Aw man… Shun lost….
But you know what? While I am bummed out, I am also kind of glad he lost. I don’t think I would have been satisfied if he had won. The minute he picked up an action card I thought, “Eh…okay it’s only one.” but then he proceeded picking another, and another, followed by two more- making the fifth his last one which brought his combo to an screeching halt. As you are more than aware of by now, I am not a fan of Action Cards in general, and much prefer duels without them. It did leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth to see Shun of all people use them as much as he did today, but at the same time I understand why and the purpose they were supposed to serve… But still, I don’t know, it was a weird situation. On one hand, I was thrilled to see all the character development Shun has gone through up come to light. It was heartwarming to see Shun remember his core values, of working alongside his comrades and not alone. And he took all of his experience, (a lot of it from the he had time spent in the Synchro Realm) to try and do what he hasn’t done before, reach out to others- in this case, Kaito. He was trying to reach out to him through dueling. 
But then the bizarre part was when Shun began referring to Action Cards as comrades and I left scratching my head thinking, “What?”
The only other thing that happened to cross my mind was, “Is Shun channeling Yusei?” (Who was known for endlessly preaching about the strength of their bonds and friendship). But the whole Action Cards being comrades concept fell flat on its face the second Kaito remarked Shun has become weak to have to rely on those cards (we know that’s obviously not true). Honestly I wished Shun hadn’t said that, or more precisely: I wished the writers didn’t put that in. It might just be me because I never had favorable opinion towards action cards to begin with. Who knows? Tell me what you think in the comments below!
With his victory, Kaito was this close to following through with what he threatened to do in the beginning: Card Shun. If it weren’t for Sayaka’s outburst, Kaito probably would have done it. And on that note: GOD DAMN IT KAITO, GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER. WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO CARD SOMEONE WHO IS NOT THE ENEMY, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE IT HARDER FOR YOURSELF? SO WHAT YOU WANNA BE THE LONE WOLF BUT WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF YOU CARD EVERY FUCKING PERSON (WHO ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH ACADEMIA) BECAUSE THEY ARE ASKING A SIMPLE AND HARMLESS QUESTION OF: HEY YOU WANNA TEAM UP? / PLEASE COME BACK!
/END RANT
Seriously I just want to shake him and shout, “STOP IT. STOP IT NOW.”
God damn it Kaito…I seriously wonder how the hell they are going to get through to him after failing twice.
Sayaka’s outburst was really a confession of all the guilt she has been carrying for the past three years or so. It turns out she was actually at the scene when Yuuri had kidnapped Ruri. She witnessed it all, and she has been blaming herself ever since for not mustering up the courage to jump in and at least try to help Ruri. Actually, I am quite shocked she was able to get out alive at all, Yuuri is a pretty sharp guy after all.
And finally, the one heartwarming moment of the episode: Yuuya/Yuuto to come out and tell everyone that Yuuto is with him (well actually he kind of HAD to after Yuuto channeled through him and he was speaking out loud and everyone was like, “WTF IS GOING ON.”). Perhaps the biggest surprise and the most beautiful part was the fact Shun had known for a while know. He could sense that Yuuto was always close by. ; v ; Excuse me I just need a moment. *GROSS SOBBING*
Next week, we will be learning a whole lot more about the ARC Area Project from what appears may be from Yuushou himself and what had happened over the course of the three years he had been gone. Yuuri is also back in the picture, oh brother- this can’t be good… And I just realized now that I never actually bothered to really read the Preview Text at the very last minute and this weeks’ made me feel like I was spoiled. I actually whited out my notes of it to try and make myself forget it faster! Hahahaha! Either way, next week should be a lot more exciting! Can’t wait!
To me, these past times with Kaito actual had meaning to it like the first Yuya was mainly trying to force his own ideals unto someone else which wouldn’t really make him the better person especially if he never understood the kind of loss Kaito had to go through. In Shun’s case despite his development shown was genuine it didn’t really seem strong enough or trying to give him understanding with trying to rely more on action cards. Overall, Actions cards are pretty much the hit/miss concept in Arc-V so far it more than less helps regarding a character consistency with their deck such as Yuya’s whenever the struggle. I’m not saying it’s good or bad it’s just basically one of the shows if only main flaw. Lastly, I’m on the side of hating Kaito’s character but more of a need of concern of how far he would take things; sure Shun once threaten Yuto one time but at least he never flat said he’ll card him and a scene involving the two he seemed pretty calm.
