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nightfurylover31 · 4 years

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My Favorite YGO Rivals

We just started Sevens, and it’s still unclear who the main rival is at this point, so I thought I’d do a list of my favorite rivals in order. I had been wanting to do this for awhile now, so I thought I would finally get on it. Since a couple series feel like it has more than one rival, I’ll include them in the list.

NOTE: These are my personal opinions. Please do not leave mean comments of yours are different. Please respect my decisions.

8. Ryoken Kogami

While Ryoken/Revolver/Varis is a huge favorite among VRAINS fans, I was in the minority that couldn’t quite get fully behind his character. To me, it didn’t really feel like he had that much character development until the second half of S2. And another reason is he’s so devoted to following his father’s wishes. I understand why, but his father was not a good person. And his Dueling style always confuses me. I have grown to like him more than when he was first introduced, but this is where Ryoken is at on my list.

7. Reiji Akaba

The main reason Reiji (Declan in the dub) is so low on the list is because I didn’t watch ARC-V. I did get to know him more through liveblogs, and I enjoy his character. The opposite of Ryoken, Reiji knows what his father is doing is wrong and is determined to stop him. And I love how much trust he has in Yuya over the course of their adventure. Reiji may come off as harsh or distant, but he does have a kind heart, and I respect that.

6. Jun Manjoume

While Manjoume (Chazz Princeton in the dub) has some great humor moments, he feels underwhelming at times. I really like how he learns to value hard work over the course of the series, and the significance to use lower level monsters. He did have a lot of pressure put on him by his brothers in the first seasons, and starts to fight with how he wants to do things his way. Still, an occasionally comedic rival can take some edge off at times. His manga counterpart was much more serious and less spoiled. I think the GX anime would have been more interesting if they had Manjoume more like that.

5. Jack Atlas

Once again, a lower ranking because I’ve never watched ARC-V or 5Ds. I think I have Jack here in my rankings because of what I’ve seen in his character. For one, while he’s always serious, it’s easy to laugh at things he does, but in a good way. He’s not entirely open to how he feels about his friends, but he truly cares for them. And you got to love a Duelist who has such a strong connection to his ace monster.

4. Ryoga Kamishiro

Good old Shark (also known as Reginald Kastle). His life is a mess, but he’s a true friend. His role is like a seesaw, back and forth he goes. One day he’s a friend, the next he’s your enemy. I feel bad for some of the things he has to go through, but even when he tries to pull away, he can’t really do that. And I love his emo but also caring personality. Some of my favorite Duels in Zexal were ones when Shark got some action.

3. Edo Phoenix

At Number 3 is our destiny boy, Edo Phoenix (also Aster in the dub, which I think is a cooler name). I love his development from antagonistic rival to a strong ally. His anti-hero role gave GX a cool twist to the story, especially his deck being a dark counterpart to Jaden’s. I think it’s cool how he’s the only rival to use a “boku” pronoun in the original. Also, his dub voice actor played another favorite rival of mine in another franchise.

2. Seto Kaiba

With being the one who started it all, Kaiba had to be near the top. I have always loved his sarcasm and quick wit. Kaiba has gone through such drastic changes when he first appears in the manga up to his final role in Dark Side of Dimensions. A lot of times he has me rolling my eyes for his stubbornness and lack of cooperation, but there are times when you can really count on him. And of course, no one can beat his level of extraness. The only one who can truly get through Kaiba’s tough exterior is his brother Mokuba, and their relationship does warm my heart. I always enjoy seeing Kaiba being the most dramatic, extra man on the planet. XD

1. Kaito Tenjo

And my #1 rival is Kaito (Kite in dub)! He has so many similarities to Kaiba, but also still his own character. Like Kaiba, Kaito will do anything for his little brother, and has a very strong connection to his Ace monster. He is the only main character from Zexal to appear in ARC-V (there were a couple others, but they were minor characters, and were more cameos). Kaito is also the only rival to never lose to the protagonist in the anime (he did lose in the manga, but he wasn’t really himself at the time). Another big reason he’s at the top is because he is the only rival to have a Kuriboh card, Kuriphoton.

So that’s my list of rivals. Do you guys have any favorites? Let me know in the comments.

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chibicrow · 5 years

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are the salty arc-v elitiest those form back around 2016-2018? What happen?

I’m basically looking at this whole mess from my own little corner and just looking out the window and seeing the aftermath, so take this with a grain of salt.

HOWEVER, the gist of the entire situation (from what I’ve seen) is:

Arc V encounters production problems, thanks to Dark Side of Dimensions (even tho NO ONE wants to admit that, but. They dragged all the best creative folks in for that movie instead of balancing it out, so there’s no way DSOD isn’t a factor here). So yeah, around 2016.

Which in turn led to a lot of last minute decisions when it came to animation and plot in Arc V.

So then two really loud factions rose up as a result: the people who were all “Arc V was fine in the beginning, but now it fucking sucks” and then the people who were all “Arc V is a GREAT show and if you say anything that isn’t like what we say about it you’re WRONG!!!!”

(the Arc V elitists, in other words)

And, surprise, surprise, the Arc V fandom never really recovered from this split (among other divisive splits in the fandom). So when it was announced that Shin Yoshida (who he had nothing to do with the Arc V anime) would take the VRAINS helm as series composer, the divide got even worse.

So most of the folks who were all “Arc V fucking sucks now” basically praised the air waves that VRAINS embraced b/c of the dramatic departure from Arc V’s aesthetic.

Which then got on the nerves of the Arc V elitists, who decided to take it upon themselves, every week, to bash VRAINS. And it got really annoying real fast b/c their complaints would cycle between “Yusaku is a FUCKING ASSHOLE” and “uh yeah the plot’s not that good. boring. snooze.” Oddly enough, they still kept watching the series, even tho they hated it so damn much.

(I actually had a former mutual who claimed they hated the series but was only watching it b/c their friend was watching it and loved it and it was like. Pls do your friend a fucking favor and keep away from the show. They’d probably appreciate it more than you hate-watching it. Not that hard)

Oh, and when it was revealed that Kogami Ryoken was Yusaku’s special person? All hell broke loose, and the elitists decided to throw in “THIS SHOW CONDONES ABUSE!!!” in their weekly complaints. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But then, after the final Revolver-sama vs Playmaker duel, the Arc V elitists - from what I’ve seen - got eerily quiet. Probably b/c the Arc V manga was getting into full swing then, so they (in addition to some of the anti-Arc V faction who oddly praised the manga b/c of how different manga Yuya was from anime Yuya) were focusing their energy on that, thank goodness.

BUT NOW with the Arc V manga over and done and with VRAINS announcing its earlier than expected end date, the Arc V elitists have risen from their swamps and decided to bring their hate back in full force like they’re so enlightened, even tho we’ve BEEN sick and tired of that shit.

This is probably a lot more than you wanted to know, but I just want folks to get the full effect of how obnoxious this entire situation is. Especially for those of us who enjoy Arc V AND VRAINS.

#natsumi talks fandom #ah yeah blacklist that tag if u want to avoid fandom salt #also for someone who proclaims to not be involved in fandom behavior i sure know a lot about what went down LMAO #Anonymous

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just-a-ygo-fan · 5 years

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VRAINS Episode 105 Cast List + Episode 106 Summary

Episode 105: 迎撃 – Geigeki

(Counterattack)

Ai launched an attack against Queen. In order to steal the code necessary to infiltrate SOL’s system, Ai also sent an advance warning to Akira. Playmaker is filled with conflicting emotions after learning that Ai has started attacking humans. Meanwhile, Revolver sets up an anti-Ignis AI known as "Pandor", and heads off to fight against Ai.

Cast:

Fujiki Yusaku/Playmaker: Ishige Shoya

Homura Takeru/Soulburner: Kaji Yuki

Kusanagi Shoichi: Kimura Subaru

Kogami Ryoken/Revolver: Takeuchi Shunsuke

Ai: Sakurai Takahiro

Roboppy: Takahashi Minami

Zaizen Akira: Yamamoto Shoma

Zaizen Aoi/Blue Maiden: Nakashima Yuki

Dojun Kengo/Blood Shepherd: Okuda Takanori

Bessho Emma/Ghost Girl: Kamakura Yuna

Onizuka Gou/GO Onizuka: Hamano Daiki

Hayami: Ikki Chihiro

Shima Naoki/Brave Max: Sawashiro Chiharu

Pandor*: Kim Hyang-Lee

Extras

Script: 吉田伸 || Yoshida Shin

*It's also possible that the name is supposed to be Pandore, which is the French spelling for Pandora.

Episode 106: がんばれ！！ロボッピ – Ganbare!! Roboppi

(Fight on!! Roboppy!)

