Inuyasha Manga: 110 Miasma

As uncultured as it may be, can we just call this "miasma" what it really is? Those tentacles of his may as well be intestines, for how much noxious gas they expel. If you are what you eat, Naraku must be eating pure poison in order to produce such deadly flatulence. And since Naraku admitted in the last chapter that he's essentially just a condensed cloud of the stuff, it makes some sense that he's often exploding into a mist of toxic purple fumes among a mass of wriggling innards filled with acid.

I can think of no other villain that so proudly identifies as a long, protracted demonic fart.

... At least not one who then has the nerve to call his victims "low-lives".

Inuyasha is for some reason surprised by a bundle of those snakes Naraku shed earlier darting toward him from the side. He rips into them with ease, but recoils at the gush of miasma that shoots out of their remains. Miroku warns him that his body won't be able to take the barrage of miasma from killing one snake after another, and Inuyasha barks back that he KNOWS, sheesh.

On the ground, Kagome is elevating Sango's head on her lap when Sango groans. Kagome says Sango's name in askance and Sango gives her a halting apology. Kagome assures her that it's okay and they understand why she did what she did. Miroku is thankful when he notices Sango alive, to which Inuyasha responds with a scoff, asking if Miroku thought she'd die so easily. Her badassery has not gone unnoticed by ALL, it seems.

I don't care what anybody says, Inuyasha, you are a fucking TREASURE.

Naraku's voice chuckles all around them, asking if they really think they're going to get out of here alive. He tells them that they're all going to die here, contrary to their hopes, and it's all because of Sango's betrayal. It looks like Sango has passed out, eyes closed and face impassive, but Kagome appears angry on her behalf. But, by the next panel, Sango has her eyes open again, though she's wincing and sweating in her pain, internally confirming that Naraku is right. This whole situation IS her fault for stealing Tessaiga.

Meanwhile, Naraku's still yapping away at the glaring Inuyasha and Miroku, saying that Sango chose to save her brother's life over all of theirs. Remembering how they found said brother standing over the wounded Sango before, Kagome mentally agonizes over how desperately Sango wanted to save the same person who almost killed her. And Naraku is STILL talking about how they should all hate Sango for how shallow she was, if they have to hate anyone.

Goodness, does this guy ever shut his trap?

Well, yes, at least just before his snakes all lunge at the group ringed by them. Inuyasha curses and worries about even one of the snakes breaking through his defenses as he rips off his red robe. He tosses it onto Kagome's head where the sides settle over Sango and Shippou too, and she appears bemused at first. Inuyasha urges her to put it on so they can be protected at least a little from the miasma as he fights these things. Then it's time to work.

He cries out in pain when those pieces he cut up shower back down on him, though. Kagome calls his name, but remains sitting with her arms protectively around Sango and Shippou. Miroku chokes a bit from the miasma, saying that it's just no good and they're getting nowhere. He rips the beads from his right hand, rationalizing that the only way they're going to clear a path out of there is if he uses the Kazaana.

Kagome and Shippou shout his name as well, Shippou going as far as to leap right onto his fist to keep him from opening it. He sobs that Miroku will die if he opens the Kazaana now, but Miroku insists that Shippou let go of him. Inuyasha barks at him not to die in vain, and Miroku yells back that there's no other choice, expressing a hope that his sacrifice will help everyone else get out of the situation with their lives. So, Inuyasha reasons with Miroku the only way he knows how.

With his fist. Of course.

Kagome raises a shaking hand to her mouth in shock. Miroku calls Inuyasha a bastard (obvi), asking him a trailing question about what he's doing before collapsing into unconsciousness in Inuyasha's arms. Inuyasha in turn deems him an idiot aloud, while internally telling himself that if he hadn't punched Miroku, he wouldn't have been able to stop him. Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night. Assuming, of course, that you're not in for death instead.

Naraku's voice comes over what I guess in the youkai intercom again, chuckling at how Inuyasha's naiveté will be the death of him. He lists Inuyasha's inability to hate his betrayer Sango and valuing Miroku's life enough to toss aside their means of escape as examples, over Inuyasha's glower at the sky. Naraku calls them all fools, claiming he had thought they would help... with something. He doesn't really say. What he DOES say is that because of Inuyasha not wanting his friends to die, they're all going to die. Makes perfect sense.

As Naraku's evil chuckle trails off, Kagome has put her angry face back on, now will 150% more ire. She slowly says that all this is because of Naraku's scheming, pulling Inuyasha's robe off the top of her head. She promises herself not to forgive him before she starts searching the area for where Naraku could possibly be hiding. All she sees is the mist of miasma and the snakes made of the stuff, but when she looks down, she also sees Sango and Miroku lying on the ground unconscious. Kagome urges herself to hurry, and unlike in my personal experience, it actually works. She actually identifies the tiny glow of a Shikon fragment behind a wall where it blends almost too well.

Kagome raises her bow, glaring at the spot where she sees the shard's glimmer, drawing Inuyasha's attention with her declaration of where it is. Inuyasha yells Naraku's name and starts tearing through the snakes on his way to where Kagome is fixated, slashing this way and that, the burn wounds on his arms growing wider the whole time. He pauses his assault for a moment to nudge away some miasma on his cheek, and that's all it takes for him to be knocked off his feet by a snake flying headlong into his chest.

Shippou cries out Inuyasha's name, both fists raised to his frightened mouth, while Miroku groggily pushes himself up off the ground. Inuyasha, by contrast, falls into the dirt. Naraku laughs at how pathetic it is that Inuyasha will die in pain with his friends. I don't know if that really seems PATHETIC as much as tragic to me, Naraku, but okay. Anyway, Inuyasha is groaning as Naraku says it's an appropriate way to die for a failure hanyou like Inuyasha. If this is appropriate for Inuyasha, I'd HATE to know what Naraku thinks HE deserves.

Then: BOOM.

Goes the dynamite.

However Naraku thought he deserved to die, I bet you anything it wasn't like this.

Not least of all because this is the person performing the execution. You know, the ONE person he chose to ignore. Good going, Naraku. Excellent.

Kagome tells Naraku that he is the literal worst, in no uncertain terms. As she does so, the snakes are starting to dissolve into the thin air all around them. Shippou takes notice with awe, and Miroku speculates about Kagome's powers having something to do with this.

More than you can handle, clearly.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It was damn cool, especially when it came to those last few pages. It laid out in larger-than-life format just how powerful Kagome's move was, and it showed a side to Kagome's character that we've never really seen before. Sure, we've seen her pissed off before, but this is beyond any kind of annoyance or upset she's ever shown before. This is PURE RAGE at Naraku. She wants his ass dead. No wonder Inuyasha is looking at her like that in the above three panels.

In fact, their roles were slightly reversed here than they usually are. Inuyasha is the one trying to hold the team together with minor support, and Kagome is the lead with the big power-move at the end that utterly destroys the enemy. Since both of them are fulfilling these roles in their unique character ways, though, it was a revelation that was a little hidden for me. Inuyasha is just as coarse in his expressions as ever, but he shows plainly how high his opinion of Sango and Miroku are throughout that coarseness, and how much he values them as members of his team. Kagome's burst of power is the result of seeing her friends being goaded and tricked into hurting one another several times, and it's clear it took a LOT of provocation to get her to this point.

But, I'm still a little confused as to how Naraku could not have at least SOMEWHAT have seen this coming. He's surprised here, so I'm assuming he didn't see this kind of firepower as a possibility from Kagome, but again, since she looks exactly like Kikyou and they're in a world where reincarnation is a valid explanation for resemblance... It just seems like he should have taken some more precautions, even though he knows nothing about Kagome yet.

Not even a puppet like all the other times? No?

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 168 Bugs!! Bugs!! Bugs!!

Calm down, chapter, you don't have to get all excited about it! Sheesh, did Haga himself name this chapter? Here's hoping not, because I don't think anyone needs twenty straight pages full of insect-centered adoration mixed with creepy posturing. If I want the former, I'll go watch a documentary narrated by David Attenborough, someone who manages to curb my societally instilled revulsion for insects instead of intensify it. A documentary by Haga would likely have me shrieking like this:

And if I want the latter... Let's face it, I'll never want the latter. That shit could be cut out of my life entirely and I'd be happier for it. As would we all.

Especially our main characters here, who are being DIRECTLY harassed by this little moron, who is demonstrating how little he knows about what words mean. Parasites aren't the ones being eaten from the inside, you idiot, they're the ones doing the eating. Are parasites IN the monsters the card is played upon, or are the monsters themselves parasites? Make up your tiny little mind!