Well said!
The action cards are the main flaw of the show, but at least its concept isn’t disastrous enough to ruin it. I remember back waaaayyyyyyy earlier on where they had those “bad” action cards. Lmao, we never saw them again after that!
You mean the ones with the duel that nobody cared about?
YUP! XD
It was meant to be symbolic, Action Cards were the Lancers’ unique “battle style” so Shun wanted to show that he relied on his new comrades’ strenght by using their speciality.
I laughed when Shun made that big speech and then failed to deliver, I don’t like when they use AC as asspulls(namely why I dislike Yuya’s dueling a lot, but he got a bit better compared to the start of the series), I wish they picked a Action Card first and then made a strategy taking in consideration the card that they picked.
Kaito needs to eat a snickers and chill a bit, or maybe just go to the deep end and fall flat on his face so he can learn the harsh way that what he’s doing is wrong, despite opinions on the DOMA arc form the original series, I liked when Atem was a stubborn fool and that backfired on him, this kind of thing needs to happen more often so it doesn’t feel like people just get free pass from the wrong stuff they did when they get converted.
But then again, that’s my opinion.
Yuzu’s side story must be fun to you considering that no one has Action Fields(unless Yusho has it) haha!
That makes sense, but unfortunately I didn’t find it all that convincing.
Neither did Kaito 😛
Poor Shun…
Hello?! ZERO sympathy for Kaito already, hope he gets carded, I don’t care who will accomplish that!
This duel was great but the outcome really pissed me off cuz the real hero didn’t win! To summarize up this episode I’m gonna cover 3 characters:-
Shun: Who would’ve thought that the always-vexed, isolationist Resistance duelist would transform into a “comrade” ideology Lancer, who is currently working with his fellow Lancers to defeat Academia? As Xyz Dimension’s most consistent cast (yes he is active from the start until now, unlike Yuto who was quiet during the Synchro arc and RURI still had no official appearance) his character development was simply magnificent! He certainly learned how to value his comrades he met from various dimensions, starting from Standard when he fended off Obelisk Force along with the group of soon-to-be Lancers up to his duel against Crow, and he even showed Yuya how Action Cards should be utilized to convey one’s feelings (but it ultimately didn’t work out cuz he’s facing dat bastard Kaito)!
Kaito: I’M FED UP WITH DIS SCUMBAG!!!! Him almost carding Shun for absolutely no reason, him thinking that he is the ONLY one suffering and him viewing EVERYONE as his enemies, Arc V Kaito is so despicable compared to the old ZEXAL Kaito, I can’t believe I’m actually rooting for Shinji the revolutionist wannabe and even ACADEMIA itself rather than him!! Sure most people would point out how selfish Shinji’s ideology may turn out, but at least he’s fighting for the Commons, while Academia is a war-mongering institution itself, but was Kaito’s actions any different than them?!! What baffled me the most was how Kaito counterattacked Ultimate Falcon’s assaults because its effect effectively sealed off any means for Kaito to make a comeback (even hand traps), but the writers allowed him to activate Gameshark/Action Replay with dat plot device Monster & Trap (along with CIPHER INTERFERE, now among my most hated cards ever) to turn the tide?!! FUCK THIS SHIT, even 5-year-olds would not tolerate such cheap trick!!! Yuri, Edo or whoever, SOMEONE PLZ LAND HIM A CRUSHING, DEMORALIZING DEFEAT TO KNOCK DIS FAGGOT OFF HIS NARROW MINDSET AND MAKE SURE HE’LL NEVER RISE BACK TO HIS “GLORY” DAYS AGAIN!!!!!
Sayaka: I’m surprised to see her calmed the storm (a.k.a. sparing Shun from Kaito’s carding shenanigans), and her flashbacks confirmed that she’s been very close with Ruri and she even witnessed how Yuri abducted her… Sayaka’s a kinda intriguing character thus far.
Next week, LEO & EDO are rallying Academia’s students for Arc Area shenanigans again! (But those students are chilling out like everything’s normal…?) Also a Heartland survivor was (I presume) forcibly enrolled into Academia and she’s appealing for Asuka? YURI, after all those cross-dimensional crap, has finally returned and his first task was to strike down You Show School?!