Blood Shepherd and Ghost Girl encounter Roboppy. They then start a Tag Duel.

Credits: DMC3444

#vrains #cast lists #episode summaries

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darkzorua100 · 5 years

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Well now that the initial shock has settled in and everyone is basically in agreement that our new antagonists for season 3 are more then likely going to be Human!Ai and Human!Roboppy (probably more in a henchman-like role for her though (I can already tell the dialogue between these two is going to be hilarious), I wanted to go more in depth on this because there is just so much to dissect on what Ai is planning on doing and just how far he is willing to go to complete his goal of what we can all assume just from the ending of episode 103 is to bring back the other Ignis (Flame, Aqua, Windy, Earth, and even Lightning (who is the main reason the other four are dead in the first place).

The key thing to note in this whole thing from just the simple scenes of Ai at the beginning and end of episode 103 is that he seems to be driven by guilt. The guilt of not being able to save his kin. The guilt of being the last Ignis. Maybe some guilt of not being there when the Cyberse World was destroyed by Lightning and Bohman. Maybe if he was there, he could have been able to stop Lightning before any of these tragedies were set into motion. Maybe at that time he could have been able to talk Lightning out of his plan and try and help him not seem so inferior. After all, Lightning did say that Ai was the wisest of the Ignis and the one to truly show them what it meant to have free will.

Now we have already seen first hand what guilt can drive a person to do in this series. I mean look at Ryoken for example. He has a giant guilt complex. The guilt that lead him to freeing the Lost Children because of him leading to Yusaku kidnapping and what his father was doing to him and the rest of the children. The guilt that made him feel responsible for what happened to his father because of that one simple choice. The guilt that lead him to almost nuking the whole world wide web to make up, in his eyes, his previous mistake that got his father killed. Guilt is just terrifying on what it can lead someone to do to try and set things right. The purest of people can make the worst decisions when they aren’t thinking straight if they truly believe that it will make amends to their crimes, even if it means committing another crime to do so. And that’s exactly how I see season 3 playing out in terms of what they are going to do with Ai’s character.

I don’t see Ai as the villain in the typical sense. He isn’t going to be the bad guy just to be the bad guy and turn on humanity just because he feels like it or blames humanity for what happened to the others (since again that was all Lightning’s fault (but I guess you can make a case for Earth’s death but again that wouldn’t have happened if Lightning didn’t destroy the Cyberse World in the first placing, forcing everyone to flee for their lives). Again like Ryoken in season 1, he probably thinks he’s doing the right thing even if the way he’s going to go about it will be completely wrong. Now there’s the whole debate if he has gone a little crazy (as the new opening has shown with his psycho expressions that we are all familiar with when it comes to Yu-Gi-Oh villains) but it is still up in the air at the moment if when Ai took in Lightning’s remaining power, he also took in some of his madness (in a Yubel/Light of Destruction kind of situation from GX) or when he reformed himself from the backup he left in Roboppy, he didn’t come back completely the same and became corrupted over time. Still I don’t think Ai will turn pure evil because of either of these reasons. His views might just get a little warped and mix in the already existing guilt of not being able to save his kin and that just doesn’t sound like a good combination to be left unchecked. It also doesn’t help that Ai was based on Yusaku and we all know how Yusaku handled his trauma during season 1. If the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with these two, revenge might just be Ai’s best medicine (btw amazing parenting right there, Yusaku).

Which leads me into what Ai is planning on doing from within SOL Technologies. Safe to say, there is a LOT Ai can gain if he’s able to take out Queen (which is what more then likely is going to happen). If he can take control of SOL, he has access to the main controls of Link Vrains and can start screwing with the system for whatever else he has planned. He will have their new androids, the SOLtiS, under his control (which he can use to give the other Ignises human bodies such as himself and Roboppy have (since I think they already stole two of them to give himself and her human forms) when he is able to bring them back or if he does go mad with power during all of this (since absolute power corrupts the mind absolutely is a thing), he will have an android army in the making). They still have some of Earth’s data (which I’m pretty sure Ai hasn’t forgotten that little detail and is probably going to enjoy murdering Queen for dissecting his friend (after all he said his famous “I’m starting to hate humans too” line after he found out what happened to Earth (again revenge is the best medicine) which he can use to find a way to bring back Earth or to use as a starting block on how to. And if all of Earth’s remaining data is still inside of Go, pretty sure SOL will still have Go’s file on hand, meaning that Ai can easily find him and take him out to get his buddy’s data back. And most importantly, Ai will have access to all the Lost Incident files. SOL Technologists was the one to cover the whole thing up so they should have records of everyone who was involved. If Ai really wants to bring everyone back, the best route, if he has no other options, might just be to recreate them from their source, aka their Origins.

I talked about this little theory of mine the other day so I’ll just quickly sum it up. Takeru, Miyu, Spectre, Jin, and WO aren’t in good positions right now and might have to go through the Lost Incident again just to bring back Flame, Aqua, Earth, Lightning, and Windy if Ai is really willing to go that far. Heck he might even guilt trip Takeru into willingly participating if he himself is missing Flame that much (since I think Soulburner is going to lose to Revolver because he doesn’t have Flame with him to help him and that’s what’s going to cause Takeru to really try and find a way to being his partner back). However they aren’t the only ones in danger. If Ai wants to recreate the Hanoi Project to a T, he might also go after the Knights of Hanoi since they were the ones to create the Ignis in the first place. Obviously since Dr. Kogami is dead, I don’t think they are going to be exactly perfect (more on that in a bit) so he’s going to go for the next best thing in Ryoken since he obviously knows the Ignis algorithm because his father taught him. He could also go after Blood Shepherd, Kusanagi, and/or Yusaku since they all also know their algorithm but Ryoken makes the most sense in this situation. Back to Ryoken, I think it might be some nice character development for him (since last episode kinda had him regress in it a bit in some people’s eyes) if he’s the one to try and get Ai to stop what he’s trying to do, not because of his whole anti-Ignis thing but because he knows what it is like to be completely driven by guilt and he also knows what it is like to lose someone dear (aka his father) and trying to being back the dead isn’t a good idea (if anyone here has seen Pet Sematary, you know what I’m talking about).

Which leads me into the fact that if the other Ignis do come back through this way, I don’t think they are going to be the exact same. They might not be fully operational, they might not have free will anymore or their memories, or they might all just come back as super anti-human and turn on their human friends (on that note I will cry if Flame comes back and tries to kill Takeru like Windy did with his partner). We saw what happened in ARC-V when Leo tried to play god and bring back Ray. Things go horribly wrong fast. This season could very well end up like that, where all the Ignis do stay dead, with Ai joining them, with the show ending on the note that we shouldn’t let technology get this advanced or bad things happen or on a more happy note with all the Ignis do coming back and showing us humans and artificial intelligence can live together just like how Yusaku and Ai dreamed of.

Now I want to talk about Yusaku and Ai and what the actual hell is going to happen between these two. Just from the new opening alone, these two are going to clash at some point but the question is over what? Where is the line going to be drawn between what is right and what’s wrong? I don’t anyone on Team Playmaker will object to trying to bring back the other Ignis (besides maybe Lightning) since Takeru clearly misses Flame and Aoi with Aqua. I’m willing to bet that Spectre would also want Earth to return and be able to meet his Ignis. So it has to be the method of what Ai is willing to do in order to accomplish his goal that is going to drive the wedge between these former partners. Like I stated before, if Ai is willing to try and recreate the Hanoi Project and put Takeru, Miyu, Spectre, Jin, and WO through that hell again just to recreate his family, obviously Yusaku is going to have a GIANT issue with that, even if he wouldn’t be about of it again. Yusaku has finally been able to move on from that event. Takeru finally has been able to move on. Everyone is finally looking to be able to move on (well we don’t know much about Miyu, Jin, and WO at the current moment but you get the idea). To thrust these teenagers back into this event is nothing short of just pure wrong. And Ai knows this. He knows VERY well what the Hanoi Project did to Yusaku. What it means to him to finally be able to move on from it. And yet if it means being able to bring back his kin, to fix everything that he blames himself for, a necessary evil is justified, right?

