Inuyasha Manga: 006 Inverted-Hair Yura

How does one "invert" hair? Does it grow inside the skull into the brain or something? Or maybe it's one of those cases of ingrown body hair that just kind of hangs out just beneath the skin and gets infected. I've gotten that from shaving my legs a couple of times, and it's a little painful, but it's not "scary" per se. Just annoying. If I wasn't already intimately acquainted with who Yura was, I would be wondering how RT would make ingrown hair into a demon.

And that notion is cracking me up.

See, this is how the ingrown hair demon is born! Someone gives Kagome a razor, she tries to shave her legs while she's got those goosebumps, and then...

Okay, no more jokes about an ingrown hair demon. Maybe.

Kagome refuses to come out, because she can't stand being covered in demon muck and blood and dirt anymore. She can't believe that there was a time when hot baths didn't exist, without realizing that's not entirely true. She COULD have a hot bath in this time, but it's not quite as easy as turning on a faucet, and her lazy modern ass don't wanna deal with the work.

Back at the village, some men are discussing how Kagome is having a bath, but they're convinced it's a purification ritual to increase her spiritual power. They're just intent on deifying her, aren't they? Another man mentions that if any man peeks at her, he'll be cursed by the gods. I have so many questions for this guy. Who told you that? Why are you telling others when they didn't say anything about peeking? Why would YOU think about peeking on a fifteen-year-old girl?

Oh, never mind, it was just a clumsy lead-in to a panel where Inuyasha is sitting up in a tree glaring down at Kagome as she's scrubbing down. RT, you are BETTER THAN THIS.

As Kagome dives beneath the surface to swim a bit, she recalls how Kaede told her and Inuyasha to work together to find and protect those jewel shards she created in the last chapter. Kagome is convinced that she doesn't have any power, and she doesn't want to work with Inuyasha because he's a meany-face. She rises up out of the water, feeling clean enough to leave the pool now and looks up to see Inuyasha glaring at her from the top of a nearby rock outcropping. She sits back down in the water rapidly, calling out "SIT" in the process.

Inuyasha plummets to the bank below, right behind Kaede, who casually greets him. He tugs on the subduing necklace, cursing himself for forgetting about it. Kagome pops out of a bush some distance away, calling Inuyasha indecent for peeping on her. Inuyasha calls her an idiot for thinking he was there to look at her, and begins an explanation that Kaede interrupts him to finish: he came to steal the fragment of the Shikon no Tama that Kaede is holding up. Inuyasha sits cross-legged with his back to her, acknowledging her for understanding. Kaede laments about how bad the future is probably going to be.

Kaede tells him once more that he has to join forces with Kagome in order to get the jewel, to make sure it ends up with him. She's a sly one, that Kaede, appealing to Inuyasha's want of the jewel to persuade him.

Inuyasha wrinkles his nose at Kagome as she flaps her sailor blouse to dry it out from its washing. The bloodstain from the side appears miraculously gone, and I'm wondering what Kaede applied to it in order to do that. That is HANDY. I'm also wondering what the editors of this chapter were thinking when they made the sound effect for Kagome's airing of her clothes "fap". Not that I'm not endlessly amused by that.

Kaede notices that Inuyasha is crouched and growling at Kagome, and asks him what's up with his face. She doesn't get an answer before a mother and child peek around a bush and ask for her. The mother speaks of another daughter not present, and Kaede asks if she suddenly collapsed. Presumably after they've spoken for a moment, Kaede tells Inuyasha and Kagome that she has to go back to the village, and requests that they try not to kill each other while she's gone.

Inuyasha and Kagome stare at her as she goes, and after a quiet moment in which Kagome goes back to tending her drying modern clothes, Inuyasha tells her to take off the ones she's wearing.

Inuyasha insists that he didn't say to get naked, though he actually did. He just meant for her to get back into her original clothes. Kagome asks if this is because she looks like Kikyou in the ones she's wearing, and Inuyasha turns up his nose, saying it's none of her business why. It totally is, since she would be the one performing the action here, Inuyasha. Why are you so illogical?? Kagome thinks he's just like a junior-high kid, and she would know, given she is one.

Kagome says that with his attitude, there's no way they'll be able to work together. He scoffs, saying it's okay with him that they don't work together, because he can do it all by himself. He's a big boy. Kagome asks if he really thinks he'll be hunky-dory without her, and without waiting for an answer, she starts stalking off. Inuyasha inquires as to where she thinks she's going, and Kagome states that her decision has been made, she's going home. She says goodbye to Felicia Inuyasha, who jumps up to halt her before she can get too far away.

She says stopping her is useless, but Inuyasha isn't concerned about stopping her from leaving. He just wants her to leave the Shikon no Tama fragment with him before she goes. Kagome holds up a drawstring bag, that she must have taken from Kaede earlier, and instead of handing it to him, shouts "osuwari" instead. Inuyasha does another face-plant, cursing her as she walks away, swinging the bag around her forefinger and saying that she'll keep it. She is a boss-ass bitch.

Meanwhile, Kaede is being led to the scene of the collapse she had been told about earlier by the victim's mother. Said mother follows Kaede into the room in which her daughter is lying, saying she was just fine earlier. Kaede offers to look her over, and when she does take a closer gander, she notices something strange that widens her eye. Kaede stumbles back, advising the mother to do the same as she begins to ask what's wrong.

The daughter sits up swiftly with arms stretched out in front of her, like the stereotypical sleepwalker. She floats up from the floor, as if strings are attached to her shoulders and elbows, and her mother marvels at this with an open mouth. In fact, it looks like strings are actually wrapped around her fingers in the next panel, and Kaede identifies them as hair with confusion. Another strand is wrapped around the handle of a meat cleaver in the corner.

What the hell is a meat cleaver doing lying on the floor of some peasant's house? The hell??

Kaede! If you die, who will be my favorite???

Elsewhere, in the forest, Kagome approaches the old well she emerged from a couple days before. As she moves to look inside, she thinks she should be able to get home from there, but getting a peek into the shaft makes her gulp. At the bottom are bones, and Kagome remembers Kaede telling her that the adjective attached to it is "bone-gobbling" because youkai remains are taken there to be disposed of. The bones disappear after a few days.

Kagome recognizes the bones as those of Six-Arms McGee, and she'd better be careful, because she came after Kagome for the jewel before. Who's to say she won't come after a fragment? Kagome crouches next to the well, unable to jump in for fear. As she wonders what to do, a bird flying overhead drops out of the sky and Kagome looks over at it curiously. It's in pieces on the ground, as though it was chopped up, and Kagome is confused by this.

She attempts to stand, but is accosted by some invisible force, cutting her shoulder and cheek.

Generally people can see hair, yeah. Anyway, who is this?

Anne-Marie, what HAPPENED to you???

Creepy.

Evil Grown-Up Anne-Marie introduces herself as Inverted-Hair Yura, but she doesn't expect Kagome to remember her name. In fact, she doesn't expect Kagome to remember anything, given she's about to kill her. Yura raises her hand dramatically, and the hair netted around Kagome slices into her, covering her in cuts. A strand even loops around the drawstring bag containing the jewel fragment Kagome was carrying, and Yura tugs it into her hand instead.

Yura pulls it out of the bag and despairs at what's become of the Shikon no Tama. Kagome tugs on a bundle of hairs, demanding that Yura give the fragment back. Don't do that, those are sharp! Yura is unperturbed, pulling the sword from the sheath at her side and telling Kagome she's allowed to die now as she lunges at her. Kagome leans backward to avoid being cut by the sword and tumbles over the wall, falling in head first toward those terrifying bones. Yura flings her sword into the well like a javelin, shouting that it's useless to run away. Dude, you think she would run away into a WELL? That's the stupidest assumption ever.

Confusion dawns on Yura and she yanks the sword back up to her by a strand of hair attached to the hilt.

Yura, girl, you do Yoga? You're pretty bendy.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha leaps out of the trees toward a nearby roof, remembering Kagome's parting words to him and scoffing. Inuyasha thinks he feels a lot better when she's not around anyway. It's a little early to be deceiving yourself like that, don't you think? Suddenly, Inuyasha is surrounded by a gaggle of flying women carrying every sharp implement known to man. They swing at him carelessly, and he easily leans away to avoid the blows.

He grabs the handles of at least two of the weapons against him, stomping on another woman's hand to make her let go of a knife, demanding to know what the hell is wrong with them in the process. Multitasking. He does it. Inuyasha pulls their limp bodies up from their collars, looking confused as he realizes that they're women from the village.