*It’s confirmed that Shun & Kaito are now the most reasonable/unreasonable characters in the show :p
*I’m starting to question the actual age of Yuto and Ruri (to an extent even Shun & Sayaka). Three years prior to Academia’s invasion they already looked like their current selves while Yuya and co. appeared as children (yes, even Serena and REIJI), so how old are they actually?? (CAN’T be still 14-years-old)
HOLY CRAP this was a crazy episode. I thought it was very strange as well that Shun started using so many Action cards at once o_o Like I understand his point but that was a huge surprise to me. SAME I WAS GROSSLY SOBBING when he said he had a hunch Yuuto had always been there. Talk about their friendship ;~; Speaking of friendship, I literally sobbed when at the flashback with him and Crow, i felt like that was such a defining moment in his character development and this whole episode was the accumulation of the lessons he’s learned during the Synchro Arc. But man I was really scared for a sec that Kaito was gonna card Shun ;~;
I really don’t understand your issue with Action Cards. If the problem is that they’re used as asspulls, then there really should be no big deal because guess what? Yu-Gi-Oh! literally does that stuff ALL THE TIME. Yugi had the Heart of the Cards, Judai and Yusei had general plot armor/friendship, Yuma has Zexal and Shining Draw and I’m sorry to say but Yuya’s Action Cards are absolutely no different, even if they exist outside his deck.
On the subject of the episode, I have a sneaking suspicion that Kaito just might get Carded himself. You know, just before his inevitable “redemption.” Possibly by Yuuri himself, during a point where the proverbial shit hits the fan. So I wouldn’t worry too much about him. He’ll probably get his soon enough, the we focus on the real problem of Academia.
My problem with action cards comes from my own pet-peeve. Yes I don’t like asspulls and usually I can overlook it, but what drives me nuts is how the ‘asspull’/’bail out’ only becomes even more obvious than it already was to begin with. It’s almost like an unnecessary extra step contributing to the asspull/bailoiut when they could have easily done it – just as you said – as they usually do. I guess the best way to describe my POV is that it feels as if it’s being shoved in my face and it’s all i can see, making it harder to overlook.
On the other hand, I also know and feel the Action Cards concept can be good- which also contributes to the fact why it drives me nuts. I would rather see it use more productively/strategically/creatively than asspull/bailouts. This brings me back to why it frustrates me: If it’s going to be used as an ‘alternative’ asspull/bailout more often than not, then what’s the point of the concept to even exist?
But in this particular episode: The execution of it was straight up bizarre, it didn’t feel like a bail out/asspull like it usually does, but it also didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. The message Shun was trying to convey didn’t reach me- I got the gist of it, but I wasn’t convinced by it.
Action Cards, since they debuted episode 1 is my most hated aspect of Arc V cuz I lost count how many times Yuya saved his sorry ass from those, but should a Yuya vs Yusho duel occur they’ll spam it for eternity for “smiles and giggles” :p
The actual phrase I believed he used was that they were “the power of his comrades”. Even with the poor subs that I’m using that’s definitely what he said.
And my reaction was effectively the same as yours during that uncomfortable period of time with his finger over the button. EGADS!
I’m getting the feeling that Sayaka is going to play a crucial role in slapping the shizznit out of Kite.
Eep. Yuri next episode.
I do think you’re a bit harsh on actions cards… I expect asspulls in this series as all the yugioh series have them, but i think the reason the action cards are preferred by me to something like general asspulls from the extra deck is because you actually have to EARN the asspull by running over the field and beating your opponent to the action card. So it’s not like you just gain the asspull there’s SOME effort in there!
Same with speed spells, i cant fully remember how they worked. But i think you had to wait turns until you gained enough speed counters to activate it (unless there’s a card that increases the speed counters you get or something)
I do agree about them being used effectively which sadly Yuya himself is failing to do quite a few times, he’s become better at it but obviously he still has quite a ways to go. And i think with Shun not being able to pull off his dueling with the action cards… i think this is possibly the first time (he may’ve done it in the friendship cup, if so then this is one of the first few times cos i cant remember a lot of times he used action cards) he’s actually picked up the cards on the field, but i think he was trying to learn how to use them in accordance with his deck and unfortunately it backfired on him a little… He wanted to believe in his comrades and wanted to show Kaito the power of nakama, but unfortunately led to him losing because he sort of forgot to rely on his own deck alongside it which is an interesting thing to note.