Jonouchi is even more annoyed with Haga than I am; he's downright pissed, pointing and cursing him out while shouting that Haga put the card in his deck. Haga just grins and tells Jonouchi he can't change his deck in the middle of the duel, and it's his fault anyway for not double-checking the deck before. Yeah, because it's impossible for Haga NOT to put his cards where they don't belong, but totally reasonable to expect everyone else to keep constant vigilance to make sure his cards don't end up in their decks. Victim blaming at its ugliest.

Haga gloats that Jonouchi had lost the game before it even started, and Jonouchi growls in response. Then, Haga throws up his arms in the elation of having both sides of their duel filled with insect monsters, asking if Jonouchi feels as great as he does. Jonouchi, of course, doesn't answer, because he's probably too upset at what's happening to him to even register Haga's justifications at this point. Man, this rape metaphor is more uncomfortable the longer it goes on.

Let's switch over to the support, shall we? Anzu is gritting her teeth and promising to never forgive that bug-eyed jerk for all his constant cheating, while Bakura states the obvious fact that all of Jonouchi's monsters will be bugs at this point. Why are you here, boy? Meanwhile, Sugoroku is just barely keeping all his freaking out beneath a sweating exterior façade, unwillingly coming to a realization.

Given the fact that he's gone to the lengths he has in order to ensure that literally all monsters on the field are insects...

Haga is yukking it up with his 4500 life points, daring Jonouchi to prepare for his "insect combo of doom" (yes, that is exactly what he calls it). Jonouchi makes a cringy pun about how Haga is "bugging" him now, and failing at being funny, he just tells Haga his glasses look stupid. This is sure to be a cerebral match.

Jonouchi announces it's his turn, and proceeds to do some serious reflecting on what's going on with his monsters. They're insects now, yes, but their attack and defense points are intact, so he reasons that he should be able to sacrifice them to summon a higher level monster. The thought is enough to bring back up his optimism a smidge, so he has the confidence to declare he's sacrificing his two four-star monsters on this turn. Jonouchi warns Haga to prepare himself for the appearance of Jinzo and...

Nothing happens. His insectified monsters just sit there. Jonouchi gapes, wondering what in the world could be going on to make him unable to sacrifice them. Haga's stupid grin is even bigger when he says it's too bad for Jonouchi, because he's unable to sacrifice a monster who has been infected, and that makes Jonouchi unable to summon a high-level monster. Jonouchi's heart hammers and he looks about ready to shit himself in disbelief. I don't know if people do that, but it certainly looks like he might. Haga sighs, seemingly tired of Jonouchi's intense expression here, and lets him know that he can still just call out a normal attack.

And because Jonouchi is as easily goaded as ever, he narrows his eyes and does what is suggested, rationalizing it as Haga asking for it. He sends off his Panther Warrior and Little Winguard to attack the grasshopper monster on the other side of the field at the same time, which of course perks that goofy grin back up on Haga's face when he shouts "too bad" for a second time. Jonouchi is confused once more before Haga reveals that face down card he laid, Insect Barrier.

Jonouchi is in more disbelief that this Mission Impossible grid of lasers deflected his monsters' attacks. Guess they're just not bendy enough to slip through them like in all those parodies.

Haga asks if Jonouchi has finally grasped the fact that his monsters are insects now and are affected by insect traps, or rather, if he's grasped that parasitic insects constitute more than fifty percent of his monsters' body mass. I don't know if Haga has the right to ask anyone if they've grasped anything if he himself hasn't grasped the fact that HOLOGRAMS DON'T HAVE MASS. Regardless, he's at least right about the fact that his permanent Insect Barrier will prevent him from being hit with attacks, and I'll let him have a cackle for that little victory. Gotta give him what he's due, at least.

Jonouchi's heart is hammering even more now as well get real close to his right eye. Sugoroku is hopeless that Jonouchi can win at this point, since Haga has appeared to shut down the whole of his opponent's deck. Anzu is beside him, completely oblivious to this, and calling out Jonouchi's name in desperate determination. Bakura gapes, acknowledging all the steps Haga has taken as genius, if a bit scary as well. And non-consensual, let's not forget.

Jonouchi himself is glaring at Haga until he squeezes his eyes shut, wondering what he can do if he can't attack. He descends into asking himself if it's all over, slouching his shoulders, something that Anzu is quick to notice. She looks quite displeased.

"What? What? No, I'm awake! I was just resting my eyes!"

Amidst a vision of his sister, Jonouchi knows that Anzu is right and he has to keep going. Out loud he twists to deny that he was ever considering giving up, saying that he was REALLY trying to think of a way out of this mess. She gives him a knowing smirk and tells him that's good, because she knows what's up. Jonouchi turns his glare back on Haga, reminding himself that he can't show Shizuka the future or give her courage if he closes his eyes.

He urges Haga to get his ass in gear, because it's his bug-ass's turn already. Haga's grin turns into a nasty sneer when he hears this, muttering a question about whether or not Jonouchi ever gives up. Since he's NOT giving up, though, Haga decides to slap a spell card on his Duel Disk, grinning in full force again. It's a card called Insecticide, and it's just what it says on the tin: a card that will get rid of one insect monster on the field, no matter how powerful. Jonouchi looks wary, so Haga assures him that the target won't be one of HIS monsters. Haga explains that when his Pinch Hopper is put in the graveyard, it allows him to draw an insect card from his hand. Jonouchi's wariness grows into uneasy anticipation when he trails a question about what that means.

Haga gestures to his hopper as the monster he'll destroy, which prompts a clawed hand from his Insecticide card to emerge with a can much like the one Haga himself used a couple of chapters ago and spray it at the Pinch Hopper's back. In collapses under the fumes and the hologram dissipates to head to the graveyard. Why do I feel bad for this thing? Haga eagerly picks a card from his hand, the highest level insect he's got, according to the special ability stipulations, no doubt. He holds it out, but face down so that no one can see what it is, and the drama intensifies. Ohhh, what's it gonna be?

A card that he slaps down and amazes everyone with, especially Sugoroku, who identifies it as that legendary card Haga was holding onto until this moment. Another extreme close-up on Jonouchi's wide right eye.

Okay, let's be real right now. That is super awesome.

Jonouchi's "What?" is more indignant than awed, though, which is fair. Haga ignores this and adds up all three of the insect monsters out to total 3400 points for the Insect Queen. Sugoroku's jaw is practically on the floor from the realization that what he already suspected as the real reason why Haga insectified every monster in play is reality. Yeah, I can hardly believe you're right about something too, Sugoroku.

A sweating Jonouchi braces himself for the inevitable, and it comes quickly. Haga orders the Insect Queen to attack with a firebomb-looking move he calls "Queen's Hell Breath." Bitchin'. It incinerates Little Winguard in little more than an instant, bringing down Jonouchi's life points by half as he groans, wisps of his disappearing hologram surrounding him. Haga informs him that this isn't all, since the Insect Queen lays an egg for every monster she defeats, ensuring a new insect will be born in its stead. The prospect that even more insects will be brought to the field when he's defeats distresses Jonouchi even more, but all he can do is watch a slime-covered egg descend to the field in front of Haga from the queen's thorax.

It doesn't waste time, either.

Anyone else throwing up in their mouth a little? Is that just me?

Haga intends to fill up the field with these guys, whom he calls "cuties", because they make fine soldiers for the queen despite their lack of defense and much offense. Mm-hm. Really kind of wishing I didn't have breakfast this morning. Yesiree. Jonouchi curses, knowing that if Haga gets any MORE insects, he won't have a chance. It's his turn, so he draws with gusto, but when he's looking at his new card, he doesn't appear to have much confidence left. In fact, he wonders just what it is he's thinking anyway, since he can't attack, and any new monster he plays will just turn into an insect and make the queen stronger.

He does the only thing he can think to do and plays a face down card, ending his turn immediately after. Sugoroku finally freaks on the outside, though, panicking as he reminds Jonouchi that he forgot to switch his remaining monsters into defense. This has Jonouchi even more wide-eyed and sweating now, as Haga shouts that it's too late, since he already ended his turn, and his monsters will remain in attack. Jonouchi is all but hyperventilating at this point, certain that this is by far the dumbest thing he's ever done. Are you SURE that leaping off the side of a ship after trading cards doesn't still qualify for that trophy, honey?