Some distance away, Kaede is dragging herself on the ground with a great bloody stain on her shirt, begging Inuyasha not to hurt the girls. Inuyasha carelessly tosses aside one of the girls as he greets her, and leaps over to her to examine her condition. He asks her what she's up to with that blood, as though she's bleeding on purpose or something, and Kaede asks him if he couldn't have been a bit more delicate with his wording. Uh, no Kaede, he's Inuyasha. He doesn't DO delicate. Just multitasking.

The women are in the air again, and Inuyasha glares at them warily, asking Kaede if he's their target. Kaede doesn't answer his question, probably because she has no idea who the target is, but she does say the women are being manipulated by someone else. Kaede asks where Kagome is, demanding that Inuyasha call Kagome over. Inuyasha says it's not a problem for him to beat them all by himself, but Kaede tells him he really can't. Kaede thinks this next time he absolutely can't brush off working with Kagome.

GOOOOOOD, what is your problem???

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I have to admit that the first part with the village men talking about Kagome's bath really soured my mood on the chapter at first. It didn't need to be there, the joke it was leading into wasn't even all that funny, and I just felt like it was superfluous all around. Take out that panel and have the scene with Inuyasha watching Kagome bathing play out as it did, what changes? Nothing. It's not like a curse ACTUALLY descended upon Inuyasha for peeking at a bathing priestess, and it's unnecessary context for a scene that's already pretty funny. If the "curse" thing NEEDED to be included, I'm sure there were more graceful ways to get it across, but the way it was implemented was heavy-handed and clumsy.

But the rest of the chapter was very satisfying. The banter between Inuyasha and Kagome is hilarious, and I already love their dynamic. They're both very reluctant to engage with each other in their own ways, and when forced to interact, they're acting like the children they are. RT is really good at capturing both of their relative immaturities. Inuyasha is a wannabe-loner who wants to do things his way and doesn't want to compromise; Kagome is a sarcastic little shit who just wants to go home and not have to deal with the fallout of her actions. I love them both.

The introduction of the villain is pretty great too. She already has a distinctly playful way about her that I'm always enchanted by every time I read about her. You can tell she has FUN murdering and manipulating people, and her flippant attitude is so deliciously evil. We haven't gotten her motivation for targeting Kaede so adamantly yet, but the last panel leaves us with the impression that she wants her head. We'll see if RT tells us why.

Anyone else find it ironic that everyone else appears to have longer hair than Yura, but Yura is the one who works with long strands of hair? 

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 064 Fate on the High Seas!!

All of these exclamation points are really starting to lose meaning for me. They always seem to come in pairs, and are always denoting a sense of excitement that is only actually there some of the time. If the exclamation isn't saved for for places where it's appropriate, I start believing that the writer of the exclamation is just trying to trick me into being excited about something instead of actually putting in the substance to back it up.

Either that, or Takahashi is just always really excited about literally everything.

Aaaaaaaaanyhow... among a collection of warehouses at the docks, someone says it's cold out there. Bakura says it's also pretty quiet. Jonouchi asks if there's really supposed to be a ship out there this late at night. Yuugi glares at his Duelist Kingdom ticket he got in the last chapter and says that the date and time on it point to tonight, so there can be no mistake. They step out from the alley they were traveling, Yuugi and Jonouchi looking up at something looming in front of them in awe.

Yup, there it is! And there Sugoroku is still clipped to Yuugi's backpack strap. I'm guessing Yuugi's mom only let Yuugi go if he took his grandfather with him? Or does she even know about this outing at all? Does she even care? Why did Takahashi introduce a mother if she's not going to be of any help or hindrance to future gaming endeavors?

Who wants to bet that Takahashi forgot she existed?

Bakura points out a hug group of kids milling around the side of the ship, looking at and trading cards with each other. This is DEFINITELY the right place. I was worried for a moment this was all an elaborate prank. Bakura also points out that they have cards, uselessly, and Yuugi surmises that they're all duelists that have been invited to the tournament just like them. Yuugi, sweetie, no one in your group was invited except for you. You're basically that asshole who brings a whole bunch of his friends to a birthday party that the birthday kid doesn't know but now has to share their cake with.

Jonouchi corrects Yuugi in his head, thinking they're rivals instead of guests, and sporting a somewhat constipated look. Yuugi points to where he sees people he recognizes.

They look SUUUUUUPER friendly, don't they? Jonouchi thinks they'll be tough nuts to crack, and Yuugi seems to agree.

Yuugi recalls that they spent the whole week training at their card strategies, playing against one another and testing their decks. They both put together the strongest decks they could with what cards they had, Jonouchi's focusing on his monsters with basic magic cards thrown in, and Yuugi's with Exodia and other cards he got from his grandfather. He uses the word "inherited" here, which reminds me of that joke about how Yuugi made it sound like Sugoroku was dead in the first chapter.

Man, good times.

Yuugi is glaring at his deck now, thinking that they have to win, because everything rides on their decks. Heh.

Looking up, Yuugi sees a silhouette coming forward on the deck of the ship. Heh, there it is again. A man with a single point of hair sticking up at the front calls for attention from all the duelists, which we have never heard before ever. Nuh-uh. He says that Industrial Illusions (Isquared for short) welcomes all of them to the event. Everyone murmurs in response.

Vlad the Hair Impaler says that the duelists below him have been hand picked based on the results of their duels, even unofficial ones, and have been deemed the best in Japan. He goes on to say something about a star of glory or something and he's being WAY overdramatic considering this is just a damn card game. He encourages them to reach for the light of the star when they travel over the sea to Duelist Kingdom. Everyone cheers, but there's some lighthearted laughter in the crowd as well, right behind Yuugi. Jonouchi stares at the voluptuous chest of the speaker as she says it's like she attended a little baby pep rally, though she does immediately admit that there are mostly children there.

Yuugi, Jonouchi and Honda all take on a heavy blush at the sight of Mai, contracting a heavy case of the not-gays. I believe it when Honda says that he thinks she's super cute, but I'm not sure about Yuugi and Jonouchi. What about your declaration that you should mate forthwith in the tamagochi chapter? Didn't that mean ANYTHING to you??

Yuugi seems surprised that she could also be a duelist, and something about his persistent blush and agape mouth tells me he's not thinking she's too OLD. What, are looking pretty and card games mutually exclusive interests or what?

She spots Yuugi too and leans down, asking if he's that kid Yuugi everyone talks about. Yuugi stutters, not quite able to get out an answer, but she doesn't seem to need one. She's impressed that such a little boy could beat Kaiba, and I don't know why. If it was a game of basketball, I could understand her surprise, but cards aren't exactly something that someone needs to be tall and a man to do well.

Anyway, she tells Yuugi that he's famous, and he stutters out a thanks for her astute observation. Or, at least, that's what I'm GUESSING he's thanking her for. Certainly not poking him in the face in the next panel, though he does seem to like it inexplicably. You know who DOESN'T like it though? Anzu, who is fuming and asking who this woman thinks she is. Probably someone who wouldn't deliberately put herself in danger and act like an asshole to get a guy's attention, which automatically makes her a better person than you, Anzu.

Honda and Jonouchi start vying for a chance to speak with the lovely new acquaintance of Yuugi, but she brushes them off with a comment about how she just doesn't care about them. As she's walking away, she says she doesn't give a crap if her duel opponent is a child, she's determined to crush any man that stands between her and winning.

Yuugi and Jonouchi are still blushing, but looking a little unsettled by her talk of crushing them. She introduces herself as Mai Kujaku as she also excuses herself from their presence, saying she'll see them later. Honda mumbles about her being quite the woman while Jonouchi and Yuugi sniff at the air to catch a liberal whiff of her perfume. Yup, definitely a HEAVY case of the not-gays. Anzu barks that they're all idiots, clearly jealous.

Oh boy, THIS is going to be a fun subplot, isn't it? *gag*

Yuugi tells them with a determined look that it's time for them to get their asses on that ship, and Jonouchi agrees in look and word. At 9:30 PM, the ship begins moving, and each of the five friends stands at the railing to watch the launch. How did the three non-duelists get on board? Whatever. The horn blows and they begin their journey to the kingdom with high determination! That's all that matters!

Here's that obligatory reminder of what our heroes are fighting for! Just in case you forgot.

Vlad the Hair Impaler returns to address the crowd of kids on deck, telling them he'll show them to their rooms. Jonouchi assumes the size of the ship indicates some really high-class digs as they file along with the other children inside the boat. In the moving crowd, someone else recognizes Yuugi - someone he also recognized earlier. After Yuugi's confirmation that he's indeed himself, he identifies Haga and Ryuzaki from the finals again.

