Anime Hajime Impressions: Shadowverse – Episodes 9 to 16

Episode 9 – The Curtain Rises! A Beautiful Witch Show

Summary

The Shadowverse National Tournament continues into the quarterfinals.

Hiro Ryugasaki begins his next battle against the professional Shadowverse player Seiya Kibakura. Finally, Seiya gets the chance to face the person who helped changed his little brother, Takuma.

Although Seiya’s experience as a pro quickly pushes him to dominate the match, Ryugasaki refuses to give up in his usual fashion. And as he has done in every game he has played in so far, Ryugasaki pulls off another incredible upset victory.

Quick Thoughts

So, as for my prediction at the end of the last post, I was wrong. I had chosen incorrectly, and Mimori Amamiya did not advance to the next stage. But other than that, everything is going as I said.

However, there was one other thing I did not see coming.

I had assumed we would get to watch all the matches and that this tournament would last a few episodes. Nope. It looks like we will be speeding through everything and only focusing on the battles that “matter,” a.k.a., anything with Hiro Ryugasaki in it.

Episode 10 – Mauro’s Spellcasting

Summary

The semi-finals are about to start. Hiro Ryugasaki prepares to face his next opponent, Mauro Abelard, a strong opponent with a mysterious past.

Abelard is a fierce amulet-based player, setting up multiple traps. However, Ryugasaki is thrilled to see a new style of play.

As the last turns of the match come, Abelard sets up for a death blow. He intends to destroy Ryugasaki’s hope along with securing ultimate victory. But as always, Ryugasaki’s love for Shadowverse won’t allow him to give up, and he pulls off yet another impossible turnaround.

After the battle, Abelard hits that he knew Ryugasaki’s father but leaves it there.

Quick Thoughts

Frankly, I am getting tired of Ryugasaki winning.

The only matches that have been remotely interesting have been the ones where Ryugasaki is not involved. When those instances occur, it’s harder to guess what will happen because these battles have little to no bearing on the plot. Therefore, they can go in any direction.

But with Ryugasaki, he has to come out on top, no matter how absolutely unlike a victory is.

Episode 11 – Hiro vs. Luca

Summary

Hiro Ryugasaki and Lucia Yonazaki finally come face-to-face in the final match of the Shadowverse National Tournament.

Before the match begins, the two meet up. Yonazaki, impressed by how much his rival has grown, demands that Ryugasaki not fail to surpass his expectations. Likewise, Ryugasaki encourages Yonazaki not to hold back.

Behind the scenes, the Grand Master who invited Ryugasaki and his friends to join the tournament watches in anticipation of the upcoming fight.

With everything set, the final match begins.

As the two exchange blows, Ryugasakai tries to confirm if Yonazaki likes Shadowverse. To Ryugasaki’s shock, Yonazaki claims ideas such as “like” and “dislike” do not exist in the game. Instead, to Yonazaki, Shadowverse is just a tool to get stronger.

Such a revelation causes the audience to turn on Yonazaki, but Ryugasaki comes to his defense. He commits to teaching Yonazaki how fun Shadowverse is.

Episode 12 – Who Will Claim Victory

Summary

The Hiro Ryugasaki/Lucia Yonazaki final match continues.

Yonazaki reiterates Shadowverse is merely a tool to him, which frustrates Ryugasaki to no end.

In a flashback, Yonazaki remembers how his parents were killed in an accident, leaving him and his little sister, Shiori, alone. Having to grow up in a loveless household, Shiori becomes incredibly sick. To pay for her medical bills, Yonazaki picked up Shadowverse.

After hearing Yonazaki’s reasons of why Shadowverse can never be fun for him, Ryugasaki wants to demonstrate how flawed that logic is.

Ryugasaki unleashes a devastating final attack and soundly defeats Yonazaki, becoming the national champion.

Following the match, the Grand Master appears. His name is Leon Aurenche, and he is the CEO of Genesis Company, which developed Shadowverse. Aurenche congratulates Ryugasaki’s win and announces a new tournament – the Shadow Grand Prix.

Quick Thoughts

Although I wasn’t one hundred percent with my predictions, I’m a little annoyed by how close I was. Regardless, to no one’s surprise, Ryugasaki ended up taking everything.

I won’t lie, I am pretty burned out with this series, but I fully intended to push through to the end. Nevertheless, and I really hope I don’t come to regret this, a small part of me wants to believe that the next stage of this show, the Shadow Grand Prix, will turn things around, even if just a little.

