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"The Ultimate Game"
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4-7-04 |
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"The Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh" |
10-15-05 |
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Ah, the first episode of the Memory Arc. The final end to all the KC Cup
unrealistic nonsense with Siegfried Lloyd (Zigfried Lloyd in the dub to prevent
any lawsuits with that famous duo, although you can pronounce both names
using the Japanese phonetics and they sound like Sieg and Roy, but that's
another story) hacking Kaiba's computer system and installing an undefeatable
card. This season it's for real. The entire series comes to a close
at the end of Memories, however in the process we get the best animation Yuugiou
has ever received, the best opener (Overlap), and the best closer (Eyes).
Even the first episode is full of suspense, intrigue, vast caves and tunnels,
gunfights, etc. You KNOW this is going to be the best saga in all of Duel
Monsters, and that's why I decided to jump around a bit and start comparing it. |
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This begins the best saga in Duel Monsters. It displays a wide range of
emotion on the part of all of the characters, and really brings out how great
the Japanese VAs are, and to a certain extent some of the dub VAs.
In the dub, the idiotic name Dawn of the Duel subtitle is used, instead of
calling the saga Memory World or World of Memories. Also, once again, the
Japanese opening is not used, the beautiful Overlap. Instead, the exact
same tune that has been used since dub Battle City is used, with just a new
collage of mangled together images. It really is quite a pity. Also,
you will see a TON of Shadow Realm, as a LOT of people die in Memory World.
This is just a warning. 4Kids cuts out a lot, as violence runs rampant in
this saga, which is of course a good thing. Unfortunately, though, we have
to endure 4Kids doing all this to the beautiful Memory Saga, or Dawn of the
Duel, as 4Kids calls it. Enjoy the final saga of YUUGIOU! |
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We are not even a minute into the final saga of Yuugiou when already two paint
edits occur. First of all, the Japanese writing on a random building is
erased, typical of 4Kids. Also, a cross is removed from the steeple of a
church. This, I believe, is not acceptable. Why would 4Kids do this
when churches all over have a meaningful symbol, either a cross or a Star of
David or what have you? I will never understand them for doing this. |
"The most powerful force ever existed will be mine!" - Dub Dark Bakura
Cue the B-grade Hollywood villain dialogue. What really happens here
is extremely, and I emphasize the word EXTREMELY important to the plot of
Yuugiou. Changing it for some dumb cheesy remark crosses the line.
In the Japanese version, Yami no Bakuura talks about the seven Sennen Items, and
how he must get them all as well as a final item, a key, to open up the Gates of
Hell. I know that 4Kids would never keep the "hell" part, but they could
have changed it to "armageddon" or something along those lines. I have a
sneaking suspicion that because they renamed the Sennen Ankh and changed it to
the Millennium Key back in Duelist Kingdom, they couldn't translate this line
literally even if they wanted to. |
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(Cut: 10 Seconds) A pan up of the church to the orange moon in the sky is cut,
presumably because of the number of frames 4Kids would have to edit the cross on
the top of the church out of.
(Cut: 6 Seconds)
The very important flashback to 1960 has its opening frame cut out of it
which says that the flashback is taking place in 1960. This was cut out
because... the numerical base-10 system to 4Kids is the devil? I really
don't know their reasoning on this one. Maybe kids don't know what the
year 1960 is or anything about it? If they don't, then we have bigger
problems in America than 4Kids tearing up good anime. |
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At the very beginning of the flashback as Mr. Mutou and posse reached the Valley
of the Kings, the men accompanying Mutou asked if they were there yet. I
am glad 4Kids cut out this part, as it is entirely pointless. They did
something right for a change! (GASP!) Oh, and by the way, Solomon in the
dub received his Ph.D, as he is now Dr. Moto. |
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Here comes the first scene in the flashback with Mutou smoking a cigarette.