Haga, however, plays into Jonouchi's obvious insecurities here by calling him as green as his queen's little baby worms, in duelist terms anyway. Nice to know that Haga is leaving room for the possibility that Jonouchi might be really experienced and skilled at other things. Kicking peoples' asses, perhaps? He's lucky Jonouchi doesn't do much of that kind of thing anymore, to be honest.

With it all laid out and the points not looking at all in Jonouchi's favor, Haga asks if his opponent is ready. Jonouchi's only response is the sweat pouring down his face. Sugoroku is sweating up a storm too with the knowledge that if Haga attacks that Paracide card he forced Jonouchi to play, it will inflict 2900 points in damage and Jonouchi will lose. Haga, of course, wants to draw this shit out as long as possible, though, which is why he's planning on attacking Panther Warrior with his Insect Queen FIRST, and then attacking Paracide with his Insect Larva for 700 more points to win. I guess he doesn't believe our friend William Shakespeare when he says that brevity is the soul of wit.

What did that guy know anyway? This can't possibly backfire on Haga now! He calls out to his Queen of Arthropods (because he's super smart guys, did you know?) to issue his second to last ultimatum, pointing out the Panther Warrior for her to slaughter.

Damn Jonouchi, you have one HELL of a poker face!

Jonouchi explains that he knew Haga wouldn't attack Paracide until last, supposedly because it used to belong to him. I happen to think it's because he's an arrogant little shit who wanted to fuck with his opponent as much as possible. Either way, Jonouchi put his money, and his trap, on Haga attacking Panther Warrior first. Haga is somehow blown away and then devastated that Jonouchi managed to set a trap, leaving his monsters in attack on purpose in order to lure him into it. Jonouchi pushes up the tip of his nose to resemble a pig nose, which certainly makes this feat seem all the more impressive for someone who is has clearly never surpassed the mental age of five.

He throws out an arm and calls for his trap to activate, a trap called Magic Arm Shield. It's a mechanical claw arm that extends out to snag the Insect Larva from beneath the queen, setting it up in the line of her attack. Haga is horrified that it was not only stolen, but that the queen is being forced to incinerate her own young while it makes skittering protests and writhes in the air. Oh sweetie, if only you knew all the fucked up things real-life insects did to their young, this wouldn't seem so surprising.

Oh snap! That was a sick burn, yo!

Am I doing the young'un talk correctly?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Despite what I was expecting, this chapter did not seem as long or as drawn-out as some of the others have been. It rolls along at a leisurely pace, to be sure, but it doesn't DRAG, which is a little surprising coming from a chapter featuring an antagonist like Haga. I find him exceedingly boring, but I think KT did a good thing by not focusing too much on him and his thoughts. We stuck with Jonouchi and company for the most part, which I appreciate because I like the cards and moves of the villains to be mostly obscure. Knowing they have a plan, but not knowing it in its entirety is what helps keep the chapter flowing, and most of all, not redundant.

Another factor I think added to the flow of the chapter was the removal of excessive dwelling. A frustrating thing I've come to expect from Yu-Gi-Oh is several pages of filler where the characters have internal despair sessions that last way too long. Jonouchi's visible doubts only last for a page or so here though, and they are very short and to-the-point. There's no long-winded diatribe about how bereft of hope he is, or waxing poetic about how he can't give up. Less is more here, and it's one of those rare instances where KT is letting his art speak more than the speech bubbles he gives them. It's often more powerful and gets me invested a lot easier.

I'm not sure I buy that turn-around in the final few pages, though. Jonouchi was not only sweating and looking panicky on the outside, but he was also mentally beating himself up about not setting his monsters in defense before the end of his turn. Granted, this could be another instance of speech and thought bubbles being interchangeable, which would at least have had him speaking all that "this is the dumbest thing I've ever done" stuff aloud. Regardless, I find it a bit hard to believe that Jonouchi, a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve quite regularly, was able to pull off an act THAT BELIEVABLE.

If KT doesn't include some thought from Jonouchi in the next chapter indicating that he was able to PLAY IT OFF that it was his plan all along to leave the monsters in attack, even though it really had just been a mistake, I'm calling bullshit.

Inuyasha Manga: 109 Naraku's Castle

Talk about entitlement! I don't know how someone can be so ornery when he has a CASTLE, but Naraku manages to want Tessaiga too. Next he'll be demanding a hot tub and a private performance from DNCE. When does this toddler-like mentality that everything shiny he sees should be his end? Because he sure as hell didn't grow out of it. Seems like some people just aren't happy with what they've got, no matter how big and flashy what they've got is.

Pshaw. First world problems.

I don't recall you promising anything of the sort, Sango. All I remember is Naraku delivering an ultimatum and you getting understandably pissed about that.

And do you know who else is understandably pissed? Inuyasha, leaping after Sango and cursing her for being such a bitch. Kagome, who has grabbed a ride on his back, tells him to not be angry, because she's sure Sango has a reason for her behavior. Inuyasha snaps at her to cut that out, presumably because it's not unreasonable to be angry over something like this. Still, Miroku runs level with Inuyasha (does he not have youkai-ish speed?) and reminds him that Sango was probably blackmailed by Naraku, explaining that holding Kohaku's life in exchange for Tessaiga is exactly the kind of thing Naraku would do.

Inuyasha yells that he knows all this, and it feels like an unfinished joke, because the next panel shows Naraku telling Sango to halt in her approach to him. He orders to leave Hiraikotsu on the ground before she comes any closer, and she drops it, with a smarmy comment about how wary Naraku is. DUH, girl-who-just-stole-a-sword-from-her-supposed-ally. Duh.

Sango demands that Naraku show her Kohaku, whom she presumes fled to the compound a few moments ago. Naraku scoffs and assures her that Kohaku is waiting for her, as Kohaku appears silhouetted in the screen behind him. Kohaku is speechless, but Sango mumbles his name, sweating. Naraku holds out a hand, ordering her to give him Tessaiga, and Sango stretches the handle of the sword to her hated enemy. Very slowly. Then her eyes narrow.

If you ever come across anyone who says that a concealed firearm is the best and coolest way to keep oneself safe in public, just show them this panel and drop that mic.

Sango slices straight through that ape costume that conceals Naraku, as well as some locks of hair, because she keeps her knives SHARP, yo. Naraku is nothing but amused by Sango's hidden weapon, while Sango herself is quite alarmed by what she sees when the baboon fur falls away.

Hey... Haven't we met before?

Sango is quick to recognize the face of the Young Master of the castle that killed his weird spider-dad, and has the freaked wide-eyes to show it. Naraku points out that she must remember him, and Sango trembles with rage while she makes the connection. A little blood is at the corner of her mouth, and I'm not sure if she got injured before and I just didn't notice...? Anyway, Naraku lurches a bit as a swirling miasma grows behind him and Sango suddenly falls to her knees, to her alarm.

She looks down to find that some of the hair she cut off of Naraku is wrapped around her arm, and is pulling her to the ground. If Yura were alive right now, she would probably sue. Sango sweats while Naraku informs her that she is now unable to move, and he proceeds to chastise her for apparently thinking she could slay him all by herself. She curses the situation, until she sees Kirara slowly sneaking up behind Naraku as he's preoccupied with glaring at Sango. She glares too, with anticipation of Kirara's attack, at the last moment shouting at Kirara to kill that son of a bitch.

Kirara descends on Naraku, fangs and claws bared, but Naraku only seems mildly annoyed by this. He even grows a smile when Kirara's fangs sink into his shoulder, despite Sango's initial assumption that Kirara had gotten him good. Kirara, however, rears its head in pain, because this asshole tastes like poison, if I had to guess. The giant cat shrinks back to a little one again, screaming the entire way, and writhing on the ground in pain. Sango looks devastated as she screams Kirara's name, straining against the bonds of Naraku's rip-off-Yura hair.

Naraku smirks it up when he tells Sango not to be surprised, because his body is solidified miasma. He lets her know that her work is done here and he's letting her go, holding up Tessaiga, and she just glares at him while gripping her trapped arm. Naraku says the least he can offer her is some severance pay - by which I mean he offers to kill her by her own brother's hand. Sango narrows her eyes, looking somewhat confused in addition to her anger, at first.

Yet another thing Sango should not be surprised by.

We're back with Inuyasha and the rest of the crew when they run into a swarm of saimyoushou hanging around in the air. Miroku is alarmed by this, and Inuyasha continues to look pissed. Kagome hesitantly suggests that this means Naraku is nearby, maybe... and then the insects start drifting away from the group, one of them hanging out to take a significant look back at them. Miroku surmises that this means they're "inviting" them along, and Kagome puts it out there that this invitation is perhaps a trap.

