Inuyasha Manga: 212 Heart

Thanks chapter, but I've decided to focus on my mind this year. I'm trying to use most of my free time getting back into picking back up linguistic pursuits, and working a bit on my original writing. I've got a few ideas that I'm just pantsing away to see where they take me, because my well of creativity has been feeling a bit dry for the past few years. I have a suspicion that I was focusing a bit too much on other peoples' creative work, fixating on rather than taking inspiration from it. Luckily, I feel like I've finally loosened my grip on the stuff that I latched onto before, and I can turn my attention to the stories I want to tell. It seemed like a loss at first, letting go, but I've come to realize I'm ready.

Don't know, Inuyasha. Maybe you can find it by senselessly hacking away at it for the 50th time in a row?

Musou giggles that he's slowly getting used to this body, while he aims another spiked arm at Inuyasha. Inuyasha leaps aside to dodge the Mr. Incredible fist, and it craters the ground instead. Fresh off of that dodge, Inuyasha just manages to perceive a lightning fast blur above his head before it slashes down on him and tears into his shoulder. This scorpion tail-ish limb is followed by a regular old hand shooting forward on Musou's rubber arm, which wraps around Inuyasha's neck. 

Dammit, that stranglehold is going to cut off even MORE bloodflow to his brain! 

Miroku astutely observes that Musou has transformed again, with dismay, I'm sure. Meanwhile, Kaede is freaking out, demanding to know what the hell happened to this dude's body. I love that she's the only person so far who has something of a normal reaction to this so far. Miroku mansplains that Naraku is a conglomerate of a ton of different youkai built around Onigumo as a connector, and that Musou is a detachment OF Naraku. For some reason, the next natural topic of discussion he wants to start in this thread is how MANY youkai were mixed in with Musou when he separated from Naraku, instead of, I don't know, how they're going to get Inuyasha out of Musou's multi-youkai'ed grip. He also wonders how Musou can regrow, and if he's immortal, which is at least a LITTLE closer to where his head should be at, so I'll allow it.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha gets speared right through the stomach by that scorpion-tail-like limb, planting a slack-jawed wide-eyed look of shock on Inuyasha's face. Through all this, though, Inuyasha manages to spit out a word or two of angry protest. He swings Tessaiga and unleashes another Kaze no Kizu at Musou, who is blown apart once again. It gives Inuyasha a new moment of reprieve once again, at the very least. 

How in the hell did all the flesh SURROUNDING that particularly important piece shredded, and not the piece itself? The level of convenience here is STAGGERING.

Regardless of how lucky Musou happens to be not to be dead at the moment, seeing this organ collecting the surrounding diced parts around it, and completing that spider scar on Musou's back like a serial killer's puzzle, it catches Miroku's attention. As Musou continues to coalesce back into a full person instead of an overturned Halloween anatomy mannequin, Inuyasha hauls himself up from the ground using Tessaiga as a crutch, complaining that this is happening again. He has to admit to himself at leas that he can't keep this up forever, no matter how tough he is. 

At this moment, Miroku calls out to Inuyasha about the spider on Musou's back. He runs toward Inuyasha, explaining in a hurry that the pieces of Musou are collecting around the general area of the spider scar. At first, Inuyasha is confused, asking what Miroku is talking about regarding a certain "area" of Musou's body. Miroku yells that he saw the part sitting just under the spider scar pulsating, and trails off while stating that this is probably where that important part is. Inuyasha finishes Miroku's statement with a thought about a heart. 

Inuyasha, for the love of all that is good, don't SUCK at aiming this time.

Looking at the cracks left in the ground by the numerous times he's already used Kaze no Kizu, Inuyasha thinks that one of those countless lines spread out from his signature attack is bound to hit Musou's heart. Of course if that logic were valid, then he definitely would have gotten it by NOW. Regardless, he throws ANOTHER Kaze no Kizu at Musou, yelling his certainty that this one should crush him. As it heads straight at Musou, Inuyasha thinks desperately that it'll work, but with gritted teeth and an expression that suggests perhaps MAAAAAYBE he's not so sure. 