No, it isn’t. Not even in the slightest. Even if it doesn’t get to that point, going after SOL to begin with (from the looks of things) was a step in the wrong direction if Queen gets murdered next week (which again I can very well see happening if Ai is still pissed at her for murdering Earth). That’s why I see Playmaker being the one to confront Ai first, not the only way around because Ai has obviously no reason to go after Yusaku at all. He has risked his life time and time again to save his partner and might not want to bother him for something he purely blames himself for and trying to make immense to everyone he has made sad because of him not being able to save the others from within Bohman. Unless Ai goes freaking yandere crazy for some reason (which I’m not objecting to since since I’m ALL for the yanderes in this franchise (Yubel is my favorite Yu-Gi-Oh character for a reason) and is willing to hurt Yusaku in order to protect him (for some reason I keep thinking of a scenario where Ai tries to use his and Yusaku’s Link Sense to try and rip Yusaku’s consciousness out of his human flesh and try and throw it into an android or make him into an A.I just so he can live forever and not pass away over time (because after this guilt trip, I think Ai will lose the last bit of his sanity if something does happen to Yusaku), I don’t think he will fight Playmaker until that line is drawn and Ai comes to the realization that since Playmaker isn’t with him, he has go to against him, even if that means it will destroyed both of them emotionally, especially in terms of the dream they share together.

So that’s pretty much my initial theories to what we could be expecting from Ai going forward into season 3. This season very well has the potential to be the best season yet for Vrains and I very much hope it doesn’t disappoint in regards to how they are going to write Ai in this role.

On one final random note, I am curious to know though if we are just going to be seeing him in his human form 24/7 now or if he will occasionally be back in his Ignis form once in a while. I mean from what I’ve been seeing, I don’t think anyone wants to see Ignis!Ai again because damn boy, you definitely took after Ryoken in the looks department after apparently digitally puberty hit you like a truck. On that note, Yusaku and Ryoken, do something about your teenager child before he actually does murder someone!

#vrains #vrains spoilers #Thoughts #theories

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authoratmidnight · 5 years

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You know, I think the one thing that really, baffles me, about the hate that Ryoken gets (both just the character and in relation to being shipped with, anyone but esp the protag) is that the one main argument I see for why he’s a “bad person” is due to his actions in season 1 the consequences of them had he succeeded.

But like, since WHEN has ‘this character did bad things and hurt/almost hurt innocent people’ ever stopped anyone from liking villains/antagonist in this series or stopped them from shipping them with the protagonist/other characters.

Like, this argument could be used against TONS of different YGO characters(including many of the rival type characters) that I see people drooling over all the time.

Case in point a non comprehensive list (and before anyone thinks I’m trying to say you can’t like these characters, I’m not. In fact *I* like a number of these characters) Also heads up for minor spoilers for all the series since a number of antagonists/villains made this list:

Seto Kaiba: In the manga he was the first villain/antagonist and actually tried to straight up MURDER Yugi and his friends. In the anime this wasn’t present (save for the Toei anime) however he was still, at the very least, a bully who would verbally tear down anyone he saw as ‘beneath him’ (so everyone) and was condescending and belittling and tried to blow up the tower the Battle City finals were in, while people were still in it! We call that manslaughter folks.

Pegasus: Multiple counts of kidnapping and soul stealing

Yami Malik: Killed his own father, attempted murder of Rishid as well as the rest of the cast.

Yami Bakura/Thief King Bakura: The main/end game antagonist of the series. Also in the manga he murdered Pegasus.

Dartz and his Orichalcos group: Mind control, kidnapping, stealing souls, trying to destroy the world. Typical villain fare. Also Dartz fucked up Valon, Rafael and Amelda’s lives and caused many, many deaths.

Takuma Saiou: Literally started a cult and tried to destroy the world (granted he gets a slight pass cause he was being possessed)

Judai Yuki: Commits multiple acts of mass murder as a tyrant king.

Yubel: Possesses multiple people, kidnaps Johan, tries to destroy multiple worlds at once by fusing them together, hurt Judai by hurting his friends.

Jack Atlas: Stole his best friend’s D-Wheel and best card and leaves him and a child out to drown in the ocean as he fucks off to The City.

Kiryu: Nearly killed a man. Joined the Dark Signers and tried to destroy the world.

Placido/Jose/Lucciano/Aporia: The main antagonists of the last half of the series. Attempt to kill various members of the cast at various points in time and their end goal involves the total annihilation of Neo Domino(kill millions/billions to save the world,allegedly). Lucciano nearly kills Rua in their first fight when he’s flung off a bridge and as Aporia attempts to kill Rua, Ruka and Jack during the final arc and actually succeeds causing the death of one of them (for a short time anyways, they get better)

Paradox: Literally travelled back in time to murder Pegasus and also caused the deaths of a number of innocent bystanders in the process.

Any of the Arclight siblings (Chris/Thomas/Michal): Thomas is arguably the worst of them in terms of what he did but they all at various points do pretty awful things (mainly at the behest of their dad). Chris kidnapped Haruto, Thomas was responsible for what happened to Rio, Michal killed Astral (temporarily)

Kaito: Ran around stealing people’s souls to obtain their Numbers cards and just left their soulless bodies lying around.

Any of the Barian Emperors: Like, pick on. Either as a Barian or in their first life they probably did bad things (or in both lives in Vector’s case, who committed mass murder by way of slaughtering his entire country in his past life as well as turning his own allies into puppets/trying to kill them in his Barian life)

Don Thousand: The main villain of the whole damn series who wants to destroy the Astral World, and Earth, basically all life. Also screwed over the lives of the Barian Emperors and his influence on them also indirectly caused the deaths of MILLIONS.

Yuri: Responsible for multiple kidnappings and cardings of innocent people, all things he did very willingly and remorselessly.

Actually just about anyone from Academia’s side of things at some point in time.

Arc V Kaito: Literally went around carding anyone who stood in his way, friend or foe.

Zarc: Again, the end game big bad who literally DID destroy the world, then came together and tried to do it again

Like, I have seen love (and in some cases lust) for literally ALL of these characters (some more than others) and some of them have MASSIVE shipping fan bases and pretty much all these characters were either villains or antagonists at some point in the story. But I rarely-if at all in some cases-see people going ‘you only like X because they’re hot’ or ‘X did all these awful things you shouldn’t like him’ about these characters. And make no mistake, people do like some of these characters cause they think they’re attractive (also, what’s wrong with that anyways? I’m shallow enough to admit I like some characters simply cause they’re really pretty).

Interestingly, Ryoken, esp in the first season, fits the definition for an anti-villain (like the opposite of an anti-hero) more than he does just straight villain (at least once we get context for his actions)

‘...a character with heroic goals, personality traits, and/or virtues who is ultimately villainous. Their desired ends are mostly good, but their means of getting there are evil.’

-TVTropes

Which is, basically what S1 Ryoken was doing, though mostly at the whims of his father. He wanted to destroy the Ignis in order to save humanity, it’s just when the first few attempts failed, he went along with his father’s final, last ditch effort to deal with them which was the Tower of Hanoi (and make no mistake, the Tower was 100% Dr. Kogami’s idea, Ryoken went along with it cause, family loyalty). The results might kill a great number of people, but if it destroyed the Ignis then it would ultimately save even more in the long run. A heroic goal (saving humanity) with a not so heroic way of getting there (nuking the internet and potentially causing a massive loss of life in the process).

I’m not saying you have to like him, god knows I dislike a number a characters, including some of the ones mentioned here, but like, it just feels like a weird double standard to use these arguments against Ryoken, but never on any of these other characters. Or at least not to the same extent that they’re used on him.

And this is just YuGiOh characters. I can 100% guarantee you that there are characters in other series that have far worse things than Ryoken ever did that are massively loved/praised by their fandoms (and also got redemption arcs). Vegeta is the first one to come to mind (and he *actually* killed people).

#yugioh #long post #vrains #some salt #at least he doesn't *actually* have blood on his hands does seem to feel remorse for his actions #can't say that about some of the ppl I listed

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murasakinohoshi · 5 years

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Some thoughts about Revolver

First and all, Revolver had never been a hero. He was a villain in ss1 and he’s an anti-hero in ss2. When he said he wasn’t a good guy like they thought himself, I can’t understand why (some) his fans tried to say otherwise.

Until now, Revolver’s purpose is to do what his father, Dr. Kogami, wanted.

Yes, it’s.

Nobody mentions Ryoken’s mother or siblings. Dr. Kogami literally was everything Ryoken had since he was only an 8-years-old child, and probably before. Ryoken was affected by him about everything. Ryoken informed about the Lost incident and rescued children, in return, his father was taken away and came back in the coma. He felt regretful about what he did. And Vrains fans began blaming him.

Excuse me!?

Ryoken had no duty to rescue those children. They were nothing to him. Even Yusaku, who he only met once - repeatedly, o-n-c-e - either. But Dr. Kogami is different. It’s his own father. If you were forced to choose between your only relative and some strangers, who would you choose?

Until then, he wasn’t wrong at all.

Until he restored the consciousness of Dr. Kogami in the Link Vrains, he wasn’t still wrong at all. He was only wrong since he became Revolver to do what his father wanted: eradicate the Ignis.

