Before going to college, I decided to get myself a Nintendo Switch Game. Yet, despite the chance to get anything from Catherine Full Body to Persona 5, I decided to get the most up-to-date Yugioh game: Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution (goddamn, that's a mouthful).
Playing the game got me back into the franchise. So with time on my hands and an inflamed passion for redoing my past Yugioh blogs with a new coat of paint and also trying my hand at analyzing specific moments and series (lmk if you want me to do more). I decided what better way to show my love than shining the light on my favorite Yugioh series: Zexal?
Zexal still holds the place as the series I come back to the most despite the controversy. One of the main reasons for that is due to a straightforward thing: completeness. It at least feels like a complete series, introducing themes, characters, and a story that gets carried out masterfully. While that journey wasn't always the most compelling, I do think that it paid off, all the same, creating, in my opinion, the most climactic finale in the franchise. This shows on the series' penultimate duel: Yuma vs Nasch. So sit back and relax, dear reader, as I explain why this is one of my favorite duels.
Note
There are massive spoilers ahead for Yugioh Zexal (or zeal for my weebs), so be warned here and now. Also, please don't get into a hissy fit over my earlier marks, I like Yugioh Zexal, but I don't think it's perfect. Each series has its major strengths and weaknesses. Also, while I will give major context/overview of the duel, I will not go over the entire story nor explain every play made in the duel. This duel is more symbolic than technical anyway.
If you want to experience a more turn-by-turn blog about the duel, I highly recommend the video made by noajenk since it provides so much info on the subject with more turn-by-turn plays. Finally, I'll be using both sub and dub for this duel for various reasons. With that out of the way, let's begin.
Context
Throughout Zexal Yuma, has two main rivals. And while Kite did leave his legendary mark on the series as an arduous wall for Yuma to overcome, it is Reginald, A.K.A. Shark, also A.K.A. Nasch, that manages to get first blood and last laugh. Yuma and Shark started as bitter enemies/rivals at the beginning of the series, meeting up only sparingly to clash in heated duels. However, over time through their various duels, Yuma was able to break down Shark's loner attitude bit by bit, showing Shark that the two had far more in common than they realized.
The bond grew stronger as they willingly risked their lives for each other. However, that all changed during the Mythyrian Number War arc. A storyline where the group traveled across the world to get the powerful Mythrain Numbers, cards that could help turn the tide against the series' main antagonist, the seven Barian Emperors, through their access to the reality-warping Numeron Code.
However, as more and more of the Numbers get revealed, we see the real truth that comes with the Mythyrian Numbers power. Said truth was that the seven emperors were originally legendary humans who all had an innate connection to each Mythrian Number. However, the memories and connections to said cards were lost when the Barian god, Don Thousand, forced each emperor to meet a grizzly end and be reincarnated into his elite Barian soldiers.
This revelation shows our enemies as more human than originally intended. This quickly proved to be a double-edged sword as that Shark/Reginald Kastle was far from human. Shark was truly their leader: Nasch. This former king had agreed to become an emperor to protect his fallen kingdom through their reincarnation as Barians.
This revelation tears Shark apart as he's now torn between protecting his current allies or uphold the promise he made thousands of years ago to his kingdom. And unfortunately, much like Yuma, Shark never turns his back on his friends no matter what. So in the final arc of the series, Shark sacrifices his humanity to lead the climatic charge as Nasch.
What takes place is costly war, as both sides sustain heavy casualties. However, when the true allegiance of Don Thousand gets unfurled. An allegiance that led to his resurrection upon the fallen emperors' deaths and obtaining the Numeron Code, Nasch and Yuma are forced to unite again. After they defeat the mad god through some of the most over-the-top dueling in the series, the god finally meets his end.
However, before the immortal could perish, he leaves with one chilling statement. Even though he is defeated, his curse remains. This becomes clearer as, despite their alliance, Nasch willingly takes the power of both Don Thousand and the fallen emperors while warping Yuma and his other half Astral to a battlefield between the three worlds.
On one side, we have Astral World, the principal home of the titular character. On the other hand, we have Earth, which had recently fused with Barian World to obtain the Mythyrian Numbers successfully. With all of the recent reality-warping shenanigans, both worlds are now on a collision course that will destroy Astral World in its entirety.
Dumbfounded over this heel turn, Yuma pleads with Nasch for peace, but as Nasch reminds him, he willingly became a Barian. A Barian that for years had to put up with the Astral World's preemptive attacks on his home in their bid to rank up. A Barian refuses to abandon his friends a second time as he abandons the human moniker known as Shark. So with their fates seemingly inevitable, Yuma relents and decides to duel Nasch to find the answer. The answer will carry them to a future where they all can live in peace.
