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 Duel Highlight: Ruca VS
Frank |
PREVIEW:
A silhouetted man confronts Jaeger. Jaeger requests the silhouetted man to duel once again, to which the man accepts. In the Duel Stadium, Himuro, Yanagi and the others head toward Yusei after his victory against Mukuro. It's then that an announcement is made all over the arena. It's declared that, due to Godwin's special permission, a loser revival match will be held. And, it is Ruca's name that is announced for it. Rua immediately impersonates as Ruca and sprints to the Stadium, but it's already discovered that he's a fake. It's even evident to his last opponent, Bommer. Chants asking for the real Ruca heighten from the crowd all over the arena. So, Ruca reluctantly enters the Stadium. |
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| EPISODE 18 - INFORMATION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| EPISODE SUMMARY - PART 1 | ||||
In a secret room with mere light coming from a single window, Jaeger is talking to a participant, [Professor Frank], who has just lost his first match on purpose. He apologizes Frank that he needs him to lose the game on purpose again in his next round. Frank appears from darkness. He doesn't mind to do so at all as it can't be helped. This is a part of his job as an assassin. Jaeger realizes that Frank is a duelist with cool and calm style, and there is a certain duelist who wants him to help using that skill. Frank replies plainly that they will see. Note1: Assassins are members of Yliaster group. They are leaded by the leader of the group, Rex Godwin and used to appear in episode 14. Note2: Anime doesn't show the first duel between Professor Frank and Kinomiya Kodo. This match is skipped, but anime just reveals in this episode that Frank gave up his first duel according to the order and plan of Jaeger and Rex. The reason is that they want Frank to duel Ruca in a loser revival match of the losers in the first round. It's what is going to happen in this episode on.
The game between Yusei and Mukuro has just finished. The light on Mukuro's picture on screen is turned down because he is a loser. Yusei is leaving the duel field and riding his D-Wheel to the back stage. His friends, Yanagi and Himuro, are all glad with his victory. By this, Yusei can be advanced to the second round. Tempei tells Rua that it's such an intense match. Rua agrees and adds that Yusei is such a great duelist. Ruca is afraid to tell Rua that Yusei is least better than someone here who lost in the first round. Rua faces down and feels appointed as Ruca is referring to him. Rua changes his attitude shortly and gets up. He has just realized that he actually wasn't the one who lost. It's Ruca who lost the game because Rua dueled in the name of Ruca. Thus, Rua still has a clean profile as they didn't count the duel as his official defeat record. Ruca counters Rua by hitting him multiple times. MC then calls people's attention by making an urgent announcement. The event sponsor, Rex Godwin, has just decided to make a surprise set up for all losers in their first matches. Those losers are going to have a loser revival match. The pictures of the losers in the first round (Ruca, Jill, Frank, and Mukuro) appear on visual screens. Rua jumps excitedly for a chance that he has a chance to duel again. Tempei feels relieved for him, and Rua declares that he will win definitely this time. However, Ruca is concerned by that Rua may get carried away again. Rua looks mad while staring Ruca. Yusei parks and gets off his D-Wheel. Before walking away, He looks up to the tower and sees Rex looking unfriendly. Meanwhile, Rua is checking his cards and thinking about how to set it up for the revival match. He turns to Ruca and asks to borrow her lady cloth again. Ruca denies to do so this time and turns her face away. Rua tries to ask for reasons.
Suddenly, the lights in the stadiums are turned off. MC then announces that he is going to declare the match-up for the revival game. The chosen person is selected randomly, and the lucky person is merely 11 years old and is the one who was defeated regrettably by Bommer. Anyway, this person's skills are approved by the sponsor, Godwin. MC introduces the first picked-up player, a duel angel from the heaven or Ruca. Rua stands up in response to MC's call; however, the light spots to Ruca sitting near him. He forgets that he currently isn't in Ruca's form, so true Ruca is spotted. Meanwhile, Yusei sees Ruca's picture appear on screen and looks surprised. Bommer standing near Yusei realizes that this Ruca should be the real one. He accepts that fake Ruca or Rua who dueled him might do well in a duel, but he doubts how the true one will be. Ruca is sitting still and doesn't know what she should do because she hasn't expected this. Himuro reminds Ruca that she is actually the real one selected to participate in this match. Rua explains that he is the one who accepted to participate as Ruca doesn't want to. Yanagi points them to the big crowd cheering up for Ruca to show up. He is afraid that there may be a trouble if Ruca won't do so. The audiences are all calling Ruca's name while her real-time picture is displayed on a visual screen. Ruca doesn't want to because she always feels very tired after a duel. Rua then sits down and feels disappointed. He just expects to fight Yusei, but things turn out bad like this. Ruca understands what Rua wants to say. She accepts to go into this duel and win for him so that Rua can try his best on her spot next time on. Rua gets excited shortly. He accepts to support all the way. Ruca says by her soft sound that she doesn't mind if it can make him happy. She then prepares her pink duel disk and leaves the seat to the duel field.