Yuugi congratulates Haga for his win in the national tournament and Haga says it was nothing, as Ryuzaki claims that Haga only won because he let him. Haga ignores this trash-talk, telling Yuugi he's looking forward to dueling him on the Duelist Kingdom island. He also says that the national tournament didn't mean much to him, since he hasn't really proven himself until he beats Yuugi and Kaiba. At the sound of Kaiba's name, Yuugi becomes morose.

Haga interrupts Yuugi's reminiscing on Kaiba's face with his news that there will be new rules introduced with the special tournament they're attending. Yuugi is surprised by this information, and so am I, because I thought all the info came in those cards he was sent by the guy in the swank hat. Haga says he doesn't know details, but just knows that there's supposed to be more strategy. Oh great. More "strategy". Good.

Ryuzaki isn't concerned with the hype of new rules, just the survival of the fittest fundamentals. Yuugi looks around when he hears an angry shout to his right.

Jeez, Jonouchi, I didn't peg you for a diva. Apparently he's not the only one, though, because Yuugi and Honda join him in his indignation, fists raised as if ready for a fight. Yuugi is angry that they don't even get beds, and Jonouchi goes ahead and blurts out that he expected and wanted a room like they give to rich people. The indifferent man they're complaining to says that only the finalists from the national tournament have been given rooms.

Ryuzaki looks back at them with a smug grin, mocking their tough break and rubbing it in their faces that he and Haga get the rooms. Haga glares, and I'm not entirely sure if it's at Ryuzaki or not. He does go up to Yuugi and explain that sleeping in the common room may be a better deal than rooms technically, something that the sponsors may have been aware of when they assigned rooms. He tells Yuugi to look over at his fellow competitors, and when he does, he notes that everyone is trading cards with each other. Haga states smugly that the competitors in the common room get to trade cards, improve their decks, and maybe even get a peek at the kinds of cards they'll be playing against and update their strategies accordingly.

Yuugi thinks it's quite impressive that Haga saw all of that with just a glance, but I'm not the most observant person and I saw that shit right away too. Maybe you just don't use your eyes, Yuugi. Haga draws Yuugi's attention to how Jonouchi's already forgotten his beef with the boat staff and is asking about another kid's cards to fit right in. Yuugi is now impressed with Jonouchi's ability to adapt to even situations that suck, and while I did roll my eyes at how he's impressed with literally all the things, I have to admit he's right about this one. Jonouchi never DID hold on to grievances very long.

Ryuzaki just doesn't care about anything, because he says that if someone's deck isn't perfect by this point, they won't have a chance in the tournament. Why is he even HERE? Just go to your dumb room, asshole. He takes my advice, but not before he insults everyone else further by wishing them sarcastic luck at improving their decks and tells them he's going to be chilling in the honeymoon suite. Probably hanging in the hot tub and drinking champagne with his waifu or something. He is SUCH a basic bro. Haga excuses himself too, with less douchebaggery.

Now, THIS diva performance I buy. The staff guy there looks a tad more uncomfortable being yelled at by a woman than the three boys who were complaining before. Good thing he's not that guy from The Frighteners.

Yuugi recognizes her too, which means good things for the functioning of his short term memory. Honda is annoyed by how loud Mai is as she asks to speak to whomever is in charge of the ship while the staff-member she's yelling at meekly tells her that she's subject to the rules like everyone else. Ryuzaki, STILL HERE, BY THE WAY, tells her to quit pissing and moaning before they throw her off the ship.

Mai knows he was the runner up in the national tournament, and thinks the male ego is STRONG with him. He confirms this when he gives her a grin and offers to share his room with her, completely unprompted. She puts on a grateful act, leaping into the air and thanking him, calling him sweet and all that junk. He's blushing as she suggests they go back to his room, and he chuckles, agreeing. Looks like his waifu is sleeping on the couch tonight!

Jonouchi and Honda are hunched with their fists raised and teeth grinding, thinking about how damn lucky Ryuzaki is. Honda, weren't you JUST complaining about how loud she is? Why would you want to share a room with her? OTHER than having delusions that it means you might have a shot at boning her, because even YOU know that's a long shot, admit it.

Meanwhile, Mai and Ryuzaki arrive in Ryuzaki's room, and he's bragging about how choice it is. Mai thinks it's really great, a lot better than sleeping in a common room. She goes on to engage Ryuzaki in conversation about how high she's heard his skills at cards are. He tries to be humble by just saying he guesses others might think so. Mai gets her flirt on, giggling that she likes strong guys, but only as long as they're stronger than her. Did George RR Martin write her character or something?

Ryuzaki immediately drops all pretense at humility and tells her she happens to be talking to one of the national finalists, and he thinks he could beat her no sweat, and no offense. Dude, ALL the offense. Mai seats herself in an armchair and asks if he wants to test that thought with a challenge. She says if he wins, she'll do whatever he wants all night. That's... kind of creepy, Mai. How OLD is she? I remember Ryuzaki being somewhere around 14 or 15, according to the tournament announcer, so she could be going into statutory rape territory...

And before anyone comes into the comments to inform me that Japan's age of consent is 13, no. Most provinces bump that age up to 16, so you're wrong and everything about you is wrong and you should be ashamed.

Anyway, despite all of my ick-alarms going off, Ryuzaki blushes and chuckles. Mai asks him to shuffle her cards before they get started, and flusters him even more by suggesting that they might be doing a "body shuffle" later on. Ew, ew, ew, woman that is disgusting and wrong and I'm sorry I ever said you were a better person than Anzu because you're both awful in different ways.

Ryuzaki shuffles Mai's cards, all the while thinking that all those cards he bought are going to be worth it tonight. YOU ARE A CHILD!!! YOU NEED AN ADULT!!! He gives Mai back her cards when he's done shuffling, but Mai doesn't take them. Instead, she instructs him to hold onto the cards while she closes her eyes and names them in order from the top. Ryuzaki doesn't think there's any way she can pull that off, but when she says the first card is "The Alluring Shadow" and he draws the card, he sees that she was right. She names another string of cards and is right every time, perplexing Ryuzaki.

Mai opens her eyes and explains that she knows her cards top to bottom and her talent is always being able to draw what she needs. She asks him if he still wants to duel her, and throws in the stipulation that if she wins, she'll kick him out of the room. He's still all for that fantasy she planted in his head to come true, so he agrees to the duel. Mai giggles.

Outside the ship, Yuugi and friends are getting some fresh air on deck, Yuugi praising the cool ocean air. Sugoroku, on his camera screen, says that something has been bothering him. He wonders why Pegasus has gathered up all these duelists together, and something about it doesn't seem right. Yuugi agrees, but he reminds Sugoroku that he has to go, in order to win and put Sugoroku's soul back in his body. He tells his grandfather not to worry.

Sugoroku says that someone is walking toward them. A certain silhouette with flashing glasses and a bowl-shaped head. Yuugi greets Haga as he steps up to the railing next to him, and Haga admits he was getting bored sitting in his room, so he came out to get some air. Haga asks Yuugi if he made any good trades in the common room, but Yuugi says that he had his heart set on dueling with the cards he picked out before. Haga had thought as much, and surmises that they're the Exodia cards he used to defeat Kaiba. Yuugi jokes that Haga seems to know all of his moves already before Haga requests to see Exodia, since he's never seen that rare five-piece monster. Yuugi hesitates, though he's holding his deck, but decides that because Haga already knows about them that there's no harm.

Yuugi, you really need to stop being so trusting.

Haga looks over the cards in silence a moment, eventually telling Yuugi that he had thought long and hard about how to beat the cards in his hand, but not coming up with anything. He says he's finally found the answer though. Yuugi asks if that's so, and then...

What did I say, Yuugi? What have I been saying since forever??

Yuugi watches his cards flutter down toward the water, devastated. Jonouchi, a short distance away sees the cards falling and mounts the rail.

NOOOOOOOO! JONOUCHI, IF YOU DIE WHO WILL BE MY FAVORITE???

As he's falling, he shouts that he'll retrieve the cards. After he splashes into the water, Yuugi shouts to someone to grab the rescue equipment, and then to Jonouchi to ask if he's okay. Jonouchi comes back up sputtering and looking for those damn cards. Jonouchi, they're just CARDS, dude! A life preserver is thrown down next to him, but all he can think about is cursing himself for only being able to find two of the pieces of Exodia.

On deck, Haga is chuckling, thinking beating Yuugi will be a cinch now. Yuugi looks pissed beyond all belief at Haga before Yami comes out to tell Haga he's coming for him first at the island. Haga grins, and dares Yami to try in his head.