Overview
Nasch starts by summoning two augmented copies of his evolved ace monster Silent Honor Dark and ends his turn. Not much to say compared to our mc with the gravity-defying hair. Before his turn begins, Astral reveals to Yuma a solution through a Numeron Code if they manage to win the duel and rewrite reality. However, Yuma chimes in through the seeming falseness of a perfect future the two didn't obtain through their own experiences thus far. Realizing that Astral agrees instead of holding off on the nuclear option until another presents itself and fully trusting Yuma.
At this moment, I find it amazing when given context. At the start of the series, Yuma and Astral hated each other with a burning passion. However, this one little moment shows how much the two now trust in one another. This also leaves some pretty great foreshadowing as we now see that Yuma has fully come to his own and how he will have to be the one that finds the answer to everything.
With all of his dueling experience paying off, Yuma takes control of Nasch's monster. However, Nasch, like a Jojo character, predicted this and decided to counterattack promptly, using a trap card to special summon the monsters Chaos Number 102: Archfiend Seraph and Chaos Number 103: Ragnafinity. The evolved ace cards of his two closest friends amongst the emperors: Dumon and Marin.
Nasch destroys Yuma's monster while promptly restoring his life points and his ace monster once again, basically being as fresh as a daisy despite Yuma doing pretty well by his standards. Yuma then summons his ace monster Number 39: Utopia and equips it with a handy dandy sword that is so anime-only it hurts to destroy Nasch's entire trio of monsters.
Despite losing life points, though, Nasch reveals that everything was still going according to Kekkaiku. Using a combination of the face-down cards Chaos Hundred Universe and Hundred Summon Nasch summons all the ace monsters of the Barains. Here, the duel becomes more symbolic as the real battle starts.
With only five monster zones and seven monsters on the field, Nasch put the aces of both himself and his two friends on his side. On Yuma's side, though, he has the Chaos Numbers of Alito, Girag, and Vector, respectively, the 3 Barian Emperors that Yuma had managed to befriend before the war. This is another cool subtle moment for the audience as despite the Barain Emperors being antagonists, they are still friends to Yuma. It kind of hits home the pivotal nature of the duel and a great way of showing that Yuma doesn't see the Emperors as enemies.
The usage of Hundred Summon Nasch reveals the evolved ace of Mizar, finally assembling the whole cast and combining the power and spirits of the Emperor to form: Chaos Xyz Barian Hope! This name alone strikes a very pressing image as in the English subbed Yuma's ace, Utopia, is called Hope, something that Yuma almost always has given to his friends and enemies.
This image gets even more real as both Yuma and Nasch lament over the deaths of said emperors. Their souls then gain a physical appearance, with both parties seeing them in their human and Barian forms, respectively. Nasch's fighting spirit ignites to unseen levels as he begins his onslaught!
Barian Hope's main ability effectively allows him to use the effects of its materials by giving up one of its seven units or by sacrificing 400 life points. Nasch goes for the latter option, sacrificing a whopping 2800 life points all in an attempt to finish Yuma off with a single attack!
The dub makes the scene slightly better as Nasch adopts the mannerisms of each respective Emperor while calling their abilities out. Yuma immediately employs every countermeasure he can, pulling out all the stops, surviving the onslaught barely by the power of plot while having a near clear field. Nasch then ends his turn by putting a couple of cards face down.
This exchange is honestly the over-the-top shit the Zexal and close calls with cards that would get banned on their conception alone. But in all seriousness, this entire exchange is lowkey refreshing when you think about it.
In Yugioh's past, we've constantly seen it when the protagonist will use the cards of their allies to their advantage. And while antagonists past have managed to do the same, this is easily one of the best examples. Because it's here where the antagonist uses their friends' power to help them, another way of showing that the Emperors aren't mustache twirlers. Still, they are all united on some level.
Despite the monumental difference in field presence, their life points are the same—Astral comments on what logical reason he could have for doing this. Yuma Nasch is doing everything he can to keep the hope of the Barains alive, no matter how much damage it costs him.
Realizing the fierce resolve Nasch commands, Yuma and Astral decide to place their bets on using the power of sexal (intentional btw), fusing with him to create the titular overdesigned, painfully saturated figure to horrid reality. Using the bullshit shining draw, Yuma revives Utopia and access a new form.
We then get treated to an amazingly animated sequence where all of Utopia's past forms raise their swords to reveal their ultimate evolution: Utopia Beyond! Using the power of his new creation Yuma and Nasch duke it out with him trying to keep Hope alive, but eventually, Barain Hope dies. The second episode pretty much ends with a chilling line.
"Why do you two keep crushing my, no, our dreams!"
The delivery of the line by Toshiki Masuda is heartbreaking. Though, everyone's vocal performance is stellar here, making the children's card game look serious. In almost maddening retaliation, Nasch negates the battle damage, instead forcing himself to summon an old favorite: Black Ray Lancer! The nostalgia of the hard hits both Zexal and the audience hard as it knocks the former to a lowly 350 LP while getting Utopia on the field again. With both combatants at their limits, the two duelists transform into the base form and have a moment of emotional levity.