As Ruca is walking, Yanagi is wondering what the deck type of Ruca is. Rua reveals that it is a [Spirit Deck ~ Yosei Deck]. He reveals what Ruca used to tell him that she could hear Duel Monster Spirits' voice, so she built up deck following what the voice told her. That's how she can gets the Spirit Deck. Himuro looks confused and doesn't seem to understand the spirits Rua is talking about. Rua further explains that Ruca is very exhausted when she hears spirits' voice, so she doesn't want to duel that much. While Ruca is walking down to the duel field, Jack is discussing with Rex in the observation deck. He asks Rex whether Ruca is a Signer. Rex convinces him and explains that, during the first game, D-Sensor could catch response coming from her sitting on the audience stage. Ruca's picture as she was hiding her true identity is shown a visual screen. Rex tells Jack that this loser revival game is set up in order to confirm her identity. Rex snaps his finger to call Akutsu to be on line. Akutsu quickly turns and reports that whole preparation is okay. He shows the scale on D-Sensor. If the scale exceeds the scale point, it is evident that Ruca is a Signer. Akutsu dances by spinning around as explaining this preparation. Rex cuts off Akutsu's line and pulls out another visual screen showing Ruca's information. He explains that he was interested in her and invited her into this tournament because of information about her accident 8 years ago. Rex pulls out that information onto the visual screen and moves to Jack for him to take a look.
The pictures on the screen are Ruca laying on her bed and Ruca with Rua nearby. Rex explains that Ruca is a genius well versed in a duel at her mere age 3. However, in a certain day, she was abruptly in a coma state during a duel. Her consciousness didn't return for a month. During that time, her twin brother, Rua, kept calling the name of his twin sister. A monster later, Ruca could miraculously recover. Rex then opens the live picture of Rua now sitting at the audience stage on a visual screen. Jack asks Rex directly how this information is related to Signers. Another visual screen is moving in front of Jack while Jaeger is walking in. Jaeger explains that what makes them interested in her is what Ruca said when she recovered. At that time, Ruca said that she had gone to the spirit world of duel monsters. Jack then looks surprised. Jaeger notes that the origin of duel monsters have been in mystery and various legends exist in puzzles. Some legends in the world match the circumstances of the spirit world she talked after her recovery. Those legends even include the legend that has remained in the people of the stars. Jaeger opens a picture on the visual screen to present the legend that he wants to talk about. What he is talking about is the legend of Nazca Lines in Peru. Rex says that, from that 8 years, both twins don't have memory of that incident. Thus, he plans to make things back to that time for her once more time. In other words, he plans to bring her back to the spirit world of duel monsters. By this, they may be able to know her true power as well. Rex then opens the picture of Ruca on screen as she is ready under the duel stage.
Ruca appears on the duel stage in smoke among the cheer from the audiences. She then attaches her pink duel disk to her arm. At this point, she has felt that the duel disk is well equipped to her arm and looks nicer to use. It's a thank to Yusei (Yusei adjusted the duel disks for Rua and Ruca in episode 14). Meanwhile, Yusei is watching over Ruca from a resting room behind the stage. MC next announces the opponent of genius Ruca, a duel counselor called Professor Frank, and his picture is displayed on a visual screen. Frank then appears in smoke on the other side of Ruca. He is in a long costume looking like Chinese cloth, smiles, and walks close to Ruca. As Jaeger said earlier, Frank has a very cool and calm personality. He bows to Ruca and greets her politely. He suggests that they look for her true identity hidden in the inner depth of her consciousness through this duel. Ruca is afraid that she has some strange feeling. Then, she hears spirit voice of a monster coming from her deck. This makes her understand that the spirit also has uneasy feeling. MC declares that it's time to start. Light in the duel stadium is turned on, and both sides standby their duel disks. When they are ready, MC announces to open the loser revival game.
