Daily
by Lethe Seraph
Entry Ten: Random Entry
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5.14.04
Ack! It's been too long.
Basically, it's been a very long, very depressing week, and I deemed myself unable to write. I can tell you're all really disappointed, right?
This just came to me on the spur of the moment and I had to write it, so … I did. It is Odd, and very Sarcastic. :sheepish grin: Well, you all know I love Yu-Gi-Oh!, right? Right?
(Cody, and any other Yugi fans out there: Please don't kill me. I was joking.)
Random Fact: 'Ryouhada' means 'stripped to the waist'.
::giggles:: I also found out that Yuuri's name (from one of my other fics, Awakening) means 'red light district' … but it also means 'better', so that's okay.
I shall return you to your regular programming next chapter.
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"Analysis"
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The character of Yugi Mutou is a very controversial one. There are many aspects of him – from spiky head to sneaker-clad toes – that have been debated over and over again, to no clear conclusion. This open-minded, honest boy is one of the characters of Yu-Gi-Oh! most shrouded in mystery.
"How the heck did he get so tall?" is an oft-repeated question. When possessed by the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, Yugi appears to grow at least three feet taller! This is quite noticeable, as he is a rather diminutive figure to begin with. Other questions that often accompany the first are, "So are his clothes elastic, or what?" and "Where'd the cape come from?" The answers to these questions are easily found, if one will just pay close attention.
First of all, Yugi does not actually grow. Yes, I see the skeptical look on your face, but I tell you – it's true! Yugi Mutou does not grow taller when Yami comes forth. The other characters and places merely shrink. They are overwhelmed by the magic emanating from the Millennium Puzzle, and thus become to Yami Mutou what hobbits are to Gandalf – to a lesser degree, of course. When the magic fades, and Yugi regains control, the objects become larger again. You see, the effect of the Millennium Puzzle on other beings is much like the effect of cold. The Millennium Puzzle, to maintain its power, must absorb the energy of the things around it, much like a shiny golden parasite. This slows the movement of the molecules, and they become closer to one another, causing the objects and beings to contract until Yugi's return. The transfer of energy has been proven to be harmful to those who are subjected to long-term close exposure, as can be evidenced by the various demented beings made to lose their minds by none other than the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.
The 'cape' is, simply, Yugi's jacket.
"All right, fine," you say. "But why's he so short in the first place?" The answer to this question, as well, is simple.
His growth was stunted by the weight of his hair.
Which leads into the next topic. The first thing that a person will notice about Yugi, his sparkling personality aside, is his hair. Yugi has bright tricolored hair, and seems quite proud of it. Why? Many theories have surfaced, though Kazuki Takahashi himself did explain it in an interview with Shounen Jump. "First, I wanted to make the hairstyle very original, yet something with a lot of impact. Also, it's said that when a person is born and becomes able to see, the very first thing that a person visually memorizes is the shape of their palm. The design of Yugi's hairstyle is based on a five-fingered hand." Kids WB chooses to explain it as such: the design of Yugi's hair is aerodynamic. This is important due to the gusts of wind caused by the realistic dueling fields. If Yugi's hair were not to be aerodynamic, he would have much more trouble keeping it well-tended. …Why the colors? Well, be honest to yourself. Would he really be as interesting if it were all one shade of black? One would think that the boy was keeping a rug, or a very spiky pet, on his head!
Then your eyes will travel down to meet his own. What do you see? Two incredibly large, glistening amethyst orbs. Why? These are a key part of Yugi's persona. They draw you in, draw your attention, and distract you from whatever game you're playing against him. If he wants something, he needs only to squeeze out a tear, and you will feel yourself melting. (Or shivering at how disturbingly large they are, but that depends on your personal preferences.) Yugi inherited these eyes from his grandfather. Unfortunately (actually, fortunately, considering Sugoroku's personality), with age comes change: Sugoroku's eyes have inverted, and become Yugi's eyes – upside-down. Will this happen to Yugi? Perhaps. It's a disturbing thought.
You will learn his name. The name is one of the most disputed points among American fans. The only facts that we seem to agree on are that his first name begins with a 'Y' and his family name begins with an 'M'. Aside from that, though, it's all fair game: Yugi, Yuugi, Yuug, Yuge, Yug; Mutou, Motoh, Moto, Mutoh, Motou. As long as you describe his hair and height, we will know who you are talking about.