He was wrong when he made Knights of Hanoi became the threat to the Link Vrains. He was wrong with the Another event in the effort to seek Playmaker. He was wrong when he began the Tower of Hanoi, what could destroy totally both the network and the consciousness of everyone who was stuck in it, literally killed them.

He had his reasons, yeah, of course, nobody did something like that for no purpose. But no matter what his reasons, a crime means a crime.

However, even when Revolver is a villain, he isn’t someone who could do despicable things. Fighting against him many times, Playmaker understands it clearly. But he also understands that Revolver doesn’t see them as comrades. They merely work together temporarily to defeat Lightning.

Then is there any chance for his redemption?

The answer is ‘yes’, with a condition: he needs to escape from the shadow of his father. The will of his father is one thing, but his own will is the thing that will create his life.

#vrains #vrains thought #Revolver

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jczala · 5 years

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let's play "character meme": (because I'm a hopeless shipper, and your fic didn't help me AT ALL) Datastorm as well as Ryoken + Yusaku for all three questions (if it's not too much to ask)

Since I already answered for Datastormshipping, let’s get it on with Ryoken and Yusaku. ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ

002 | Give me a character & I will tell you

Ryoken Kogami aka Revolver/Varis

How I feel about this character:

Other than the fact his IRL self reminds me of Stardust Dragon every time he shows up, I have a lot of feelings for this character. Not gonna lie, he’s one of the reasons why I got invested in Vrains so much. Like his predecessors (the rivals), Ryoken can be intimidating, overwhelming, dangerous and an extremist. He’s indescribably good-looking, intelligent, incredibly gifted with a strategic mind and an aptitude for both dueling and computer programming. He’s not the type of character who became an antagonist out of selfishness or evil, and his charisma and natural leadership skills makes him suitable to lead the Hanoi. He’s very dedicated to his goals. But underneath such imposing presence is just a boy burdened by the guilt and mistakes he did in the past.

Because of his flaws, he’s far from perfect. He’s a conflicted character because he defines himself by his guilt and regret. He’s horrified by what happened to his father, but he also can’t help but look out for the victims he once saved.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Yusaku ‘PLAYMAKER’ Fujiki (DSS FTW)

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Respectfulshipping. At one point, I did consider shipping him with Ryoken romantically, but I do admire how their relationship is based on mutual trust and respect. Our resident Plant boy is just as crazy as the last one, but he provides his own brand of entertainment. I consider Spectre as one of the most well-written and interesting characters in the show. There’s a lot of layer to his character that makes him so compelling. He shows dedication and steadfast loyalty to Ryoken, yet he also shows remorse and angst over the lost of his Ignis. Lightning claims he tossed away his free will to serve Revolver, but Spectre debunks him completely by saying he chose to follow Revolver out of his own volition.

Let’s not forget Ryoken’s side as well. We have a guy who claims he regrets saving the Lost Incident victims, and yet chooses to take Spectre under his wing. He expresses relief about Earth’s demise, but was shown to be concern of Spectre’s state. Heck, Spectre is even made second-in-command of the Hanoi, which says a lot about Ryoken’s trust in him.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

The Lost Kids, mainly Yusaku, are actually his biggest weakness, and it would be interesting to see one of the bad guys (maybe Lightning) exploit that.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

Ryoken proposing to Yusaku back XD

Aside from letting go of his past to move forward, I want him to achieve proper closure with all the Lost Kids. I want him to discover a new future with Yusaku, one where he could be truly happy, a path where he can create a new positive experience that will replace all the negative ones. A world where they can coexist peacefully with the Ignis.

And I have this crazy desire to see the Ignis call Ryoken their big brother //gets shot

my OTP:

DATASTORMSHIPPING!! Need I say more? ��(≧ε≦σ) ♡

my cross over ship:

Yusei Fudo (Blame Stardust Road and Stardust Dragon for this)

Jack Atlas (The VA DUEL GOT ME BAD)

a headcanon fact:

Ryoken hadn’t liked being an only child. It had been incredibly lonely at times, especially since his father was such a workaholic, and he never had friends around his age. He really liked Yusaku from the moment he met him and had thought he’d finally found a friend, but now he laments on how fate could be so cruel.

Yusaku Fujiki aka Playmaker

How I feel about this character:

A cold, taciturn protagonist who doesn’t like standing out yet driven by revenge at the beginning of the series? Color me interested since this hero/anti-hero sets a new bar for a Yu-Gi-Oh! Protagonists. From the way he views dueling to his connection with the rival character, Yusaku provides a flavor that is unique only to him. Apart from his dueling skills, he’s a computer whiz and an expert hacker, and his no-nonsense trait provides an interesting foil to Ai’s carefree nature.

And I’m not gonna lie… I felt attracted to this character the moment I saw his design. He just really reminds me so much for Serena, who’s my fave girl in Arc V.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Ryoken ‘REVOLVER’ Kogami (DSS FTW)

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Aiballshipping! Protagonist + Aibou characters are always interesting to see. Another dynamic that provides quality entertainment and a very deep complicated circumstance. Ai turns out to be the result of an experiment by Dr. Kogami and he’s the Ignis based on the protagonist himself. Though he started out as nothing more than a hostage/live bait for Yusaku to use to lure the Knights of Hanoi to him, there’s no denying how much these two have grown together. Yusaku continues to be a tsundere about it, but he does indeed care for Ai’s well-being.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

I mentioned how the LIV may be Ryoken’s biggest weakness, but it also can be said for Yusaku. Yusaku views Ryoken as his savior, his source of strength and hope, and he has shown how much he trusts and cares for him. Hurt Ryoken, then you’ll be getting emissary of revenge.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: To finally be able to seize a new future with Ryoken.

my OTP: Same as above (￣▽￣)ノ

my cross over ship: None… (✧∀✧)/

a headcanon fact:

Yusaku is someone who has mastered the art of power-napping. Whenever he feels tired and has the time to doze off, he’d go for it. He usually sleeps well with other people around.

#vrains #datastormshipping #yusaku fujiki #ryoken kogami #yugioh #respectfulshipping #ai (ignis)#ygo character discussions #reply #breakdawn-avenue

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overobsessedfanboy23 · 2 years

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Unpopular opinion: Revolver got off way too easy at the end of the series. He’s also a fucking prick.

#yugioh #ygo #yugioh vrains #ygo vrains #vrains #I'll try to make a video or essay or something explaining this #because... I'm sorry I don't get why he's so popular #the more I think about him the more I realize I kind of hate him #he was practically begging for character development that he just... never got #anti revolver #anti ryoken kogami

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merryfortune · 5 years

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Imagine this… Shugo Chara Vrains Au with chibi versions of the Vrains avatars

not only have I imagined it, back in 2017, I wrote it. In fact, here’s the first instalment, if you so wish.

I had this whole Shugo Chara AU planned but it is long abandoned. I think about it sometimes. I’m happy to share what I remember of it. The main thing was that it bent the rules a bit for how long Charas would stay with their children; they became more lifelong companions than anything else; kinda similar to Nikaido’s situation??? anyway, the premise was as follows:

The Lost Incident occurred when Dr Kogami wanted to forcibly wean Charas from children’s heart to study. Ryoken was not selected because his ability to naturally see Charas and their eggs (even when they were still in kids hearts!!) was invaluable to the selection of others. However, he could not see his own Chara (…one which would later be born and hatch after Dr Kogami being put down by SOL Tech).

however, due to the chaos of the rescue, the Charas belonging to the Lost Incident Victims were separated from their children.

Yusaku would go onto birth a second Chara which would be able to transform him into Playmaker. I never named this Chara or designed him but he was born from Yusaku’s desire of revenge.

Later, Yusaku would capture Ai and Ai was naturally like “oh shit, you’re my Child” but Ai kept that shit on lock.

Now, that’s what I had planned wayyyy back when season 1 was airing

I’m not sure how I would figure in new revelations but I do have a few thoughts

when Ai Transforms Yusaku, Yusaku becomes a Yusaku flavoured version of SOLtis Ai and Ai gets along really well with Yusaku’s other Chara but he is very intense compared to Ai, lol

Flame obviously transform Takeru into Soulburner. I don’t have much to say about them lol but I imagine that Takeru rings up Kiku really early in the morning after meeting Flame asking Kiku dumb questions about menstruation thinking that,,, he’s having a period hence why he’s woken up with an Egg on his bed in gags similar to Amu and the snowboarder girl

Aoi has two charas. Angie and Girlie. Angie transforms her into Blue Angel and Girlie transforms her into Blue Girl. Girlie was born wayyy after Angie and was a consequence of Aoi meeting Ema and Yusaku. Together, Angie and Girlie can transform Aoi into Blue Maiden.