Inuyasha scoffs and calls this all very interesting, cursing Naraku for his very likely intention of trying to kill them ALL off. Miroku holds up his cursed fist, realizing that the current injury to it makes it very convenient for Naraku that he can't use it. Inuyasha adds that Naraku had Tessaiga stolen, leaving him unarmed. As he stares at the beckoning saimyoushou, he also acknowledges Naraku's precise use of Sango in the situation, because everyone knows the exploitation of someone's emotional attachments takes a lot of dexterity.

Oh, he means Naraku's TIMING! Of course! I knew that.

Back to Sango again!

That's gotta sting. But she forces herself back up to a kneeling position so she can twist and glare at her brother, growling at him to wake up already. An exasperated-looking Naraku tells her it's hopeless and her voice won't reach Kohaku. Just to punctuate this point, Kohaku's sickle comes flying at her to slice her RIGHT shoulder this time. At least she's symmetrical now.

Naraku dispassionately tells Kohaku to stab his sister to death, and Kohaku approaches Sango to do the job, expressionless. She says his name, but Kohaku just raises his sickle to prepare for a strike. So, Sango screams his name, as if the problem was that he didn't hear her. Then she does a dumb:

Kohaku is all kinds of confused here. "You can use arms for something OTHER than wielding a weapon??"

Sweating, Sango urges Kohaku to remember her, and Kohaku appears seriously uncomfortable here. He turns his head to give Naraku a look, who glares and asks why Kohaku hesitates. What? You're surprised that the kid is thrown off-balance by human contact when you've brainwashed him so thoroughly that he doesn't even understand what it is anymore?

Behind Sango, someone shouts her name, and it will come as no surprise to anyone (save Sango herself) that Inuyasha and crew have arrived. Looking suitably distressed by the scene they walked in on, of course. Sango turns her trembling head and says Inuyasha's name as her grip loosens on Kohaku and she slides a bit, before collapsing into a pool of her own blood at Kohaku's feet. He just looks at her blankly.

Kagome's eyes fill with tears at the cruelty of it all, while Miroku states the obvious fact that Kohaku was forced to inflict all those wounds. I guess Shippou has the day off from playing Captain Obvious today. They must be on a rotation. Meanwhile, Inuyasha looks PISSED, growling and glaring at Naraku, calling him a bastard and all that jazz. Naraku just chuckles about what fools they were to come around even though they knew it was a trap.

OOOH, let me! I've always wanted to take up taxidermy! Of course, Naraku might find it a bit painful the way I do it...

Sorry, Pa.

Inuyasha takes a swipe at Naraku between the incoming locks of hair, but he misses, unable to even hit something that's shooting its own hair straight at him. Actually, Naraku has disappeared so that Inuyasha's claws just rip off the edge of the porch he was resting on before, and Inuyasha realizes with some bitterness that Naraku's fled.

The hair Naraku shot out of his head earlier responds to that assumption in the negative. Naraku's voice emanates from the hair, saying he would never just run when he has Inuyasha and company right where he wants them. The wriggling hair then turns into snakes, because he's not satisfied ripping off just Yura, but ancient Greek gorgons as well. Naraku's snakes aren't skilled enough to turn people to stone, but they do launch themselves at Inuyasha, though, so that's something.

At least it is until Inuyasha makes quick work of them with one swipe of his claws, asking sarcastically if that's all Naraku's got. His sarcasm turns to shock when the gooey remains of the snakes fall to the ground, sizzling, along with some burn wounds on his forearm. He groans about the miasma.

Damn, Naraku shed quite a bit of strands for this setup. Did he book it because he's bald now?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I again find myself annoyed by the constant whiplash I'm getting from switching back and forth between the separated parts of the group. This is RT's one weakness, and I know it doesn't really get better at any point, so I can't really hope like I can with my other review project. I just wish that these jumps between Sango and the rest of the group would be rearranged into just a couple instead of having one every couple of pages. Granted, this chapter was not as bad as it could have been, but it was still pretty jarring.

That said, I do like how methodical Naraku's handicapping of almost the whole team was. I take back my snide remarks about him not going exclusively for the dude who is already injured right now; he didn't overlook Miroku, just brought everyone else down to a similar level of disarmament. In very diverse ways as well, which is kind of brilliant. He really knows where to hit 'em where it hurts, where their strengths AND weaknesses are, and that's what makes his genius shine.

It's also a testament to RT's continued demonstration of HIGH skill in characterization when she can make strengths and weaknesses intertwine so beautifully, almost seamlessly in places. She made Inuyasha a little too reliant on Tessaiga to fight, so she USED that as a plot point. She made Miroku's Kazaana a bit overpowered, so limits its use in a creative way. She made Sango's skill in exterminating unusable when faced with the reflection of it in her brainwashed brother. I've seen writers trip over lesser obstacles in their character and plot development, but RT seems to just go with the flow so easily. Color me green, lady.

As thoroughly as she had Naraku prepare his pieces in this chess game, however, she's also left a very obvious hole in his vision. Kagome has no handicap right now. There's no way Naraku forgot about Kagome, given how closely she resembles Kikyou and his alarm at discovering this. And it's doubtful he would assume she's weak and nonthreatening, for exactly the same reason. He should be wary of Kagome having comparable powers to Kikyou if she also has her looks, more than ANYONE else. What's the deal with that?

Did he just have the rest of the pieces in place and figure this was going to have to do regardless of knowing nothing about Kagome's weaknesses? Sloppy, sloppy...

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 167 Infected!

Not according to the doctor I had a visit with yesterday. Despite the strange waterlogged feeling and sound in my right ear for the past couple of days, he said it looked somewhat pink, but altogether NOT infected. Not that I'm not happy I haven't got a miserable ear infection, because I'm pretty stoked about that bit. I'm just a little sour that my dumb body wastes my time by tricking me into thinking there's something wrong with it, and subsequently spending an hour waiting to be told that it's just trolling me.

Jerk-ass body...

And speaking of jerk-asses that like to troll people, Haga yucks it up about how it's been a long time since he last saw Jonouchi in Duelist Kingdom. Jonouchi stares with some apprehension, knowing that even if Yami managed to beat Haga in the first duel at the Kingdom, there's no denying that Haga used to be Japan's champion at Duel Monsters. Anzu says that Jonouchi shouldn't even give Haga the time of day, not least of all because Haga threw Exodia into the ocean on the way to Duelist Kingdom. She is 100% correct, and as all correct women are, she is promptly laughed at by the guy she is discrediting as he expresses his gratitude that a girl so cute remembers him.

#HerToo. Fuck you, Haga.

Jonouchi guesses that the bug freak is only here for one reason, and it's not catching flies. Haga says that Jonouchi is smarter than he looks, pointing and grinning as he challenges Jonouchi to a duel right here and now, unless Jonouchi is afraid of course. He had heard that Jonouchi went pretty far in Duelist Kingdom, but Haga is convinced that Jonouchi is only as powerful as a locust's fart up against him. Two things: 1. that simile was painful, and 2. Jonouchi getting into the finals of a tournament you couldn't even get through your first duel in is a pretty good indication that your assessment should be flipped. But facts are beyond the delusional, and Haga is convinced he'll crush Jonouchi, and then Yami afterward. Suuuuuuuuuure. Whatever you say...

Bakura asks Jonouchi if he's going to fight Haga, and when Jonouchi shouts an affirmative, I have the brief hope that he means with his fists rather than cards. But hey, at least I know fantasy from truth and am quickly able to realign myself with the reality that this manga is still all about cards. Anyway, Jonouchi says that it's karma for Haga to meet back up with him to get his ass beat, because he goes around stealing cards from kids. Haga is beyond amused that Jonouchi actually believes such a story from the squirt he told to con him. Yeah, so idiotic to think that you would steal a kid's cards, Haga. No, you just hire them for jobs for which you never issue the promised payment and spray them in the face with poison.

Haga pictures the Parasite Paracide he knows is in Jonouchi's deck now and wishes for Jonouchi to consider it a gift. There's some part of me that really likes the impossible idea that this is some weird self-awareness on Haga's part that his plan will inevitably backfire because that's what always happens in duels involving Yami and his posse. That part of me really wants to write a fanfiction about the personal hell these villains endure knowing that no matter what they do to win, it will turn out to work in their opponent's favor instead. Would anyone read that?

