Yu-Gi-Oh! - Duel 050

"Millennium Enemy 1: The Mysterious Transfer Student" is the fiftieth chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga.

This chapter was originally printed in the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in Japanese. Its first English release was in the Shonen Jump magazine. It has been reprinted in volume 6 of the tankōbon and volume 4 of the bunkoban.

This chapter contains the first appearance of Ryo Bakura in any media and is the first part of the ten part "Millennium Enemy" storyline.

Yugi and his friends meet Ryo Bakura, a gentle new student with an interest in role-playing games. Little do they know of the danger that dwells within him.

Summary[]

School time[]

Classroom[]

At school, in Yugi's class, one girl excitedly rushes into the room to inform her friends that there is a new transfer student coming to their class and he's a guy. Her friends ask if she's seen him and what he's like. She replies that he's really cute. Yugi overhears their conversation and starts to wonder about the new student. The teacher walks in with the new student. The girl says that that's him and one of her friends agrees that he's "high level".

The teacher draws everyone's attention and introduces the new student, Ryo Bakura. Bakura tells the class his name and says that he is pleased to meet them. The teacher finds Bakura a place to sit next to Jonouchi. Jonouchi waves to direct Bakura to where he is, but one of the girls tells Bakura to be careful as Jonouchi is the worst in the school. (In the English version, she says not to let Jonouchi "pollute" him.) Bakura happily sits next to Jonouchi, who feels that they are going to get along fine. (In the English version, Jonouchi suggests that they be friends.)

During a break, Jonouchi introduces Bakura to his friends, Yugi, Honda and Anzu. Bakura is surprised to hear that Yugi's family owns a game shop, as he has a keen interest in games himself. He tells Yugi that he especially likes board and tabletop games, with his favorite being Monster World. He asks if he has heard of it, which Yugi has.

Jonouchi asks what kind of game Monster World is, so Yugi explains that it's a combination of a board and role-playing game. (In the English version, he adds that it's like Hobgoblin or Mazes and Monsters.) He goes on to explain some of the rules. One person plays the Dark Master and the monsters, while the other people play a group of adventurers. Together they act out a story, by using miniatures on the board. The Dark Master wins if the adventures are defeated, while the adventures must defeat the Dark Master, who acts as a final boss in order to win. Yugi also describes how the board is made by connecting different blocks, which can be forests, mountains, villages or castles. Players can come up with different ways to arrange them to set up different adventures each time.

Bakura is impressed that Yugi knows a lot about games. Jonouchi thinks that it sounds like fun and suggests that they all play Monster World tomorrow. Bakura hangs his head a little and reluctantly replies "Okay". Yugi notices that he doesn't seem too keen on the idea.

Bakura says that there's something he's been wondering about and asks Yugi where he got his pendant. Yugi replies that it's called the Millennium Puzzle and it came from the tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh. He asks Yugi if he could hold the Puzzle for a moment. Bakura starts to admire it and comments "Actually, I also...", but he feels a pain in his chest and stops. Yugi asks what's wrong, but Bakura insists that it's nothing. He returns the Puzzle to Yugi and wonders what just happened.

The girls who were admiring Bakura earlier come over and order them to give Bakura back to them. (In the English version, they tell Jonouchi not to "hog Bakura all to himself".) They gather around Bakura and pull him away. One of them claims that they have already started a fan club about him. Jonouchi sighs, saying that Bakura is the kind of guy that girls admire. (In the English version, he says that guys like Bakura have all the luck.) "Unlike you", Anzu adds. Yugi and Jonouchi agree that Bakura is a nice guy and will be a good friend. Yugi looks forward to playing Monster World with him sometime.

Hallway[]

In the hallway, the girls excitedly point Bakura to all the different rooms. Bakura thinks that this is a bit much for him and that he doesn't like this situation. (In the English version, he unenthusiastically replies that he sees and thinks to himself that he's not too good with girls.) They're suddenly stopped by Mr. Karita, the P.E. teacher. He asks if Bakura thinks he can walk around the hall with a flock of girls and asks whose class he's supposed to be in. Karita recognizes Bakura as the new transfer student. He says that he's heard Bakura had some problems at his last school, but there are rules at Domino High. He seizes Bakura by the hair and states that boys having long hair is against the rules. The girls are horrified and plea with Karita not to hurt Bakura. Karita pulls Bakura over to him by the hair and demands that he get his hair shaved by tomorrow (In the English version, he demands him to get a crew cut) and then he'll start treating him like a student of this school. Karita walks off laughing and the girls try to comfort Bakura, but he politely requests that he be alone for a while.

Toilet[]

Inside the toilet room, Bakura stands over a mirror. He wonders why his chest has been hurting him since he touched the Millennium Puzzle. He suddenly hears laughter, but doesn't see anyone when he looks around and wonders if he's going crazy. As he unbuttons his jacket and the top of his shirt, he thinks that Yugi's pendant "looks so similar...". He takes out an item he had been wearing around his neck, consisting of a triangle surrounded by a ring with five prongs hanging from it, and finishes, "... to my pendant".