Aqua is Miyu’s Chara but she can Character Transform Aoi and the like. Using her, Aoi becomes Mother Sea. Aqua’s deal is similar to canon and similar to Eru in Shugo Chara

eventually when she’s returned to Miyu, Miyu is very happy to have her. I imagine she Chara Transforms Miyu into Aqua Ring or something. I’m not too sure what she would look like but she and Miyu obviously get along and Aoi is happy to be there too

Given Lightning’s role in canon, I imagine that he forcibly transformed Jin into a Negative Character whom I’m going to tentatively name Bow Man but later, when he becomes redeemed and whatnot, he and Jin, once bonded, learn to transform Jin into Star Child

oh and I’m not too sure about Kusanagi’s role in this AU as well. I think that he’s in the same boat as Akira; he can hear the Charas but he doesn’t have one himself. Though, unlike Akira, he can see the Charas unlike Akira who can only see them when he’s under their influence, like when Ema’s Chara, Rei, Chara Changes him.

I imagine that Ai and Kusanagi are drift compatible in this au lol and Ai has a lot of fun Chara Changing Kusanagi but has yet to Chara Transform him and for some reason, this does squick Yusaku lol

also don’t know how Kengo figures into it since I didn’t know that Ema would have a brother back in 2017 so a lot of the original fic needs a touch up

and some more on Ryoken. Reduxing from his original role in my original vision, his Egg becomes negative and kind of like Dia. Revolver 1.0 is the result of him using it to character transform but after his villainy ends and he becomes an anti-hero, his Egg hatches and Revolver 2.0 is the result. I’m still not too sure about the specifics of his Egg and Chara.

finally I’m not sure about Spectre’s deal in this AU which is probably a shocker but I’m tempted to say, his heart never produced more Eggs and at some point, he is redeemed and Earth reunites with him and it makes him happy but beyond that, I think he doesn’t do much beyond just serving Ryoken but I can imagine Earth Chara Changing Spectre to make him more awkward and ergo more truthful/loving towards people who aren’t Ryoken at some point

#random asks #long post #shugo chara au #Anonymous

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scratchface · 6 years

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Ryoken has been really good for Yusaku, actually

Aka what canon says

This one is going to be pretty image heavy, because its probably been a while since most people have watched these scenes and I want there to be no doubt about what was actually presented to us as the audience.

The first part of my Yusaku character analysis discussed some of the darker aspects of the voice of hope, but ever since I feel like there has been some exaggerating of those same negative aspects. I wanted to rewind and talk about Yusaku’s canon feelings for Ryoken, and how they’ve affected him, his life, and his mindset in overwhelmingly positive ways.

To Yusaku, Ryoken represents hope. Hope for a future, for salvation, for victory. And that’s all essential in the life of someone as traumatized and withdrawn as Yusaku is.

From an outside, situation-based perspective, its easy to call Yusaku’s attachment to Ryoken unhealthy, but the reality the show presents us with is quite different. There’s more to it than just the miserable scenario those feelings were born in. Because both the writing of the show and Yusaku himself make it abundantly clear that Yusaku’s feelings for Ryoken have been nothing but good for him. In season 1, despite being an overall cold, distant, and cynical person, Yusaku still has an great deal of idealism. It’s what makes him still be heroic, even when he’s a clear-cut anti-hero. But that idealism is challenged and commented on all throughout season 1, and that’s the show itself calling Yusaku out. Take Spectre pointing out that Yusaku’s decisions have put everyone else in danger, or Akira telling Yusaku that his desire to not hurt anyone is getting in the way of the bigger picture. And Yusaku accepts both those things, and has to reevaluate where he stands on each.

Yusaku’s feelings towards the special person and his faith and devotion to them are the only part of Yusaku’s idealism that comes out of the first season intact and unchallenged. And that’s likely a deliberate choice by the writers to say: Yusaku’s feelings aren’t wrong or bad. There’s not even a suggestion that they’re in a moral grey zone or whatever; even if Yusaku’s desire to not hurt people while pursuing revenge is hypocritical and representative of him not being able to commit to one or the other, his feelings for the special person are not something that should be criticized.

Ryoken is essential to Yusaku’s ability to keep on living. Yusaku doesn’t have much in his life, especially after the Tower of Hanoi and the resolution of his revenge, and he knows it. During his final duel with Revolver, in the event of his victory, Yusaku knows exactly how empty a life he’s going back to: no family, no friends, no Ai.

Ryoken gives Yusaku something to aim for beyond his revenge, the “new path” Yusaku was talking about. It’s because Yusaku wants a future with Ryoken that he can continue living even with his mission accomplished. Yusaku’s feelings for Ryoken quite literally give him a reason to keep on living.

Yusaku looks to Ryoken when Ai mentions he has friends too, and then stands up saying there’s still things he wants to do. This isn’t just a matter of wanting to be friends with Ryoken and wanting to keep living: those two things are inseparably linked. If Yusaku fails they both die. Yusaku wasn’t just fighting for his own life, or the lives of everyone affected by the Tower, he was fighting specifically to save Ryoken’s life. That’s what gave him the strength to keep going, when Ai’s “stand up” mantra (mirrored by Kusanagi) had no effect.

Because of Yusaku’s unique and twisted perception of the world and the people around him, his connection to Ryoken is the “healthiest” relationship he has. It’s based on pure feelings of gratitude and appreciation, devotion, and forgiveness. We as the viewers see that Yusaku’s relationship with Kusanagi, Ai, and Takeru are also growing in and developing into something more typically supportive, but Yusaku himself never once acknowledges those relationships out loud. Kusanagi and others have brought up his bond with Yusaku a few times, but Yusaku has never and still calls Kusanagi an acquaintance. He’s seems completely incapable of recognizing those relationships, while he can talk about his connection with Ryoken quite easily in comparison.

Yusaku even says that this isn’t something he wants, but rather simply something he is incapable of. And the difference between these relationships is in Yusaku’s trust and belief in the nature of each relationship; Yusaku has no doubts when it comes to Ryoken being his savior and source of strength, but he has had plenty of doubts over the course of his relationship with Ai and seemingly Kusanagi. He’s distinctly uncomfortable and agitated in Kusanagi’s presence at first, as shown by recent epsidoes, but completely relaxed and open with Ryoken the moment he realizes Ryoken is his special person. That’s because Yusaku believes that Ryoken can and will save him, while he has no such expectations for anyone else.

Without these feelings, Yusaku would be a much angrier, sadder person (which is saying something considering his current personality). It’s because of his feelings for Ryoken, the one who saved him, that Yusaku is able to save and have compassion for others. Those feelings preserved the humanity that might have otherwise been stripped away by the Incident entirely.

Ryoken’s very existence makes Yusaku a gentler, kinder person. That doesn’t mean he ignores Ryoken’s crimes; Yusaku has done more to stop Ryoken from hurting others than anyone else, knowingly or not, and he will continue to do so. But Yusaku is loyal to Ryoken in his own way. He would go to hell and back for his special person, but its a very different loyalty than that of the Knights of Hanoi and Spectre. The Knights of Hanoi know what Kogami is making Ryoken do is wrong, but their loyalty is to Kogami first. They must destroy the Ignis as he ordered before they can stop Ryoken from doing something unforgivable.

Spectre, meanwhile, is blindly loyal to Ryoken, fully prepared to die just because Ryoken said so, without once considering that Ryoken might actually try to die with him. Its unclear if this merely didn’t occur to Spectre, or if he merely accepted the Ryoken’s orders, suicidal or not, were final.

None of that shit is good for Ryoken. All four of them only serve to pave the path to Ryoken’s self-destruction. And its Yusaku who cares about Ryoken enough to stand in the way and actually save Ryoken’s life.

I think the best descriptor of Yusaku’s feelings towards Ryoken would be “pure”. I love the foe yay dynamic these two have, but reducing Yusaku’s devotion to just the dark situation in which it developed isn’t fair to the nuanced perspective the show builds. It’s not like Yusaku’s feelings for Ryoken are blind; it seems he’s actually spent a good portion of the past ten years and especially the past three months analyzing them. Yusaku holds Ryoken accountable for his kidnapping. Yusaku genuinely believes Ryoken righted that wrong by reaching out to him and eventually releasing him.

Ryoken never says anything along these lines, besides that the screams messed with his head, but Yusaku at some point came to the conclusion that Ryoken must have felt guilty. (And I have no doubt that Yusaku is spot on here; Yusaku is actively and correctly analyzing who Ryoken really is as a person, not just going off of an image he built in his head of his special person.) Yusaku has weighed Ryoken’s rights and wrongs and consciously dissected his own feelings. Even after that, there’s not the slightest doubt on his face when he talks about Ryoken, when he uses his experiences with Ryoken to affirm his very humanity.

