#and I hate hate HATE the dubbed version of atem now

[likeabxrdinflight]

yugioh fics that use the 4kids dub characterizations just...you're not invalid for it because the dub exists but like...why

[asetoblog]

A Seto psychological assessment

So, I said I was gonna do this and now I finally did it. Behold, a Seto Kaiba psychological assessment about interpersonal relationships! (I'm gonna try to make this as simple as possible for everyone <3)

I'm gonna consider original dub Seto ONLY, since the american version totally fucked his character up.

ATTACHMENT STYLE

According to Ainsworth and Bowlby's studies there are 4 Attachment styles:

Anxious/Preoccupied

Avoidant/Dismissive (ding ding ding!)

Disorganized/Fearful

Secure

What are Attachment styles (or Internal Working Models)? In children, we can find that they behave in different ways according to the presence or absence of their parents in an environment: anxious children have a deep fear of being abandoned or left alone so they act really upset or even cry when their parents are not around; avoidant/dismissive children usually hate to depend on others and don't care if they are left alone (they like minding their business); disorganized children are harder to understand since they act fearful towards their parents but at the same time they want to be close to them; finally secure children have a healthy relationship with their parents.

I think you've already noticed which one fits Kaiba the most: of course he's gonna be an Avoidant child!

(Mind that I think his attachment style CHANGED after he and Mokuba got adopted by Gozaburo, so there's gonna be a paragraph about their biological parents' death, because I think Seto's behaviour was much different before the whole orphanage and adoption thing)

The attachment style of a child is of course going to define their behaviour as adolescents and adults. The attachment styles of teenager/adults are pretty much the same and now I'm gonna list any behaviour that confirms Seto's attachment (Avoidant/Dismissive): as the Adult Attachment Interview (the AAI, a psychological test) suggests, avoidant people tend to belittle or even ignore their own emotions concerning their relationships with anyone (Seto openly admits to love and care about Mokuba and no one else, but even this happens rarely in the series and when it does he's pretty much always ALONE, when no one can hear or see him. It happens only once in Noah's Arc in the anime, when he gives us that ssweet face in front of Yugi and Co). The fact that he avoids his emotions about relationships and attachment with caregivers is also held up by the fact that he never brings up his parents, nor even with Mokuba. In Noah's Arc only Mokuba says something about them; Seto doesn't answer. Avoidant people also tend to devaluate their attachment with their caregiver (in this case we're gonna consider Gozaburo as the “caregiver/parent” because he gave our boy big trauma): if I remember correctly, Seto says he stopped calling Gozaburo “father” at one point. HOWEVER, the rest of the Avoidant assessment doesn't really fit Seto's behaviour, because he remembers very well what Gozaburo did to him (being physically and psychologically abusive) and doesn't idealize him as a good parent (which is what Avoidant people tend to do), so I think he's got also a little bit of Preoccupied and Secure characteristics in him (I'm gonna talk about this in a sec) and I believe it's because he's got a little of the positive influence of his biological parents in him AND he's not an easy guy to control/influence.

According to the AAI, Secure teenagers/adults are fully conscious of the abuse they suffered (I think Seto totally is, he just – you know – AVOIDS it) and are able to find a way to be happy and healthy again (I mean, I don't really think made it to the end, but he's still young and he's got a long road ahead, maybe he'll fully heal some day and I believe he's capable of doing that, because we've already seen his character development since the begninning of manga to the movie DSOD. Mokuba has been his strength and, you may like it or not, Yugi and Co (especially Atem) being a good challenge, nosy and friendly helped him too, which is cute (also Atem and Jonouchi made him reconsider playing games for love and fun, instead of only winning, so he found that old spark he loved playing games for again). Also, this is a little unrelated to the attachment itself, but a Secure person can also be defined as an autonomous and functional adult and I think he is, since he's a freaking CEO(?).

Now, let's talk about the Preoccupied people a little: a part of the AAI says that some individuals feel anger and/or conflict towards one or both parents. I mean. I don't think I have to explain this one, but Seto perfectly shows he hasn't moved on from the hatred he feels fro Gozaburo (and rightly so, I might say lmao). In Battle City he destroys an entire Island just to get rid of Gozaburo's memory and Obelisk representes his wrath and hatred (the soundtrack itself is called Wrath of God).

So, there we have it: Seto's an Avoidant child/teen, with some Secure and Preoccupied behaviour.

Some time later, another theory entered the chat: Lyons-Ruth presented her classification system of the attachment adding new styles, which are Hostile and Helpless. HH behaviour indicates that traumas are still present and working (ouch).

Hostile individuals are busy trying to control their own unwanted emotions and feelings of vulnerability (lol, Seto I see you): they are pretty much in denial, trying to hide their feelings of fear and helplessness. They also tend to identify themselves as their abusive parent and they hate it (yeah... I mean, this is so Seto).

Now, as I said in the beginning, I'm gonna talk a little bit about his attachment style BEFORE the orphanage thing. Seto used to smile (a lot), play many different games with Mokuba (which suggests they grew up in a positive environment where the parents were loving and the family as a whole was functional, since there seemed to be no hostility betweet the two brothers), be supportive, be happy and active. This is important, because this indicates that the little guy had good caregivers (as I said the family was functional and he had and still has a good relationship with his younger brother) and that means: Secure attachment style. Being Secure means not freaking out about a caregiver's absence and this might be a little stretch since grief is no joke at all, but even if it's a traumatic event, Seto handled it like a champ. (Of course this doesn't mean that didn't hurt and he didn't suffer. Quite the contrary. But he's been very strong since childhood).

I think this is it for the attachment style! Moving on to ...

GRIEF IN CHILDREN

So, we all know Seto and Mokuba lost their parents in an accident when they were children (I think Seto was about 8 or 9 yo and Mokuba was 4). Studies suggest that 4 yo children start to understand how death works (it's irreversible and universal, that means that they know who dies won't come back and that everyone will have the same fate sooner or later), whilst 6 yo and older children fully understand other implications (e.g. vital functions - like breathing - stop, and so on).

Now, of course this is considered as a very traumatic event for children to go through, but they can be calmed if treated right. Which didn't happen with Seto and Mokuba of course (poor babies).

Not only they suffered the sudden loss of their parents, but they also had to face heartless relatives who didn't want them and abandoned them in an orphanage. At that point Seto decided to step in as a father for Mokuba, which is HUGE for an 8 yo child who doesn't even know to tie his shoes yet (but is really great at chess, yo!)(just kidding).

What the studies tell us is that children who suffer a sudden loss of their parents also lose their only source of safety and support, which will make them feel like they're in danger and abandoned. What emotional reactions this may cause: sadness, anger, anxiety, apathy, shame and guilt. I'm pretty sure Seto felt all of this, but ignored it and tried to stay focused for Mokuba, which is sweet and a great proof of psychological stregth.

Physical symptoms: headaches (I'm sure Seto gets a lot of them), anxiety, sleep disorders (like, come on...), always scared of what could happen to other people (you may argue Seto doesn't give a shit about anybody, but everytime Yugi and Co are in danger, Seto's always there ready to help even if he doesn't admit it), always on the alert.

However, the most interesting bit is what a loss like this causes to children's relationship with their peers: they start to isolate themselves and start to show aggressive or hostile behaviour, which is exactly what Seto does. He's definitely a loner even as a teenager and he's a little hostile and dismissive towards everybody, especially his peers.

So, I think that's all...? If anything else comes to mind I will edit this post and add it, but I think that's pretty much it. I hope you enjoyed this!

PS: I'm sorry if there are mistakes or weird sentences, english is not my first language. I tried! 💀

[floaromaxtowns]

Seto Kaiba & Ahsoka Tano for the character ask meme

@genlirema tysm!!