Episode 13 – The Shadow Grand Prix Begins

Summary

Hiro Ryugasaki and all his friends head to a tropical paradise, Genesis Island, as a reward for Ryugasaki’s win. They spend some time having fun at the beach and enjoying the sights.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, the island gets an influx of high-profile visitors. It turns out the Shadow Grand Prix will be held here.

Ryugasaki and his friends are treated like VIPs. During the tour of their hotel, Ryugasaki gets separated from the group. While wandering around, he hears several of the staff speaking in ominous voices but leaves it at that.

Eventually reuniting with his friends, Ryugasaki meets with some of the Grand Prix’s other participants, including Alice Kurobane, Mauro Abelard, and Lucia Yonazaki.

With everyone gathered, the Grand Prix’s is explained. Essentially, a full Shadowverse match can occur anywhere on the island at any time. The rules are as follows:

• The tournament is pointed-based.
• Everyone starts with 3 points.
• If a player obtains 10 points, they rise a rank, trying to reach Gold.
• Once a player ranks up, points are reset to 3, and they start the process again.
• Players can only battle the same rank as them.
• If a player reaches zero points, regardless of rank, they are eliminated and must leave the island.
• The top seven players that make it to Gold Rank within 24-hours will be named Legends.
• Legends will then enter the final tournament.

The winner of the tournament will be granted the title of CEO of the Genesis Company.

With everything settled, the players are transported to random start locations, and the tournament begins.

Quick Thoughts

I might be wrong since it has been a few decades, but the Shadowverse Grand Prix sounds precisely like the tournament in the original Yu-Gi-Oh series. Correct in the comments if I am misremembering.

If there is something I can wish for, I want more variety than Hiro Ryugasaki battles. I want to see the other players compete as well.

I won’t make any predictions now, but I have a gut feeling that many of Ryugasaki’s friends will make it to the final tournament; how they will do that, I don’t know. So, let’s see what this series means when it uses the phrase “World’s Best Players.”

Episode 14 – A Mouthwatering Battle! Marcel Tabeoka!

Summary

With the tournament have just started, Luca Yonazaki already reaches Silver Rank. On the other hand, Hiro Ryugasaki hasn’t even battle anyone yet.

Looking for an opponent, Ryugasaki runs into Marcel Tabeoka, a world-famous chef. As Ryugasaki and Tabeoka fight, other players continue to rank up and drop out of the tournament.

Following an intense food-based battle, Ryugasaki wins his first match of the Grand Prix, increasing his points. However, before he has a chance to rest, Ryugasaki meets his next challenger, Miyabi Zaizenji.

Episode 15 – Super Rich! Miyabi Zaizenji

Summary

The Hiro Ryugasaki and Miyabi Zaizenji battle starts. Elsewhere, Mauro Abelard advances to Silver Rank.

Returning to Ryugasaki’s fight, Zaizenji uses a flurry of I-am-a-spoiled-rich-girl attacks. But despite her overinflated sense of entitlement, Zaizenji loses to Ryugasaki, allowing the latter to rank up to Silver.

At the same time, Lucia Yonozaki becomes the first player to reach Gold Rank.

Additionally, Mimori Amamiya and Alice Kurobane run into each other.

Episode 16 – An Invitation to the Underworld! The Joubert Sisters!

Summary

Mimori Amamiya and Alice Kurobane run into each other at an ancient temple zone. But, before they can battle, the two are interrupted by the Joubert sisters, who seem to disdain Kurobane.

As an offer, the Joubert sisters suggest a tag battle. Thus, Amamiya and Kurobane, for the moment, team up.

Like Kurobane, the Joubert sisters are Necromancer players. Consequently, Kurobane knows how dangerous her and Amamiya’s opponents are. Unfortunately for the Joubert sisters, they underestimate Amamiya’s Fairy Deck and determination.

The Joubert sisters do a job at breaking Kurobane’s spirit. Fortunately, Amamiya manages to convince her partner to play to the end. Then, with everything seeming hopeless, team Amamiya/Kurobane pull off an incredible win.

With that over, Amamiya and Kurobane have the battle they initially agreed to.

Quick Thoughts

I don’t if it’s because I am so exhausted with Hiro Ryugasaki or if these types of episodes are just better, but this episode was easily one of the more interesting ones.