Yusaku refuses to believe that his history and connection with Ryoken can be anything but real.

I think in the end, what’s abundantly clear is that Yusaku views Ryoken as a positive influence in his life. Yusaku doesn’t just have a whole bunch of mushy, positive emotions to Ryoken, but he also views those emotions in a positive way. Ryoken makes Yusaku feel stronger, more hopeful, and like he can also be vulnerable.

It reminds me of the philosophy that love is a choice: Yusaku chooses to believe in Ryoken. Chooses to believe in the boy that saved his life and his heart, the boy that gave him strength, hope, and comfort when he had none. It’s a conscious and mature decision. And personally, I think that’s really damn romantic.

#ygo #yugioh vrains #vrains #yusaku fujiki #kogami ryoken #vrainalysis

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angewrites · 6 years

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Operation: Playmaker

Title: Operation: Playmaker

Anime: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS

Words: 3,335 (or somewhere around there lmao)

Summary: Two months after Takeru and Flame find out the Cyberse has been invaded and desolated, they are approached by a man, not much older than Takeru, who asks for a very peculiar favor, one involving Playmaker.

Notes: SHE LIVES!!! AND SHE HAS A NEW FIC (a one-shot, as usual lmao)!!

This is my first ever VRAINS fic, so hurray for milestone fics lmao. Honestly, this is just a fanfic version of the “my son Takeru and Ryoken are working together, and Ryoken told Takeru to watch Yusaku b/c Yusaku is a mess” theory I came up with as a result of the “BRING REVOLVER BACK” and anti-Soulburner sentiment on Twitter so lmao there’s that.

I tried a narration experiment with this, but I don’t know how effective it is, so any thoughts on that is much appreciated. Either way, happy reading, pals, and I hope you enjoy it! :D

[FFN]

[AO3]

Off the Coast of Den City: Kogami Island

Takeru glanced with uncertainty at Flame, who had taken its place inside his Duel disk, as he followed the man who had approached him only hours before. He couldn’t care less what happens to him, but, if Flame was hurt in any way and it caused him to disappear, Takeru wouldn’t forgive himself. It almost happened before. He wouldn’t let it happen again.

But, Flame could never know he thought that at all.

Quickly, Takeru’s eyes shifted to the man in front of him. The man didn’t seem to be a threat when they first met, but there’s something . . . something off. His energy’s full of unbelievable tension as if burdened by some grand fate, yet he remained calm on the exterior. It didn’t make any sense, but Takeru wasn’t about to inquire.

As intimidating as he seemed, white-haired man also gave off a familiar vibe, as if they had crossed paths before. That was weird. They’ve never met before today . . . right?

“Of course not, Takeru. That’s ridiculous,” he muttered under his breath. He let out a small gasp, realizing he’d been thinking out loud.

The man stopped. Takeru - and his heartbeat - also stopped. Oh god I’ve never prayed to before today, did he hear me? They were in front of what seemingly appeared to be a dead end in the dark cavern.

“We’re here,” the man said, giving no indication that he heard nor cared about Takeru randomly mumbling to himself. Good news on that end for Takeru, but the fact that they were "here" created a whole new set of problems.

“Here?” Takeru repeated, his voice trembling a bit. He hadn’t mentioned anything about a final destination or where they were headed before. He tightly clenched a fist to keep his nerves from spiraling tornado-style inside of him.

The man acted as though he didn’t hear the question and, after inserting a code on a screen, what was a dead end turned into an entry way to a room, brighter than the dark space that they were in. Takeru forced his jaw to remain shut, but it was hard. There was just so many machines he had never seen before, especially not back home. He was no machine guy, but the room was certainly impressive, even if it did make Takeru shiver a bit.

The man in front of him sighed, placing a hand on his hip. “Spectre, we’re here.”

Takeru blinked. Why is this guy speaking to a ghost? Once Takeru accepted that possibility, he felt his stomach churn. He was not in the mood to deal with the supernatural.

The individual Takeru presumed to be Spectre walked in, even though it really looked like he teleported, from the right. Spectre's light blue eyes felt as though they were piercing Takeru's soul. Takeru felt a shudder slide down his back. Forget whoever guided him here. This guy was especially frightening, almost as frightening as a ghost, a specter, if you will. Didn't help that he was wearing all white. Was this guy even human?

“My apologies, Revolver-sama,” he began. “We were just prepping for you and – ” Spectre peered over the man’s shoulder, making eye contact with Takeru, “ – the honored guest’s arrival.”

The man in front of him emitted a guttural noise, most likely of disapproval. “Spectre!”

But, if he wanted his identity hidden, it was too late. Takeru couldn’t hold in the gasp that escaped from his mouth. This guy . . . was Revolver? The guy who threatened to destroy Link VRAINS? Come to think of it, he never did introduce himself. That. That was why!

“Hey, hey, hey hey hey,” Takeru broke in, his voice gradually becoming lower pitched with his growing anger. “You didn’t say anything about being that Revolver! You said you needed help with Link VRAINS, even though you’re the one who tried to destroy it? Give me a break!”

Spectre and the apparent ringleader and Takeru’s personal escort Revolver-sama allowed a moment of silence for this apparent unfortunate turn of events Spectre had created. Revolver glanced at Spectre, shook his head, and turned to face Takeru again. At that moment, Takeru noticed another man walking in, one with suspiciously green hair and a grin that reminded him of an evil goblin.

This Revolver-sama guy sure hung out with a creepy crowd.

“Revolver, sorry I’m late -” he began but stopped when he saw Takeru. “Oh-ho, pardon my interruption. Is something really important going on here?”

Takeru didn’t break his gaze with Revolver and he let a “tch.” escape through his teeth. He was trying hard to appear tough, but he could feel his legs wobbling a little. Pathetic. Flame would hardcore judge him if he saw him then.

“That’s enough,” the white-haired young man commanded. “Dr. Genome, wasn’t Dr. Aso with you?”

“He’ll be here momentarily, Revolver.” The goblin green-haired man pushed up his glasses and made his way toward Takeru, sending a shiver down his spine. “He says to start without him.”

Revolver sighed and made his way over to what appeared to be a circular screen built within the ground, Takeru’s eyes following him.

“Not going to answer my question, are you? Why should I help you?” Takeru had the courage to say. It tasted awful, coming from him. He hadn’t been this combative since . . . since he confronted that gang back home. But, he needed answers, and this Revolver guy was just dodging the point.

“Show some respect for Revolver-sama, you little -” Spectre started to say, but the white haired-man raised an arm to cut him off.

“That‘s enough, Spectre.”

Spectre crossed his right hand over to his heart and bowed ever so slightly to acknowledge the reprimand.

Takeru could feel beads of sweat forming in the back of his neck.

“Homura Takeru,” Revolver said, “I understand your concern well. I haven’t exactly displayed myself as someone trustworthy, especially to someone with an Ignis.”

He knew?!?! Takeru dug his nails into his palm and glanced at his Duel Disk. “How did you know -” Takeru started to ask.

“- that you had an Ignis?” Revolver finished. “It’s not a talent I’m particularly fond of, but it can’t be helped. I sense those who were in the Lost Incident and the AI created from them . . . or from their data, I should say.”

Takeru raised an eyebrow. Sensing people specifically from the Lost Incident? That’s seems a little far-fetched. It’s not like the Lost Incident people have a specific smell to them or anything like, so what did he mean? And how does he know about the Lost Incident anyway? Still, if Takeru valued his life, he wasn’t about to ask any of these questions out loud.

Revolver continued, “But, even though my destiny is to destroy what my father, Dr. Kogami, has created and also tried to destroy, a greater risk has appeared, and it goes beyond the Ignis threat to Link VRAINS.”

Supposed Ignis threat. Takeru added mentally. “Greater risk?” he asked aloud.

Revolver nodded. “Recently, there was a SOL Technology function unveiling the new and improved Link VRAINS before its release to the general public. Ironically, even though I aided in its initial destruction, I was invited to this function. It was there that I met them.”

“Them?” Takeru asked.

Spectre chimed in almost immediately, “The Harbingers of the New Era, right?”

Quite a name.

“Exactly. They’re an elite data robbery group that used to work with my father, but they couldn’t come up with an agreement on the creation of the AI. Since SOL Technology came for my father for the Lost Incident, I suppose their opposition is how they got invited.”

Spectre clapped his hands. “Then the group leader was asked to give a speech since they actually helped to upgrade Link VRAINS. Isn’t that right, Revolver-sama?”