Suddenly, a crescent of razor-sharp air speeds out of the sky from Kagura sitting on her feather that Inuyasha identifies as one of her wind blades. 

Clever gal that she is, she knew when a bullshit protagonist win is playing out.

Her blade slices all the way through Musou and slams into the ground, throwing up debris. While Miroku looks on in shock and Kaede wonders just what in the world THAT was, Inuyasha calls Kagura a jerk and complains that she knocked Onigumo's heart out of Kaze no Kizu's path. Miroku takes that as confirmation that Musou's weak point is his heart, and Inuyasha scoffs at this, probably 75% or more of the way to calling him Captain Obvious. Instead he points out that, at any rate, they're not exactly trying to hide it. 

Indeed, the Saimyoushou have converged upon Musou's torso, lifting the spider-scarred piece of it into the air as the rest of him twitches before ascending in mincemeat form after them as though towed behind on strings. Inuyasha puts away Tessaiga, but commands Miroku to come with him after them, to which Miroku gives an affirmative. As they're on the wasp's trail, Inuyasha thinks that he had guessed Musou was no ordinary Naraku offspring. Though it's clear that Musou is Onigumo after all, Inuyasha has realized that it's MORE than just that. He recalls the time when Kikyou fled the giant shinidamachuu, her souls escaping her against her will, and that that was to eliminate her and therefore Onigumo's feelings for her. Inuyasha works out that Onigumo would be quite the interference for Naraku, and wonders if that's why he brought Onigumo out like an offspring.

Inuyasha is, surprisingly, starting to ask the right questions. But he doesn't dwell on them long, concluding that right now, Kagura and the saimyoushou are being used to protect Musou. He watches them retreat into the distance. 

Sky transition into a shallow swampy area, where Musou is whole again, standing from the water and surrounded by wasps. Musou curses that jerk Inuyasha, and his doing the same useless thing over and over. For the first and last time, Musou and I share a frustration. He looks around, wondering just where it is he's ended up. 

In Hell to meet his maker, I presume. 

Naraku gives him a devious little smile, calling him Onigumo at first, and then correcting himself to address him by his new chosen name, Musou. He then muses on how they've come to face each other like this. Whether it's how he knew both his names, or the pompous faux-philosophizing, Musou is able to correctly identify Naraku for who he is.

Something that they really need to have a series of joint counseling sessions to work out, by the looks of things.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It's really frustrating, because there's nothing interesting about this fight. It could have been visually interesting, if I hadn't seen RT do better on the creative points in many prior chapters. The best part of it was when Musou was pulling the old "watch this hand while I bring down a surprise strike from above" trick, but that's also pretty basic as far as fight dynamics go. 

I think what's at the core of my disappointment here is that RT is hanging the gaudiest and loudest lampshade on the fact that she couldn't think up a more creative way for Inuyasha to almost beat Musou. She draws our ATTENTION to the fact that Inuyasha is doing the same thing over and over at the very end of the chapter, acknowledging that it's absurd, but for some reason, just a couple of pages prior, implies that it might have worked if allowed to proceed in that one instance even though it hadn't worked any of the other times before. RT writing herself into a corner only to shrug her shoulders and teleporting the characters out of trouble seems to be an increasing occurrence in this comic, one I didn't really notice until I started looking closely. Sometimes it can't be helped, because there's literally nothing else to be done, but in this case... she could have just made Inuyasha hold off on a direct attack due to Musou's flailing obscuring limbs until the moment when she wanted him to actually attack the part that mattered. It would have been THAT easy. Have Miroku note that the spider scar on Musou's back pulsed or something when flesh was being drawn back to the main body. 

But no, we get, "It never worked! Until it did!" narrative hijinks instead. Really, it doesn't get much more eye-roll worthy than that.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 270 Devil's Sanctuary

Can we talk about how delightful the name of this chapter/card is for a moment? A devil, in some religious respects, refers to a creature that kind of opposes a god, stands on the opposite side of the spectrum in terms of malevolent/benevolent spirits. So, it stands to reason that any player standing in opposition to a GOD card might be the devil in that scenario, and the title "Devil's Sanctuary" really does bring to mind a safe space from the wrath of an angry deity card. It's a little heavy-handed, but still pretty clever, and I love it. 10/10, KT, best title and card name to date.

