Holy shit i wasn’t expecting to get around to this so late. Stupid blisters.
But good lord…
This episode was garbage.
It was just awful. Absolutely awful. Nothing good about it, so bare with me, this will be a short one.
To think this is the semi-final episode, the final battle is actually against Reiji, not Zarc’s demon- which I was convinced was the case because of the whole Reira can’t smile bullshit idea. Yeah, well, apparently not because instead of the “inner demons”, none of that shit came out except for Reira’s tears as Yuuya finally understood Zarc’s original intentions – which I suspected, but what a half-assed reveal. “Surpass me,” says the guy who didn’t do shit, except for the one time he fought his father (which was already way too freaking late). Reiji’s and Yuuya’s fated rematch was bound to happen at some point or another, but the thing is, I don’t know about you, but I completely forgot about their first duel. And it’s a joke really, especially because Reiji, (though he supposed to be strong,) he is really just all talk. He preaches and preaches, but he doesn’t actually do anything. He is the worst “Leader” I have even seen, and doesn’t even deserve the credit to even be called one.
Then there was that moment when I just wished, WISHED Yuuya had not picked up that action card. At that moment, I actually thought Yuuya was going to make the decision NOT to swipe it. But that was naive of me, of course they wouldn’t do that. They never even bothered to do it any sooner.
But god, it would have been amazing to see him to resist the temptation of using the Action Card to defeat Jack. Had he done so, that would’ve been the highlight of the episode for me.
I didn’t expect us to get any Zarc’s Flashbacks, but we got… a crumb of it so to speak. It’s pretty much a repeat of the tiny bits we seen briefly once or twice in the past, so I hardly consider it a flashback. It’s frustrating to see how Zarc’s past/origins and his fall has been reduced to not even a 10 seconds feature. Instead it was Yuuya who confirmed our speculations, but in the end, we will never truly understand anything from Zarc’s perspective, of the process of how he turned into such a monster, and how he felt about his transformation into such a malicious demon- which is frustrating to say the least.
That’s all I got to say really. I would rather put more time into the Overall Review that I hadn’t had much time to work on. I have been so busy for the past week, I have only been able to write a little bit of it, and with the finale in just a few days, I am way behind schedule.
Next week, our suffering will finally come to an end.
Also it looks like the dragons are all getting an evolution, spoiler much?
Here goes my idea of Synchro Arc (Ep 86-99)
Serena is escorted to underground and the guards were knocked by securities, but befoe Serena can be paralyzed, Tsukikage and Reira arrived on time to help her. The three of them duel and defeats the securities and make their escape before another group of securities arrive. Once outside, they are ambushed by the Obelisk Force, which they defeated. However, knowing there are still many of them, Reira and Serena convinces Tsukikage to free the other Lancers from the underground. Tsukikage goes underground to free the Lancers and Shinji starts his rebellion like in the anime. Meanwhile, Yuya meets Yugo and the two explains the whole situations as well as clearing the misunderstanding regarding Yuto and Yuri. Both of them decided to team up. Sora meets up with Barrett, trying to mislead him with false information so he cannot find Serena and Yuzu. However, Yuri then arrive and informs them that Leo has sent an army of Academia soldiers, receiving orders for an all out attack on City. Seeing Yuri’s apathy and how far he would do even if it means sacrificing one of their own, Sora made up his mind to cut his ties with Academia completely. After giving them false locations of where Serena and Yuzu are, Sora leaves to look for Serena under pretext that he is going to assist in the subjugation. On his way, he meets Yuya and Yugo. Reira and Serena started to get exhausted and injured by the OF who come one after another, but they are saved by Yuya, Sora, and Yugo. Serena is skeptical of Sora, but decides to trust Yuya’s words. It turns out that Yuri, with a team of OF have been following Sora, already suspicious of Sora’s information. Yugo takes on Yuri while Yuya takes the OF. During the Duel, Yuya, Yugo, and Yuri awakened and get glimpses of Zarc. They are interrupted by Yuzu’s arrival, which followed by Tsukikage, teleporting Yugo and Yuri.
Yuya defeats the OF and the four of them make their way to where the other Lancers are while escaping from OF and Securities. Things doesn’t go well when the City soon turned into battlefield as the Commons started their rebellion that interrupted by an army of OF that cards both Tops and Commons, which includes Tony and Damon. Despite trying to stay together, Yuya and co unfortunately got separated into two groups by the mobs: Yuya with Tsukikage and Yuzu, while Serena with Sora and Reira. Yuya and the others encounter Sergey who defeats Yuya and Tsukikage and captures Yuzu. Reiji leaves the council building, deciding to directly help the other Lancers, deeming the Executive Council as unreliable and only want to save their own skin. He defeats the securities and make his way to regroup with the others. The OF succeeded in entering the Council Building, carding the Executive Council.