Jonouchi is raring to go while Haga laughs, but Anzu warns him that Haga is obviously up to something, saying that she doesn't like that strange chuckle Haga has going. Jonouchi tells her that a true duelist doesn't run away from anybody, because that's what cowards do. Or it's what people who have critical thinking skills do when they see no point in giving a piece of garbage any satisfaction of acknowledgement. That too. He says he's dueling for the courage he wants to give Shizuka in this match too, which... well, we've already talked about why that's a load of horse shit.

The guy paid for her operation and she seems surprised he even exists...

Honda explains to her that Jonouchi is at a card game tournament in Domino City right now, fighting to give her courage. She hangs her head, thinking about Jonouchi fighting for her in disbelief. AGAIN, he paid for her operation, so I don't see what's so shocking about this.

Meanwhile, Ryuji is confused and wants Honda to explain to him how Jonouchi's personal accomplishments in a tournament are supposed to help SHIZUKA feel stronger too. After all, if she's going to learn to be brave, she has to do this herself, right? I'm in agreement with Ryuji here, but Honda thinks that he and I just don't get it, man. Honda insists that people sometimes have to help each other out, and not only CAN people get courage from others, it's the ONLY way. Leave the sermons to the pastors, won't you, Honda?

Ryuji scoffs, crossing his arms defensively as he mumbles internally that this is what he came here to find out. However Shizuka is on his side. She says that she's the only one who can decide to be brave, but she's scared. Shizuka trembles when she admits she's afraid that the bandages will come off and everything will still be dark, so she'll never get to see her brother again. She sobs softly as a reaction to her pessimistic thought, while both the strange boys look on awkwardly, Ryuji scratching his temple.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Honda whips out some clothes he brought with him, having packed the hand-me-downs from his sister just in case Shizuka didn't have a change of clothes on hand. He flaps them, saying that he's not sure if they'll look good, considering they're a bit loud. Shizuka keeps her head bowed, so Honda gets serious again, inviting her to go see her brother with him again. He tells her that she doesn't have to take off the bandage if she's not comfortable, because he and Ryuji will be her eyes for the trip.

Shizuka puts on a politely surprised expression (judging by the exclamation point above her head, since we can't see her eyes, obvi). Honda wants to let her know about one more thing, regarding an amendment to the statement that Jonouchi was fighting for her.

Okay, I can tell we're going to have a problem with this girl's expressions all looking the same until she finally shows us her eyes.

Ryuji suggests they get going, and a single tear escapes the underside of Shizuka's bandage as she mumbles that she wants to see her brother. Then she loses her shit altogether and screams that she wants to see Jonouchi. Calm your shit, child. Honda begins to help Shizuka to her feet, telling her that the train leaves soon and they need to hurry, while Ryuji knocks on the door to request the nurse get Shizuka's clothes for her. Honda encourages Shikuka one more time to get going with them.

And this whole time I'm wondering how old Shizuka is, and why she would be allowed to be checked out of a hospital by two teenage boys with no family ties. Is this a Japan thing or a KT-Doesn't-Think-These-Things-Through thing?

The next panels show decks being inserted into Duel Disks, and it's no secret who's getting ready for an overly complicated game aided by overly complicated machinery. Haga suggests he and Jonouchi bet TWO puzzle cards in addition to their one rare card, which Jonouchi is down with. Of course, the fact that he's out of the tournament if he loses both his puzzle cards in this duel is not lost on him. But, no time to dwell on that when there's glaring to be done so the comic can make clear who's dueling whom here! And then the start of the duel is called.

Bakura warns Jonouchi not to let down his guard and Anzu just tells him to beat the beetle-face. Sugoroku has his analytical face on when he considers the fact that even in knowing Haga has an insect deck, there are a ton of different strategies he could use. Jonouchi declares he gets to go first and asks if Haga is ready before slapping his Panther Warrior card from his hand onto his Duel Disk. He characterizes it as a super tough four-star monster that won't lose to any bug. Haga retains his smug grin and chuckle.

Haga puts a card face down, which Jonouchi hates because he can never know if it's a spell or trap or something equally nefarious, I'm sure. Then Haga summons a monster called Skull-Mark Ladybug in defense, which is just what it says on the tin: a ladybug with a skull-shaped mark on its back. Jonouchi is NOT impressed, mocking Haga for always choosing bugs for his monsters and asking if he EVER tries anything else. Haga isn't the least bit ashamed, though, thinking that once Jonouchi gets a taste of this super insect strategy, he'll have to boast through six feet of earth. And given the track record of characters literally trying to kill others, I'm not counting on that being hyperbole.

Jonouchi plays another monster, Little Winguard, with little wings everywhere from its oversized hat hiding its face to its boots. It also has four stars, which is the first thing Haga notices about it, and assumes this indicates Jonouchi's intention to summon a higher level monster on his next turn. At least for a moment, his grin turns into a grimace and his eyes narrow. Jonouchi moves into his battle phase by making his Panther Warrior leap forward and cut the Skull-Mark Ladybug cleanly in half. This has Anzu and Bakura cheering for Jonouchi, but Sugoroku shoots that shit down immediately.

Jonouchi is in angry disbelief that Haga gained MORE life from the death of his ladybug, silently chastising himself for not reading the fine print. Are you ABLE to read the opponent's cards in the hologram version of this game? Because I've always just assumed that those overlaid card pictures on the panels were for audience benefit and not actually visible to players.

I wouldn't beat yourself up, though, Jonouchi. We can't ALL be card-catalogues like Sugoroku. A state of being that creates a long monologue in his head, by the way. He thinks about how four-star bugs don't generally have a lot of attack points, but special abilities to make up for that, working well in combos. Sugoroku mentally warns Jonouchi to watch it if he don't want to get his ass beat.

Haga summons a new monster, the Pinch Hopper, again in defense. He encourages Jonouchi to come at him bro and make his day and similar stuff, all with his smug grin back in place. Sugoroku knows that even if Jonouchi kills the Pinch Hopper, Haga will have a replacement for it in no time. I guess that's the benefit to working with insects, being so numerous and all. Jonouchi is already irritated about what a pest Haga is, but finds consolation in the fact that he can summon a high-level monster by sacrificing the two he has on this turn. Yes, that will work so well in eliminating your current problem - the fact that the special abilities of Haga's deceased monsters keep giving him benefits in the game.

But Jonouchi isn't wrong that the Jinzo in his hand will give him immunity to Haga's future traps, and has high attack points as well. He draws exuberantly on his announcement that it's his turn and his eyes nearly pop out of his skull at the face of his new card.

Follow-up question: what are those tentacles doing to that guy's FACE? I'm starting to regret taking a closer look at that card than I did before...

Jonouchi recoils from the unfamiliar card that is obviously not his, wondering what it could possibly be doing in his deck. Haga giggles, judging by Jonouchi's look of disgust and confusion that he drew the foreign card. What gets Haga even more grin-y than ever before is the fact that apparently you're forced to play the card when it's drawn, no questions asked. So, a hologram is automatically forming of the card despite how the Duel Disk shouldn't have the capacity to read it if it's not touching the device. Jonouchi stares in alarm, and then horror when the tendrils from the two dimensional image start wriggling out into three dimensions. Haga's eyes bug in his anticipation at seeing those tentacles make Jonouchi's monsters their hosts, which it wastes no time in doing, shooting toward each while they look on with fear. Jonouchi is unclear what this frightening business is, but Sugoroku knows exactly what the parasite card is doing. A tentacle rises from the depths of Panther Warriors agape maw with cracks and growls.

As Kim Possible once said, it's a vivid image. But hey, don't take our word for it.

Gross.

Jonouchi observes how nasty his monsters have become and Haga responds that as long as he has a parasite card out there, Jonouchi's monsters will be infected with them. While Jonouchi's eyes widen in shock, a clueless Bakura says he just doesn't understand why Jonouchi would put a card like that in his deck. Anzu responds with the "duh" statement of the reality that it isn't anything Jonouchi put there. Is Bakura going to pull his head out of his ass anytime soon?

Sugoroku now realizes that he was right about that squirt, and Jonouchi accuses Haga the creep of doing this to his deck. Haga mocks Jonouchi for coming to this conclusion way too late, and brags that a brilliant strategist starts strategizing long before the battle. Yeah, that's not so much STRATEGIZING as it is a MILITARY OCCUPATION AND INVASION. Just ask Poland in 1939.