Just imagine your local mild-mannered priest giving this sort of speech. Just for funsies.

Yami, at his 3300 points, looks quite distressed by the fact that other!Marik and Ra have become one, and it is a rather disturbing image, to be fair. It's even more disturbing for how long other!Marik holds that center note on the "attack" command, long enough for him to have the complete thought that this is it for Yami, and he's about to unleash the one-turn kill. Must be using Ra's massive god-lungs to yell that or something. 

When he finishes his extended order, though, other!Marik's eyes bulge at Yami's side of the platform, astounded. He's just noticed Yami has revealed his face down card Devil's Sanctuary, which apparently special summons 1 metal devil at 1000 life points a turn... for some reason. A dark alchemical symbol has materialized on the floor in front of Yami, though, and it's neat. Other!Marik is grinding his teeth over it, as though he knows what's coming, but then describes the magic circle and shape forming in the center in unfamiliar terms. 

Meanwhile Kaiba is in disbelief that Yami just HAPPENED to draw that card right when he needed it. 

Sounds fake, but okay. Even Kaiba is wearing kind of a grimace at this statement, but I think it's mainly supposed to be shock displayed there.

Other!Marik is trying trying and failing in the next panel to articulate just what this is, looking rather distressed about it. To be fair, I'm also struggling to find a way to describe this weird shiny metal doll that seems to be entirely made up of ball joints stacked on each other. It's also reflecting the single eye of other!Marik remaining in his place as the player on the platform from its smooth mirror head. Kaiba, as the one who knows what the card actually DOES, explains how the card conjures one metal devil, and before he finishes stating just what that metal devil accomplishes, other!Marik has an opportunity to recognize that he's (or the single piece he left behind) is being reflected on it. 

And now it's YAMI who launches into an explanation of what's happening here, in the condescending way only a guy who's just reading his card's description for the first time can. He says the metal devil becomes a substitute for the other player, whose life points become its attack points. Yami admits that this costs him 1000 life points to maintain as his Metal Devil acquires a single attack point. It's rather measly power is a version of other!Marik, as Yami exclaims, and therefore attacking it would be attacking other!Marik himself and all the damage goes to him. Kaiba reiterates that the moment Ra attacks the Metal Devil, other!Marik will go into the negative THOUSANDS of points. 

Other!Marik growls, grinding his teeth, because it's too late for him to take back the attack he already declared. I guess Kaiba has to continue to claim ultimate credit for this, the card he gave to Yami, because HE'S shown identifying Devil's Sanctuary as the only card that can defeat Ra's one-turn kill move. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you figured it out, smartest smart-boy in the room. Congratz, guy, now climb down from that high horse and roast a marshmallow already.

Uhhhh... we still have a half-chapter left here, so I'm not buying it. Sorry guys.

I don't have long until I can say I told you so. When the attack dies down, and the smoke clears to reveal other!Marik standing there whole and unscathed, Yami is astonished by the Metal Devil that still lingers in the middle of his magic sanctuary circle.

This cockroach emerging from a nuclear blast credits the card Yami gave him in their exchange a little while ago as what separated him out from Ra, De-Fusion. What does it take to KILL this nuisance?? 

Yami growls internally, irritated and alarmed by the fact that other!Marik's separation from Ra taking away all of Ra's attack points and cancelling out the attack, effectively using De-Fusion to protect himself. Kaiba adds his own two cents here, as though responding to Yami, though it doesn't SEEM he had spoken out loud. Telepathy or bizarrely spoken dialog for the benefit of the audience, Kaiba has observed that other!Marik has also taken all of Ra's attack points as life points, so Devil's Sanctuary has actually worked to his BENEFIT. He scoffs grumpily. 

The digital smoke continues to clear, and other!Marik giggles, Ishizu gazing up at Yami with despair, and perhaps some pity. Other!Marik gloats that his body is back to normal thanks to his life points returning to him, drawing attention to how Regular-Sized Marik is all better and whole again and calling him a "tough sucker".