Character Ask Meme [Accepting]

Send me a character and I’ll say: 

Seto Kaiba

What I love about them: OKAY SO, the wonders of watching YGO as a fully grown person: suddenly the snarky, over the top, asshole rival character quickly becomes your favorite. As a kid, I genuinely didn't care at all about him. But that changed SO MUCH, as an adult. IMHO Kaiba may as well be the protagonist of the anime's version of YGO. What I hate about them: Nothing comes to my mind, honestly? Sometimes, you just want your blorbos going off the charts, and that's all A-OK in my book. Although I'll say it: Kaiba's involvement in the 5Ds anime is kinda of confusing ngl. I get that's part of the same timeline, but???? IDK something is off. Maybe there was going to be more, that didn't make it in the end. Favorite Moment/Quote: I honestly could put every single line he has ever said in the dub. But the one that takes the gold for me has to be:

Seto Kaiba: So you got a dweeb army. Is that supposed to make me afraid to attack? Dartz: No, not unless destroying an innocent soul concerns you Seto Kaiba: As the CEO of a Mega Corporation, I have to do that everyday

What I would like to see more focus on: I feel like it would have been nice to see some more of him in both GX and 5Ds (the latter is just to try better explain why was he involved in the big catastrophe of the series, but I also don't mind leaving it up for interpretation and guesses)What I would like to see less focus on: I wished Yugi/Atem wouldn't steal the attention from Kaiba's story, so he isn't reduced into another cheerleader. Favorite pairing with: Yugi/Kaiba, Ishizu Ishtar/Seto Kaiba, Malik Ishtar/Seto Kaiba and Ryuji Otogi/Seto Kaiba are some of the ships I still hold dearly to! Favorite friendship: Kaiba doesn't have any friendships. NO BUT HEAR ME OUT, I like the idea of Pegasus and Kaiba trying to amend for what happened in Duelists' kingdom, as shown in their v close business relationship in GX. I'm glad the anime didn't kill off Pegasus. NOTP: Joey/Kaiba Favorite headcanon: 4kids' dub version of unhinged Kaiba > the sub original and more down to earth Kaiba. I said it, and I'll keep saying it: This is the exact reason I loved this character. "bUt iTs nOt FaiThFul tO tHe SoURcE mAtEriaL" I can hear ppl cry about it, and I'll keep supporting dubbed Kaiba's assholery in that version. Even if it comes at the cost of the story/context of many things changing. It's a price I'm willing to pay.

Ahsoka Tano

What I love about them: Ahsoka's behind the scenes production story is genuinely interesting, in a time and period where nobody feels like putting effort into anything, and just resort to insulting others at the slightest bit of criticism! It's refreshing and very inspiring! When TCW was in production, they decided to give Anakin a padawan, and they KNEW the reception to the idea wouldn't be a warm one from the community. So, instead of throwing a tantrum, the team EMBRACED that and worked around it. So Ahsoka would gradually gain the audience's interest, as she also grew as a character. Ahsoka IS intentionally written as an unlikeable brat in the first 2 seasons, and in the later seasons we see how much she matured. The effort paid off, and Ahsoka is now held up as one of the best prequels era characters. What I hate about them: Filoni is setting out to undo all the hardwork they put into her, via overexposure. Ever since the Mandalorian show, she suddenly became the bridge to EVERYTHING. Even though, her actions shouldn't really give her that much influence or position to begin with. Favorite Moment/Quote:

"You're A Good Soldier Rex. So Is Every One Of Those Men Down There. They May Be Willing To Die, But I Am Not Going To Be The One Who Kills Them."

What I would like to see more focus on: I'd love to see some more of her bond and connection with Plo Koon. We only get a 5 secs clip, in the first season of TCW of them meeting, and this is never expanded on. Which IMO is such a big missed opportunity. What I would like to see less focus on: STOP FILONI'S ANTI-JEDI PROPAGANDAAAA Favorite pairing with: Rex/Ahsoka Favorite friendship: Ahsoka & Anakin, Ahsoka & Padmé, Ahsoka & Barriss. Honestly? I could go off. NOTP: Any form of Master/padawan ship. This is something I'm not interested in to begin with, and that doesn't go away even after she leaves the order or ages over time. That just isn't my cup of tea - So basically: Sabine/Ahsoka and Anakin/Ahsoka. Favorite headcanon: I can't hear Filoni, she is not going around blaming the jedi for their own genocide. She also doesn't go around calling herself a jedi knight, whenever it is convenient to her. She left the order in her own accords, and she has to live with that fact.

[number-1-kuaidul-fanboy]

Hey

It’s been a bit...

I rewatched Zexal’s finale.

...I still kinda don’t like it.

I enjoyed it a lot more this time around, I like where we end up with the ending and the actual Yuma vs Astral duel is really good and exciting and brings everything that happened over the course of the series together in a really nice way.

The emotions of the duel on the other hand... “Yuma needs to remember to have fun duelling!” Hi, Judai called, he wants his character arc back, he says he did it way better. And I agree with him. We see Judai hit rock bottom, we see Judai become so obsessed with winning over anything else that it warps who he is to such a drastic degree that he becomes a villain and kills people. Sure, Yuma changed as a result of constantly having to duel for his life but it’s not nearly as fleshed out as Judai’s arc. If you’re gonna repeat the same arc, can you at least do it better so I don’t feel like this has already been done and been done better.

Also “the two partners who’ve done nothing but work together over the course of the series are now duelling each other with the ultimate conclusion of separating.” Yeah... that’s just Yugi vs Atem again. Except that duel had the characters being honest and even vulnerable with each other in their final meeting and did well acknowledging both characters’ growth while Yuma vs Astral... did okay with Yuma but Astral’s growth is somewhat ignored. It’s shown at the end but for a lot of it, he’s faking this honestly still really jarring goal of wanting to destroy Barian world.

Also, as a side note even the “partner lies that he’s gonna do a big bad so his partner will beat him” aspect was something VRAINS later did better with its finale duel. That’s not Zexal’s fault as VRAINS came after but it does add to my point: Yuma vs Astral isn’t a bad duel but falls a bit short as a finale. All its main points are things three other finale duels in the series did better and in 2/3 cases, did first.

Iffy finale aside though, man I loved revisiting this show. I forgot just how much I loved Zexal’s characters and how beautiful the animation is and how well executed the twists are and how emotional some of these duels are-

My god, it’s great. And the dub managed not to take away from most of that, except the Barian’s backstories, holy shit were those massacred. But the rest is actually pretty faithful to the sub, at least in spirit. It’s not perfect, and I certainly prefer the sub version overall, but aside from the Barian’s backstories, none of the changes it had really took away from the experience for me.

And with that random and amazing rewatch over I should probably pick up Sevens again. I like Sevens don’t get me wrong I just don’t feel much inclination to watch more than a few episodes of it at a time. Plus I’m watching it in sub so it’s not something I can watch in the background like I can with the dubs.

Also quick update: I have no intention of quitting Tumblr, and I never did. I love this cursed place and Yugioh too much to ever leave completely. Heck, even during the week I took off from posting I was still lurking around in the shadows of this place like... *long sigh of ‘I really hate to make this pun but it fits’* like a spectre. I’m not leaving. But I won’t post as often as I was.