A couple of boxes describing the quiet gliding of the ship contrasted with Yuugi and friends' churning propeller hearts are laid over Yami and a wet Jonouchi glaring into the distance. Meanwhile, Mai is kicking Ryuzaki out of his room and saying that men are too easy to manipulate. Yeah, I guess it helps if they're not even technically men at all but fifteen-year-old boys, you creepy pedo.

The next morning, LAND HO!

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It wasn't particularly long, but the copious amounts of dialogue made it seem like this review took YEARS. It's like every panel had to have someone saying something, and it really dragged with no action to move it along. It basically consisted of character introductions.

I like Haga as a competent villain though. He was just a tad too wordy in his explanation about how Yuugi and friends could trade cards in the common room, but otherwise I thought he was very sneaky. He palled up to Yuugi so much more effectively than Kaiba did, being so much more casual and appearing more laid back and chill. I expect to see this kind of style in his duel with Yami too.

I also liked Jonouchi in his usual, endearingly stupid way too. He's fun to read about because he just puts all his big emotions out there and goes all out with whatever he does. Yuugi's assessment that he's highly adaptable is spot on, and this could be because he's got such a short attention span that any problems he has with his environment is like water off a ducks back. That being said, jumping off a boat into the ocean is a bad idea in the DAYTIME, and at night it's lucky anyone was even able to see him to throw the life preserver in the right place. Given how fast that boat is probably moving, it was a miracle he wasn't left behind entirely before anyone could throw it to him. That he was able to be rescued isn't IMPOSSIBLE, but it was IMPROBABLE enough to crack my suspension of disbelief a bit.

Lastly, I could REALLY have done without the creepy pedo shit from Mai. It doesn't say in the chapter how old she is, but on the Wikia, it says she's 24. Even without that information, it's clear that she's older given how she's always calling everyone else a kid. And yes, I understand that she knew she was going to win and that she wouldn't actually be sleeping with a 15-year-old, but a grown-ass woman propositioning a teenage boy for ANY reason is nasty and shouldn't happen, especially in a comic book aimed at that demographic. Boys - any grown woman who is coming on to you, no matter how attractive, is a predator and you need to find help IMMEDIATELY.

This has been a public service announcement from People Against Grown Adults Preying on Children.

Fuck.

Inuyasha Manga: 005 Kagome's Arrow

Kagome must be a fast learner, because her last arrow went flop. Either that or the crow decides to take a small nap and she shoots it while it's sleeping. Changing shape and composition like that probably DID take a lot of energy, and it's going to NEED a feast before laying down for a year-long coma. It's a growing man-eating crow! It needs all the rest and nutrition it can get!

That's why it's heading straight to the dinner table.

It's not a plane or superman, that's for damn sure. A mom and her son are walking hand in hand with their backs turned to the creature, so it swoops down and grabs the little boy with it's claws. The mother calls out her son's name, Kokichi, as his hand is ripped from hers and he's carried away screaming. The mother falls on her knees just as Inuyasha and Kagome come sailing in after the bird and its meal, Inuyasha complaining that it's already begun to transform.

The boy is bawling, because it's probably really painful to be carried around by your arm by some sharp claws. Kagome can't even bring herself to get the whole question of if the crow is really going to eat Kokichi, but Inuyasha understands her stutterings and reminds her that he told her the crow eats humans. His annoyance with her redundant inquiries doesn't last long, though, because the crow can't go as fast when it's holding onto prey. Inuyasha holds up his claws above his head to strike, declaring that he'll shred everything.

Kagome is shocked and then angered by his disregard for Kokichi, calling him an idiot just before moving to save the kid herself.

Careful you don't rip the kid's arm off while you're trying to save him, Kagome! Inuyasha calls Kagome a bitch for interfering with his murder swipe. Kagome's not paying any attention, though, because the crow has flown back around and is opening its jaws to chomp down on her and the boy. She squeezes her eyes shut and Inuyasha utters a curse before he swipes at the crow for the second time, ripping it apart with a move he called "Sankon Tessou".

Kagome and the boy crash to the ground among the pieces of crow raining down around them and Kagome quickly sits up to remove the claw from the crying boy's arm. He throws his arms around her and weeps as she soothes him and tells him its alright. Meanwhile, the shreds of crow are knitting back together, and Inuyasha asks Kagome where the jewel is. She must not have been listening, likely because crying children are pretty loud. Anyway, the crow is allowed to reform.

Thanks Obama!

Kagome observes a glowing area under the crow's wing and alerts Inuyasha. Inuyasha swipes again, but he only catches it in the tail, and said tail just reforms again anyway. It flies off into the distance once more, probably looking for more eats. Inuyasha is pissed, saying that it's trying to keep enough distance between them and it so that it can have the luxury of absorbing the jewel completely.

Kagome knows she has to do something, and fast, and suddenly remembers the crow's foot still clutched in her fist. She pulls the ascot from the collar of her sailor blouse and knots it around the arrow, keeping one eye on the retreating crow the whole time. Inuyasha looks perplexed as she draws her bow with the modified arrow. Onlooking villagers are whispering about how that's an awfully distant target, and Inuyasha tells Kagome that she'll never make it with how unskilled she is with a bow and arrow.

How did you not see that before, Inuyasha? You were looking right at the arrow as she was nocking it.

Kagome has figured out that the regenerative power of the Shikon no Tama will draw the crow's leg, and the arrow attached, to the rest of the body. Good thing she hung on to that gross leg! The arrow arcs upward where it was going to drop below the target and skewers the bird, right under the wing. Those onlooking villagers from before stare in awe at the hit, and Kagome celebrates her successful plan as a glow begins to emit from the crow's body.

Kaede already knows that this can't be good.

Later, Kagome is riding on Inuyasha's back again as they dart through the forest, wondering what that light was and why it worries her so much. Inuyasha asks if this is really where the jewel landed, and Kagome says she just has a feeling. Inuyasha hears a flap above them and looks up to see the crow's jaws heading straight toward them, though disembodied. Kagome is surprised it's just the head of the bird. Where's the rest of it? I was counting on that being my supper tonight!! Eh... probably gamey as crap anyway.

Inuyasha is glad it decided to come to him this time as he flexes his claws, and splatters it on the ground with a power grind of his palm. A small glint escapes from the flying flesh, and skips along the ground while Kagome watches it. Inuyasha begins to ask after the Shikon no Tama again, and Kagome goes to pick up the small shining fragment she saw. She mumbles about what it could be before coming right out and saying that it seems to be a piece of the jewel. Inuyasha is dumbfounded.

Hours later, back at Kaede's hut, Inuyasha is asking what the hell happened. Kaede asks him to quiet down, but he's not going to quit shouting until he knows what happened to his precious accessory. How is he supposed to complete his ensemble without it?? Kaede answers him simply, saying that Kagome's purifying arrow shattered the jewel along with the body of her target. It's uncertain to Kaede whether the pieces number ten or one hundred, but they've scattered all over, and even one fragment could be a really big deal in the hands of a powerful monster.

Kagome wonders if it's her fault. Uhhhhh, yeah. Yeah it is. Kaede tells both Inuyasha and Kagome to listen to her as she orders them to combine their powers to collect all of the fragments and put them back together. OH GREAT A SCAVENGER HUNT COMBINED WITH A PUZZLE. AWESOME. Kagome looks dejected by this prospect, but Inuyasha scoffs. He asks Kaede if she's sure she wants a bad guy after the Shikon no Tama like him to be responsible for finding and reassembling it. Kaede tells him that there really isn't any choice.

Kagome just wants to go home where she doesn't have to look for jewels or fight monsters.

Wow, that was a SHORT chapter. Despite its length, though, there's a fair amount to think about here. Again, this chapter was action, cover to cover. There weren't any pauses or excessive amounts of dialogue, explanations or seconds wasted. Everything that happened happened moment to moment and was a clean flow of events.

The visuals were phenomenal. I don't think I've raved yet about the horror images this manga evokes, so I'll do it here. SO MACABRE and BEAUTIFUL at the same time. RT really has a talent for designing monsters, I have to say. They're really subtle in what makes them so unsettling, too. I mean, usually they're just creatures that are mashed together in odd ways, but they really evoke a strangeness and spine-tingling feeling that's beyond just the disturbing. I'm not sure how to describe it, but when I do, I'm going to be writing it in one of these reviews.