Serena and the others encounters Barrett with Sora challenging him to a Duel. The duel ends with a draw with the two sustaining injuries. Barrett is forced to retreat when he is outnumbered by the other Lancers (Reiji, Shun, Sawatari, Gongenzaka, with addition of Crow and Chojiro)’s arrival. Shun and Sawatari immediately voiced their suspicion towards Sora despite Serena and Reira vouching for him. Both of them still not believing Sora, but hearing that the OF has launched a full-scale attack, they begrudgingly relented with Reiji’s order who allow Sora to be with them as now they need to handle the OF first. Yuya and Tsukikage soon meets up with the others, informing them of Yuzu’s capture. While Reiji has Sora and Tsukikage to save Yuzu, the remaining Lancers proceeds to the stadium to prevent further advance of OF and warn the citizens of City. En route, Yuya meets Sam who delivers Jack’s message to him and Yuya decides to challenge Jack once the OF are handled. After saving Shinji from OF and convinced him of the greater danger, Shinji agrees to put on hold his revolution and allow Reiji to take command of the commons to fight together with Lancers against the OF army.
After repelling the OF army, Reiji showed the footage he has taken before leaving the council building to make the citizens realize the need for Tops and Commons to unite. Despite this, both side still have reservations of the idea of uniting considering the rebellion just a while ago, and Yuya decides to challenge Jack at that moment. Like the anime, Yuya and Jack’s Entertainment Duel succeeded in uniting Tops and Commons, and Yuya and the others goes to save Yuzu following Sora’s warning, meeting Yugo who turns out to have only been transported to the other side of City. In front of the building, they are stopped by Sergey, and Yugo decides to take him on while Yuya and the others go to save Yuzu. On their way to the dimension transfer device, Roget and Yuzu are confronted by Yuri who also got transported to the other side of City. Not caring for Roget’s attempt to win back Leo after finding out his attempted betrayal, Yuri duels and defeats Roget just as Yuya and the others arrived to witness it from above (they arrived but still at quite distance, so Yuzu’s bracelet only blinking and doesn transport Yuri away just like when Yuzu and Yugo watching the exhibition match).
The impact of their Duel cause Roget’s device to malfunction and creates a wormhole. Roget is hanging by the bridge and plead Yuri for help, but Yuri instead kicks him so he is sucked into the wormhole. Before he can advance to Yuzu, Yuya jumps to save her, causing her bracelet to glow and transport Yuri away. They shared a happy moment of reunion until another wormhole appear. Yuya, Gongenzaka, Shun, Serena, and Shingo got sent to Xyz Dimension, while Yuzu and Sora got sent to Fusion Dimension.
I think it would be better if Serena wasn’t recaptured. She could do more than she was shown to be. I said I prefer seeing Roget got carded by Yuri rather than him being sucked into a wormhole, but then I think again… if Roget got carded, logically, he’ll eventually be revived, which don’t sit well with me. If he is trapped in the void between dimensions, he’ll permanently disappear, but just got sucked into wormhole like that was quite lae. So I thought what if Yuri did it? Not only it will be more memorable but it will also show more of Yuri’s dark character.
What I like the most about your version is how Yuri is responsible for Roget’s demise and I wish I’d thought of it for mine, maybe have him kick Roget into a wormhole after Reiji beats him, which could also be the cause for the other Lancers getting teleported to the Xyz Dimension. A very entertaining version, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I look forward to your thoughts on the Xyz and Fusion Arcs.
Thank you, Williamallen222 (^_^)
Continuing from before, here is my version of Xyz Arc:
Things happen just like in the anime (with addition of Serena): While Shun goes looking for Resistance, Yuya and co meets Kaito. Sawatari and Gongenzaka duel Kaito, but got defeated so Yuya joined in. Before doing so, Yuya convinced Serena not to Duel since she is a former Academia Duelist and revealing her former affiliation would only worsen Kaito who was already overwhelm by his anger. Serena reluctantly agreed to observe the Duel, knowing the truth in Yuya’s words. Shun interfered and Kaito disappeared like in the anime. Back at duel lodge, while the Resistance and Lancers exchanged their knowledges and such, Serena ponders of what Academia had done, feeling terrible about herself after directly seeing the ruined Heartland and the refugees, and she feels she doesn’t have the right to be there. She is also awkward with Sayaka, who feels quite uncomfortable with Serena’s resemblance with Ruri as she keeps reminding her of her inability to help Ruri. After hearing about his father, Yuya goes out to look for him and encounter Edo and everything happened like in the anime. Shun and co confronts Kaito and then the same thing happened like in the anime, but this time, Serena defended Shun before Kaito is about to card him and she reveals her former affiliation with Academia, which enrages Kaito and the two begins a duel. Serena is cornered by Kaito until Yuya intruded the Duel, wishing to once again open up Kaito’s heart. During the Duel, Yuya and Yuto switch places (both mentally and physically), revealing to everyone that Yuto has been inside Yuya all this time. The duel ended with a draw, and while Kaito still refuse to return, a part of his heart is moved by the duel.