[captainshadowgirllostfan]

Still watching this in 2020

Favorite Quote:  “Exodia! It’s not possible!” lol

I have never watched the Japanese version. I hear Kaiba is less of a douche in that version. Still love his douchiness especially when he’s picking on Joey because it’s funny and Joey’s reactions in funny. But in this first episode, he’s a complete douche. I remember being very surprised when I noticed he was in the english dubbed opening as one of the main characters after Yugi goes “It’s time to d-d-d-d-d-duel!” and then Joey, Triston, Tea, and finally KAIBA of all people is shown. Admittedly he does show up in every season. I had thought this was foreshadowing he might become part of the gang. Was very disappointed that he wasn’t.

In hindsight, after reading some metas about his character, I could see that he might never be friends with them. I mean aside from Yugi... Idk about Joey. Maybe Joey. But Triston and Tea. Well, to be fair, that’s not a lot of people to be friends with. I mean if you go by him just only being capable of being friends with a few people. Four people is a few. And adding Duke and Bakura isn’t a lot either.

Idk. 

Kaiba’s a douchebag. It’s a joy to see how he kind of changes. Though admittedly I thought his change from the first episode to later seeing him again was complete 180, but to be fair when your brother has been abducted and your company and life work are on the line I guess that would change a person a lot.

I am going to start watching Season 0 as well and reading the comics.

What I’m right now interested in Yugi’s character. I’m writing to him, and I’m intrigued about who he was before the series, before the Millenium Puzzle. I’m intrigued by the fact that he became best friends with the guy who spent more os his school years tormenting him. Like I don’t get it.

Joey and Yugi relationship in this series is great. But finding out Joey used to bully him was like whoah. The series here gleans on it but it doesn’t make you think a lot. You just kind of feel touched by the story.

But IDK if I was Yugi. IDK if I would do that.

I relate to Yugi so much. I’m so awkward. I have trouble making friends because of my own insecurity and am even more unsure when I’m in a conversation. I choke up a lot.

But I’m not forgiving.

I’m thinking the reason Yugi’s like this is probably due to that theory that says Yugi is Atem’s reincarnation. That when Atem sealed himself to the puzzle, he split his soul, so his darker half, the “Yami” was sealed inside the puzzle, which his lighter half moved on to the afterlife, only to be reborn 3000 years later.

Thus the reason that Yugi is incapable of hating people.

[engelchenyugi]

Someone to believe in

Rivalshipping is one of the ships I actually see working out in canon-verse which is more thanks to Takahashi and his illustration for them.

(It feels great that one of my head-canons turned out to be realistic enough for even the mangaka to consider as a possibility.（๑✧∀✧๑）)

I see them forming a business relationship. Kaiba who came back from the Ancient times and made his peace with Atem now has to keep his eyes open in order to find a new rival which is Yuugi. There are quite a few things about Kaiba's and Yuugi's relationship people often seem to overlook. It wasn't Atem who first saw through Kaiba's mask but Yuugi. Yuugi who always had been an outsider in his class must have been used watching people.

He learned to read them because he adapted to them. He never wanted to make people angry or have them think ill of him which of course lead to him being more or less ignored by his classmates. Yuugi has shyness issues in the manga and he can't really say what he thinks as he fears hurting other people or being misunderstood. The manga explains Yuugi's personality, his complexes and how he deals with the people around him perfectly. When the manga starts, Yuugi has been in his class for quite a while but to the reader it is described in a way as if Yuugi was new there. He explains the minor characters and seems to have a lot of knowledge about them although he never actively talked to them. This way of narrative is pretty interesting and unusual.

He is wishing for friends and wants people to see him which is interesting as it shows that Yuugi has spent a lot of time just observing the people around him which explains why Yuugi can tell if someone lies or tells the truth. He has the ability to look through other people's lies which became all the more clearer when Kaiba exchanges his Blue Eyes White Dragon card with a copy.

No, even before that, we see Yuugi look at Kaiba with some kind of concern. He knows that Kaiba is up to something and he is sweating. Kaiba is smiling. Kaiba is acting. He acts like a normal teenager and if we see the whole picture, Kaiba is loved by the masses and he has fans all around the world which is also explained by the shareholders of Kaiba Corporation who only choose Kaiba as the CEO because of his popularity and his reputation among gamers. Kaiba is known as a genius. More than that, he knows how to manipulate people and make them like him. Kaiba is faking a smile and acts like a likable and kind person – which he is absolutely not, as he is pretty devious, self-centered and so full of himself.

Yuugi was the first person who ever saw through his masquerade and Kaiba should have paid more attention to Yuugi and not only to Atem. This is something he will learn after DSOD. I'm pretty sure that Kaiba will accept Yuugi as his true rival (since he already did acknowledge his skills in the end of DSOD) and that they will get closer in a human level during their work on Spherium. I like to imagine how this change slowly comes to them and how Kaiba more and more understands how much he needs people around him, especially his brother and Yuugi. Although Kaiba would never say so, he does need people around him, because if he is all by himself he is rather destructive. He pays no attention to himself and easily gets absorbed in his job, fully forgetting everything around him because he can't deal with his own weaknesses.

And this is something I find very interesting. Yuugi has full right to hate Kaiba. To avoid him, but he chooses not to. Yuugi makes a decision which is surprising to the reader (mostly to Jounouchi) and to Kaiba. He calls Kaiba a friend, saying that they have the same passion and that they're alike. He visits Kaiba in the hospital, fully knowing that he is not going to wake up. This alone shows that Yuugi has forgiven him and that he is even worried about his well-being. The man who put his friends in danger and tried to kill them. The man who would captivate him and make him face his own weaknesses. It's so difficult to understand why Yuugi would forgive him after everything he's done. It’s easy to say that Yuugi is in general a kind boy, but it’s not like he can’t be angry or hate people. Even Yuugi can be quite unforgiving and hold grudges, but there must have been something he gained from his encounter with Kaiba – something he realized during Death-T he wouldn’t have been able without him.

Kaiba and Yuugi have some kind of special bond between them and both know that. Maybe Yuugi is grateful to Kaiba because only due to Death-T he was finally able to address his true feelings and the possibility that there might be someone else inside him that is taking control over his body once he loses consciousness. He needed an extreme situation to say what was bothering him. Without the severe situation they were in, he would have never had the guts to tell his friends his fears. It was the whole situation, facing deaths and not knowing what's happening next, that made him despaired enough to address this matter – which was a good thing and helped him to overcome his fear and realize that his friends would always be there for him, even if he had another person inside him. 

Yuugi calls Kaiba a friend. He offers him help. Both manga and anime. He never shows negative feelings towards the man who put him into hell and even laughed at his misery. There is a lot of respect between them, especially coming from Yuugi’s side who would address him with “Kaiba-kun” while Kaiba would just call him by his forename. Yuugi has a lot of respect for Kaiba and seems to admire him in a way. Yuugi, just like Atem, considers Kaiba a noble duelist. And this way of thinking, the way he sees Kaiba, is to me really exciting to explore.

Kaiba must have realized that, too. Kaiba knows what a kind person Yuugi is and that it makes no difference for their awkward relationship whether he pushes him away, because Yuugi keeps coming back. Yuugi does not give him up and that is something Kaiba needs. Kaiba needs a person who is willing and able to stand up against him and does not mind being rejected. Kaiba rejects Yuugi so many times and shows him that he does not believe in his friendship-is-magic bullshit that one should think Yuugi would finally give up on him. But the more often Kaiba rejects him, the more likely for Yuugi to come back.

And that's why I like their relationship. Kaiba is an asshole and Yuugi still chooses to be nice to him and call him a friend. This whole relationship is messed up and the older they get, the more Kaiba will understand how important Yuugi is for him.