1st Turn - Ruca The first turn is with Ruca. She wants to end this duel as soon as possible as she knows that she is unable to stand it so long. Drawing a card, Ruca summons [Sunny Pixie - 1/300/400] onto the field in defense position. Yanagi is excited to seeing Ruca's spirit monster while Rua is cheering Ruca out loud. Ruca does nothing else and ends her turn at this point. 2nd Turn - Frank The turn quickly moves to Professor Frank. He draws a card and summons [Symmetry Rorschach ~ L<->R (Symmetry) Rorschach - 3/1200/1200: When this card destroys an opponent's monster, you can turn the top card of your opponent's deck face-up] onto the field in attack position. As a monster is summoned, Ruca has strange feeling about this monster and doubts what it is. Symmetry Rorschach looks like a moving shadow in the sky.
Frank understands that Ruca seems to have some knowledge about Rorschach test. He explains that it is a psychological test that can acquire a clue to explain Ruca's insecurity, worry, and doubt based on how she feels about this ambiguously-profiled monster. Frank asks Ruca what she can see in this monster. Ruca doesn't understand this complicate guy at all, and Frank keeps asking her. Note: Rorschach test is an actual psychological evaluation used to examine personality, emotion, and characteristics of a person. It's widely used by psychologists to understand their patients. They show patients complicate pictures of an object that can be seen in various ways. They then evaluate patients' true or hidden feeling based on their answer. It is a very important test to treat the patients with mind problem. |
| EPISODE SUMMARY - PART 2 | ||||||||||||||
Professor Frank starts his psychological game with Ruca by keeping asking what she can through his ambiguously-profiled monster, Symmetry Rorschach. On the audience stage, Yanagi answers Frank's question excitedly that it is a crystal skull while Tempei answers that it looks like butterfly. Anyway, only Rua is looking worried and doesn't enjoy the game much. He can feel that Ruca's opponent has something against her. Ruca is looking confused as Frank's question is moving around her. She looks through Symmetry Rorschach, and it shapes into a fairy spirit form similar to Sunny Pixie. That's her answer. Suddenly, Ruca is very shocked by seeing the head of the fairy spirit changing into a scary monster's head. At the same time, Frank declares the attack of Symmetry Rorschach, "Spiral Mind", and sonic wave is lunched to destroy Sunny Pixie on Ruca's field. She doesn't lose any LP as Sunny Pixie is in defense position. Frank tells Ruca the result of this Rorschach test that it reveals that Ruca is scared of spirits and fairies. He asks whether this evaluation is correct. Ruca is about to argue, but Frank interrupts by saying that he is going to release her from those worries. For this purpose, Ruca must have courage to venture into the other world, the spirit world of duel monsters, within the inner depth of her consciousness. Ruca still looks confused by the spirit world of duel monsters that Frank is talking about. It's actually his psychological plan to recover her memory about the spirit world. Frank also tells Ruca that he realizes well that Ruca is able to understand the words of spirits. Thus, it isn't strange for her to be in the spirit world of duel monsters. Ruca looks confused because she isn't sure whether such a world really exists. At this point, Frank activates the special effect of Symmetry Rorschach. When it can destroy a monster, Sunny Pixie in this case, successfully, the opponent must open the top card on the deck. Frank calls this effect, "Peeping Mind", and there is a big eye appearing from Symmetry Rorschach. Ruca's hand is shaking while she is drawing and revealing the top card on her deck. The card appears to be Kuribon. Ruca smiles and feels relieved after seeing her monster. Frank comments that Ruca can get a good spirit and asks whether she can hear the voice of this spirit. Ruca would like to accept this fact that she is able to hear spirits' voice. Despite her confusion, she quickly turns to Rua. Both are looking at each other and reminding themselves of their past. When Ruca lost her consciousness a long time ago, Rua was crying and calling her name repeatedly in order to wake her up. Ruca gets stunned by what she has just recalled, so does Rua. Tempei can notice that Rua is acting strangely, so he asks what's wrong with him. Rua looks worried and replies that something is making him feeling scared. Ruca then turns back to the game. Frank sets up 2 face-down cards and ends his turn at this point. Seeing Ruca looking uncertain, he calls her for her turn.