Haga continues to shoot off his mouth, claiming his deck has the ultimate power over insects and he can make them do whatever he wants. Sounding a bit rapey today, Haga. Because of the parasite possession of Jonouchi's monsters, the game considers them insects as well, and after asking Jonouchi if he understands this, Haga says that there's no way he can win. Jonouchi's heart pounds and his teeth grind.

Should have just flipped Haga off and walked away, dude.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I think KT realized really fast his mistake in centering Jonouchi's motivation on Shizuka again, and is attempting to hang a lampshade on that here. He's essentially presenting us with an answer to the question we never asked about the situation: "Is it possible to get courage from others?" versus "Is this motivational problem a bit backwards?"

And yet, strangely, it works. He's essentially given us a new way of looking at the potential value of Jonouchi's motivational attachment to his sister's condition. I don't think it works strongly, and can be a little fragile as a concept, but it does provide at least a little value to the situation. Whether or not one can draw strength from others is a worthwhile question that is oft debated with many a meme online. You've got the Ryuji view of the only one who can be responsible and in charge or your emotions is you, and the Honda view that deriving strength from others is the only way to go. It might be really interesting to see Shizuka stuck between the two viewpoints and trying to reconcile them. If KT is willing to let her be at least a little active, anyway.

I have little hope for what Haga is pulling in this arc, though. I don't see how a "parasite card" like his could even work in the game, let alone the Duel Disk. Yes, I did just propose the hypothesis that the Duel Disk is tapping into that ancient magic that allows the ACTUAL monsters to be summoned, but Kaiba and the producers of the cards don't know that. How could they create something that would force the player to use it when they could just as easily take advantage of the distance in the duel the machine affords and not even bother?

How could someone think a card like that would be useful in a game like this to begin with? I suppose if one wants to turn all their non-insect cards into insects this would be helpful, but then why not just get insect cards to begin with and skip a step? And the compulsory nature of the card kind of suggests that the person playing it wouldn't want to, so it stands to reason that the developers of this card WANTED the card to be inserted into an opponent's deck without their knowledge. It's like rohypnol for card games.

That's seriously fucked up.

Inuyasha Manga: 108 Sango's Betrayal

Wow, that was quick enough to make my head spin. There's usually a longer waiting period for these kinds of betrayals that were bound to happen eventually. I guess Kohaku's critical condition helped Sango's betrayal jump to the top of the list, though. Strange, I don't remember the life-saving personality transplant happening until MUCH later in the story.

"C'mon girl, gimme the deets." You've been hanging with the gossiping Kagome WAY to much, Inuyasha.

Sango remembers Naraku's command to steal Tessaiga if she wanted her brother back, and haltingly tell Inuyasha that nothing happened. Besides, she reminds him that she already said her brother wasn't capable of the cruel slaughter they had seen the aftermath of earlier, so whoever that was, it was no longer Kohaku. She glares at her lap while she makes this assertion, so Inuyasha retorts with a question as to whether she really thinks it's that simple. Sango's glare turns back on him while she sweats, and Kagome's seemingly sleeping form is a bit TOO quiet for the panel not to take note of it.

Inuyasha asserts that no matter how much Kohaku may have changed, he's still Sango's brother, even if it means that Sango answers with more glare than ever. He's looking at his lap now when he says that Kohaku shouldn't be able to forget or hate Sango so easily. Kagome is awake after all, opening her eyes a crack so she can look out of her periphery in Inuyasha's direction. Sango asks Inuyasha sharply what the hell he would know about it, but Inuyasha remains speechless, looking a little sad this time around. Kagome is only too aware to whom Inuyasha is referring: that undead priestess who shares her likeness.

Suddenly, Miroku says Inuyasha's name, opening his eyes a bit to warn him not to be careless, since they're surrounded and all. Were ALL of these fuckers awake this whole time??? Sango AND Inuyasha seem surprised by the fact that they're surrounded, despite the fact that Inuyasha's nose should have been on top of that shit. I guess part of his weakness as a hanyou is that his dog-nose only works when it's convenient to the plot. Whatever.

Kohaku is standing stiffly a few yards from the entrance to the hut.

This is your fault, Inuyasha.

You're bad.

Of course, once the youkai behind Kohaku see the main group poke their heads out of the hut, they immediately rush for the door. Inuyasha and Miroku steel themselves for a fight, while Sango gets all shocked all over again by the appearance of Kohaku. The youkai shout for Inuyasha and company to be murdered, but Inuyasha whips out Tessaiga with a curse, bringing it down on a head or two as he tells those wimps to get lost.

Don't you call Kohaku's bros wimps. He'll come after you.

Kohaku swings his sickle down on Inuyasha's blade with what looks like all his effort from the look of those gritted teeth. Inuyasha scoffs at the level of strength in it, however, and grabs hold of the chain to snap like a whip, sending Kohaku flying backwards. He advises Kohaku not to challenge him with that weak shit. He does NOT play.

Sango and Kagome gape, the former looking somewhat more appalled and the latter telling Inuyasha not to go killing Kohaku. Inuyasha yells back that he knows, MOM, and as Kohaku lands catlike on the balls of his feet, vows to grab him and wake him up instead. Inuyasha's habit of thinking that all problems can be solved with a good beating aside, this is not looking like it would go well if it were to actually happen. Kohaku is looking WAAAAY too defiant for that.

Yeeeeeaaaaah, I'm pretty sure if stabbing himself in the shoulder didn't wake him up, your fists aren't going to make much of a difference either, Inuyasha.

Sango shouts Kohaku's name in question while Kagome recoils and the Shippou perched on her shoulder gasps that Kohaku injured himself. Wonderful observation, Shippou. You are an invaluable member of this team.

Because Kohaku is clearly the kind of dude who likes to gross people out, he sticks his undoubtedly dirty finger into the wound he just created. The sound effects are even specifying how the digits are sinking in, and I'm a little queasy at the moment. Kagome's constitution is a bit more sound, though, and she lets everyone know in a panic what she can see are Kohaku's true intentions: he's reaching for the Shikon shard in his back so he can pull it out. Sango freezes in horror and alarm, her mind immediately jumping to what Naraku told her about how Kohaku's life is tied to that fragment in his body and how he'll die if it's removed.

Hiraikotsu goes spiraling into the scene, but doesn't go for an enemy. Instead, it knocks Tessaiga out of Inuyasha's hand, startling him. He glares back and shouts Sango's name, as Tessaiga is caught up in the boomerang's momentum and carried toward her, its transformation melting away. Its point sticks in the ground just a short distance in front of her while she catches Hiraikotsu. Kagome and Miroku call to Sango but make no moves to head over to her, only staring. For a moment, Kohaku just stares as well, a pained snarl still lingering on his sweating face.

He stands in a swift movement, one of his accompanying flying snake youkai slipping under him to carry him off. Kohaku stares down at Sango as he flies away, wordless. Sango stares back, wondering if this is a test to see if she takes Tessaiga herself. When she looks back at her eye level, she and Inuyasha face one another, and Tessaiga stands in the dirt between them. Instead of his usual cocky self, Inuyasha is wide-eyed and sweaty, leaving a sentence to Sango trailing and unfinished. She glowers at him, calls to Kirara, and grabs hold of Tessaiga, all while her new friends stare in utter disbelief.

"This seems like a sound decision. I can't see how I would EVER come to regret it."

Inuyasha is back to his old glare-y self when he jumps to follow Sango, asking what she's doing. All she can hear are her thoughts asking if this is the only way. Miroku prompts Kagome to join him in running after their rogue friend as well, and she stutters in agreement. All the while, Sango is determined to restore her brother to normal, no matter what it takes. That much is already clear, sweetie.

A whoosh of air later...

Hey, haven't we been here before?

It only takes Sango a moment or two to realize that this castle is the place where her father and the rest of their exterminating team were killed. Time to torch that place with your magical fire cat! Actually, not quite. Sango lands first and yells at Naraku to show himself. Of course, she needn't have been so loud about it.

I don't think your vision board is nearly big enough to make all this THAT easy, Naraku.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Let me just address the elephant in the room first and admit that YES, I deliberately left out the images of Kohaku digging his fingers into his wound and all that. I almost left out the image of him hurting himself at all because there's something about it that struck me more than most other images I've shown here. Usually, when someone gets hurt, it's not a deliberate action that they themselves take. Even if it is, it's for reasons other than forcing another character to do something they wouldn't normally do, or establishing a sick power-dynamic. The fact that Kohaku is a child and has been brainwashed into self-harm just compounds the immediate disgust I feel.