Takeru couldn’t understand why Spectre kept interrupting, so he asked, “Well, were you there too?”

Spectre glared at Takeru for a second before “humph”ing and retorting, “Someone had to manage Revolver-sama's data concealer. He wanted to be at this party without anyone noticing.”

“If you say so,” Takeru returned. Wasn’t he invited though?

Revolver cleared his throat. “They did give a speech. And it was cryptic at best, shady at worst. There was much talk about the future of Link VRAINS but, strangely enough, the future they spoke of, even without any mention of AI, would even make my father concerned. Link VRAINS as being a space for winners, a space where businesses can make a profit. Players being trained to ward off the next imminent attack. That kind of thing. If SOL Technology and this group continue to do business with each other, I’m afraid Link VRAINS will be in greater danger than ever before.”

Takeru shrugged. “Bad news, but what’s that got to do with me?”

“If this group has their way,” Revolver replied, “Link VRAINS and your Ignis will be in grave danger. The technology this group wants to implement in Link VRAINS to create ‘faster and better duels’ . . . This technology? Equipped with viruses designed to get rid of AIs not registered in a system.”

Takeru gasped, but then shook his head. He had to be careful. What if Revolver was lying to him just to get Flame? Wasn't he just bashing AIs earlier? He couldn’t let his guard down.

“So, how do I know what you’re saying is true? And what’s my role in all of this? How do I know you’re not just saying all this to get my Ignis?” he asked.

“I can’t make you believe me, Homura, but I will tell you that not only Link VRAINS is in danger, but so is your hero.”

Takeru cocked his head to the side, placing his thumb and pointer finger and on his chin. “Which one?”

Revolver stared at him. “It’s Playmaker.”

Oh, duh. Who else would it be? “Playmaker?! But why?!”

“That I haven’t figured out. I just know he’s being targeted,” Revolver continued. “SOL Technology might be after Playmaker’s Ignis, but this group appears to have no interest in that. It’s quite possible Playmaker’s life is in danger. And it could have a drastic impact on Link VRAINS.”

Well, this is weird. Takeru thought. I thought Revolver was his sworn enemy, but he’s concerned about his life? Better just play along, though.

“So, what am I supposed to do, Revolver-san?” Takeru inquired.

“-sama.” Spectre corrected.

Revolver closed his eyes and crossed his arms. “Kogami.”

“Eh?”

“We’re not in Link VRAINS. It’s Kogami.” The man cut in, tapping his fingers on his forearm.

“O-okay, Kogami, so what’s my role in all of this?” Takeru repeated.

“Your task is to watch over Playmaker, make sure this group doesn’t get to him,” Kogami explained. “Both in Link VRAINS and outside. I can't take care of the outside arrangements, but I'm sure one of my associates can help you with that."

Takeru raised an eyebrow. "What arrangements are we talkin' here?"

"He's saying you gotta go to school, kid, as much as you probably don't want to" Spectre yawned. "We don't know when these guys will strike, so it's best to guard Playmaker no matter where he is. I'll take care of the whole school thing, I suppose."

Takeru tried to shoot daggers in Spectre direction with his eyes, but Spectre seemed blissfully unaware of the ill intent coming from the fiery teen. Takeru did calm down once he realized that he had to go to school again, though.

Unfortunately, Spectre was right. That was certainly a tall order. Never mind that this was the guy who tried to destroy Link VRAINS and challenged Playmaker who’s asking Takeru to watch him. An inexperienced Link VRAINS duelist like him? Protecting Playmaker? And he had to go to school to do it? There’s just no way. But, there was something about Kogami’s expression that sparked a sense of confidence in Takeru. Yeah, Kogami did threaten Link VRAINS, but . . . he also acknowledged Playmaker’s abilities, didn’t he?

It’s not the same as working alongside his heroes, but working alongside the rivals of one of his heroes was close enough, right?

“You can count on me!” Takeru announced, pointing a thumbs-up to himself. But, he realized he was missing one key piece of information. “Although . . . how am I supposed to know who Playmaker is outside of Link VRAINS?”

Kogami gave a small laugh. “That’s what your Ignis is for, isn’t it?”

Takeru looked at his Duel disk. “Flame’ll tell me, huh? And how long am I supposed to keep this up for?”

“I have . . . business to tend to in the meantime, so I can’t give a definitive answer. But, this shouldn’t take too long, I hope,” Kogami replied, making his way toward where they first came in.

“Business?”

“Getting one of our own out of jail, finding more info on this new group, you know. The usual,” Spectre spoke up, shrugging his shoulders and letting an obnoxious smirk show on his face. “Don’t screw this up for Revolver-sama, kid.”

“Kid?” Takeru repeated accusingly.

“Uh, Spectre, aren’t you the same age as him?” Genome – was it? - broke in and asked.

“Don’t compare me to him.”

“Enough!” Kogami said. “We don’t have time for this nonsense. Spectre, Genome, be sure to bring our guest back to Den City. And leave his Ignis alone. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!” Spectre and Genome replied in unison, causing Takeru’s eyebrow to twitch a little. What kind of organization was Kogami running here? Could he really be trusted since one of his own is apparently in jail?

Well, he’s gonna have to fake the trust if he wants to live.

“That’s it. I’m counting on you . . .” Kogami smirked, closing his eyes, “Soulburner.”

Takeru stared incredulously at his initial escort. “Wait, I’ve never stepped foot in Link VRAINS before. How did -”

“Come on, kid, let’s go,” Spectre interrupted with a smile that caused Takeru to slightly shiver, grabbing Takeru by the forearm. “Revolver-sama is very busy.”

So why does he get to call him Revolver? This isn’t the Link VRAINS space. Takeru thought. But, he knew better than to question this guy. He wasn't going to let the kid comment slide, though.

“Stop calling me ‘kid,’” Takeru retorted.

“Okay, okay, kids. That’s enough. We’re going to get you back now, Homura,” Genome intruded, pushing Spectre away from Takeru. “This mission is very important, though, so do your best to not make any careless mistakes.”

“Yeah, sure.”

At least Takeru wouldn’t have to be stuck with Spectre during his mission. Just having Flame make fun of him was enough.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

?????

“So, you really believe him, huh?” Flame inquired as Takeru continued to stare at his deck. Takeru closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back in his chair, letting his bangs fall away from his forehead.

“I don’t know what to believe at this point anymore,” he said, eyes still closed. “But, if it’s part of my path to get over my past, I’ll do it. No use questioning it too much.”

“Funny. You seemed to have a lot of questions when we first met, and I wasn’t even trying to hurt you,” Flame countered.

“You sure?”

Silence.

“I’m just kidding, Flame. But, taking over every electronic device I looked at? Come on now.”

Flame crossed his arms. “I needed to get your attention. But, the point is, if you couldn’t trust me, how can you trust this Revolver guy? He caused so much trouble for Link VRAINS and you’re willing to believe him? Just because he mentioned Playmaker?”

Takeru glanced at Flame and then back at the ceiling. He should probably replace the ceiling soon.

“Sure, he did all that, but . . . there’s something that bothers me about him in a not-suspicious kind of way.”

“Yeah, ‘cause that makes a lot of sense, Takeru.”

Takeru sat straight up in his chair. “I’m serious! I just don’t see any reason to not believe him. He could just let Link VRAINS and you AI and Playmaker perish for all he cares. But, despite all that, he asked me to help save them. When he’s got other people who could do the job just fine, except,” Takeru contorted his face in disgust, “that Spectre guy, maybe. He creeps me out.”

Flame closed its eyes. “You really are too nice, Takeru.”

"Too nice, huh?" The teen glanced at the clock. He decided he should probably be getting to bed soon to get used to the whole school thing again. He still had tomorrow to himself, but he needed to mentally prepare, if only for a couple of months. Imagine. Him going to school. Grandpa and Kiku would be super shocked if they knew. Not that he wanted to go, but a mission was a mission.

But, there was one piece of info he needed before he could hit the hay for the night.

"Flame."

"…."

"Flame, I know you don't sleep."

"Yes, Oh Chosen One, how may I be of service to you at this late hour?"

Takeru sighed. Flame was such a handful. "….That's a bit much, don't you think?"

"I asked you first."

"Revol-I mean, Kogami mentioned you know who Playmaker is. Is that tru-?"

"Fujiki Yusaku."

Takeru took a step back. "Eh?"

"That's who Playmaker is. Around your age, goes to Den City High School, where you'll be," Flame continued.

"That's . . . That's amazing, Flame!" Takeru exclaimed, barely containing his excitement. Finding out his idols' true identities was not something he expected, but if anything can make going to school tomorrow worth it, it's that. "Anything else?"