3rd Turn - Ruca The turn moves to Ruca. She draws a card and certainly gets Kuribon as she has just seen. Ruca decides to summon [Kuribon - 1/200/300: When a monster your opponent controls attacks you directly, you can reduce the Battle Damage from that attack to 0, and Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card is attacked, you can return this card to your hand and reduce the Battle Damage from that attack to 0. Afterwards, increase the Life Points of that monster's controller equal to the ATK of that monster] onto the field in attack position. At this moment, Frank opens his face-down trap card [Guiding Light to the Inner Depths ~ Shinsou Eto Michibiku Hikari - Trap: You can activate this card when your opponent Summons or Special Summons a Light Attribute monster. Send cards from your opponent's deck to the Cemetery up to the fifth card. Add the sixth card to your opponent's hand after both players check it. If they do not play the card added into their hand by this effect, the opposing player receives 2000 points of damage].
According to its effect, Ruca has to discard 5 cards from the top of her deck into the cemetery. Then, she has to draw the 6th card, reveal it, and add it onto her hand. If Ruca doesn't play the 6th card in this turn, she has to receive 2000 damage points. As Frank is explaining the effect, Ruca seems to lose her mind little by little. Her eyes begin to be blank as she is going deeper into her inner hidden consciousness.
Frank continues his psychological play with Ruca, telling her to turn up the cards slowly one by one. He counts 1 to 5, and Ruca moves following his count. Frank doubts what the 6th card will be. Ruca draws and reveals it. It is a field spell [Ancient Forest ~ Inishie No Mori - Field Spell: After activation, all monsters on the field switch to attack mode. (At this time, Reverse Effects are not activated.) You cannot Summon, Special Summon or Set monsters in defense mode. In addition, you cannot change monsters to defense mode. A monster that attacks is destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase]. In order to avoid 2000 damage points in this turn, Ruca decides to activate this field spell. The field then changes into deep forest theme. Frank understand the effect of this field spell that, under this field, all monsters must switch into attack position. Both can't summon a monster in defense position, neither nor switch a monster into defense position. Also, a monster that attacks must be destroyed at the end of the battle phase. Frank understands that this is a plain and peaceful spirit world of duel monsters that doesn't allow any conflict. Inside Ruca's consciousness, she opens her eyes and finds herself in deep forest. It is real forest not the duel field changed into ancient forest. Many fairies are flying around, and one of them is flying to tease her face. Ruca smiles before seeing Kuribon floating in front of her. Although she looks happy to see Kuribon, she doubts whether this is the spirit world that Frank talked about. This place is very nice and peaceful, but Ruca somehow is feeling scared. On the main duel field, Ruca is standing still, and her eyes are very blank. Frank understands that Ruca may have already reached the spirit world locked into the depth of her consciousness. That's what he has expected, pulling her into the spirit world of duel monsters. After Ruca activates Ancient Forest, she does nothing else and her turn seems to end at this point.
4th Turn - Frank Frank doesn't care whether Ruca is with the duel. Drawing a card, he opens his second face-down trap card [Gestalt Drop ~ Permanent Trap: After activation, this becomes an Equip Card on 1 of your opponent's monsters. Negate your opponent's monster's Monster Effect and reduce its attack and defense power to 0]. This trap is then equipped with Kuribon on Ruca's field. It can negate its effect and reduce its ATK to 0. In the spirit world, Kuribon is also equipped with Gestalt Drop. Ruca is very surprised by what is happening to Kuribon. She hasn't seemed to be aware of the running-on duel yet. Frank then plays equipment spell card [Immortal Homeostasis ~ Fushi No Homeostasis - Equipment Spell: The equipped monster cannot be destroyed by battle. During your Standby Phase, if the equipped monster's attack power is different from its original attack power, the controller of the equipped monster receives 300 points of damage], equipping it with Kuribon. By this Kuribon can't be destroyed in battle. In addition to his standby phase, if Kuribon equipped with this card has ATK lower than its original ATK, Ruca as the controller of Kuribon must receive 300 damage points.
