s2 e27 "Friends til the End, pt 2"
Shorter episode this week as we only cover a single episode of the show, but there were just too many Feelings for us not to slow down a little. Listen in as we discuss whether this is a Shadow Game or not, inheriting your boyfriend's boyfriend, and All Of Our Feelings. Plus some recommendations for addicting card games & sapphic tv shows, and our new contender for "best thing written on a sign in the background of an episode"
SHOW NOTES:
- Screenshot of Marik posing like the dramatic gay that he is
s2 e25-26 "The Rescue" / "Friends til the End, pt 1"
How can the power of friendship prevail, if Yugi is forced to fight his best friend?? Before we can approach the emotional devastation that will be the answer to that question, we first have to get through a brief clip show recap episode with an even weirder framing device.
Listen in as we delve into podcast-typical overanalysis of Kaiba's psyche, whether or not 4kids can say the word "drown", our favorite recap episodes in other tv shows (is it possible to do them well?), an open request to give Jenny infectious diseases, and more.
s2 e23-24 "Double Duel"
Yami & Kaiba conclude their tag team duel against Marik's masked duo. Tune in for one of our more tangent-filled episodes to hear us discuss how a portal can fly, Anzu's secret weakness, and Kaiba's secret official theme song. Plus some brief IRL anecdotes about fixing things around our houses (one of these things will surprise you)
Content warning: uhhh we made a few jokes about 9/11, that might be in poor taste
s2 e21-22 "Double Duel"
Two weird Rare Hunter guys get Yami & Kaiba into a tag duel that tests the power of their teamwork. Can they work together well, or will Kaiba be so annoying about it that it even annoys the massive Kaiba fans on this podcast? There's also another really terrible 4kids censoring, futher intricacies of the Yami Bakura & Marik situation, and a manga/anime difference which conclusively proves once and for all that dueling is just gay sex (as we've always said)
s2 e19-20 "Legendary Fisherman"
Our favorite freaky fish guy returns to challenge Joey to an aquarium duel! In this aquatic episode we discuss a peek into the life of an average Domino City working mom, asking a man to give you his [Millennium] rod, and new levels of Kaiba pettiness. Also, somehow not the first reference to a weird plot point from Ultimate Fantastic Four that Ellie has made on this podcast.
Content warning: very brief discussion of animal abuse (because 4kids just kept making SeaWorld references)
s2 e17-18 "Mime Control"
How is it possible to defeat a God Card with seemingly infinite power? Listen in as we discuss Yami's answer to that question, featuring unironically excellent card game moments, and (surprise surprise) Prideshipping being very real. Plus, some real-life updates, why Jenny is secretly under an Amish luck blessing, and another round of our ship guessing game.
s2 e16-17 "Mime Control"
Warning: this episode contains discussion of mimes, slimes, good times, and Grimes (for some reason). Yami faces off against Marik-via-proxy in his first duel against a God Card, but is Slifer's power truly limitless? Plus, some of our media recommendations and all the usual tangential nonsense.
NOTES:
-This was recorded wayyy back in February, hence the discussion of New Years resolutions near the beginning of the episode
s2e14-15 "Playing with a Parasite"
Everyone's favorite weird little guy Weevil Underwood returns to hassle Joey, in this set of episodes that we weren't expecting to like - but found ourselves feeling surprisingly bug-positive. Also featuring the return of Yugioh's secret Nietzschean agenda, our overall thoughts on the general concept of bugs, and some interesting manga details.
s2e12-13 "The Master of Magicians"
We return! Yugi finishes his duel with Pandora, the fellow Dark Magician master, in a set of episodes that left us mostly amused but ocassionally perturbed. Listen in to hear us talk about the debut of Dark Magician GIRL (can you believe they made a girl one?), which Yugioh character is the most divorced, and a Back Reveal. Plus, some video game recommendations and shipping game frustration.
Content warning: Brief mentions of suicide
s2e11-12 "The Master of Magicians"
A magic man challenges Yami Yugi to a duel to find out who is the superior user of Dark Magician... This week we got to talk about one of Jenny's all-time favorite scenes in the show, an iconically ridiculous piece of 4kids censorship, and Yami's relationship advice. Plus, accidental Jojo references, potential Phantom of the Opera references, and our New Year's resolutions for 2023.
s2e09-10 "Espa Roba: The ESP Duelist"
After a streak of great episodes we're delivered the crushing reminder that this show is, after all, sometimes only about playing card games. Oh well. Listen in to hear us talk about Yami saying "hmm" on a roof, Honda being incredibly frustrating, and why we hate Jinzo. Plus, media recs including highly relevant card game content, and a round of the ship guessing game.