Personally, I really have problems imagining Kaiba in a lovey-dovey relationship because he is does not like showing his weak sides since he is afraid people might take advantage of him. Due to his past with Gozaburo he was taught to suppress his own emotions and strive for success. As the mangaka said, Gozaburo truly thought that this was the best and he actually considered himself a good father which is why he never realized the slowly growing madness inside his son. Furthermore, Kaiba truly regrets having killed his father. He considers himself a patricide and this burdens him. Even stated by the author of the manga:

“To Kaiba, he was a father, but he just wasn't a "typical" father. When he carried out his administration shift, Seto didn't think that Gozaburo would die. Now without a foe due to Gozaburo taking his own life, he slowly started to lose his sanity. He himself felt guilty of committing "patricide." Being an important keyword in this series, the word "patricide" always haunts him. You could say Gozaburo implanted the design that "games equal death" into Seto.”

Kaiba has emotions. Kaiba is easily manipulated. Kaiba is a human-being and it's not like he never regrets anything. There are plenty of things that haunt him. He is obsessed with crushing the past and find a way to the future, because he himself can't go on. He can't do that. He can't forget his past and is chained down by his memories. He needs to repeat these words so often not to convince Yuugi-tachi but himself. Fighting against his own emotions, his past and bounds to other people gives him strength and he seems to believe that this is the only way to reach the future. Abandoning anything around you is the only way to focus.The only way to create a path to the future is to destroy everything. Kaiba tends to think in extremes. All or nothing. Black or white. There is no middle way and he is not willing to accept any other people who oppose his way of thinking.

I'd like to quote something that Takahashi said about Yuugi's and Kaiba's relationship:

“[...]Seto searched for the meaning in fighting said to take down your opponent down in a game on your own. Fighting, and, for example, what's known as war, is a battle between two nations, while Seto considers fighting a personal war to the bitter end. That's why I think Yuugi's character is so significant. Seto, without Yuugi as his rival and without an enemy that he must topple, would not be able to exist.“

Kaiba can't exist without Yuugi, because he would choose the path of destruction and lose himself. Although the mangaka is talking about Yami no Yuugi, rather Atem, it’s something that I see as a general character trait of Kaiba. Kaiba needs someone who gives him a reason to keep fighting, someone to believe in. As shown in DSOD, Kaiba can't deal loss. He absolutely can't. He would never openly admit it or say it out loud, there is a special connection between him and Atem. (I know that the dub destroyed this moment and made him say something he wouldn't say, but I just ignore the bullshit America once again came up for Yuugiou and instead pay more attention to the original version.)

Kaiba does not need to say what he thinks, because it's obvious. His expression shows how he truly feels and that this rivalry-thingy he has going on with Atem is much more than that, equaling the love to an important brother you need to have by your side to realize your own mistakes and show you the way. Atem is Kaiba’s mentor. Kaiba is focused so much on Atem that he can’t see the world around him anymore. That’s just what he is and even in the future, Kaiba will need someone who gives him a reason to be alive. Someone who motivates him to grow and improve and the only one fitting for that role is Yuugi. Yuugi is the only only capable of handling him and has proven that he is worthy to be his next rival.

The movie makes sure to show that Kaibas has a place to return to and that meeting Atem is not the last or the ending of his journey but only a stepping stone to a brighter future where his past stops haunting him.

And later on, it's Yuugi who will fill this role, even going far beyond that. Working together, sharing their passion for games and being able to live their dreams and make anything happen they desire will help Kaiba to regain his humanity. Of course, he will never go head over heels for Yuugi and tell him how much he loves him, because his actions and his looks are enough to ensure Yuugi that Kaiba absolutely treasures him.

[aquaburst3]

As you guys probably guessed by now, there was a sneak peek clip of Lotor talking and another one with a shot of his back last night dropped at Wonder Con. And…Lotor sounds hot af. I am not afraid to admit that. By the looks of it, half the fandom busted a nut last night when Lotor talked for the first time. xP Even the Galra in universe fell under his spell fast.

A lot of people are saying Lotor is like Space!Loki (which I can see the connection since VLD seems to take cues from Marvel properties like Guardians of the Galaxy and there are some similarities between them). That was not the case for me. The first character I thought of wasn’t Loki, even though I admit Lotor kinda sounds like it, but…

In addition to the obvious things like them being villains that rock long, white hair with British accents (at least Bakura did in the dub), their personalities are a lot alike.

They are both very charismatic and cunning, being very ruthless. During the manga, Bakura stabbed himself in the arm just to fool Yugi and his friends, murdered Pegasus in the manga, among many other things. Lotor seems to be the same way so far. By the clips in the teaser, Lotor destroyed a city and a fleet of ships, so he is willing to do whatever it takes to make his agenda happen. Like my friend, @darkspellmaster mentioned in a meta, I think Lotor will be a Char Aznable like character where there’s good in him, but also he’s very much for his own cause and if that means killing and destroying things to get to his end goal, well then so be it.

Lotor, since I still think he is the one in the Weblum, is also like Bakura since they both can plan on the fly really fast. Lotor was cocksure, a team player and able to plan on the fly fast. Bakura is the same way. During a lot of his duels and even in general, he seems to be able to change things on the fly too.

They both are kinda underdogs in ways. Lotor is a runt and half Altean, along with the possibility of Lotor being put down by his father, he probably wasn’t the most popular person around before.   Bakura was a thief, who lived on the streets.

The only difference so far personality wise is that Lotor seems far more charismatic than Bakura. Sure, Bakura can be charming.  However, Lotor was able to get a whole stadium of people to rally behind him in one speech (along with a legion of fanboys and fangirls, who went gaga at just the sound of his voice).  That takes talent. With the possibility of Lotor pulling that speech out of his ass and that whole thing being an act to get the people on his side fast, especially with him being half Altean, willowy runt prince in their eyes and them turning on him being a huge possibility, that is even more impressive.

Even their backstories hold some similarities.

Bakura’s backstory in YGO was that in Yu-Gi-Oh DM, Atem’s uncle, Aknadin, slaughtered a whole village of people in cold blood to create the Millennium Items, justifying this act by believing them as inferior people.  

Bakura, or the Thief King, escaped the destruction and vowed to get revenge on the royal family for killing his family and loved ones.  He is willing to do another to anything to get revenge, even making deals with demons with dragon dicks to do so (seriously, what is up with that thing on Zorc?).  He murdered many of the pharaoh’s court along with almost destroying Kemet in the process; what put an end to the madness with Yami sealing himself in the Puzzle and doing the same with Bakura and the Ring. That’s not even counting what he did in the present!

I don’t think Lotor will have the same backstory as Bakura.  There are some similarities here. Lotor is most likely half Altean in this version (I mean, he has white hair like Haggar with pointed ears…it is pretty damn obvious) – both of his home worlds were destroyed. While Lotor didn’t know that tidbit about himself in the original, I find it likely they could make him damn well know for the sake of giving more dimension to his character. By the what the showrunners are saying, Lotor will have a different agenda than his dad. What that is, I have no idea. One theory is that he is planning to dismantle the monarchy from the inside as the biggest fuck you to his dad ever. Like Akenadin, in Go Lion, Zarkon murdered Lotor’s mom in cold blood. Granted, I do not see Zarkon being that edge lord here since this is a Y7 show, but I can easily see Lotor being super pissed about him destroying Altea and being the reason why his mother disappeared (since I still doubt Haggar is his mother). He could think of himself as Altean and he hates the Galra even more than Allura ever did. His decision to cut his fingernails in an Altean style rather than emulate pointed Galra claws might be a clue. If he is the Weblum Galra, he stole a bag of lenses, that were used to teleport his ship with Altean magic. So Lotor’s strategy of building up “allies” makes sense if his ulterior motive is to secretly organize them to exterminate the Galra in a massive betrayal.