At Fusion Dimension, Yuzu and Sora meets Asuka and Yusho. Everything happened like in the anime, but instead of Yuri, Dennis was the one confronting the You Show Students. After defeating the students, Dennis is challenged by Sora before he could card them. During their duel, both clashes regarding Academia’s goal and also their respective bond with Yuya. Dennis momentarily hesitated as he is reminded with the times he spent with Lancers, but that moment was enough for Sora to defeat Dennis, forcing the latter to retreat and Sora and co escort the escaped student back to You Show school. Hearing that Lancers have arrived in Heartland, Leo deploys Yuri, Dennis, Tyler Sisters, and several OF. Dennis was about to reveal that Yuzu is in Fusion Dimension, but Dennis begins to have second thoughts and couldn’t bring himself to say it, and instead follow Leo’s new order to go to Heartland without a word. At Heartland, Yuri and co meets up with Edo and arranges a plan to capture Serena and annihilate Lancers. Hearing from Dennis that Yusho is at Fusion Dimension, Edo specifically ordered for Yuya to be captured as well so he can use him as a bait to lure out Yusho. They eventually comes up with a plan to separate Serena from the group by making some distractions. While Dennis, Tyler Sisters, and OF are the ones doing the distraction, Yuri and Edo handles their own respective mission.
Sayaka goes out to look for Kaito, prompting Yuya and co to look for her by splitting up. Sayaka unluckily runs into Edo, but before they can commence a duel, Yuya duel in Sayaka’s stead. Despite Yuya’s efforts, he is defeated by Edo and is taken back to the base by the commander-in-chief while Sayaka once again frozen unable to do anything to help, making her feel guilty again like with Ruri. She is found by Shun and the others and taken back to the lodge. Hearing what happened, Shun and co quickly arranges a plan to save Yuya. Before they can set their plan into motion, the Academia attacks. Sayaka, Allen, and the Resistance face off against OF, Gongenzaka and Sawatari facing against Tyler Sisters, while Dennis challenges Shun for a rematch. Before Serena could interfere, Yuri appears before her and challenge her to a Duel, making sure they duel separately from her comrades while Dennis and co are preoccupying them. Meanwhile, at Academia Heartland base, since Edo is not allowed to leave his post until the subjugation of Xyz Dimension is completed, Edo imprisons Yuya for the time being, with Yuya and Yuto trying to find a way to escape. Things doesn’t go well for the Resistance and Lancers who slowly got cornered with many of Resistance and refugees got carded. In the middle of their Duel, Yuri experienced flashes of images in his head and for several times seeing Serena as Ray. Just as they began to lose hope of winning, Reiji arrived with other Lancers, Crow, Jack, Kaito, Yugo, and several security reinforcement from Synchro Dimension. Yugo intruded into Yuri vs Serena Duel, and the two awakened after Yugo summoned his dragon. Yuri able to gain more power higher than both Yugo and Serena and defeat them both. To save Yugo, Serena unexpectedly grabs Yuri’s Duel Disk and activated the force return program, transporting herself and Yuri back to Academia, much to Yugo’s dismay. Reiji and co able to defeat the majority of their enemies. Since their goal to retrieve Serena has been fulfilled, Dennis convinces the Tyler Sisters and co to retreat back to the base. After helping all of the survivors and relocated them, the group going to Academia base to save Yuya.
Dennis has a brief talk with the imprisoned Yuya. Dennis informs him that his father, Yuzu, and Sora are at Fusion Dimension and how he used to be Yusho’s student. Yuya starts to question Dennis what is the Entertainment Dueling his father have taught them meant to him as well as the times they have spent together, reminding him of their tag duel. Even though Dennis answered nonchalantly that his loyalty for Academia is greater, inside, Dennis is actually started to get thorn between his loyalty and his own feelings that he refused to admit. Dennis forces himself to cast aside his doubt and return to Academia to report to Leo about Serena and Yuzu.