Which is, ultimately, what those images are supposed to accomplish. I want there to be no mistake here; I think the chapter is important and powerful. As awful as it is to see what will become one of my favorite characters self-mutilate as a warning to his sister, it's happening for a reason. It's not shock-value and it's not gritty realism in a vain attempt to be edgy. It's depicting an impossible and terrible situation in which each character (the conscious ones, anyway) has to evaluate and second-guess every single step they take.

Sango's struggle is the easiest to identify, as she can't know one way or another if stealing Tessaiga and giving into Naraku's demands is going to pay off. The only thing she knows is that Naraku has made Kohaku's life such an unsure matter that she can't be sure in NOT delivering on Naraku's terms.

Inuyasha's struggle has been somewhat understated, though. He knows very well what Sango is going through, even if Sango hasn't been around long enough to have picked up on the details. He's seen someone he loves brought back to life at the behest of someone who wanted to use that person for their own selfish ends. At the beginning of the chapter, he seems a bit eager to talk to Sango about this similarity, and the clear empathy he's expressing by holding back in being his regular violent self. He even looks especially hurt for a panel or two by how quickly Sango ran over his comradery in order to steal his sword.

I don't want to say for SURE that it's because he's desperate to talk to someone who is going through the same crap as him and needs Sango's shoulder as much as he believes she needs his, but... I'm leaning in that direction.

Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 166 Eyes that See the Future

More psychic characters? Listen, real or fake, I think the whole psychic bit is wearing a bit thin by this point. Can't we just be happy with the non-psychic and barely psychic characters that we already have instead of getting a new one every five seconds? I know we live in a consumer society that encourages us to throw away everything we own when it's not working perfectly anymore, but seriously, CHARACTERS should be honed and perfected rather than just replaced.

After all,

If this garbage tournament isn't being sold for scrap, then we should probably be giving the characters in it more of a chance too.

According to comic, about three hours have passed since the start of said tournament. Someone is shouting, asking if somebody else has found "them" yet. The next panel reveals the shouter as Anzu, fists on hips, while Bakura and Sugroku converge on her location and admit that they found nothing. Consternated, Anzu wonders aloud where they could be, mumbling that Yuugi should get a cell phone. Hey, take it up with his grandfather; that guy is clearly the one doing the monetary support in that home. All Yuugi's mother ever did was brandish ladles.

Bakura shades his eyes, still looking around, but also warning that it could take a while to find someone in the large city. Sugoroku whines that he wants to take a break. Scratch that suggestion to take the cell phone suggestion to him, Anzu. Not sure he's up for the responsibility of a cell phone plan.

Anzu suddenly turns to Bakura and starts chewing him out for having to wait on him for half an hour. Bakura apologizes with a sheepish smile, admitting that he stayed up all night writing his new tabletop campaign. Just watch out for that upside down and the Demogorgon, kiddo. #StrangerThingsFTW.

Anzu continues to grind her teeth, now over Honda going on some sort of trip, imagining him waving cheekily over his shoulder with a bag slung over his back. Deep down she's worried that everyone is kind of drifting apart these days. Bakura gives her a reassuring smile and tells her not to worry, because no matter where Yuugi is, he's doing fine because he's the literal best at this game. Or, at least half of him is.

This does nothing to quell Anzu's determination and she insists that they keep looking, against Sugoroku's continued pleas that they stop and rest for a moment. They keep walking around at her behest, Bakura amazed at how many people there are dueling everywhere. He happens to look over and see a crowd that draws his curiosity. It's a group of people marveling at someone shadowed in the foreground, who according to them, has been in the exact same spot since the previous day and hasn't done so much as taken a bite or drink of anything. Someone says this has to be some sort of record as Bakura sidles up to the crowd, trying to see what they're all looking at. When he finally does, he seems rather smiley about it, and Sugoroku has joined him with a reluctantly impressed face.

Woah. I'm not one to judge by appearances normally, but he looks like the human embodiment of a Mr. Meeseeks's attitude.

Sugoroku supposes that this mime is doing that trapped-in-a-glass-case routine, and for some reason, this seems to make Bakura think that he has license to get all up in the mime's face. Dude, that is the HEIGHT of rude to a street performer. You best BACK UP. Bakura does the opposite, shouting at the mime's stone face for his attention. EXCUSE YOU, BAKURA.

This freaking child. Can't take him anywhere, I swear...

But because this mime is a true professional at the height of his career (I assume), he doesn't so much as twitch. Bakura frowns, thinking that he can't feel any life from the guy at all, as if he's some sort of doll rather than a person. I'm sure that doesn't have anything whatsoever to do with the warning Yuugi got from Marik in the last chapter.

Anzu barks that this guy isn't a duelist, so they should just go. Bakura reluctantly follows, even though he clearly has a connection with the lifeless mime guy. The clock in the center of the plaza chimes noon, which prompts Sugoroku to whine some more about how he's starting to get hungry. He suggests to Anzu that they go get lunch, and this gives her an epiphany about where Jonouchi is.

Cut to the entrance to a restaurant called "Beef Buster". No lie. I don't know if this is an accurate translation or if it's just a joke name the translators came up with, but I am struggling not to laugh in front of my coworkers right now.

Could it have been the gigantic piece of card game machinery attached to his arm that gave him away? He of course adopts the smuggest of expressions when he announces that the guy behind the counter is correct. Not sure how he does all this while he's stuffing his face, but you know, he's talented like that. Jonouchi claims you can't draw cards on an empty stomach, and even a warrior needs a break. I wouldn't doubt that he needs to eat if he wasn't being so insistent.

But the guy behind the counter is only too happy to have Jonouchi as a customer, regardless of how confusing his need to provide excuses for EATING. He tells Jonouchi to eat the restaurant's beef with his blessing, and gives him a side of pickles for free. Aww! How nice! Jonouchi's exuberant nomming isn't being so nice to his neighbor at the counter, though. He keeps smacking the guy with his Duel Disk, like a sharp elbow to he face. Finally, Jonouchi's neighbor demands that he take the Duel Disk off his arm, because it's in the way. Jonouchi is immediately annoyed by this, threateningly leaning over his neighbor to ask him what he's talking about, declare that the Duel Disk is part of his arm, and say that the guy may as well cut his whole arm off while he's at it.

And they say GIRLS are overly dramatic.

Jonouchi's neighbor is pretty disturbed by this behavior, and the guy behind the counter tells Jonouchi to stop bothering his other customers, significantly less jovial now. Jonouchi reluctantly says he'll knock it off if his server says so, and then turns to his neighbor again to let him know that he's only forgiving him because the dude behind the counter gave him free pickles. I don't think HE'S the one in need of forgiveness here, but I've been considered rude for merely EXISTING before, so maybe I'm not the best judge of the intricacies of manners.

Jonouchi slips his Duel Disk off his arm and sets it on a table behind him before leaning back into his food. At the same time, a shifty-looking squirt is walking by between Jonouchi and the table, sweatdropping as he does so. Jonouchi notices this while he's taking a sip from his hot drink, just in time to see the shifty squirt snatch up his Duel Disk and make a dash for the door. Jonouchi spits his drink right in his neighbor's face, ever the gentleman he is, calling the kid a punk for stealing his equipment. He's about to go after the thief when the guy behind the counter reminds him that he hasn't paid yet. He slaps a coin on the counter with a curse before running out the door, shouting at the squirt to get back there. Across the street, Anzu is there to recognize Jonouchi as he chases a kid down the road like a maniac.

He reaches out and grabs the squirt by the collar.

Said little jerk is hunched on the a park bench in the next panel, telling Jonouchi that he's sorry and he'll never do it again, and asking that Jonouchi not hurt him. Jonouchi reattaches his Duel Disk to his arm, questioning why the squirt tried to steal it in the first place. The squirt explains that he was upset because he was in the tournament today too, but he lost to someone very good in his first duel. Sorry kid, but it has to happen to SOMEONE. That's kind of how tournaments work. How this tournament DOESN'T work, however, is the winner taking the loser's Duel Disk as well as all his cards, which is what the squirt says happened to him.