I think Lotor, by the way it seems already, will be better written than Bakura in YGO in my opinion. In YGO DM, Bakura seemed to linger in the shadows so much that he didn’t seem super threatening at points. Sure, he was sometimes, but he still did not strike fear or make much of an impression on the main cast until the last arc, especially the main characters, Yami and Yugi. There were whole story arcs in the anime where he was never mentioned once! I know they wanted to do a “lingering in the shadows” kinda thing, but I think it could’ve been done better.

That is not the case here. Lotor already hide in the shadows before, with Lotor never being spoken of until the last season of season 2, and now he is getting things done and making an impression on the team. In that clip alone, he destroyed fleets and cities, being able to teleport his ships fast. He even destroyed Voltron’s wing!

Either way, the team will have one hell of a fight against them.  I can’t wait to see the next season!

…I think the meantime I will never stop making Bakura YGOTAS jokes until season 3 comes out… Or just Bakura jokes in general…

[serenato2]

Rage about Yu-gi-oh Dark Side of Dimensions (US version)

Firstly, I didn’t write here anything for years, but after watching the movie in Japanese, I couldn’t hold back anymore. Of course, what I write is only my opinion.  For those, who watched the movie with the English dub, please watch the original, too before praising the US soundtrack or raging about how gay the characters are. You’re being SO decieved. Yes, indeed, it is sounds gay, when a 42 old man try to play a role of a 16 years old, gentle but strong willed boy, and the age is not a problem for me, but it just doesn’t fit for Yugi. I think the main reason that almost every single male character sounds gay is their lines. I’m specialized in Japanese translation, and I’m aware that it’s difficult to deliver the same information. But watching the movie in both languages, I would say that viewers are decieved and that’s why they’re confused about the message of the movie, too. I think 4kids(?) just rewrote the 90% of the original lines, to sound more “COOL”. I’m sure, that if they wouldn’t force the “funny and cool lines only” motto, we would see less “gay” tag regarding the movie as well. So there’s no “Kaiba being envious of Atem’s hair”, no meaningless lines from Kaiba like “Hate to say I told ya so, but, told ya so” or “fighting with fruits”. And the most important, Kaiba is NOT dead or leave behind Mokuba for four years (I don’t know who said this, but I read this often). Please read the prologue manga, Transcend game and you’ll understand, that Kaiba is not choosing afterlife for Atem and so on. I think the only line which was correct is this: “It’s not a monster, but a god!”. So many incorrect meanings, just a few of them:  “If the person who created this reality was under my employ, I’d have him fired"... Kaiba is firing everyone except Isono and Mokuba, why you bother mentioning it? Also, when Kaiba said “You have your bond with him, and I have mine” instead of “You are also a proud duelist as well”, I thought I was watching a different show. What is this death flag in the US version?? Of course, Yugi has his bonds with Atem, but Kaiba doesn’t even met him this time, why would he say something like this suddenly?? By the way, it is interesting, because in this scene Kaiba is using Atem’s phrase as an answer.  4kids, don’t ruin characters setting like this. It was hurtful to even hear lines where no one should be talking and if they want to make a soundtrack SO MUCH, then they should at least hit the level of the original. It was horrible to hear them all over the place with unfitting scenes. That’s it for now. I would like to hear the opinions of those, who have also saw the movie in both languages.

[silverwindsblog]

My commentary of Yugioh DSOD

Disclaimer: I watched the sub version (at KissAnime) which the translation does not match with the character’s lines because it’s a rip off from the dub script.

This is not a review of Yugioh DSOD. This is just me reacting with screaming and attempting to be funny with stupid comments. Contains a lot of caps and swearing mostly because the movie buffs at important moment. Obviously, spoilers. You have been warned. I will write out my thoughts on the movie in a seperate post as well my analysis on the themes of the movie.

Okay, opening starts with a giant space ship with KC.

Gee, Seto is trying to retrieve Atem's puzzle in order to bring Atem back. What can possibility go wrong? As Yuko Ichihara taught us on what happens when someone attempts to bring her back alive...

Also, that's a very specific problem Seto point out when making a hologram of Atem with getting Atem's hair right. Then again, I always wonder if the author of Yugioh was smoking something to come up with that ridiculous hair. xD Ugh it bugs me that Seto continued to call Atem "Yugi" at first. But he called him Pharaoh which means he acknowledge him as a person different from Yugi. Then Seto kept switching between Pharaoh and Yugi. Well which one Seto? Make up your mind dammit! It also doesn't make any sense for me. Anyway, the most important part of the movie

Is what role Anzu has in the movie

And my expectations took a dip as she is reduced to a cheerleader. Then again, since when Yugioh movies give any decent leading roles to female? -_- At least we know that she won a scholarship to New York! And that she's not the transportation person for the main character because that's Tristan's job. Or the butt monkey. Which is Joey's job. Then again, if you name isn't Yugi, Seto, or the villain of the movie, then you are just there with one specific role just like a coffee deliver person at meetings.

Diva is a weird name for a villain, but I'm not going to make a quick judge on him based on his name alone. Seto. Wow. Such indifferent to Yugi in this line: "He has a mind of a child."

Like you aren't any different from him who keep going back to the past and obsessively building your rival in a hologram and brought the world almost to the end because you couldn't accept that Atem is gone. *applied burn with ice when needed*

Diva: "Magic has no boundaries."

Yeah neither does friendship. Speaking of friendship, how come no one mentions it even once in the movie? It's weird not hearing it just like not hearing Atem shouting "Heart of the Card" speech in every few episodes.

Diva: "You are a control freak". Well then finally someone said the truth about Seto. xD Dimension duel is another word of saying the Shadow Realm.  Just like "A bun in the oven" is another word to say you are pregnant which btw it's a weird phrase and I never get it.

Oh gosh, the eyes. Plz no, Vijam the Cubic Seed is giving me nightmares. o.O I hate eyes especially when it's used in a horror effect.

Leave it to Seto and his dramatic drawing. especially after mentioning that he wanted to duel Atem again. Glad that some things never change after 25 years.

Shadi Shin. What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Doing. In. The. Movie.

I did not expect him to appear here at all.

I'm interested to see how Shadi plays a role in the movie. Hopefully he doesn't passively let things happen right? Never mind. He let destiny roll with it and blame it on fate.

You know, it's not your duty to interfere with destiny, but you could at least use magic powers to stop Ryou's father. -_-

Instead of letting him wear the ring. And maybe Thief Bakura won't be alive again and possess Ryou. And you risk the children's lives. -_- And you die while leaving the fate of the world to a bunch of children. Great work, Shadi. Really great.

Also I thought Ryou's father bought the ring from someone in the market at the anime? Unless my memory is fuzzy...

I can't believe it took 53 mins for Yugi to be relevant to the plot.

Ryou Bakura's memory. Damn I felt bad for that man. Damn that scenery. And that boat.

This is the most beautiful part of the movie. At least until I watched the climax.

Joey got into the twilight zone where your memories are being forgotten and you will forget them before you die. Damn that some psychological horror shit here and I love it. Should be fantasy/drama/horror genre. Hopefully the power of magic errr friendship helps Joey get out.

IT'S THE POWER OF MEMORIES OF ATEM THAT SAVE HIM

HOW COME NO ONE TRY THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP TO FIND JOEY?

IT'S ALWAYS THE SOLUTION TO EVERYTHING.

Also quick few seconds of Wishshipping with Joey thanking Yugi. Dammit why are the interaction between the gang are short?  Oh wait, got to make a room for the latest Yugioh villain. Because destiny plot said so.

Why am I still surprised that Yami Bakura (the Ring) is behind the possession of Mani and other people? His laugh in Japanese is still creepy as fuck.