"Well . . . not to douse your fiery passion or anything, but he's also a Lost Incident victim. Like you," the AI continued. It reverted back to its eyeball state in Takeru's Duel disk. "You've seen his Link VRAINS form, but just so you don't go chasing after the wrong guy, here's what he looks like in the human world."

Takeru looked at the image of Yusaku. It was strange. He had been told there were others – five others, to be exact – who were locked up as well, but he was never told of who they were or what they looked like. For his idol, the one who saved Link VRAINS, to be one of the six, it was surreal.

But, at least Takeru knew that someone else would understand. The weight he had to carry.

"Fujiki . . . Yusaku, huh?" The teen sounded. "This should be entertaining, keeping an eye on this guy. Right, Flame?"

The eyeball in Takeru's Duel disk blinked slowly once, as if to acknowledge Takeru's statement. "One more thing. Revolver said nothing about this, but I figure you need to know this."

Takeru raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"The one who goes by Blue Angel in Link VRAINS also goes to Den City High School," Flame continued. "She's Zaizen Aoi." The AI projected an image of the girl from the Duel disk. "Not a victim of the Lost Incident, but she hasn't been so lucky in her Link VRAINS endeavors, let's say."

But Takeru wasn't paying much attention to what Flame was saying. Two VRAINS celebrities go to his new school? Just his luck! Finding that out made going back to school almost worth it.

Almost.

"Takeru?"

"What is it?"

"Are you sure you're up to this? You haven't even stepped into Link VRAINS before."

There's definitely a lot at stake with this mission, but Takeru had a feeling it'll work out somehow. It always did.

"Sure am. I'm not gonna get a chance like this again, so I'm just gonna go for it," Takeru said, turning off the lights. "I'll be fine."

At least, he sure hoped so.

"Also, how are you going to introduce yourself to this Yusaku anyway -"

"Good night, Flame."

#yugioh vrains #homura takeru #kogami ryoken #revolver #spectre #dr. genome #natsumi's theories

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breakdawn-avenue · 6 years

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episode 058: “The soul of a replica” oh boy, this episode wrecked me (and I’m still so mad that I had to adult before I could fully watch and make my screechings – and I mean screechings! and the screen shots @darkxyzduelist posted before killed me) buckle up, you wonderful people, because this might be the longest screechings I’ve ever made (because y’know, I’ve made many, many, many screen shots!)

what the heck!? I thought you knew the plan, you little brat!!

woah, woah, thin ice, Ai! but then again, just think about it: if the switch really did happen (and if the Hanoi Project really did succeed like @scratchface assumed) then having Yusaku as an AI is terrifying because not even Ai can tell the difference! (Ai: He’s not denying it! So Playmaker is the fake? *sob* Ai, for goodness sake! have faith in your Lost Baby!)

bad Ai! don’t you dare to betray your true Lost Baby so easily!

...I hate you

pfff, oi, oi, are you serious? I’m having a heavy flashback moment to this one:

(not as... “bad” and “evil” but still)

okay, Bowman’s anger is the reason the sky darkens. damn, what power... (kiiinnd of funny that even Playmaker and Ai react to it)

eeyy, hey! what kind of frigged up power does their shadow-y figure-leader has!? even he can copy Data Storm?! (in a friggin’ Master Duel, mind you! holy frigg’)

that was what I was asking! it’s 50/50 now if Ai tries to grant Playmaker to use his skill in Master Duels from now on (I mean, he might more than likely think about it, right?). I wonder if he can do it

...crap

o.O what?!

damn, that shadow-y figure is overpowered! goodness, the rules (if we can still talk about rules) are just getting more and more ridiculous!

damn it, Ai! stop that!

holy frigg’! you’ve found a way to corner and uncover his lie! yay!

yes, you can! ask him what’s your real name! end your misery with this! please!

aaaaaAAAAAAHHH!!! the screenshots weren’t fake! aaaaaaaAAAAAHHH!!! just look at that happy bean! my goodness, I can’t even...

oh, my God, dem’ babies! just look at them...

woah, one step at a time! you just met! you can’t already ask him on a date! (with this flashback [Yusaku has, at least one before the Hanoi Project!], it’s proven that they ‘knew’ each other even before the Hanoi Project!) *[1] *[2]

yes! (before you ask, yes – I’m spiteful now!)

lmao! I can’t believe our sweet, little Linkuriboh is the one to save Playmaker’s butt!

thank goodness

oi, Ai, you hypocrite!

ey, Haru, instead of sending Bowman, your so-called “brother”, how about you yourself start to take action, you brat? *[3] human! the real one! hurray! *celebrate* to be honest, I really feared that the writers might go this route (which is still possible! I didn’t forget! But it was clear from the beginning that it’s not Bowman). I wouldn’t really approve of this decision. yesterday, I had a very nice chat with @kurokunero , and we gushed and ranted one, about the spoilers for episode 59 + 60, two, about how much we both hate Dr. Kogami and everything he did [to both, the six Lost Babies as well as Ryoken himself] and three, Ryoken himself. as for the spoilers, and my not-approving the decision to make Yusaku an AI / copy of his true self, wouldn’t it only feel anti-climatic since we followed him since episode 1, but somehow also negate his right to wanting revenge, to be this socially awkward and having so much difficulty to form relationships (not only love-wise). he, and even as a protagonist of the show which is a very powerful move in my opinion, represents so many real life person. me including. doesn’t matter if they experienced such traumatic events in their life or not (because I didn’t, as far as I am aware), and it would even somehow feel insulting if they back down with it and say, like “Yusaku is awkward because he’s an AI”, and that “normal people” can’t be this socially awkward, unable to mingle, to be this closed-up. therapy can only do so much but if the person seeking help isn’t ready yet (because there are so many obstacles that are getting in the way), forcing someone to get better won’t work. never. I, personally, really adore having him as a protagonist, with every good character traits and flaws he possesses. *[1] before I had to adult, and seeing these wonderful screenshots @darkxyzduelist posted earlier, I had this crazy theory that Ryoken was even the one who picked the six Lost Babies. for whatever reason, I thought Dr. Kogami used him to seek good beginners. he may have not even said for what reason he should do it. but then again, all we saw up until now was that he was looking for Specter after the Hanoi Project. the second thought I had when Ryoken asked Yusaku out on a date to come over to play Duel Monsters was that if Dr. Kogami was home, living with Ryoken (and still with his mother?), he might have seen Yusaku there, saw that he was a good beginner and decided to use him for his godforsaken Hanoi Project. (to some extends, it was a little bit painful to see that these two knew each other before the Hanoi Project, and we didn’t know anything in season 1! aaaaAAAAHH) on a completely unrelated note, this episode was animated by the one and only Noh Gil-bo-sama, and it looked so effing beautiful *[2] on another unrelated note, why is Yusaku still calling Ryoken by his VRains-avatar? more so since they knew each other before the Hanoi Project. I can’t believe that the babies didn’t introduce themselves back then! (thinking about that, Ryoken introducing himself in episode 41 feels... off now) *[3] I have another crazy, possibly far-fetched theory since VRains taught us from the beginning always to think around the corner. for this, I don’t really have any “proves” (and thoughts that contradict this) but thoughts as to why this crazy idea Yusaku = AI / copy of the true Lost Baby even popped up in the first place. and I think it didn’t only happen to throw Playmaker off his game. what if the group’s shadow-y figure is the true Yusaku? wouldn’t that be rad? but then again, I really don’t have solid ground for that. one, that shadow-y figure is presented (most of all, his voice indicates this) as a grown man. Yusaku is only 16, and there’s no way that his voice sounds so much like this after the voice break (mind you, this is Reality Check-me again). two, if his goal was to throw off Playmaker in this duel, why didn’t he use the full knowledge (like his real name, Ryoken, him being the Special Person and teaching him the three-things-rule [I still don’t know if this is Ryoken’s doing or taught by Dr. Kogami in the end]). and three, how come he even does possess these information about the Hanoi Project in the first place? I cannot imagine that they were floating around Link VRains (while being rebuild into New Link VRains). either he has connections to SOL Technology, to Dr. Kogami / the Knights of Hanoi (then again, why would they even give these important information away?), or he’s a mighty hacker like Yusaku, Kusanagi and Ryoken. or because he’s Fujiki Yusaku himself. (preview! aaaaaaAAAAAAHHH!!! ‘bout time you get your pretty little but back into the show, young man! and since we see Specter and Dr. Genome in real life, we might even get their real life names)

#yugioh vrains #episode 58 #my screechings #episode 58 screenshots #episode 21 screen shot #long post #(sorry mobile users)#vrains theories and speculations #holy frigg' that episode!#i might have enjoyed it more than others

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