And our main character is managing to continue to surprise me with her depth of character and intelligence. I can't tell you how often I've heard people disparage Kagome as a character, saying that she's whiny and stupid and useless, but I don't know where those people are getting that interpretation from. This is only the beginning of the story, and she's showing wit and ingenuity that is kind of amazing. Sure, her plan to shoot the crow had consequences, but it made sense and WORKED.

The fact that this stroke of brilliance worked TOO well is what makes the whole scene so brilliant. Usually, the hero just comes up with a way to beat the bad guy and it works and everyone congratulates the hero on their job well done. This situation of beating the hero, but creating a new problem unintentionally in the process showed more complexity, though. It set up the story for the whole rest of the manga, and created a quest for the reluctant heroine to engage in. Now, she has personal stakes. Now, she doesn't just have to listen to people TELLING her it's her duty to go out and find and protect these little jewel fragments; she is now directly responsible for the state of the world she finds herself in, and the rest of the manga is her efforts in TAKING responsibility.

That's a level of complexity that you don't get in a lot of stories, and this chapter reminds me of that every time I read it. 

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 063 I Won't Lose!!

Said AFTER a major loss which will put Grandpa Sugoroku in the hospital once more as his soul is trapped in a television set. Duel Monsters competitors are always putting Sugoroku into the hospital to motivate Yami/Yuugi, now that I think about it. Sugoroku is a classic damsel, except in overalls rather than a frilly dress. At some point, he should dress his part, because it would make me chuckle with maniacal glee.

He would be so pretty in pink, wouldn't he?

Sugoroku continues to call out to Yuugi from behind the screen, while Jonouchi checks up on his body. Jonouchi says that Sugoroku is breathing, but he's not responding to Jonouchi's prods and it's like his body is an empty shell. Yami wonders if that means that Sugoroku's soul was removed and put into the TV, and he frets as he looks between his grandfather's body and the screen.

The next day at school, Ryou Bakura has a sunny greeting for his friends, but they're all looking pretty morose. Anzu and Honda at least say hello, but Yuugi and Jonouchi are silent as they look over their shoulders at Bakura. Then they all just drop back into silence. Bakura asks what's wrong, but doesn't receive an answer. He notices that Yuugi has his eyes locked on a digital camera screen on his desk and asks Yuugi what he's watching, leaning down to look too.

That's definitely unsettling, but I think you two will get along. The stories you could swap!

Bakura asks if this is a video phone, and instead of going for the easy out in explaining what happened, Yuugi tells Bakura that Sugoroku is actually stuck in there. Bakura is pretty perturbed by this statement, until Jonouchi begins to tell him the whole story. Jonouchi says that Yuugi lost a Duel Monsters game to a guy on a video recording who had a Millennium Item, and the aforementioned guy put Sugoroku's soul into the television. At the mention of a Millennium Item, Bakura glares. Yuugi mopes, wondering aloud what to do, and what will happen if Sugoroku can't return to normal. Well, he won't need to worry about eating or sleeping or working in the shop. I guess that's a plus?

Sugoroku himself seems to be thinking positively, telling Yuugi that he's just fine in his digital prison, and wagging a finger at Yuugi's gloomy attitude. At least he's not dying this time, and you're fully capable of talking to him, Yuugi! Cheer up! Jonouchi says that Sugoroku is right, and that a negative disposition isn't going to solve the problem. Yuugi smiles and nods, saying that he's alright, but his other self isn't doing so hot.

Anzu is shocked that Yuugi learned how to talk with Yami. Girl, if you ask Yuugi to ask Yami to come out for your benefit, I am not opposed to coming in there and punching a tiny teenage girl. Just gotta figure out how to do it. Yuugi says it's not really talking, but more a sense he has of Yami's feelings. Anzu asks if that means Yami is depressed, and Yuugi says that's true, thinking Yami feels terrible about losing to Pegasus.

Jonouchi looks solemn for a moment, before rolling up a magazine and shouting through it like a megaphone at Yuugi, trying to tell Yami to cheer up. That's our Jonouchi, always being as obnoxious as humanly possible. He suddenly gets serious and tells Yuugi that if they want to save Sugoroku, they have to get back at Pegasus. I'm thinking Molotov Cocktails, guys, who's with me???

*crickets*

Okay, maybe that's not how you guys roll. Yuugi agrees, reminding everyone that Pegasus told him to come to Duelist Kingdom. Bakura and Honda look perplexed at the word "kingdom", and Yuugi explains that that's where Pegasus said they would crown the "King of Duel Monsters", which is a title that is probably never going to impress anyone ever. Can you imagine walking into a bar and being like, "Yo, baby, I'm the King of Duel Monsters"? Now imagine that person going to the bathroom and not coming back.

Sugoroku says the problem is that they have no idea where this "kingdom" is. Bakura asks for confirmation that Pegasus has a Millennium Item, and Jonouchi states that Pegasus even replaced one of his eyes with said item. Bakura thinks that if they go to Duelist Kingdom, they'll find out the secrets of the Millennium Items along with getting Sugoroku back in his body. Again, Bakura, in case you missed it, NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THE KINGDOM IS. You were so badass in your helpfulness in your last appearance, and now you're bringing this weak shit to the table? Come ON man.

He continues to piss me off as he brings out the Millennium Ring as his example of items he'd like to learn more about.

It doesn't matter, Bakura, get that fucking shit out of here, it's triggering all the other characters' PTSD. PTSD that you should also have, BY THE WAY.

Anyhow, Bakura gives us a little information on how the ring came into his possession. Apparently, his father bought it from a street vendor in Egypt, which seems awfully shady of him, but okay. Bakura reminds his friends that there's another personality inside of it, just like Yuugi's puzzle. I wouldn't say JUST like Yuugi's puzzle. I think I've made some arguments in the past that while Yami may be a past life of Yuugi's, I don't think that's the case with Asshole Bakura and Regular Bakura.

Regardless, Bakura lists out all the things he wants to know about the items; who made them, how they work, what they're for. He thinks Pegasus may know the answer. Why? Why would he know any more about it than you or Yuugi do? That's a stupid assumption, Bakura, go sit in the corner.

Yuugi suddenly stands up to leave. As he walks off, Anzu asks him what's wrong, and Yuugi answers that he needs a minute alone. Or, at least Yami does. With an incredulous look, Jonouchi mumbles about how messy it is distinguishing between Yuugi and Yami.

Look at this broody little bastard. He even imagines Pegasus's smug face looking down at him from the sky as Yami yells his name dramatically. All this needs is some moody tunes. Too bad, though, I'm too busy listening to Eddie Money. Suck it, moody scene.

Yami knows Pegasus wasn't lying about being able to scan his mind with the Millennium Eye, and wonders how he can possibly win against an opponent who knows every card and move before he lays them down. Then he sulks about how it's his fault Sugoroku is stuck in a digital camera, squeezing his eyes shut in his angsty angst. Goodness, so much ANGST.

But he soon opens up those eyes in a determined glare, and raises a fist, thinking that he's not going to run away.

Ugh... WAITING... Do we have to wait for your overly dramatic posing to pass, or what?

At the end of the school day, Yuugi is back out and walking back home. When he gets there, he calls out that he's home, and his grandfather welcomes him back from the camera now hanging from his backpack strap. Yuugi jumps, and apologizes, because he's so used to hearing Sugoroku greet him from inside. Isn't your mother inside to greet you too, Yuugi? Where is she, and how is she handling all of this nonsense? Probably at the hospital with Sugoroku's body. Sugoroku says it's weird for him to be outside the shop too, but he IS getting used to being in the camera. I'm beginning to wonder how this is going to turn bad for Sugoroku later, because as of now, he's just chillin' like being in a camera is no big deal.

Yuugi approaches the game shop door with the closed sign hanging in it and sees an envelope tucked into one of the panes. He picks it up, wondering what's inside as he rips it open, and SURPRISE! ANTHRAX.

I kid, it's...

Swank hat, bro. Too bad Yuugi is too unobservant to see it. Sugoroku demands to see the cards Yuugi received, and Yuugi reads "Voyage to the Kingdom" on one of them, as well as a date and time to be at the docks. Sugoroku says this must be the ticket to Duelist Kingdom they've been waiting for. Yuugi looks nervous as he gazes at the card.

Suddenly, Jonouchi, Honda, Anzu and Bakura all run up to him, Jonouchi calling out to him. Yuugi asks them why they came around in such a hurry, and Jonouchi pulls out a package he says he just received today - a video tape. Yuugi is shocked by the fact that Jonouchi has a tape all his own now, and Jonouchi wonders what this means. Well, it either means you're fucked, or one hell of a magnet for coincidence.