FINALLY AFTER OVER ONE HOUR AND 14 MINUTES SETO AND YUGI MEET AGAIN.

SHIT IS ABOUT TO GET REAL WITH SETO SAYING THAT HE WANTS TO DUEL YUGI RIGHT NOW

BUT YUGI IS NOT TAKING SETO'S SHIT

YUGI BASICALLY TOLD SETO HEY MOTHERFUCKER LET ME DUEL DIVA. xD

AND SETO ACCEPT IT IN HIS USUAL WAY: Fine, only once. *cue an hour of dramatic gestures and music in this epic duel* Along with the script of the dub as a subtitle. No really. There are castle and lemon jokes. Why. This duel is very long.

Finally the moment. The moment that everyone is waiting for. Yugi completed the puzzle. Atem did not come back. Seto is about to faint. And he lost his shit and decided that ending the world is the best solution to deal with his angst. FUCK THE MOVIE IS BUFFING. RIGHT AT THE IMPORTANT PART. D;

Ahem. *After waiting for 10 mins and played FFRK*

More destiny stuff. Yuko Ichihara would have a field day with this. Throw some hitsuzen quotes why don't you? And the duel was interrupted by a cube. "Hey Diva, are you feeling better or worse?" OK WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO ADD THE DUB SCRIPT IN THE JAPANESE VERSION SUBTITLES?

No shit the villain is definitely is getting worse, not better.

"The fun will now begin."  Man, you can't escape from Arc V. xD Yugi and Seto duo. Let's save the world! *Insert generic theme of superheroes* Seto takes the pain for Atem. NOOOOOO Yugi is about to lose. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU OH MY GOD ATEM IS HERE! FAN SCREAMS STILL GLORIOUS AS USUAL

BEST MOMENT EVER. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Don't tell anyone that I was squee with joy or I’ll kill you. I have a reputation to hold you know as a stoic and serious person. MAHAAD BOWING DOWN TO ATEM I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WHY IS THERE MORE SCREENTIME OF SEALSHIPPING THAN REVOLUTIONSHIPPING? I'M SALTY AF. NOT AS SALTY AS THE RELIC PULLS IN FFRK BUT STILL A GREAT SCENE.

I DON'T CARE THIS SCENE IS AWESOME RIGHT THERE.

ARE YOU SERIOUS THE VIDEO HAS TO FUCKING BUFF AGAIN

Anyway, Yugi and Atem stared at each other. I can't believe it. I'M SO HAPPY. The world is saved again. As usual, Seto thank Yugi in his own way and left to leave a mess for Yugi to clean up. And Anzu asking how Atem is doing. :) Yeah I know that it's only one line, but come on, I need to milk revolutionshipping and lessen the saltiness. :P Yugi: "Thank you, Kaiba".

My translation: Yeah thanks for leaving the place for me to clean up even though I save your ass again. xD My girl Anzu is going to New York! :D Shut up, this is the only few scenes with Anzu and I got to milk it somehow. And the scene ends with Atem in Ancient Egypt (well at least it's in the hologram).

Just like old times, Seto challenged Atem to a camel race. Just kidding, it's a duel.

[nenya85]

My rambling thoughts on DSoD

I’m putting the rest behind a spoiler cut, but I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that the animation is beyond amazing.  Dark Side of Dimensions is one of those rare movies where you could erase the dialogue (more on that one behind the spoiler cut) and I’d sit in the dark watching the images – and still feel like I’d seen a complete movie.

My completely Kaiba-centric thoughts are below the cut. 

Before I get into my really long comments I have to add a Mokuba note:  Mokuba is amazing!  He and Kaiba are such a total team and you can see what a completely badass duo he and his big brother are going to be when he gets older.  I would hate to be the person who gets in their way.

Okay, on to my Kaiba-centric thoughts...

I had my doubts about the dub version, and I ended up being pleasantly surprised.  

Takahashi clearly set out to make a movie about loss, connection and hope – and his vision survived everything 4-Kids threw at it.

In both the manga and the original anime, dueling is a metaphor. Each character’s deck says a lot about who they are as individuals from Kaiba’s need for power to the balance of Yugi and Yami’s deck to the way Yugi leaves Silent Magician on the field, almost unnoticed, yet growing stronger with each turn, to the way Jounouchi’s original deck is created with cards from his friends and cards he gains from each challenge, in much the same way he grows as a person.

The duels are often explicitly framed (usually by Kaiba) in terms of the beliefs being tested: self-reliance and cooperation, destiny and self determination, distrust and friendship.  Kaiba and Atem view duels as signposts for how they are to live.

From the beginning, the dub cut that aspect out.  If Yu-Gi-Oh! Is a story told through card games; the dub is a story about teenagers who happen to play card games.

Kaiba’s character is disproportionately affected by this change because he has hardest time connecting and communicating outside of the dueling arena.  

To me, one of the most moving scenes in DSoD is the one where Kaiba duels a holographic Atem.  Once the duel ends and he has to acknowledge that none of it was real, Kaiba is visibly angry and shaken.  As Kaiba talks to his staff, he becomes increasingly agitated by his inability to fool himself with his own creation.  It’s a powerful image of loss-fueled rage.  But this message is undercut by both the voice direction, which has Kaiba using the same sarcastic tone when talking about his inability to recreate Atem that he uses for everything else and by the dub addition of yet another dialogue reminder that this is only about revenge.

Interestingly, despite Kaiba’s repeated (and I mean repeated) assertions that his only reason for wanting to find Atem is for revenge, that posture becomes harder to maintain the further into the movie we get, and it disappears by the time he duels Yugi.  Kaiba’s shocked anger when Yugi assembles the Puzzle goes so far beyond any desire for a rematch, that the movie abandons the attempt. This is entirely thanks to Yugi himself – who goes straight to talking about grief and loss and moving on, and who interrupts the duel to complete the Puzzle because he recognizes that Atem’s death and Kaiba’s need to see him is what they are truly fighting about.

What I love about Yugi’s duel with Kaiba is that they are each speaking from such opposite perspectives and yet both are treated with such respect.  Yugi is talking about moving on because that is what he needs to do: live an independent life despite the loss of the person he once called his “other me.”  But for the first time, Kaiba shows that even more than moving on, he needs closure first.  In the manga, that’s something Yugi got that Kaiba didn’t, and his desire for it now is both genuine and genuinely moving.

And I like it that Kaiba is right, that Yugi could call Atem.  Kaiba sacrifices his life points as a sign of his total faith in Atem, and that faith is rewarded.  I love the way Yugi and Kaiba acknowledge each other at the end and discover more common ground than either would have believed possible.  For the first time we get to hear a Kaiba who is something other than sarcastic or angry when he tells Yugi: “You have your bond with him and I have mine.”

And I love the end.  Of course Kaiba would jump into an untested prototype for the chance to see Atem again and of course that visit would involve a duel.  This is Yu-Gi-Oh! after all, where characters deal with their problems by flinging cards at them.

And Atem’s smile at the end, a true smile of acknowledgement, was the perfect closing moment.