Whatever, that guy hasn't even been a thing in a LONG time.

Other!Marik tells Ra to go back to the graveyard, and squeezes back into his Duel Disk obediently. He puts Monster Reborn back in there too and chuckles with glee about being back on his bullshit again. Jonouchi curses about the possibility of other!Marik using Monster Reborn again on his next turn, bringing back Ra. Less of a possibility and more of a certainty at this point, of course, because we know how much other!Marik loves perpetual plays. Honda is in exasperated disbelief that all this is about to happen AGAIN, which is a sentiment I think we ALL share, so #relatable content over here. 

After playing a new face down card, other!Marik ends his turn. Yami begins his turn on a hesitant, sweaty note. He decides first and foremost to maintain his Metal Devil by paying 1000 points for it, bringing him down to 2300, then announces his draw phase without the customary enthusiasm. Other!Marik asks disdainfully what the point is of keeping around a token that can barely attack or defend, but Yami doesn't bother to answer, his hand hovering over the deck in his Duel Disk. 

Below the platform, Kaiba is watching closely, wondering if Yami can see the ADDITIONAL purpose to the Metal Devil, other than to negate Ra. Yami draws his card like a pistol in the old west. 

Don't worry, Kaiba, I think Yami figured something out. 

Though Kaiba is still looking a bit tense after that card is drawn, Yami is confident when he announces he's beginning his turn. Having a god in the palm of your hand will do that, surely. He reveals his face down card, which is "Multiply", apparently confusing other!Marik. Yami explains the card's EXCEEDINGLY simple effect - it's just what it says on the tin, with the condition that the monster's it's multiplying are sitting at less than 500 attack points. This makes the 1-point Metal Devil a prime candidate, as other!Marik observes, and when the one has become three, other!Marik anxiously realizes that Yami is going to use them as sacrifices. Kaiba appears a lot calmer as he silently asserts that Yami has understood the ultimate nature of Devil's Sanctuary as a summoning circle for a god. The irony just makes this card all the better! An epiphany hits Ishizu at this moment too; Yami got ANOTHER god card from Kaiba. Don't mind her, she's just catching up. 

Digital whirlwinds surround each metal devil as Yami declares them sacrifices. 

Don't be too shocked, other!Marik. Your gods and Millennium Item could probably tell you that you never stood half a chance.

At least he gets to get fucking clocked by a giant fist bigger than his body. Must be a wet dream come true for someone so obsessed with pain and subsequent darkness.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? KT pulled off a tremendous twist there, making the initial move with Devil's Sanctuary work in other!Marik's favor! I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't think he could pull off the climax he set up and make it make sense, but it was almost as good as it promised to be. The fact that the success of the attack depended entirely on whether other!Marik was still lending Ra his life points didn't even occur to me, and the setup with other!Marik taking De-Fusion earlier in the duel so it can pay off here was REALLY a good move. 

There are only two TINY issues I have with the mechanics; the first is that it doesn't really explain why other!Marik was able to convert the attack points he put into Ra from the other monsters into life points for himself - since they absorbed by Ra for their attack points, the attack points should have stayed Ra's. He would still have survived the attack, just not with over 4000 life points, so he still could have gloated. The second issue is that, since other!Marik isn't a CARD fused with Ra, I don't know if De-Fusion should have worked on that special effect of Ra's. Maybe a reader who has actual knowledge of TCG can weigh in here, but I feel it's just a LITTLE bit of a cop-out, functionality wise. Writing wise, though, it was a great setup and payoff, as I mentioned before. 

I love that there was a hidden, secret use for Devil's Sanctuary, and that Kaiba knew Yami would have the extra card to make it work, because Yami has used it in the past on his Kuriboh. It was more long-game setup and payoff, which this chapter is doing SO WELL! I think it would have benefited from being drawn out into the next chapter, because there was a little drama that KT didn't touch on AT ALL behind Yami having to use 1000 life points every turn to keep Devil's Sanctuary around. In fact, KT didn't even SHOW the sacrifice of life points eating more at Yuugi's spectral form and the pain that would have caused him. Hell, it should have caused Yami some EMOTIONAL pain, just to weigh his options and know that he had to do this, even if it was going to hurt Yuugi. That would have been a very heavy dramatic moment, and it's probably my biggest criticism of this chapter, because KT managed to show OG Marik whole and muttering after Rishid. That he seemed to, in this critical moment, forget about Yuugi and his position in this is rather... disappointing. 