SHOW NOTES:
- I don't know why we keep saying this series is set in 2004, when it actually aired in 2001 and is presumably set in 1997 (according to the manga). just don't correct us, ok
s2e07-08 "Yugi vs. the Rare Hunter"
Yugi faces off with a wielder of Exodia in the first actual proper official duel, for real, of Battle City. Listen in as we discuss Exodia strategies, discover a rare 4Kids Improvement, and are completely baffled by KaibaCorp's hiring practices. Plus an anecdote about when it's appropriate to whip out your Blue-Eyes in real life (not a euphemism)
SHOW NOTES:
- A really good tweet about the card Bubonic Vermin
s2e06 "Stalked by the Rare Hunters"
The streak of episodes we've loved in the leadup to Battle City hasn't stopped yet, as this week Jonouchi has a run-in with the Rare Hunters that brings some fascinating family drama. Listen to hear us deep dive on Yami's awkward yearbook photos, a scene 4kids really didn't have to cut, and what's going on in Jonouchi's mom's head. Plus, a shipping tangent (what else is new) and some mutually endorsed media recommendations.
s2e05 "Obelisk the Tormentor"
Yami discovers a secret of his past. Kaiba announces the Battle City tournament. We loved this episode and had so much to say. Listen in for some dissection of Kaiba's outfit, more complaining about how Yami's name isn't Yami, and a True ROFLcopter Moment™. Plus some analysis of Kaiba's feelings about ancient Egyptian "hocus pocus" magic and a tale of how Viz's manga betrayed me.
SHOW NOTES:
- The method we use to get audio clips from the dub was having issues on this episode, so there is a moment in here where you'll hear Jenny request an clip and it's not provided. Sorry, use your imagination I guess
s2e04 "Steppin' Out"
Yugi invents a brand new social situation, and Anzu helps Yami process his identity crisis through the power of Dance Dance Revolution. We are a little bit obsessed (and can't stop talking about everyone's outfits, either). Listen in to hear about a normal name for an arcade, an oddly specific childhood memory, and why Jenny is secretly a fake gamer.
s2e03 "The Past is Present"
Oh boy there's so much going on in this episode... the introduction of our new favorite girlboss, an emotional scene which convinced many a fan that Puzzleshipping Is Real, and Kaiba getting his mind freaked by ancient rock carvings. Plus we debate Reincarnation Lore, and an anecdote about an interesting concert experience.
s2e02 "The Mystery Duelist (part 2)"
Season 2 continues its strong start with the resolution of the possessed Bandit Keith duel. Tune in for a very powerful entrance from Bakura, yet another debate about what various Millennium Items can actually do, and the return of Fire Peril. Plus, we talked about all the fun stuff we got to do while spending time together In Person (!).
SHOW NOTES:
- For visual aid, here is a photograph of the very strange shirt I found at Goodwill
- The artist whose work we went to a museum exhibition of is Piotr Szyhalski, and you can see his website here to look at some of the posters we saw.
s2e01 "The Mystery Duelist (Part 1)"
A milestone episode, this one: the Battle City Broads finally reach Battle City, and your hosts are even in the same place for the first time! Listen in as we discuss the setup for our new mind-controlling villain, a foolproof plan to confuse teenagers with arrow signs, and all of our excitement for the new season. Plus a round of the ship guessing game and possibly too much Pegasus talk considering he is no longer in the show.
Season One Wrapup
In our overview of the Duelist Kingdom season, we give a very loosely organized ranking of best & worst episodes, answer some discussion questions about lore & our favorite characters, and spin off into plenty of other talk about this show as a whole. Stick around to the end to learn our podcast's secret other names and the true meaning of Joey's Brooklyn accent. We'll see you in Battle City!
Unadapted Manga Chapters: Dungeon Dice Monsters
(Content warning: abusive parent character)
If the anime version of DDM didn't impress you, you might like to know the original manga was a very different affair. Recapping this whole volume has us debating what's up with Yami Bakura again, whether clown dad stole a baby, and how much Joey knows about Greek mythology; then once again conclude that what this series needs is more Grandpa Backstory Lore. Plus some life updates on recent adventures and Renaissance Faires, and a little manga trivia.
SHOW NOTES:
- The chapters we covered in this episode are 134-145 in the original, or Yugioh Duelist chapters 75-86 in the version where "Duelist" is a separate thing.