Ring has detected a great shadow power. A smattering of guards run into the room, alerting the pharaoh in a panic that there is a grave-robber calling himself Bakura heading toward the chamber. While the priests shout about the insanity of this and ask the guards just what the hell they're DOING, Yami ruminates on the name Bakura. He doesn't have much time to do so, because thief!Bakura leaves a trail of guards he's tossing around like ragdolls in his wake on the way to the throne room. 

Destination: reached. Minimal effort. 

Everyone in the room glares at the intruder, who drops a shit-ton of gold relics on the floor in front of him, suggesting that the royals have been missing them. He says he just removed them from Akhenamkhanen's tomb, so they can't have been missing them terribly long. I guess this is where the treasures the previous prisoner said weren't in the tomb he tried to rob went, huh? Thief!Bakura yanks on the rope he tied around the mummy's neck and says he even brought along the thing he found in the sarcophagus, hurr hurr. He demands to know if they can't set better traps than the ones he got past. Like he was just looking to pass the time by breaking into a tomb and stealing all the shit in there.

Dude, I don't know what you expect them to do - you think if you get all the items together they'll provide you a cure for BOREDOM??

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I'm very excited by the setup of our main characters being separated in this arc initially, and having to overcome barriers to converge on the resolution of the main conflict at the end. If Yuugi and company had automatically been able to accompany Yami in his journey from the beginning, without effort, it would have seemed a bit too easy for both Yami and the rest of the characters. This manga has a disappointing habit of standing most of the characters off to the side for inane commentary, so it's refreshing to see that KT has given them tension and something to DO in this arc in order to actually give Yami their support, instead of being cheerleaders on the sidelines.

We'll see if KT can keep up their momentum when they meet in the middle.

While I understand that Yami and his friends left back in present reality are disoriented and confused, and this is a perfectly reasonable reaction, I do feel like it's laid on a little thick in places. Yami being called a pharaoh and how Priest Seto looks like Kaiba are probably the aspects of falling into these past memories that Yami should have the LEAST trouble with. He has DISCUSSED these aspects with others numerous times in the past, had visions regarding these things, so they should be EXPECTED. But I do appreciate how he cringes at the morbidity of Siamun designing and building his tomb, and his uncertainty when responding to Mahado request. Stumbling over what to say and how to act in this situation is something that would throw anyone for a loop. I just wish there was a bit less grappling with things he should already have a basic understanding of.

At least he didn't have much trouble grasping that BAKURA was coming to see him. For now, anyway. How he feels in the next chapter remains to be seen.