Yuma acknowledges the nostalgia of seeing these two monsters again. At the remark, Shark reminds himself of Yuma's best quality, his ability to shove his way into people's hearts against all odds. At the compliment, Yuma wonders why they can't come to understand each other now.
However, that's where the knife turn comes in. Because Shark understands Yuma perfectly, and this is where I feel like the full thematic weight of the duel hits harder than missing out on that one card you wanted in a booster pack. Because take away the fancy card games and reality-warping bullshit, and this battle is something different than a lot of others.
This isn't a battle between hero and villain, protagonist and rival, or even human versus monster. This is a battle between two friends forced by destiny's hand, who have lost far too much to lose now. There is no right and wrong here, only people trying to fight for what they think is right.
This is why Yuma vs Nasch is one of my favorite duels. Because this is the first time, we've had two duelists who we've spent so much time on different sides. The first time I've had a duel, I desperately wanted to see both characters win. Yuma gets weary, wondering if he could ever come up with the answer he seeks. However, Tori is one of her few useful moments in the series that encourages Yuma through a straightforward tip, be himself and remember the friends he's fighting for.
Yuma gets back up, morphing into Zexal 3 and equipping Utopia with a new armament, Sylphid Wing, as he makes a B line towards a now revived Barian Hope! Utopia's superior attack power, Nasch decides to activate the card Draw of Fate, automatically marking an end to the duel. They both draw cards that they have to use immediately!
Both duelists then promptly draw using the card of Double or Nothing! Yet before Yuma can make the final attack, a crushing realization crosses his mind. From the beginning of the series, he got taught that the great power of Zexal would come with the danger of losing someone that was most important to him.
At first, Yuma thought that was Astral or Nasch, but instead, it was himself, for he would never kill a friend. So using Sylphid Wing, Yuma cancels his attack at the last second and proposes the answer that he found within himself. If he can't find a solution to the problem and if he can't kill Nasch. Then it seems we'll have to keep dueling forever until they can all make a future where everyone survives.
This could be seen as the stupidest choice imaginable, that this is the blatant wrong choice. However, it is also the hopeful and idealistic one that inherently makes Yuma's choice, one that's true to him.
It also is amazing in a meta sense as well. One of the biggest complaints I see on Zexal is Yuma himself as a character, specifically his reliance on Astral. However, that ultimately gets thrown away here, as Yuma managed to look within only himself to his answer, no one else. And this choice is the thing that helps in winning the duel. Due to the effect of Draw of Fate, Nasch reveals the card Glory of the Seven Emperors.
A card that would've effectively won him the duel if Yuma followed through on the attack. Nasch predicted Yuma's every move due to their similar personalities. Yet, by his admission, he says he could never predict that Yuma would try and pull this stunt. Because, unlike Yuma, Nasch let his destiny overtake him, let his burden overtake him and the stress of his identity overtake him from hoping for a better future. So the duel promptly ends with Yuma winning by staying true to himself and his humanity, while Nasch loses by doing everything he can to deny a part of himself rigidly.
Aftermath
Nasch gets thrown back in a massive explosion, yet a smile mitigates the pain. The dub, I think, once again surpasses the sub a little bit by acknowledging that his loss felt good, partially due to him finally being able to rest after fighting against both of his identities for so long.
Nasch then morphs Shark to express some final words of wisdom. He warns Yuma that people give up on what's important to them as they grow up. He says his hope for a better future, the hope that he gives to both enemies/allies alike, and his never to give up is something that he must never sacrifice.
With that, Shark fades into the ether, wondering about the future the two will create. This is where real men cry, especially when you realize that Yuma lost everybody except Tori and Astral in that small frame of time. And honestly, if I got trapped with the former, I would be crying rivers.
Of course, though, Nasch doesn't have to wonder long as the events of the final duel between Yuma and Astral effectively revive the Seven Emperors in human form. Even still, this duel was phenomenal for the development of Yuma as it was just another big step in him forming his future, one that has zero limits in the form of the monster Number F0: Utopic Future.
I wish we could've seen more of how Shark and Yuma's relationship would've evolved further, but maybe that's the point. Because it seems no matter what path these characters are going, they'll be fine regardless.
Epilogue
I know Zexal can get a helluva lot of hate (I've even been called delusional for being a fan of it on some occasions) I still seem to come back to it. Maybe it was because it was the first Yugioh I managed to latch on to, or maybe because of all I said before, but I think any kid watching, or hell, any person of any age, can relate to Zexal.
Because take away the yaoi fanart and card games, and Zexal is fundamentally a coming-of-age story about a man whose only real power is being able to never give up on both himself and others, forming his future against all odds. It's something that I "hope" I can manifest when life starts knocking me down. Cause regardless, I would like to do all I can to bring it to em'(Kattobingu!), and I hope you do the same.