[nightfurylover31]

Yugi Muto: The Reincarnated Pharaoh

I truly believe that Yugi is Atem’s reincarnation. Now you could argue, “Atem was sealed inside the Millennium Puzzle, He couldn’t be reincarnated.” But really, stranger things have happened in the show. Either way, Atem technically died that day. Since he was the one who sealed his soul away, only “he” could reassemble it. Ishizu said Yugi was the modern day version of Atem in the dub, but I know that’s not quite proof enough. In case you need more convincing, I’ve set up a few points. (don’t worry, no spoilers from DSoD)

Physical Appearance One, the hair. Something like that doesn’t just happen, even in the Yugioh universe. It does crack me up when people point it out. Yugi’s is slightly different, but overall the same. But that’s just one point. In Dark Side of Dimensions, Yugi has gone through a big physical change. In the time since separating from Atem, Yugi has grown taller, his body is more tone, and even his eyes have become more angled. He is looking more like Atem. I would also like to point out Bakura doesn’t look exactly like his ancient counterpart as well. I think this change would fit his emotional growth. Yugi always lacked confidence, but being with his spirit partner taught him to be brave. However, he still relied on Atem a lot. He wanted to be just as strong as he is. Now that Atem’s soul has moved on, Yugi realizes he has to be strong on his own. He is now finally able to believe in his own strength. Thus his growth. There’s also their voices. In the flashbacks, Atem sounded like Yugi. And when we saw an older Yugi in GX, he sounded like Atem. Yes, I know. Same voice actor, but still.

Dark Magician From the very beginning of the series, we knew that the Dark Magician was Yugi’s favorite monster, long before we knew who this famous Spellcaster was. Yugi himself has a connection with this card, just like Kaiba does with his Blue Eyes. I can totally picture him getting excited about seeing that card for the first time. Yugi has been seen using Dark Magician without Atem around, even if it wasn’t every often. Remember back when he and Shadi were wandering in the puzzle labyrinth? They were about to be attacked by the Dark Magician, but Yugi managed to convince him they meant no harm. He listens to Yugi just like he listens to Atem. In the Legendary Heroes mini arc, when Yugi is about to be attack, the Dark Magician came to his rescue without being called. He saw Yugi was in trouble and reacted. Even if that bond isn’t as strong as the one with Atem, it’s still there.

Self-Sacrificing What I cannot emphasize enough is how both Yugi and Atem are willing to sacrifice themselves for others. Their friends mean more to them than anything else. Atem literally gave his life to stop Zorc in the past. Not to mention having all those angered spirits from Kul Elna enter his body for judgement which could have killed. And Yugi is no different. He can’t stand the thought of his friends getting hurt. He made the same play a few times himself, most notably for Joey and Atem. Yugi was willing to let himself be dragged into the ocean and have his soul taken rather than his two best friends suffer the same fate. These two really overwhelm you with feels!

Fear of Being Alone Yugi hardly had any friends before he solved the Millennium Puzzle, if any. He had been alone for so long. All he wanted was friends, but felt he could make any. Of all the things he could have wished for on the Puzzle, it was friends. As we have seen in later seasons, Atem also hates being alone as well. It was especially emphasized in the Doma arc. Watching his friends being taken away toke a great toll on him. Even in the past, the priests gave their lives for him. As he watched, even though he had no memories of them, it was hard for him to relive it.  

Yugi was chosen by the Puzzle, just like how the Ring chose Bakura to continue to carry the fragment of Zorc’s soul, though I bet some of the Thief King’s soul was in there too. Also, while Kaiba never possessed the Millennium Rod, it reacted to him because it was his in a previous life. The is why Yugi is able to carry Atem’s soul. It’s his ancient counterpart. And he calls the pharaoh “Other Me” in the original. Not just because he lives in his heart. So it kind of makes sense. I would like to also point out how the Legendary Knights looked nearly identical to their Chosen Duelist. Maybe it’s another past life thing? They were humans before, and so what if they had magic powers? They didn’t really die, so why should Atem not be reincarnated when he did?

Yes, everyone has their own opinion. You can still say I’m wrong, but we have never gotten an actual confirmation that this isn’t true. I will stand by my belief.

[entamewitchlulu]

Homura’s Top 15 YGO DM Characters

so i’m feeling a little down lately for really no reason, and so I thought I should try to focus on some things that make me happy to cheer up. And what makes me more happy than Yu-Gi-Oh?  So since I did some character sorters recently, I thought I would make a series of posts about my top fifteen characters from each series, cause talking about characters that make me happy will probably make me feel better!!

i’m putting it under the cut cause it’s looong and i have pics for everyone :3  Without further ado, my Top 15 Yu-Gi-Oh DM Characters

15. Mai Kujaku

Mai is a bae.  Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s also, I think, a really great example of what female characters in Yu-Gi-Oh should be.  The plot sidelines her, of course, but what we do get of her is, I think, really powerful.  Mai feels incredibly human to me, right from the beginning of her appearance up through DOMA and her struggles with PTSD and loneliness.  She’s a powerful person who shows that you don’t have to be strong all the time to be a strong individual.

14. Yami Yugi / Atem

Atem is just...ugh i love him.  He’s gorgeous to look at, and his confidence is incredibly inspiring.  I love watching him turn around every horrible situation to his own advantage.  I love his beginnings all the way through to his end, from his more violent, crazy and fascinating shadow games, all the way up to the strong, quiet, and confident young king that we watch walk back to his eternal rest that he so deserves.  I love him for his tough moments and his vulnerable ones, for his dorkiness and his getting flustered over things outside his comfort zone.  He’s just...great and I love him.

13. Katsuya Jonouchi

Jonouchi is inspiring in like, the greatest sense of the word.  He’s the underdog who pushes forward despite everything try to pull him back.  He’s a lovable dork who can smile and laugh despite the shit in his background; he grew past the darkness of his past and became an incredibly loyal friend and a great protector of those in need.

12. Rebecca Hopkins

Rebecca might be a fairly useless side character, but god does she hit all my favorite character buttons.  She’s this cute, girlish character who’s prodigiously smart, a genius even.  She pretends to be cute and dumb sometimes because she wants people to consider her to not be a threat, but once you get to know her, she’s caustically sarcastic and a tough, close friend besides.  I just like seeing my lovely girl getting stuff done and standing up for herself and her friends.

11. Shizuka Kawai

What a precious girl!!!  She’s so full of hope and bravery even in the face of horrible things.  Fear might sometimes get the best of her, but she has faith in her friends and that gets her back on her feet.  Although she might hang back, when she has to fight, she does so with her own brand of tentative courage, and I love her for it.

10. Yami Bakura

God, this asshole, man.  I hate him; look at his stupid smug grin and his stupid face >:(  No but for real, I just like this dude because he’s such a dumb little shit.  There are two different ways to love him: either as the suave, smooth talking dub version with his inappropriate accent, or as the dumb shit who cusses everyone out like a sailor while he fumbles with his plans in the sub.  He procrastinates on his plan for like 200 episodes and just makes shit up as he goes and pretends like he’s got everything figured out, and I can’t help but find that weirdly endearing in a villain character.

9. Seto Kaiba

Seto is just an incredibly fascinating character to me.  Out of most of the cast, I feel like he has the most complexity to him, the most layers to dig through and explore.  He has such a fascinatingly faceted personality, characterized by the unhealthy coping methods he got from his childhood, his obsessive personality and desire to win, his intense love and desire to protect his brother, and his own tentative interactions with his past life and what that means for him now, or if he will only focus on the future and the future alone.  I just find him so interesting to examine and to play with, and he’s actually one of my favorite characters to write.  I can’t even blame Takahashi for spending so much time on him in the new movie because of all the characters, I think Seto has some of the most possibility for conflict and interesting character growth even post-series.

8. Kisara

This is an entry mostly boiled down to: I’m gay.  Kisara is such a kind, shining soul, and I find her perseverance and determination inspiring and powerful.  I wish we had gotten to see more about her in series, but she clearly has a lot of determination to have gotten as far as she did all by herself, keeping hold of hope even til the end.