Doesn't matter to Jonouchi, because he's here to ask Yuugi if he can watch it on his VCR, given he doesn't have one that will play 8mm tapes. Uuuhhh, Jonouchi, doesn't it concern you at all that you might get similar treatment to the kind Yuugi got last night? Nope, Jonouchi loves danger, a love signified by his HUGE GRIN.

They all go inside and up the stairs to where they sit as Yuugi tells them about the five cards he received in the envelope earlier.

Yuugi tells them that the Voyage card is telling him to be at the pier next week at 9:30. He also shows them the "Duelist Kingdom" card, which depicts an island and castle, and Yuugi figures this must mean exactly what it shows. The next card "Duelist Glove" states that each duelist has to have a glove and one chip on it at all times. Anzu asks Yuugi if that's the same glove he got in the box the night before, and Yuugi nods as he digs through said box.

He pulls out the glove and the star chips, saying that they both must show off duelist status, and you bet the chips on your duels. Then he looks at the last two cards, identifying one of them as a representation of the tournament prize money. The other one is blank, and he imagines it probably means that there's some secret honor that comes with the title of king. Yuugi says that's all the news his cards bring. And now the weather.

Anzu suggests that they watch Jonouchi tape next, and what is she doing encouraging him?? You should tell him NOT to watch it. He won't listen, we all know that, but if something bad happens, you don't want to be responsible, do you? Jonouchi looks super excited to watch the tape, but then glares at it seriously, thinking about how the curse tape came for him too. He thinks it's Pegasus trying to turn he and Yuugi into rivals, and now I KNOW this video is innocuous. There's no way Jonouchi would even be on Pegasus's radar.

Jonouchi announces that he's putting the tape in the VCR as he does so and everyone stares at the screen really closely in anticipation. After some static...

Jonouchi looks like he's been punched in the stomach, which I'm guessing is just his surprised face. Maybe he's been punched in the stomach so many times that he just adopted it as an all-purpose expression. BTDubz, what's "Pof" mean?

Yuugi and Honda seem pretty shocked too, Yuugi to learn that Jonouchi has a sister at all, and Honda to learn that this sister is a total babe. This sister says that she's sending Jonouchi the video so he doesn't forget what she looks like, but she wishes she could see him too. Oh, yeah, this was probably before Skype was a thing. Jonouchi sweatdrops as he stares.

Sister!Jonouchi tells him that she actually wanted to see him in person instead of by video, but the distance is too great and Jonouchi is too busy. Yeah, I'm sure he's REALLY busy with hanging around convenience store parking lots and learning trading card games. Sister!Jonouchi begins to tear up as she says that she wanted to see him one last time. Jonouchi reveals her name in his frantic thoughts; Shizuka. Yuugi wonders what "one last time" means, because it sounds awfully ominous, and he wonders what's wrong. Jonouchi is still hunched in front of the TV as Shizuka begs him not to tell their father about the video she sent and asks him to take care of himself as she signs off.

Jonouchi is slouched in front of the TV while it continues to play static. Everyone stares at him, not daring to speak just yet. After a stretch of quiet, Jonouchi explains that his parents divorced some years before, and his sister went to live with his mother, and they live pretty far away now. He also tells them that Shizuka has always had some problems with her eyes, and that the doctors say she'll go blind.

Yuugi's mouth hangs open at the sound of the word. Jonouchi says that "one last time" means the doctors told Shizuka that her blindness is on its way. Yuugi expresses his horror at this news, and Anzu asks if there's anything they can do. Jonouchi says that the doctors have a 50% chance of saving her eyesight if they do an advanced surgery that is also prohibitively expensive, money he'll never be able to raise. Yuugi gives him a pitying look as he raises his head just high enough for him to see the tears in his eyes. Jonouchi laments how he's Shizuka's big brother, but he's powerless to do anything for her.

After he says he's useless, everyone hangs back, not knowing how to comfort him. Anzu holds out a hand as if she wants to pat him on the shoulder, but she keeps it hovering there. In the space of a transformative flash, Yami puts his hand on Jonouchi's arm instead while his other hand holds a card, prompting Jonouchi to turn and look over his shoulder.

AWWWWWWW! This bromance gives me so many feels! Yami knows just how to give Jonouchi hope and support him! It's so beautiful!

Jonouchi stares at the chip pinched between his fingers, thinking about Yami's words. He asks if Yami is serious about giving him the chip, and Yami tells him that they're going to go win those honors, head to that kingdom together, and save Sugoroku and Shizuka. Jonouchi's eyes still water and he wears a look of gratitude.

Since there's still a week left until the tournament, Yami says they'll spend that week training in Duel Monsters, and the others offer to help too. As the audience, we aren't allowed to SEE this training, because it wouldn't be as easy an introduction to complicated rules as, say, a box with the rules listed in them *ahem*. The last panel of the chapter shows a ship docked at the pier, at 9:00 PM.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I'm not impressed with Sugoroku's imprisonment as the penalty. I know, I said at the end of the last chapter that it was pretty cool, but I was only talking about the creativity and mechanics of it. By the beginning of this chapter, though, it was clear this imprisonment wasn't accomplishing what it was supposed to. According to Pegasus's own words, his penalty game was supposed to take away something precious from Yuugi, but it didn't. Yuugi and everyone are still able to communicate freely with Sugoroku's image on the screen. He's still there, just in a different "body". Because of this, it's not punishing YUUGI, but SUGOROKU. He's the only one who's actually having to deal with this in a detrimental way.

And even that is wearing off, given that Sugoroku said that he was getting used to it. He was still very unfairly targeted, bearing the brunt of the consequences of an event he was only witness to, but the impact of this consequence is much reduced by the fact that Sugoroku is still THERE. He's not gone like he was in Death-T, not suffering, not in pain, and the only concern anyone has is getting him back in his correct body. It seems trivial in comparison to that previous trial.

This makes Yami's little shit-fit on the roof just irritating by extension. The only thing that he's suffering from is a hurt pride and some guilt. Even though I don't think that Sugoroku's imprisonment is AS bad as the story's trying to make it sound, I still think Yami's being a little petty in comparison. He's making it all about him, and while Pegasus DID do that to Sugoroku to provoke him, the action is FRAMED to make it as though Sugoroku is just an extension of Yuugi/Yami, and that Sugoroku is just a trinket that's been stolen. That's false on two levels, and it pisses me off to see this kind of situation be presented so clumsily.

In contrast, I really LIKE how Shizuka was introduced, and how this adds to Jonouchi's story. Shizuka was very delicate in broaching what was a very difficult bit of news, almost speaking in code. They're close enough that she knows he's going to be very upset by this news, and how sensitive he is. I can't imagine how much more crying she did regarding the news before even thinking about making the tape.

Yami's way of cheering Jonouchi up is SPOT ON, too. Jonouchi is a fighter; he solves all of his problems through some form of battle, and Yami knows this. He's not just going to offer the prize money to Jonouchi if he wins, because he knows Jonouchi isn't going to take it. Jonouchi would only accept that money if he thought he had won it in battle, if he'd proved he deserved it by being the best and being the strongest. So, Yami is offering Jonouchi that opportunity, the chance to prove that he is the strongest and achieve the honor of the prize himself. This will not only allow Jonouchi to do what he does best - fight - but also give him back his power, and the knowledge that he is capable of helping his sister and others through that power.

Jonouchi is probably my favorite character by this point. Can you tell?

Inuyasha Manga: 004 Corpse Dancing Crow

Garage sales are the worst, guys. Not BUYING from them, mind you, because people are often trying to get rid of some very fascinating things at their sales and looking around is always a treat. Getting the permit and actually being on the seller's side of things is a nightmare, though. They're always trying to get the whole collection of items for a dollar, trying to tell YOU about how much your belongings are worth, and I must have caught at least three people trying to steal things that we wanted a little more than a buck for.

But at least I wasn't carried away WITH that coveted item myself. Unlike Kagome, who wasn't even having a sale.

Wait, does she even HAVE the jewel? It doesn't look like it's hanging around her neck. But when Mr. Unclean here lifts Kagome up by her collar and then throws her to the side, he appears to have taken it from somewhere. Okay then. Kagome sees that Mr. Unclean has swiped the Shikon no Tama off of her with shock and remembers what Kaede said about men with evil hearts wanting the jewel as well as demons. She reaches up to try and grab it, while begging for Mr. Unclean to give it back to her. A sword is embedded in the floor boards right in front of her face, the blade nearly slicing it right down the center of her nose.