For all intents and purposes, let me say this. Almost all the scenes
include Sugoroku smoking, and each frame with a cigarette in it is digitally
altered to a toothpick. Come on, 4Kids, do you really think even the
little U.S. kids you are marketing this to will actually believe that Solomon,
in the 1960s, liked putting toothpicks in his mouth, as was/still is the custom
for Japanese people? Oh, wait a sec, 4Kids made it so that the Moto family
members are American. Right... |
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"I've played a lot of games, but I'm sure whatever is in this tomb is no game." - Dub Dr. Moto
I'm putting this in Side Note rather than SDA because it actually is a somewhat
better line than the Japanese version, which had one of Mutou's colleagues ask
him what was with his tuxedo, and if he was proposing in the tomb. He
responds that he has the utmost respect for his games. See why the dub
line is actually better in this case? |
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When Sugoroku-tachi enter the tomb of the cave, all around the place are skeletons. They are digitally edited
out of the dub. Again, what is 4Kids' reasoning here? Back in
Duelist Kingdom, they left the skeletons in, and that was the worst-dubbed saga
to date! I'm wondering if Memories will gain this distinction now... |
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"Beyond here, lies the resting place of the Great Pharaoh. Only those who show
respect may enter. All others will be engulfed by the pit of shadows." - (Dr.)
Mutou, reading the passage in hieroglyphics from the front of the tomb Oh come
ON. Engulfed by the pit of shadows? I think somebody sent whoever
edited this episode's BRAIN into a pit of shadows. Originally, the passage
was more menacing, saying that anyone who tries to enter the tomb of the pharaoh
will be punished, that his body will rot, and he will get thrown into the pit.
A bit less lovey-dovey than 4Kids makes it out to be, isn't it? |
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(Cut: 18 Seconds) Cut is a scene where Ahmet, a member of the Mutou posse (I
don't really know why he came with him), shows Mushara (the other member of the
Mutou posse) a gun that he could use if anything goes wrong, a.k.a. to shoot
Mutou.
(Cut: 30 Seconds)
After the spikes move out of the wall, cut is a scene where Ahmet pulls out
his gun and forces Mutou to go first into the tomb, which they have no choice
but to go into as they'd get crushed otherwise. I have a huge beef here,
as well. Why couldn't 4Kids have edited out the gun into a knife or bow
and arrow or something less harmless? I know they don't want 7-year-olds
looking at guns; that's somewhat understandable, but this is a pretty big cut
into a very important flashback, and they should have at least changed the
weapon and kept this bit intact. |
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As they continue the maze through the Tomb of the Pharaoh, the three keep their
left foot forward, as per the instruction at the entrance of the tomb, however
Mushara panics when he stares into the red eyes of some statue, and accidentally
places his right foot forward. When this occurs, the statue raises its arm
and hits him, throwing him into the pit of darkness. In the dub, however,
purple is added to the pit, I guess to make it less menacing, or prettier, or to
change the feng shui... actually I don't know WHAT 4Kids is smoking by changing
all this, but it seems like good stuff. |
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After Mushara plummets into darkness, Ahmet, who still had his gun on Mutou, said (in both versions) that Mutou would pay for what happened.
In the real version, this was foreshadowing, that he was going to shoot Mutou pretty soon, but in the dub his gun was edited out,
so I'm guessing he was going to use his pointy fingers or something, as they were oh so effective in DK. |
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At this point, Mutou and Ahmet walked, with the gun still on Mutou, up to a
stone path leading through the pit of darkness. There was an inscription
which Mutou read, which stated: "Ye shall now be judged by the creatures of the
stone. Only the pure of heart are permitted to pass. All others will lose their
souls to the darkness." Same in both versions, even though I think the
soul thing is pretty stupid. Anyway, Mutou was told by Ahmet to cross the
path, of course with the gun pointed at him as motivation to do so. I
guess in the dub he just decided to take one for the team. Anyway, once he
goes past the midway point, Ahmet decides he doesn't need Mutou anymore, and
proceeds to shoot the mess out of him. 4Kids finally takes my advice
(since this is the most important scene in the whole episode) and changes his
gun to a slingshot. In both versions, he is hit, and falls. Ahmet
begins to walk along the path, when it starts to shake, then some type of
creature shrouded by mist comes in. |
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(Cut: 10 Seconds) This is when the creature gobbles up Ahmet, who finally gets
what was coming to him. This was cut in the dub, and we are just left to
assume that the creature eats him alive. |
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As a finisher to the episode, Mutou isn't just left hanging at the side of the
path, the pharaoh comes, holds out a hand to him, and says he's been waiting for
him. We go back to present day, as Solomon/Sugoroku says that this was how
he found the Sennen/Millennium Box with the Puzzle inside. |
English Episode 197 Ends
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