After school[]

Outside[]

As Bakura is leaving school, he is called back by Yugi, Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu. Yugi says that he's been talking with the others and that they'd all love to play Monster World tomorrow. He asks what Bakura thinks and asks if they can go to his place. If not, Yugi says, they can go to his. Bakura is a little taken aback and bows his head. Yugi sees that he's not too eager and asks if he doesn't want to. Bakura insists that it's not like that. He does want to play with them. However, at his last school, he used to play role playing games with his friends, but the people he played with would end up unconscious and are still in the hospital in comas. He understands that they may not believe him, but insists that it is the truth. The same thing kept happening, he explains, so people began avoiding him and that is why he has had to keep changing schools. Right now, he lives in an apartment away from his family and although he does want to be their friend and play games, he has made a decision that he doesn't want to lose any more friends. He says that it's better that he doesn't play the game with them, before turning around and briskly leaving. (In the English version, he advises them not to get close to him instead of saying it's better that he doesn't play the game with them.)

Yugi calls Bakura back, but to no avail. He and his friends are left dumbfounded as they wonder if it's possible that people are being left in a coma from playing such games.

Bakura's apartment[]

In his apartment, Bakura begins writing a letter to his sister Amane. It reads:

Dear Amane,

How is school? How are you and mother? Your brother started his new school today. I've only been there a little while and on the very first day I made a lot of new friends. They asked if they could come over to my apartment to play some games. I'm really looking forward

He stops as he hears the same voice from earlier laughing again. "So you can hear my voice now, can you?", it says. The voice celebrates being able to finally communicate with Bakura and meeting the boy who possesses another Millennium Item. He suspects the two events are related. (In the English version he figures that the Millennium Items must be resonating with each other to create some sort of field, which is why Bakura can hear him.)

Bakura demands to know who this voice in his head is. The voice replies that he has been with Bakura for a long time, hiding within him and the Millennium Ring. Figuring that the Millennium Ring must be his pendant, Bakura opens his shirt to take it out, but finds that the prongs are now pierced deeply into his body. The voice laughs that Bakura cannot take off the Ring now. Thanks to Bakura, he has finally found the wielder of the Millennium Puzzle, he says, so he has decided to keep him as his permanent host.

Bakura yells at the voice to get out of his body. The voice asks Bakura not to be so cold. Instead of paying rent, he has been granting Bakura wishes, he says, and claims to have granted them almost every day. As Bakura wonders what he means, the voice reminds him of how he had thought "How fun is this? I wish I could play games with my friends forever" and claims to have granted that wish. Bakura asks what he's talking about and the voice informs him that he will find out soon enough.

This is the voice's chance to get the Millennium Puzzle, he says and if he misses this opportunity, he doesn't know how long he'll have to wait to get another. He explains that the Millennium Items are relics that house souls from the past, like memorial stones or portable tombs. However, if there is a guardian of a tomb, there must also be a thief to rob it, he laughs.

Since he's feeling good tonight, the voice announces that he shall "pay [his] rent". Bakura tries to stop him, but he laughs and asks if he wants to shave his head. He claims that although Bakura may not believe it, he cares for his host and that gym teacher didn't respect him. Bakura pleas with him not to continue, but the voice tells him to sleep. After Bakura lost consciousness, his face turns to a more sinister expression as the voice takes control of his body.

Domino High[]

Back at the school, Dark Bakura confronts Karita and inflicts a Penalty Game on him. Karita's body falls to the floor. Dark Bakura laughs and holds up a figure, in which he has just sealed Karita's soul. He says that Karita will live the rest of his life as a living game miniature. (In the English version, he says that from now on, Karita will act his part as a living piece in his campaign world.)

Next day[]

Bakura's apartment[]

After school, Yugi, Jonouchi, Anzu and Honda talk about Bakura didn't show-up for school. Outside Bakura's apartment building, Jonouchi goes over the plan; They have to go to Bakura's place today. (In the English version, he says that Bakura must be feeling down in the dumps.) Bakura is their friend, so they're going to play games with him to prove that his previous mishaps were just accidents. (In the English version, he says that the people falling into comas was just a coincidence.)

As they head up the stairs, Jonouchi is asked if he heard about Karita being sent to the hospital in a coma and the possibility of that being a coincidence. Jonouchi calls him a stupid P.E. teacher and asks who cares. (In the English version he says that he deserved it.)

They reach the door to Bakura's apartment and ring the bell. Bakura answers the door, surprised to see them. Yugi and Jonouchi explain that they came over to play Monster World. Bakura tries telling them to leave, but Dark Bakura takes control. (In the English version, Dark Bakura finishes Bakura's sentence "Get out of..." with "... the hall and come in.".) He welcomes them in, glad that they could make it. Yugi thinks he noticed Bakura's expression change, but suspects that he's just worrying too much. (He suspects that he imagined it in the English version.) Dark Bakura thinks that that was close and tells his host that it's rude to chase away his friends like that.

Since they're his friends, Dark Bakura says that he suspected they would come over. Jonouchi looks around, wishing he had an apartment like this to himself. Dark Bakura opens the door to another room and shows them a game he's already got set up.

Jonouchi, Anzu, Yugi and Honda are impressed by the massive board he has set up, consisting of a village, a forest and a castle. Dark Bakura smiles and suggests that they start playing Monster World. "Or should I say a Shadow Game", he thinks to himself.

Anime adpations[]

Toei[]

Yugi and his friends meet Bakura in episode 19: "The Grand Melee!! Popularity Contest" of the Toei, although the circumstances are different.

Episode 25: ""A New Development - Attack of the Handsome Boy"" is based more on this chapter, although a number of changes are made.

NAS[]

The NAS anime is set after Yugi and his friends meet Bakura. The Millennium Ring and its evil spirit are not brought up until much later in the story.