Kagome scrambles back on her backside and scoots away from Mr. Unclean as he kneels beside his sword to retrieve it. He tells his lackeys to restrain her, and they look a little perturbed at his behavior as they agree and grab Kagome by her arms. Mr. Unclean holds up his sword while the rest of his crew are lamenting what a waste it is to kill Kagome. You have no idea, dudes. The sword swings down and blood splatters.

He and Inuyasha should bond over their lacks of adequate aim. Mr. Unclean watches his badly misused underling collapse on the floor bleeding, then scratches the back of his head and sticks out his tongue as he says he made a little mistake. Whoopsie daisy! He advances on her again with the sword, claiming this time he'll hack at her neck for sure. Kagome, completely free now because I guess the other guy holding onto her other arm noped right the fuck out of there, is wondering what the hell is wrong with Mr. Unclean.

Well, he's either SUUUUUUUPER wasted, or he's not really himself. I'm guessing the corpse dancing crow of the title has something to do with this.

Mr. Unclean lunges at Kagome, telling her to die, but she's disinclined to acquiesce his request.

While she's running away, Mr. Unclean straight up slices through the necks of two of his lackeys. Well, at least he got SOMEONE'S neck. As one of the heads tumbles off to the side, other lackeys question what the hell is going on with their leader. Mr. Unclean doesn't answer, just continues to stumble toward a tripped and fallen Kagome with blood dripping from his raised sword. She grabs spear lying on the floor next to her and jumps to her feet again, stuttering for Mr. Unclean to stay back. She says that her new weapon has a greater range than his sword, so the moment he tries something, she'll stick him good.

Mr. Unclean responds to this logic by slicing the end of the spear off with his sword as Kagome stares with mouth agape. Mr. Unclean's sword swipes down again, and Kagome holds the spear handle up crosswise to try and guard herself, but she still thinks she's done for.

Just in time! Kagome gets to live! And all because that sleeve was strong enough to break a sword in half. If the sleeves can stop a blade, why can't the breast stop an arrow?

Oh well, the lackeys have armed themselves much like Kagome, and are now wondering who the guy who crashed their party is. Shouldn't you be grateful? He did after all stop your deranged leader's rampage that was killing an awful lot of you.

Kagome starts to say something about Inuyasha coming to help her when he interrupts her with a question about the location of that jewel he really wants. She finishes her statement by turning it into a question about whether or not helping her was even on his mind, and he again asks where the hell the Shikon no Tama is.

Kagome, sweetie, try to remember that you're in a SHOUNEN manga, not a SHOUJO. While Shounens can contain romance, it's unlikely that he's going to take a fancy to you right away.

Mr. Unclean catches Inuyasha's attention with how much he stinks. Inuyasha raises his armor sleeve up to his nose to guard against the stench of a rotting corpse Mr. Unclean is emitting. Kagome looks confused.

It's that douchebag crow from the previous chapter!

Macabre. Kagome and the remaining lackeys shriek at this grisly image. Inuyasha surmises that sometime after he shot pebbles at it, the douchebag crow ate into the dead man's chest and made a nest. It even rhymes. One of the lackeys tries to wrap his head around Mr. Unclean already being dead while another whispers that he THOUGHT Mr. Unclean was acting a bit weird. Kagome is just disturbed by the level of cruelty this bird possesses.

Said bird caws at Inuyasha, who explains that since it's not all that strong, it uses a corpse as a puppet to fight for it. That's actually pretty impressive, to be honest, because he was even making Mr. Unclean's body TALK in human language. Crows have always been ridiculously smart, though, so it makes sense to me that a demon one would understand and be able to recreate human language through a human larynx.

Mr. Unclean's body reaches for another sword, conveniently lying at his feet now. Do these brigands and thieves not keep their damn weapons ON them at all times?? Seriously, I don't know why it would take a situation like this to learn not to leave your weapons lying around! The sheath is whipped off the blade as Mr. Unclean's body raises it over his head and launches at Inuyasha. Inuyasha, not intimidated in the slightest, lunges to meet the corpse, yelling at the crow to get out of its nest and face him.

He plunges his fist into the bloody hole made by the crow to grab at it, and everyone watching flinches, disgusted. The crow, rather than being captured by Inuyasha's claws, bursts from the back of the corpse, carrying the Shikon no Tama in its jaws. Inuyasha grits his teeth at the sight of the bird carrying it as it flies away, and curses, yelling at it to get back there. Inuyasha looks around to see a bow and a quiver of arrows lying by a remote pillar of the building. COME ON REALLY?? Why are they all just discarding their weapons everywhere?? Can we get Elinor from Brave in here to tell them what's what?

Inuyasha grabs the bow along with Kagome's arm, dragging them both out of the building.

Piggyback rides!! Inuyasha asks her what she's waiting for and tells Kagome to just shoot the damn crow out of the sky. Kagome thinks this is an absurd request, and I agree with her. Dude, have YOU ever shot a bow and arrow before? That shit ain't easy to pull off when shooting at a still target, let alone a moving one!

Kagome begins to tell Inuyasha that she has no experience with a bow and arrow, but he interrupts her with the fun fact that this crow will only feed on humans, and asks her if she REALLY wants it to become even more powerful.The crow gulps down the jewel, leaving a visible lump in its throat, and Kagome reiterates this fact in her head. Useless thought is useless. She decides out loud that she'll give it the old college try and Inuyasha gives her a word of encouragement. However, in his mind, he's already planning to drop her from their great height the moment she succeeds, splattering her all over the ground. Well, at least he believes she's able to pull it off. That's nice, I guess.

Grinning from his sinister thoughts, Inuyasha calls to Kagome that she can do it in one shot because Kikyou was a master of the bow. Kagome reminds him that she's Kagome once more, but hopes that Kikyou will lend her her power anyway as she pulls back on the bowstring.

She at looks pretty damn awesome in that pose, though. Kagome prays for the arrow to strike as it goes flying, but her prayers go unanswered. The arrow arcs and falls to the ground, missing the crow by a mile. Kagome looks a little twitchy at her lack of skill and Inuyasha looks exasperated. She asks if he lied when he said Kikyou was a master, and he yells that Kagome's the one who's clumsy. So is she Kikyou or isn't she, Inuyasha?

Uh, guys... that doesn't look good...

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Aside from a few unnecessary lines from Kagome, Inuyasha's exposition on the crow could have been done just a tad better, in my opinion. With his personality, I felt that Inuyasha was talking to Kagome and the lackeys when he was explaining that the crow's weakness made it manipulate bodies, when he should have been talking condescendingly and mockingly to the crow itself. His dialogue there felt too much like he had an audience to convey the information to, when he shouldn't have cared one way or another whether or not Kagome or the others knew what was going on.

That aside, though, his explaining to Kagome later that the crow only eats humans was very excellently set up, and the scene carried a great deal of tension. The chapter was non-stop action, which everyone familiar with my reviews should know is one of the things I love most when I'm reading these chapters. The tension is driven first by Kagome being chased around by a bumbling moron with a sword, and then changes seamlessly into the tension around trying to catch up with and defeat the crow. It has great flow.

That thing with random weapons just lying around really bugged me, though. It was a little too convenient that there seemed to be just what was needed right there every single time. Maybe have Inuyasha wrestle a bow and quiver from one of the lackeys? It's not like it would have been difficult. 

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 062 Countdown!!

Unless we're counting down to a holiday like Halloween or Christmas, I always assume countdowns are bad. They're always on bombs or timed challenges when you have a million things to do. Ever heard of Benjamin Button? Yeah, that guy had some serious backwards issues. Counting up is the only way to go, baby! You only get more the further you go!

This message has been brought to you by the Counting Appreciation Association of America.

Anzu, can you see these shadow creatures right now? She looks a little too shocked to not be able to see this, though Sugoroku confirmed that he couldn't earlier...

On the other hand, she could just be reacting to Pegasus's smug grin. Pegasus looks pretty pleased for a guy who's losing now, and we all know what that means - the tables aren't really as turned as we thought they were! Pegasus claims that Yami's move was impressive, but he still knew that the Dark Magician would be the card played and only took the damage to keep things fair keep Yami thinking things are less obviously stacked against him. There, fixed that for you, Pegasus.

Yami knows that he's telling the truth, because the destruction of the Rogue Doll was recorded on the tape, making it impossible for his trick to just be subliminal. There's something else going on here. Pegasus says that it's time for the real duel, and Yami confidently tells Pegasus to bring that shit on. Since there's only so much time left on the tape that Pegasus has recorded on, he suggests that they keep their game below the fifteen minutes he puts on a clock in the upper right corner of the screen. I fucking knew it!!