Regardless, I am FLOORED at how awesome the multiple setups paid off in this chapter, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this thing wraps up in the next one!

Inuyasha Manga: 211 Onigumo and Musou

You can't fool us, chapter. We know they're basically the same person by now, separated only by the flimsiest of articles. Take away Clark Kent's glasses, or give Mitch McConnell back his leathery wings and fiery breath to kill the poor people seeking his ill-gotten hoard, and is anyone really surprised? Musou's power of regeneration and the ability to steal faces clearly doesn't distinguish him from Onigumo at all, as evidenced by his apparently "natural" tendency to kill and maim like he's going for a record. But it's a real cool upgrade, at least.

I've been curious for a while; what exactly is the distinction between a garden-variety thief and a wild-thief? Is it just the level of zeal with which the thief conducts themselves, or is it their living environment? I'm genuinely not sure if this classification is actually useful. 

Anyway, Inuyasha growls that this bastard is Onigumo after all, as though was even a QUESTION in the first place. RT is nothing if not the bluntest of story-tellers. It does come as an understandable surprise to Kaede, though, who has to address Miroku on the point, trailing a question if it's really true. Miroku confirms that this guy is indeed Onigumo, who submitted his body to a committee of youkai to create the mess of a biological organization called Naraku, but he's calling himself Musou these days. For tax reasons, probz. 

Musou says he's recalled everything, including Kikyou dying back in the day. This is mentioned over a panel of Kikyou's funeral pyre, but I'm not sure how he could be remembering a part he couldn't have been around for. That's not really Inuyasha's concern though; he yells at Musou that HE'S the one who fatally wounded Kikyou in the first place, but Musou calls him stupid and asks why Inuyasha thought he let the youkai eat his body in the first place. 

And it's somehow a SURPRISE to you that this plan fell through, huh?

Yup. He says completely unironically that when he got that new body and tried it out, nothing went the way he wanted it to. The very first thing he did after he came out of the cave was run up behind the woman he sold his soul and body to get and tore into her. And not in a sexual way, just to clarify. The part he's upset over, apparently, is that he didn't get to fuck her before he murdered here, and it's pretty wild. 

Miroku notes that Onigumo's consciousness still existed once Naraku was born, while Kaede realizes that since Naraku's body is an amalgam of youkai, their collective desire to get rid of Kikyou overrode little old Onigumo's. Meanwhile, Musou is still pissing and moaning, now about how Kikyou died following after that damn hanyou. Kikyou was dead, the Shikon no Tama was burned with her body, and to top it all off...

Everyone thinks that this must have been Naraku, who has made an uncharacteristically good decision telling Onigumo to fuck off first and foremost. It was all downhill from there, clearly. 

Anyway, Musou continues with his sob story, stating that he doesn't know exactly how long he slept since then, but when he woke up, he was in this weird lump of flesh and brought back into the outside world like a newborn. If a newborn were sliced out of their amniotic sack by a bunch of not-very-bright marauders. It's actually not that great of an analogy, come to think of it. Miroku considers how Musou remembered nothing about even Naraku when he came out, before asking him, just to clarify, if this means he HASN'T taken any orders from Naraku. Musou scoffs that he doesn't take orders from anyone, and just slashes and burns people he doesn't like. Ah, to be THAT simple. 

He says it's Inuyasha's turn to be slashed and burned now. 

This is the guy who was pissing and moaning that the previous owner of these clothes got blood stains on them, and here he is, tearing them apart. 