Frank summarizes the whole effect that although Kuribon has 0 ATK, Ruca still has to receive damage in every turn. Next, he releases Symmetry Rorschach to advance summon [Id the Super Demonic Lord ~ Choumajin Id - 6/2200/800: As long as this card is on the field, all other monsters on your side of the field except this one are destroyed. During the End Phase of the turn in which this card is destroyed, you can Special Summon it on your side of the field] onto the field in attack position. At this moment, the other cards on his hand appear to be Pot of Avarice and Mental Contamination. In the spirit world, Ruca notices Kuribon trembling as some aura is threatening its whole body. Frank's monster, Id the Super Demonic Lord, also appears in the spirit world in front of Ruca and Kuribon. Ruca gets scared and cries out loud. However, she in the original world appears to stand still and looks blank. Frank explains the special effect of Id the Super Demonic Lord that it can be special summoned back onto his field in the end phase of the turn it is destroyed. Also, as long as Id the Super Demonic Lord is on the field, Frank can't summon any other monster. Frank's words don't seem to get through Ruca's ears at all. She looks very blank and stands still as if her consciousness has gone completely. The audiences and MC begin to suspect what is wrong with Ruca as she seems to have complete lapse in her concentration. On the other hand, Rex is smiling as things seem to follow his plan. On the audience stage, Tempei notices Rua looking strangely like Ruca. Rua is looking blank as if his consciousness is gone with Ruca. Tempei tries to call him, but Rua has no response. The game is continued. Frank declares the attack of Id the Super Demonic Lord, "Violent Egoism", to destroy Kuribon. In the spirit world, Kuribon shatters in front of Ruca. Nevertheless, because of Immortal Homeostasis equipped with Kuribon, it can't be destroyed in battle. Kuribon there forms itself back. Ruca looks very shocked by such a scene and screams. She however appears to stand still in the original world. Because Kuribon also equipped by Gestalt Drop has 0 ATK, Ruca loses her LP dramatically to 1800 (4000+0-2200) by this single strike. Frank tells Ruca that Kuribon can't be destroyed in battle but it still has to receive eternal pain in the immortal world. He hopes Ruca will try to recall her true mission from the mid of her pain and fear. His psychological sound keeps telling Ruca to work on what he wants. In the spirit world, wind is blowing along with Frank's voice. Ruca is standing in front of Id the Super Demonic Lord. She then says that any conflict can't be allowed in this forest. When she finishes her worlds, Id the Super Demonic Lord shatters into the sky. Actually, this is as a result of the field spell's effect. Any monster that attacks must be destroyed at the end of the battle phase. Ruca looks happy shortly before getting surprised by seeing that Id the Super Demonic Lord is forming itself back into its position. In the original world, Frank reminds Ruca the special effect of Id the Super Demonic Lord that it can be special summoned back onto the field at the end phase of the turn it's destroyed. He then ends his turn at this point and calls for Ruca's turn.
5th Turn - Ruca Ruca draws despite the fact that she still doesn't have sense. In her standby phase, Frank activates the effect of Immortal Homeostasis equipped with Kuribon to inflict 300 damage points to Ruca. Ruca in the original world doesn't show any feeling while she in the spirit world is crying loudly. Her LP decreases to 1500 (1800-300).
In the original world, Ruca keeps on dueling by summoning [Starlight Unicorn - 4/1800/1000: You can check the top card of your deck. If that card is a Magic card, you can add it to your hand. If it is a non-Magic card, return it to the bottom of your deck. This effect can only be used once per turn] onto the field in attack position. She then equips it with [Horn of the Unicorn ~ Ikkakujyuu No Horn - Equipment Spell: A monster equipped with this card increases its ATK and DEF by 700 points. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, it returns to the top of your Deck]. Frank sees that, with Horn of Unicorn, the attack of Starlight Unicorn goes up to 2500 (1800+700), which currently exceeds Id the Super Demonic Lord's. As the game is running, both Rua's and Ruca's consciousness seems to be gone completely from the original world. In the spirit world, Starlight Unicorn summoned onto the duel field now flies from the sky down to where Ruca is. At this moment, Ruca is hearing voice of a mysterious lady coming from the forest. The lady expects that Ruca has come back to this spirit world to fulfil her promise. Ruca is surprised by what that promise is. Still no shadow of the lady, she said that Ruca used to swear to protect the spirit world of duel monsters from the evils. Ruca looks confused and doesn't know who the owner of the voice is.
To be continued... |
| CARD OF THE WEEK - RUCA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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