Not long afterwards, Reiji and co ambushed the Academia Heartland base. At the same time, Yuto, momentarily possessing Yuya’s body, takes the opportunity to escape by using the same way as Shun when he escaped from the Facility. Yugo, the Lancers, and Resistance beat the Academia students with Kaito refrains from carding any of them. Yuya duels Edo again (in front of everyone) and is able to convince him and other students that Academia is in the wrong. Edo and Academia, like in the anime, vowed to rebuild Heartland. Reiji decides that only the Lancers, Crow, Jack, Kaito, Yugo, and Edo go to Academia, while rest stayed to help in rebuilding Heartland. While making their preparations, Reiji reveals the Revival Zero part of Leo’s plan, making Yuya, Yuto, and Yugo to wonder about the connection between them.
Serena is the only bracelet girl that Yuri didn’t duel, and it’s kind of too bad. Plus, I want to see at least a little bit more interaction between them just like how other boys and girls are. I include several Securities because after Lancers all came their way to Synchro to get allies, Crow is seemingly the only one who fully supported the Lancers. That’s why at the very least I thought they could’ve assisted Lancers in a way like this. Fusion and Final arcs will be quite different and long one to write. I think I’ll save it for later or maybe tomorrow after the last episode.
I absolutely adore your version, especially the parts with Serena and Dennis, I couldn’t have thought it out better myself. I await your thoughts on the Fusion/Final Arcs with great anticipation.
I return those words to you, I’ll be looking forward for your version as well 😀
Now here is my personal ideas on how to improve the Xyz Arc. From episode 100 to 108 things are relatively the same, except Zuzu(Yuzu) didn’t get sent to the Fusion Dimension in my version, so we don’t have to cut to her in episode 103 and 106. Because I agree with Williamallen222 the Xyz arc would have been better if we spent the entire time in Xyz and not flip between Fusion and Xyz, except for that scene where Leo sends the Tyler Sisters to Xyz. Now things start changing by episode 109.
It’s mostly the same, except in my version Shay(Shun) isn’t injured nearly as bad, also Yuya and the others escape after Kite(Kaito) beats the Obelisk Force, but before Aster(Edo) shows up with reinforcements, also Grace decides to go with them and defect having been impressed with Yuya’s entertainment dueling and wishing to learn more. Back at the shrine Shay fully recovers, but Grace informs them that because of these last two failures, Aster will most likely launch an all out assault on them to card the remaining survivors. So Kite takes everyone to Heartland tower, because in my version his father was still Dr. Faker who was working on dimensional travel, so theirs a dimensional portal at the tower operated by Orbital 7. Unfortunately, because of the attacks the portal has been damaged, so it can only teleport a certain number of people at one time, then it needs a few minutes to recharge before it can teleport again, and they need it to teleport 5 groups back to Standard, 4 groups of survivors and the last group consisting of the Lancers, what’s left of the Resistances, Grace and Orbital. So Kite remains inside to oversee the teleporting and protect the survivors, while Yuya, Shay, Silvio(Shingo), Gong, Allen, Sayaka, Grace and the remaining Resistances duelist go outside to face Gloria and an army of Duel Academy students, including Obelisk Force. The battle begins and Yuya and the others manage to push the Academy’s forces back for the most part, while Grace and Gloria duel each other, each trying to convince each other to switch sides. While at the same time in the tower after Orbital teleports the 3rd group of survivors, Aster infiltrates the tower and duels Kite, it’s just like Yuya’s 2nd duel with Aster, where Aster barley loses any life points and is mostly in control of the duel until the end. During the duel Orbital teleports the final group of survivors to safety. Back outside the Academy students start busting out the heavy artillery, in other words several Ancient Gear Chaos Gaint’s and start pushing Yuya and our heroes back, and Gloria also beats Grace telling her sister she was always the more skilled one, also a few of the surviving Resistances duelist get carded. So Yuya and the others retreat back inside by creating some cover with Yuya and Silvio’s flashy moves and Shay’s destructive power. Once inside they see Kite beat Aster, then all the remaining duelists and Orbital teleport back to Standard, with everyone in Xyz either carded or in Standard, Aster orders everyone to return to Duel Academy to prepare for a possible invasion by the Lancers and there allies. Back in Standard Yuya and the others introduce everyone from Xyz, and Zuzu is jealous of how interested Grace is in Yuya. Declan(Reiji) has the plan of attack already, but we won’t learn that exact plan until the Fusion arc. However, before they leave Yuya has a duel with Jack, since they never got there rematch in my version, because the city was completely destroyed by Duel Academy interrupting the tournament. Yuya inspired that he and the others were able to get through to people like Kite and Grace has a great duel with Jack, one he wins, that also boosts the moral of the troops and the survivors and innocent people of Standard. After that all the duelists decide to head to Fusion to finally take down Leo, with Orbital staying behind to monitor the mission with Himika and the rest of LDS’s staff. Thus leading us into the Fusion/Final arc.