Now all we need is for Pegasus to have accidentally stopped recording over the weird deviant porn inevitably contained on this tape and scar Yami and his friends/grandfather for life.

Anyway, Pegasus states that the person with the higher life points once the counter reaches zero is the winner. He also says that the loser gets a penalty game, as is tradition. Yami is either worried or excited about this, but it's a little difficult to tell. I'm going to say worried, because excited would weird me out. Pegasus thinks about how he's been scanning Yami's mind, so Yami can't possibly win. He's convinced it's Yami's destiny to participate in his Duelist Kingdom tournament. Insert evil laugh here.

A minute has already passed before Yami shouts at Pegasus to get on with it, because if they waste time the counter will reach zero. Wouldn't that be a good thing, since you're winning right now, Yami? Pegasus agrees, and reminds Yami that it's his turn. Forgetting whose turn it is, Yami? Weaksauce. He yells that his Dark Magician will kill Pegasus's Devil Dragon as it strikes a jaunty pose. Pegasus isn't intimidated by this prospect, ready to kick magician ass. With a battle command, the monsters face each other. Though Jonouchi is sweating, he gives an encouraging cheer to Yami, who smirks as he says he has this one in the bag.

Dark Magician launches a Black Magic Attack, and Yami declares the turncoat dragon dies. Pegasus dramatically exclaims and clutches at his head, life points reduced to 300. Yami, having not quite realized this is an act yet, tells Pegasus that his life points are dwindling and that he's NOTHING. Uhhh... This game was invented by this guy, and he's made more money than you can possibly imagine, and you're calling him nothing? Perspective, boy. Perspective. Also hubris.

Pegasus doesn't say anything as he looks overly-pouty. Sugoroku is silently proud of his grandson for fighting so well. He thinks if Yami keeps the Dark Magician on the field, as the most powerful of the spellcasting cards, he'll win. Pegasus demurely says it's his turn and draws a card, all while gloating in his head that Yami doesn't know he's pulling the strings. Yeah, it's not hard to play a guy like a fiddle when he gets a big head over TWO successful moves. Pegasus looks at his next card and is delighted at what he sees there, lying about how he doesn't believe it.

Are those puppet heads growing out of that eyeless, noseless creature's shoulders? I think the temperature in her just dropped ten degrees.

Yami is impressed with the rarity of the card, given that he's never seen it before. Do you judge how rare a card is by how often you've seen it, Yami? Seems a little ego-centric of you. Not that the whole universe isn't, mind you, but you could still have a little humility. The Illusionist laughs creepily as Pegasus grins from behind it. Sugoroku isn't so sure about how well Yami's doing anymore.

Anzu points out that the Dark Magician's attack points are higher than that of the Illusionist, so he should be able to crush it, but Sugoroku tells her that's not necessarily true.

Sooooo, you're telling me that the box with the rules in it lied to me?

Anzu asks him if that means that monsters can still lose if they have higher attack points but aren't the correct type, and Sugoroku says YES THAT IS JUST WHAT HE GOT FINISHED TELLING YOU ANZU KEEP UP. He says that's what makes strategy so important in Duel Monsters. I don't think the word "strategy" is the one you're looking for here.

So, after this incredibly long-winded exchange, Pegasus resumes his turn by saying he's not done yet, and combines Illusionist with a card called "Eye of Deception", attacking the Dark Magician with both the cards. Yami says he's ready, because if he wins the battle, he wins the game. The shadow creatures are commanded to dance battle for their masters.

Apparently, after the dust clears, neither one is the victor and it's a tie. Yami glares and Pegasus is being all dramatic again as he mumbles how close he was to beating this child. Five minutes remain on the clock, demonstrating yet again that Takahashi has no idea how time works.

Yami thinks that he might win just by playing out the final five minutes in defense, but immediately dismisses that as a coward's way. A coward's always wiser than a dead man, Yami. Yami draws a card, telling Pegasus that he'll take his life points down to zero and not stop fighting until it's all over. Pegasus smirks at him, but Yami must have missed it.

The card Yami drew is a good one; Celtic Guardian Level 6! It appears in a plume of smoke like the rest of them. Yami notes how it not only has higher attack points, but no disadvantage in comparison to the Illusionist, making him the winner if he attacks. Sugoroku jinxes Yami yet again by crossing his arms and grinning, thinking similar thoughts to him. Yami calls out his attack and as the Celtic Guardian raises his sword, Pegasus smirks about how Yami fell for it.

Yami can't imagine that the Illusionist moved at all, not even in a lightning fast way he couldn't see, and wonders how it managed to attack. The Celtic Guardian gives a painful grunt before he collapses and a silhouette emerges from behind him. It's the Dark Magician, looking a bit more sinister than before, and with a gigantic Eye of Horus plastered over his abdomen.

Finally, Yami figures out why the Eye of Deception was played by Pegasus in the last turn, to take over the Dark Magician for one turn. He wonders if Pegasus is able to tell the future, but doesn't bother to ask. He scoffs at a grinning Pegasus as their life points are displayed, Yami now at 200. Pegasus says it's the end of his turn, even though it wasn't his turn, and also draws attention to the fact that there's only 13 seconds left on the clock. Pegasus claps and patronizingly tells Yami he did a good job and their duel was a good one.

With 8 seconds left, Yami states that the game isn't over yet and grabs a new card, thinking he's not ready to give up. Pegasus just stares as Yami looks at his new card.

Will he even win if he attacks in time? That's the question I'm asking.

Ooooooh, bummer man. Or maybe not, I don't know. Pegasus is teasing Yami by saying that he MIGHT have lost if Yami's attack had reached him in time... or he might not have. What a douchenozzle. Yami growls as Jonouchi calls his name, looking shocked at his loss. Pegasus praises Yami's talent and predicts that they'll meet again at Duelist Kingdom. I'm not sure what Yami's look paired with the exclamation points here is supposed to mean, but I guess it looks impressive.

Pegasus cites trading card games rules of taking a losing opponent's card, before saying flippantly that Yami doesn't have any cards he wants. However, he supposes he'll just take something important to Yami instead, for collateral and insurance that Yami won't try to back out of the upcoming tournament. He points at Yami and friends, declaring a penalty game, as the screen becomes so bright that everyone has to shield their faces from the light. The light dies down and everyone lowers their arms from their squinted eyes, except for Sugoroku, who collapses onto his back.

Yami wonders what just happened just before Jonouchi asks after an unconscious Sugoroku. Yami scoots over to shake him and ask what's wrong too, but Sugoroku's still open eyes are listless and empty. Pegasus draws everyone's attention away from Sugoroku with a promise to show Yami how he was able to read his mind during the game, hand brushing away the curtain of hair from his left eye. Yami stares in shock.

Look at those veins pop! Yami seems as repulsed by his first view of the eye as I am. Pegasus's hair falls back into place as he tells Yami to meet him at Duelist Kingdom to get back the special thing he took with his penalty game. Pegasus disappears into static, and another form in the fuzz takes his place, calling out Yuugi's name.

That's right, regular kidnapping just didn't cut it for Pegasus. He pulled a SUPER KIDNAPPING. Hardcore.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I think the countdown should have started from five minutes, because it would have fixed the most egregious problems with this chapter. Most notably, it bugs me to DEATH that only two turns passed in almost ten minutes. It didn't even take me TWO minutes to read the pages regarding those turns, and that includes all the exposition Sugoroku had to drop about how the card game REALLY works.

Speaking of how the card game REALLY works, are we going to continue to get new, complicated and unnecessary rules all throughout this huge arc? I mean, I understand the addition of magic and traps in the game, but this whole class system of intricate weaknesses based on the influence of various other classes overrides the most basic rule of the game - higher attack points win. Without shadow games or holographic systems that keep score for you, the kids playing this game would have to engage in mathematical gymnastics just to play, and that seems excessive for a children's game.

All that aside, I feel like the expressions of the characters are becoming more and more ambiguous? Otherwise, the copious use of exclamation marks is starting to confuse me. A lot of the time they're paired with Yami staring with his mouth open, but it seems like the reaction shouldn't be shock, but confusion. It's a fine line, I realize, and I'm not one to talk, not being able to draw worth half a penny. Still, I think the expressions might have been a little easier to read earlier, and the more angular the style became, the less expression actually revealed. I find the art evolution here to be more uniform and generic, which isn't helping my interpretation of the underlying feelings of the characters.

What DID I like? I enjoyed the fact that Pegasus trapped Sugoroku in a television. That was creative and fitting.

*shrug*