As you get to know him, one question will arise: "Wait, you're this innocent, sweet boy, right?" you will say. And he will nod, and smile brightly. 'I like to think so,' will be his reply. And then a brave few will ask another question:
"Wait, aren't belts around the neck some kind of S and M symbol?"
That brings up his clothing. His preferences seem to encompass tight black leather, chains, and that ever present collar – er, neck belt. Once or twice, we may view him without them (and with other clothes on in their stead, unless you're reading certain doujinshi), but those times are few and far between. What kind of child is this? we ask. At first glance, we will assume him to be a shiny-eyed seven-year-old with no grasp of the word 'mistrust'; we will go so far as to overlook the belts, chains, and various buckles that have conquered his wardrobe. Is it a hypnotic effect, or mere charisma? One would opt towards the latter, but we already know that the Millennium Puzzle affects the mind negatively. Perhaps Yugi is not to be trusted – perhaps he is a scheming little boy, planning to take over the world!
This, in turn, leads us to another point: He is the "Chosen One".
Just like so many others.
What does this mean? Is Yugi the next 'Neo', battling exponential (five million to the power of zero(1)) odds to save the world before dying a tragic death? Is he the next 'Ash', that the world shall turn to when the physical world goes berserk?
Is Yugi Jesus?
The answers to these questions are simple: No, no, and no.
Yugi is a different Chosen One. He has been chosen as a symbol: the symbol of the growing corruption of society. Yugi is portrayed as a sweet, innocent, naïve boy – who happens to borrow 'interesting' videos from Jonouchi and wear provocatively tight clothing. We don't notice this at first, as it becomes marked as 'natural' in our minds – can you really see him wearing anything else? – but then it is pointed out by a skeptic, one not raised for years on a steady diet of Yu-Gi-Oh!, and you begin to wonder.
"No," you cry, your mind saturated by the soliloquies and impassioned speeches of that day's episode. "Shadi said that he's the Chosen One because he has a mission to save the world!"
So a young boy, tainted by the evils of today's cultures, must set out and overthrow various adults (all of whom are somewhat off in the head) in order to 'save the world'.
On the other hand, in Duelist Kingdom, he is fighting for his grandfather …
… whose soul was seemingly sucked into a television.
Almost any adult nowadays will tell you that television is one of today's evils. Yugi is corrupted, and this corruption permeates his home and steals away the person most important to him – the person who cares for him, keeps a roof over his head, and is a positive influence.
(The 'pervert' thing aside, that is.)
In Sugoroku's absence, Yugi must become more independent and rebellious in his attempt to claw his way to the top of the tournament. He gradually comes to know his other half, the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. One of the most tragic and touching moments of this season is the end of Yugi's duel against Kaiba, in which Yugi barely manages to stop the spirit from attacking and potentially killing Kaiba. He is psychologically affected by this, being struck at once by the many problems that have cropped up. He is now unable to save his grandfather, or ever duel again – what if someone else were to be hurt? This is Yugi's idealism at its very strongest, proving that he is still a hopeful child underneath the dark clothing.
When Yugi duels Mai later, in the tournament finals, he is forced to acknowledge that he needs the dark side of himself – the ruthless, determined side – in order to emerge victorious.
In short: he cannot win through sweetness alone. Humanity is no longer pure.
But a far more pressing question lurks. "What is up with his eyes?!"
When Yugi 'transforms', his eyes slant and shrink slightly, becoming longer horizontally and more forbidding. This change also affects his eyebrows, drawing them downwards with the shift of the eyes. You will note that, in the Duelist Kingdom episodes, one would be hard-pressed to find a moment where Yami's eyebrows are not set in a frown. As the series progresses, he gradually gains control of this process, and we find that the spirit can after all change his facial expressions. And as for the eyes themselves – this is the effect of the energy-transfer method, described earlier. The most potent area of Yugi lies in his eyes, as large, sparkly, and heartrending as they are; thus, the spirit also draws on their power when he takes over. Also affected is Yugi's hair. In the sudden blast of energy that is often dispelled at his forehead (in the form of a golden Buddhist-style 'third eye'), some of Yugi's front locks of hair are forced upward, pressed against the darker regions of his hair.
In conclusion, I leave you with this to chew on: Is Yugi heat-resistant, or does he have little fans hidden inside all of that black leather?
-Lethe Seraph, May 2004
(1)Anything to the power of zero is one.