Jonouchi is flabbergasted by this while Anzu clarifies that the squirt took Jonouchi's Duel Disk in order to challenge the kid he lost to before. The squirt confirms this was exactly his logic, and he was going to give back Jonouchi's Duel Disk once he won back his own. Sugoroku hums and strokes his chin, doubting the story that this kid is a tournament-ranked duelist. Jonouchi tells the squirt that his plan would never have worked, because a duelist's deck is made from the soul of the guy who built it. He insists that only that person can bring out its true power, and the squirt would have lost even if he had used Jonouchi's deck. Jonouchi assures him that his problems are over, though, because HE'LL go up against the scoundrel that stole the squirt's deck!

Anzu looks skeptical when she asks Jonouchi if he's sure, and Bakura suggests he wait and see how good the guy is before he challenges him. Jonouchi ain't hearing it, determined not to let the guy get away with it. He hates guys who steal cards from weaker players, after all. Guessing that doesn't apply to puzzle pieces...

The squirt asks if Jonouchi will really beat this mysterious duelist for him, and Jonouchi promises to waste him. The squirt says he's going to go get the dude for Jonouchi to pummel then, and runs off. When he's gone, Sugoroku advises Jonouchi to check his deck, because the squirt may have stolen some of his cards. Jonouchi seems pretty upset by the implication that he was tricked, which makes Sugoroku stutter out a little of a backtrack, saying that he only meant to be on the safe side of things. Glaring off into the distance, Jonouchi mutters that everyone is so cynical these days, which receives a few gapes in response. He tells his friends and honorary grandfather that they've just got to have faith. When Bakura says his name with an unreadable expression, Jonouchi asks what they can trust if they can't trust people.

Boy, do I have an answer for YOU, coming from the dystopian hell-hole I do these days! What a time to be alive!

Anyway, Jonouchi rambles a bit about how he has faith in his future, and is going to continue fighting in the tournament to end up in the same place as Yami. Anzu appears amazed at his words, somehow. He's not paying any attention, still expositing on his plans to duel Yami, though he's not concerned with whether he wins or loses, because either way he can hold his head high as a duelist. He says that if he can carve out that future for himself, then perhaps he can show HER a future as well. I was confused by this, but Anzu is on top of her friend-code and deduces right away that Jonouchi is talking about his sister Shizuka. She asks him how Shizuka is and if she's recovered from that surgery Yami gave him the money for, and receives the worst of news.

WHAT??? Are you fucking for REAL right now, bro????

After a panel of speechless shock between her, Sugoroku and Bakura, Anzu has pretty much the same reaction as I did, recalling with some distress that Jonouchi told his friends that the surgery was successful. Jonouchi says that there weren't any complications or anything, but she's resting at a hospital near his mom's place and doesn't have the courage to take off the bandage. Anzu and the others are speechless once more, during which time Anzu hangs her head as she realizes Jonouchi entered Battle City for his sister.

Wow. It's deja vu all over again.

Jonouchi happily announces that if he can win the tournament, he's going to go see his sister and show her the face of a guy who won his future, along with courage. Anzu, Sugoroku and Bakura respond with smiles and looks of determination. Jonouchi urges them not to tell Yami/Yuugi about this until after they duel however, because he's only told them and Honda so far. Anzu agrees not to say anything. Fair, considering Yuugi has already learned that one of his friends is trying to keep shit from him. Maybe best to spread those revelations out a bit.

Speaking of Honda, though, Jonouchi would like to know where he is if not with Anzu and the rest of them. Anzu scratches her head, saying that Honda was supposed to be there, but he's gone on some sort of trip. For whatever reason, this prompts Jonouchi to yell that Honda is a dirty rat. Sure, I guess.

Is this little shit looking for sympathy over the fact that stealing things is difficult? Cry me a river.

The bespectacled villain he's speaking with doesn't seem to care much about this sob-story either, only interested in whether the squirt managed to do what he told him to. The squirt confirms with a grin that he did indeed slip two of Haga's cards into Jonouchi's deck. Oh, did I mention that the bespectacled villain is Haga, the first to lose in Duelist Kingdom? Sorry, I just forgot to give a crap.

Anyway, the squirt talks about what a moron Jonouchi is for falling for it, and Haga laughs and rolls his eyes like he's on an acid trip. It's kind of freaking me out. He thinks that Jonouchi is as good as dead now, what with parasite cards like his Parasite Paracide destroying his deck from within. Am I the only person who remembers that a deck is only supposed to have 40 cards in this tournament? Am I the only one who cares?

The squirt haltingly asks Haga if he'll hand over the rare card he promised for a job well-done. Haga makes like he just remembered, and presents the squirt with a card, seemingly graciously. At first the squirt is grateful, until he actually sees the face of the card he got.

Haga, just because the squirt is a "bug" in the colloquial sense doesn't mean you should squirt Raid in his eyes. And anyway, don't you LOVE insects? What are you doing carrying that around with you?

While the squirt is crouched on the ground screaming with his hands over his eyes, Haga asks him rhetorically if he said Jonouchi was waiting in the square, chuckling. As he walks out of the alley, he plans to beat Jonouchi, luring Yami out with news of his friend's defeat so he can crush him too. Haga fantasizes about repaying Yami twice over for the humiliation dealt him in Duelist Kingdom, and I'm betting that's going to STAY fantasy. Still, he thinks he's got a SUPER insect deck now when he steps into the square and up to Jonouchi, who frowns at him. Haga announces that they've met again, and Jonouchi recalls that Haga was once a Duel Monsters champ in Japan. With all that "you again!" business out of the way, Haga is ready to do this thing, grinning with narrowed eyes.

Meanwhile, at what looks to be a remote train station, FAR from the city, someone seems a bit frustrated. It's Honda, accompanied by Ryuji, wondering aloud exactly where they are, having had to look further in the sticks for something than he had anticipated. Ryuji says that they should still be able to make it back to the city before dark, at least. Winking, Honda teases Ryuji for being someone who just HAPPENS to be going the same way as him but is also following him pretty far. Ryuji scoffs, admitting to have heard about Jonouchi's sister and owing Jonouchi and his crew a favor. I'm not so sure Yuugi/Yami DOESN'T know about this, considering even RYUJI knows about it.

They look for a map to get going, and eventually reach their destination, a beat-up looking hospital called Yonezato.

Yeah, let's milk the shit out of this miniscule subplot while we still have the chance!

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I've felt like a chapter has taken FOREVER before, but this one was probably the longest in feeling that I've ever covered so far. Granted, part of it was that I had to take several days to write this post up, because I've started a new job and haven't quite gotten used to juggling this and a different workload yet. Still, it's ONE chapter of a manga, which wasn't the greatest at holding my attention. I suspect that's because it wasn't the best at holding KT's attention either. I can't think of many other reasons why it would cover so many places, points of view, and plotlines, in combination with a regression in motivation.

Because that's the only thing I can call Jonouchi's sudden reference to his sister here. At some point, KT must have realized that Jonouchi's reasons for being in this tournament were really weak, so he went back to reasons he knew were solid in Duelist Kingdom... without realizing that the stakes were no longer there. She's cured, she's just afraid to take off that bandage, so Jonouchi's sudden focus on her and her fear is weirdly misplaced.

Now, if SHIZUKA was the one who contacted Honda or one of Jonouchi's buds and asked them to come and get her, thinking the urge to see her brother would give her the kick in the ass she needed, it would be good motivation for HER. I would have been only too happy to see that, actually, given that it would add a little more dimension to Jonouchi's otherwise one-sided struggle to get Shizuka the care she needed. Add in a little guilt for her own perception of wasting the money he spent if she still can't see, and you've got yourself a decent side-plot there. But with Shizuka just passively sitting there, without the will to even aspire to taking off her bandages, it's putting the focus on the wrong hero here. This isn't Jonouchi's struggle to overcome, and KT just has him appropriating it so that he can give SOME meaning to the stupid decision to have Jonouchi join the tournament in the first place.

I'm not sure why the mime was covered in this chapter either. I understand that he's Yami's next opponent, that much is obvious. But it looks like he's just here to fill space. There's no point in Bakura yelling at him like an idiot or taking special note of him at all. I suppose he had to be introduced at some point, but what was the purpose of doing it here, when we had SO MANY OTHER CHARACTERS to pay attention to at the moment?

Just about the only thing I liked about the chapter was the addition of yet another old Yu-Gi-Oh villain to the I-Don't-Understand-Why-I-Lost-Last-Time-And-Am-Going-To-Double-Down-On-My-Cruelty list. It gives me satisfaction knowing that they're going to lose again, because every god you can name knows that I don't get that kind of satisfaction from seeing similar characters in real life. Quite the opposite, actually.