Which I’ll talk about in episode 148, but this arc unlike Synchro and Xyz will be greatly different in my version, instead of entire episodes being the same only some concepts will be the same. Not that I didn’t like the Fusion arc most of it’s episodes were good(BB stuff not withstanding) but the problem was when you considered all the episodes as a whole invasion arc, it was really a lack luster invasion story.
The Duel between the Tyler Sisters!? Why didn’t I thought about it before?! True, compared to Grace, Gloria doesn’t look so easily swayed. And having the residents of Xyz being transported to Standard is a reasonable decision. If they take refugee in Standard, their safety will more ensured rather than staying in their ruined hometown. They can stay there for a while until their hometown is rebuild 😀
In all honestly, I don’t care about any sort of retelling, as long as it fully adapts/develops the characters as well as the story rightfully which honestly this series does not do.
Lastly new involving whose in charge of VRAINS:
[spoiler]
Yuusaku is voiced by Ishige Shouya (http://www.stardust.co.jp/profile/ishigesyouya.html)
Opening “With The Wind” is going to be performed by TOMMY (who did Jojo’s SONO CHI NO SADAME)
Director: Masahiro Hosoda
Series compositor: Shin Yoshida
Original Idea: Takahashi Kazuki & Studio Dice (Weekly Shonen Jump)
Director: 細田雅弘 Masahiro Hosoda (Directed “Virgin Fleet” and “Dragonball Z: Battle of Gods”)
Series Direction: 吉田伸 Yoshida Shin (Season 4 of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Season 4 of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s 27 onwards and Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL)
Duel Compositon: 彦久保雅博 Masahiro Hikokubo (All previous Yu-Gi-Oh! series)
Character Design: 原憲一 Hara Kenichi
Sound Director: 松岡裕紀 Matsuoka Hiroki (Sound Director for Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions)
Music: 光宗信吉 Mitsumune Shikichi (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters)
Animation Studio: ぎゃろっぷ Gallop
Production: テレビ東京 NAS (TV Tokyo) / (Nihon Ad Systems)[/spoiler]
I would’ve enjoyed this episode if it wasn’t for ONE big major plot hole… WHERE THE FUCK IS YUZU!!!?? She didn’t get so much as a whisper in here and its the penultimate episode! What? is she just going to appear the fuck out of nowhere with professor who says ‘have her Yuya’ and they kiss or something!? I mean that would be quite cute and be the only good thing in this pile of rubbish! But I want to know what is happening to Yuzu.
It makes sense why Reiji is Yuya’s final duel in the series. He is the default rival of the series, so carrying on Yugioh tradition means they must duel… HOWEVER, the two are the worst rivals I have ever seen. They have NO conflict throughout the entire series except Reiji lied or omitted things to Yuya at some points and Yuya disagreed with Reira being a lancer. But Yuya still went allong with him for the most part despite his protests which weren’t much to begin with. The only time they really fought was when Yuya blamed Reiji for Yuzu being taken and that was more an irrational emotional reaction that Yuya had that involved a third party rather than it being a personal attack on Yuya. So this ‘resolution’ feels entirely pointless. I can’t believe I’m bringing this series up again considering my dislike of it… but Kaito was a better rival than Reiji in Zexal! At least he actually duelled and got shit done. Even if it took him ages to acknowledge Yuma, he was still a good rival! He was one of the better characters of that series.
I’m going to also say this just because I want to piss off people who like Zexal (1 mainly cos 2 was good, however the series overall wasn’t great). I don’t like Astral! He’s a ghostly a-hole! From beginning to end i never liked him. Sure Yuma was annoying but he had his good points, one being that he was more sensitive, caring, considerate, and did try his best despite how utterly stupid he was. Astral is just a blunt know it all that pisses me off with how we’re meant to sympathise with him, but I can’t sympathise with a character whose only purpose is to criticise. I don’t blame Yuma early on for getting pissed off at him and ignoring his advice. I would as well!!
I also feel that if they wanted Jack to duel Yuya, they should’ve cut off the synchro tournament before the finals and then gone after Roger when the invasion began. Get the plot rolling faster and then they would’ve had more time to move the fiinals to here where Jack can go ‘It’s time for the final match that we never got to have’. I mean it would’ve tied Jack further in and less of the original characters… but if they MUST keep him in at least his development with Jack would’ve stretched over a longer period!