7. Noa Kaiba

I love him; he’s...he’s so precious.  I always have a soft spot for child characters, and Noa is no exception, especially because of his back story.  I just can’t help but feel for him; he’s just a lonely child who wasn’t allowed to grow up and mature, and that came out in unhealthy ways while he tried desperately to escape back to the life he should have been allowed to have.  And in the end, my dear son decided that it was important instead to move on, and his final sacrifice for everyone’s sake was a very powerful moment to me.

6. Ishizu Ishtar

God, I can’t express how amazing Ishizu Ishtar is.  She’s just such an amazing person with such a powerful soul.  I love her quiet determination, and how she’s so good at hiding her thoughts from her opponents.  She’s so strong even in the face of feeling lonely or abandoned by her brothers, and keeps fighting as hard as she can to get them back.  Her devotion to her family is something that personally resonates with me very deeply, and her determination is something that I aspire to achieve.

5. Dark Magician Girl

And this is another entry on my list that basically boils down to “I’m gay.”  But beyond that, I just think Dark Magician Girl is actually a really fun character!  She’s sweet, cheerful, and she’s one of the first monsters we meet that actually has a legit personality that comes out through her, even from her first appearances before we legit meet her outside of a hologram.  I like the idea that she seems to be a the mediator of the monsters in the DOMA arc, going to find help and knowing the most about the dragons and who needs to use them.  I think she would have been a really fun character to see more in canon.

4. Ryo Bakura

Gosh, he’s just...uugh i love him.  He’s adorable, for one thing, and although his personality is a little all over the place in canon and not always written as well as it could be, I find what we do have of him to be incredibly endearing.  He’s a nerd who is fascinated by the occult and spends his nights making DnD campaigns and collecting figurines, the kind of person that legit gets excited over creepy shit, and he’s just an adorable, dorky nerd who doesn’t get enough sleep.  I love him a lot.

3. Yugi Mutou

Oh my goooood look at him.  Look at him.  Yugi is just--ridiculously amazing.  He’s a sweetheart who gives his all for the people he loves, and I just adore watching him grow up to become a presence that rivals Atem with his courage, his confidence, and his desire to protect and defend.  He’s such a powerful person and I love him; I want nothing but the best for him.

2. Anzu Mazaki

ANZU IS THE GREATEST OKAY

I love her strength and her take-no-shit attitude.  The fact that in her first appearance, she actually scares Jonouchi and Honda off just by existing is just so cool to me.  She’s a tough girl and everyone knows it, but she’s also soft and gentle.  She’s also just like, super cool??  She has goals of her own outside of the other characters and she shows that she’s more than willing to do what it takes to achieve them.  She doesn’t take any sexual harassment and will gladly punch anyone who messes with her or her friends.  Her devotion to those she loves and to her own goals is just super cool.

1. Mana

it’s my baby girl!!!!  I loooove her for her cheerful attitude and her lackadaisical personality.  She never takes anything all that seriously, and that’s I think a great thing for her, her station, and her friends.  She treats everyone the same as she always has despite things changing, like always treating Atem the same as her best friend even though he’s the pharaoh, and I think that gives those she loves a really great feeling of being able to relax in her presence.  And despite her cheerful, laid-back attitude, she’s definitely not stupid, either.  She works hard when she has to, plays hard when she doesn’t have to, and has a deep strength and determination to do right by herself and others.

[theabcsofjustice]

I just got back from The Dark Side of Dimensions and HOLY COW THAT WAS AWESOME!! THE ANIMATION WAS GORGEOUS AND THE MONSTERS AND EFFECTS IN THE DUELS WERE AMAZINGGGGGGGGG!

Actual spoilers behind the cut, of course. :)

The theater was pretty full and you guys were right, it looked to be mostly 20 or 30 somethings in there. It made me happy to see that there were so many other fans in my area, and their reactions made me even happier. There was cheering and clapping when Kaiba summoned Obelisk, and hoo boy you should have heard the hollering and applause when Atem showed up in the final duel. :D

Speaking of Kaiba summoning Obelisk, I was genuinely worried about him during his first duel with Aigami because I had forgotten about that part. I had no idea how he was going to be able to avoid getting dematerialized and then right before it happened I was like “Oh wait, he summons Obelisk doesn’t he?” That was pretty awesome!

Kaiba of course gets all the best lines in the movie. I think my favorite was when he was talking about how his new technology could recreate things flawlessly, right down to Atem’s perfectly coiffed hair. XD And also that the hair was apparently the hardest thing to get right. XDXD Then there was also his “You really hate dragons, don’t you?” to Yugi after Yugi destroys one.

I obviously haven’t seen the Japanese version yet and maybe my opinion will change once I do, but I thought they did a really good job with this dub. It didn’t look like they censored anything or tried to lessen the fact that people were getting dematerialized and terrified. They also didn’t cut out the gun that one of Kaiba’s men pulls on Aigami at one point. I don’t know if any of the story or motivations were changed though, so I guess I’ll have to see about that.

IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE ATEM AGAIN THOUGHHHHHH. ;__________;

I know that’s been a controversial point in the fandom for awhile now, and again I totally understand not wanting him to be there. But don’t let anyone tell you that he stole the spotlight from Yugi by his appearance because YUGI WAS DAMN AWESOME IN THIS MOVIE OKAY. He was fierce and determined and even stood up to Kaiba and basically told him “Nope, I’m dueling Aigami first. What are you gonna do about it?” when Kaiba wanted to do it. He was still his same compassionate self as well though. It was great to see him duel so much too, and he would have beaten Kaiba if Aigami hadn’t suddenly returned. And Kaiba actually didn’t seem mad about that as Yugi made his last attack with Dark Magician.

Also speaking of the final battle and Aigami’s return... GOOD LORD I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS GOING TO COME BACK WITH SUCH A FREAKY LOOKING FORM O_o. HALF OF HIS HEAD WAS MADE OF CUBES. CUBES WITH EYES IN THEM. Which I guess was appropriate considering his whole theme was based around cubes and also all of his monsters had those giant eyeballs on them.

That moment though when everything was disappearing and Yugi was still holding on and was like “I believe... in the Heart... of the Cards” was so great though. His belief certainly came through in a big way. ^^; I like how Atem didn’t actually speak at all while he was there and just silently summons Mahad to kick Aigami’s ass. The animation also made it clear that he and Yugi were doing it together. And then when they just smile at each other at the end before he leaves again.... MY HEAAAARRRRTTTTTTT  ;_________________;

The biggest question I have about the movie though is, where the hell did Shadi get this power of the Plana from in the first place? That just kind of came out of absolutely nowhere. I guess if you want weird magical stuff to happen, Shadi is your goto person for it because no one really understands wtf his deal is. ^^; At least we finally got to see how exactly he died though. I laughed when he basically just told Bakura’s father “Welp, if it’s destiny then go ahead and take the Ring.”

The Millennium Ring seems to still have power in it in the present though, with what it did to Aigami and his friend. So does that mean some of Zorc’s power is still trapped in there? Or is it just the malevolence of the souls that were used to create it?

I was really worried about Joey too when Aigami sent him to that other dimension and began destroying his memories. That was pretty damn dark and I had no idea how he would be able to get out or if he would. But he was saved by what could never be destroyed, his memories of Atem and his friends. ;__; And of course that calls back to the end of the series, at least in the Japanese version, where he told Anzu to burn those memories of Atem into her head so she would never forget. Friendship always saves the day. ;___;

Aggh, there were so many great moments that I could go on and on about it all! Like, it was nice to see the gang talking about their dreams in the beginning and just generally hanging out throughout the movie and being cute. And I like that Yugi wants to design games of his own someday. That’s certainly something that’s right up his alley. :)

Anyway, I really enjoyed it and want to see the movie again! There’s supposed to be another showing on Feb 1 so maybe I will go to that if it hasn’t been sold out yet.