Kaede is alarmed that Musou is transforming, while Miroku barks at her to get back, in the most respectful way possible, of course. A cloud of Saimyoushou has arrived on the scene too, as per usual. I'm assuming because Miroku is rather vulnerable to these bugs, he's especially unhappy about this. Inuyasha's completely focused on Musou, though. He says he doesn't know what Naraku intended by bringing Musou out, but to him, Musou and Naraku are one in the same, the nemesis of Kikyou. With these final words roared at Musou, Inuyasha draws Tessaiga and lunges at him. 

Unintimidated, Musou tells him to shut his face, and extends his spiked arm out at Inuyasha in a flash, which Inuyasha bisects length-wise handily with gruff shout. But the level of inconvenience this causes for Musou is... negative. 

Bad hug, bad hug!

Kaede is still lost, in disbelief over Musou wound closing itself around Inuyasha so fast. Miroku confirms for her that Musou's body has the ability to regenerate abnormally fast - he was hit before with Kaze no Kizu and should have been pulverized, but the dipshit is still around, so... 

Meanwhile, Inuyasha calls Musou impudent (an ironic term for Inuyasha to be using, if he even knows what it means in the first place) as he parts Musou's flesh again with his claws from the inside. He lands back on the ground among a shower of meat chunks from Musou's diced arm. It obviously doesn't stay in pieces for long, reforming seamlessly in the next panel. Musou acknowledges that though Inuyasha's sword is strange, it's unable to cut his body, that reformed limb of his flailing this way and that through the air cluttered with wasps. It's a literal nightmare wrapped in gross fetish porn. 

Inuyasha has run out of smart words to call Musou, so he settles on "jerk" in this round. While Kaede remains speechless behind him, Miroku holds up his beaded right fist and groans that in this situation, his Kazaana might have been useful. Kaede observes, with some question, that Naraku is protecting Onigumo, and assessment Miroku agrees with, seeing as how he's being blocked from using his Kazaana by the saimyoushou. He is, for ONCE, mystified by what Naraku's goal could be here. He appears to keep that admission to himself, though, so it doesn't count as humble.

Meanwhile, Naraku is hanging out in his castle, as you do, staring intently at his hand. Dude, I know quarantine over the past year has had us all bored out of our minds, but REALLY...

... Not a covid symptom, sure, but that's not normal, and you should probz get it checked out by a licensed professional. 

Anyway, cut back to Inuyasha letting loose another Kaze no Kizu, carving through Musou once again. His many chunks bounce onto the ground, crawl back into the correct formation, and reseal into a full Musou monster. Those clothes he whined about before are now completely obliterated, but he doesn't seem to care, standing naked and hunched before a shocked Inuyasha. Why he's surprised, I haven't a clue, since this has happened more than once in front of him by now. 

One-Trick-Pony over here can't fathom a way to destroy someone that doesn't involve blowing them up with a magical sword. Why am I not surprised?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Musou is an interesting character to be sure. His psychotic tendencies are only matched by his odd naivete - not only did he think at the time that he would be able to control the youkai that formed his new body once he gave them the old one, but he continues to be baffled by the fact that he couldn't to this DAY. It just never seemed to have occurred to him that he WOULDN'T have full agency in this new body that he shares with a bunch of other sentient creatures he made a conscious, cogent agreement with. Which, come to think of it, might make some sense from the angle of his lack of empathy. If he doesn't consider anyone other than himself full and complete individuals with their own goals and ambitions and feelings, why WOULD he consider the possibility that they would have any amount of control over what he considers to be HIS body? They just exist to give him what he wants, and don't influence him or his bubble in any significant way beyond that. It's stuff like this - the character depth and logical thought-processes behind even a minor-ish villain - that RT is really good at.

I also like how our main know-it-all Miroku didn't immediately come to the correct conclusion about why Naraku might be doing what he's doing with Musou here. The audience is given only the slightest of a clue too, with just the page-and-a-half of Naraku commenting that his connection with Onigumo hasn't been severed. It's a much better setup for a satisfying reveal of why Musou was brought out in the first place, and doesn't give us the impression that our main characters are weirdly omniscient about the situation. It's certainly preferable to being thrown out of the story because RT didn't have the time or patience to develop her rough ideas properly.

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.