I mean you could see it as Shun used to be a loner and fiercely denied any involvement with any allys preferring to rely on himself, but learnt to eventually trust the people fighting alongside him and Yuya is the opposite having relied on others for a long time and only now learning to also rely on himself. They are both having a hard time finding that balance.
I must admit i find Sayaka’s character design to be quite… bland compared to the others of the series, i mean yeah it’s uniquely coloured and that. However it’s just too soft compared to the others who have more striking and memorable appearances for the most part. And her personality was the same as i imagined before from the opening… but there is an interesting character in her waiting to be revealed i think…
I will just repeat my answer I shared since I think it’s the best way to explain it:
My problem with action cards comes from my own pet-peeve. Yes I don’t like asspulls and usually I can overlook it, but what drives me nuts is how the ‘asspull’/’bail out’ only becomes even more obvious than it already was to begin with. It’s almost like an unnecessary extra step contributing to the asspull/bailoiut when they could have easily done it – just as you said – as they usually do. I guess the best way to describe my POV is that it feels as if it’s being shoved in my face and it’s all i can see, making it harder to overlook.
On the other hand, I also know and feel the Action Cards concept can be good- which also contributes to the fact why it drives me nuts. I would rather see it use more productively/strategically/creatively than asspull/bailouts. This brings me back to why it frustrates me: If it’s going to be used as an ‘alternative’ asspull/bailout more often than not, then what’s the point of the concept to even exist in the first place?
But in this particular episode: The execution of it was straight up bizarre, it didn’t feel like a bail out/asspull like it usually does, but it also didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. The message Shun was trying to convey didn’t reach me- I got the gist of it, but I wasn’t convinced by it.
“He wanted to believe in his comrades and wanted to show Kaito the power of nakama”
Shun totally wasted his effort, Kaito was a loner in ZEXAL too but at least he eventually turned nicer, but Arc V Kaito? Sorry, he more than crossed the line, some should card him NOW!
His whole family was carded right in front of him I don’t blame him
I’m sorry Eva, but you need to get over the whole Action card thing. Like Silent protagonist said – Action cards are this series asspulls. Just like the other series asspulls. This isn’t any different.
Also, by the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like they’re going to stop or reduce the amount of action card usage any time soon. If a character like Shun would use them so much. Then I’m pretty sure they’re just going to increase the amount of people using them and the frequency too.
I will just repeat my answer I shared since I think it’s the best way to explain it:
My problem with action cards comes from my own pet-peeve. Yes I don’t like asspulls and usually I can overlook it, but what drives me nuts is how the ‘asspull’/’bail out’ only becomes even more obvious than it already was to begin with. It’s almost like an unnecessary extra step contributing to the asspull/bailoiut when they could have easily done it – just as you said – as they usually do. I guess the best way to describe my POV is that it feels as if it’s being shoved in my face and it’s all i can see, making it harder to overlook.
On the other hand, I also know and feel the Action Cards concept can be good- which also contributes to the fact why it drives me nuts. I would rather see it use more productively/strategically/creatively than asspull/bailouts. This brings me back to why it frustrates me: If it’s going to be used as an ‘alternative’ asspull/bailout more often than not, then what’s the point of the concept to even exist in the first place?
But in this particular episode: The execution of it was straight up bizarre, it didn’t feel like a bail out/asspull like it usually does, but it also didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. The message Shun was trying to convey didn’t reach me- I got the gist of it, but I wasn’t convinced by it.
Remember this old entry? xD
https://angryanimebitches.com/2011/09/yu-gi-oh-zexal-ep-22-fuck-you-kaito-you-can-die-now/
^That’s pretty much how I would’ve reacted if Kaito had actually turned Shun into a card. <_< It's kinda strange, though, how both Shun and Shark lost to Kaito (in a similar manner) after getting good character development and stuff. (I swear, Shun himself is totally a HUGE reference to Shark, haha.)
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT IT, OMFG YES I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY REACTED THAT WAY AGAIN! LMFAO THANKS FOR BRINGING IT BACK.
Why was a current of electricity on the duel disks blade part when it materialized? Are their duel disks broken, or does that happen every time the blade part appears?