"Duel Masters Victory" Review: What's the appeal of the 8th installment of the series?

"Duel Masters Victory": A story of Duel Masters spun by new trump cards

"Duel Masters Victory" is a TV anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from April 2, 2011 to March 31, 2012. This work is based on the card game "Duel Masters" by Wizards of the Coast and Shigenobu Matsumoto, and is the eighth installment of the popular series jointly developed by Takara Tomy and Shogakukan. The director is Riryuu Suzuki, the animation is handled by Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment, and TV Tokyo and Shogakukan Shueisha Productions are involved in the production.

story

Shota Kirifuda, the younger brother of legendary duelist Katsumi Kirifuda, had no interest in Duel Masters at all. However, he was drawn into playing by his friends and began playing. Then, an extremely powerful rival, Dragon Ryu, appeared and challenged Shota. Never one to lose, Shota vowed to himself that he would never lose at Duel Masters, and the story unfolds.

Commentary

Duel Masters Victory depicts the world of Duel Masters from a new perspective, with the main character of the series changing from Katsumi Kirifuda to his younger brother, Shota Kirifuda. Although Shota is a beginner at Duel Masters, his rampage with his own unique playing style is fascinating. The game also depicts his growth through his confrontation with his biggest rival, Dragon Ryu, and through interactions with his friends.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Shota Kirifuda: Yumiko Kobayashi
• Dragon Ryu: Kosuke Takeuchi
• Samurai Tea Taro: Ryuzo Ishino
• Rui Sedehara: Yuka Nakaji
• Ben-chan: Eriko Hirata
• Twilight Mimi: Saki Nakajima
• Onsen: Yuji Ueda
• Rikishi: Kiyoyuki Yanada
• Shachihoko: Masashi Yabe

Main Staff

The main staff who supported the production of this work are as follows:

• Original author: Shigenobu Matsumoto
• Director: Suzuki Waburō
• Series Composition: Shigenori Tanabe
• Character design: Masayuki Hiraoka
• Art director: Keito Watanabe
• Color design: Akemi Nagao
• Director of photography: Norio Matsuda
• 3DCG Director: Kairi Tsuyoshi
• Sound Director: Akiko Fujita
• Music: Junichi Igarashi "IGAO"
• Prop design: Takeshi Yamazaki
• Animation Production: Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment

Main Characters

The details of the main characters are as follows:

Shota Kirifuda

Although he is the younger brother of the legendary duelist Katsumi Kirifuda, he has no interest in Duel Masters at all. However, he is drawn into playing Duel Masters by his friends and begins to play. Although he is a complete beginner, his self-taught play style makes him very charming. He loves curry bread, and will do any request, no matter how difficult, for it.

Dragon

He is Katsuta's biggest rival and a mysterious and skilled duelist who keeps winning Duel Masters tournaments all over the country. He met Katsuta when he participated in a tournament in Katsuta's town. As his name suggests, he has a habit of repeating the same word (e.g. "Break it!").

Honestly

He is a classmate of Katsuta and his catchphrase is "To be honest." He doesn't usually talk much, but sometimes he gets to the heart of things with just the words "To be honest..." He's a cool guy. He's also quite skilled at deck construction, and is jealous of Katsuta, who knows Mimi.

yodel

He is a classmate of Katsuta and a rich young man. For some reason, he has a yodeling style of ending his sentences with "Reihi~♪". His Duel Masters skills are average, and to be honest, he and Ben-chan have been Duel Masters friends for a long time.

Ben-chan

He is a classmate of Katsuta and is a talented duelist, nicknamed "Killer Glasses." He is also good at studying, and Katsuta calls him "Ben-chan the studious guy." In exchange for the curry bread, he asks Katsuta to enter the Duel Masters tournament, but...

Mimi

He is a duelist who once competed in Duel Masters alongside the legendary duelist, Shobu Kirifuda. Now that he's grown up, he works as a TV announcer. He's come to report on the Duel Masters tournament in Shota's town.

subtitle

The subtitles for all 52 episodes are as follows:

1. Pinch hitter Katsuta Kirifuda!
2. Teach me the rules!
3. A miraculous advancement to the finals?!
4. That's nice, Dragon Ryu!
5. Katsuta is a thoroughly defeated genius!
6. Dragon returns!
7. Duel Masters hunter appears!
8. Don't make fun of Duel Masters!
9. Tell me it's a lie, Ben-chan!
10. This is a victory card!
11. Shocking alien fortune telling!
12. A quick fortune telling battle!!
13. Here comes the World Hobby Fair!
14. Strike a victory pose!
15. A challenge from the dragon!
16. Duel at Dash Headquarters Building!
17. A hellish ghost training camp!?
18. A tough battle against the mysterious Duel Masters!
19. Katsuta becomes a teacher!
20. Duel Masters Monkey Army!!
21. Ben-chan's unexpected confession
22. Training completed, I'm overwhelmed with emotion!
23. Here it comes, the competition to determine the most victorious person in Japan!
24. It's no good, 10 consecutive losses in the preliminaries!
25. Shine on the future, dark deck!
26. Ticket to the finals!
27. Friendship broken!
28. Your rival is yourself!
29. Cunning Rikishi versus flustered Dragon!
30. Believe in Katsuta!
31. Exciting Yororehi Mode
32. The secret strategy showdown comes to a conclusion!!
33. Shachihoko's evil schemes are limitless!
34. Get V mode and get in mode!!
35. Fateful Cry! Clash of Onsen vs Dragon
36. Conclusion, finish, the end!
37. Isn't it a Purinpurin card?
38. There's no need for a final!
39. Man Shota, it's time for the finals!
40. The most victorious guy in Japan!
41. Award ceremony now!
42. We are duel heroes!
43. My best friend is an alien?!
44. I'm the one who's going to defeat my best friend!
45. That man is the strongest in the Kirifuda family!
46. More important than studying
47. The great round gate will open
48. One for all
49. All for One
50. The final turn of fate!
51. It's not over yet!
52. We're playing Duel Masters now!!

Related Titles

"Duel Masters Victory" is connected to the following related works:

• Duel Masters
• Duel Masters Charge
• New Star Duel Masters Flash
• Duel Masters Zero
• Zero Duel Masters
• Duel Masters Cross
• Duel Masters Cross Shock
• Duel Masters Victory V
• Duel Masters Victory V3
• Duel Masters the Movie: Curse of Death Phoenix
• Duel Masters the Movie: Lunatic God Saga
• Duel Masters the Movie: Bonds of Fire XX!! Double Cross

Theme songs and music

The opening and ending themes are as follows:

Opening Theme

• Period: All episodes
• Title: My Victory!
• Lyricist: rui
• Composer: Junichi Igarashi "IGAO"
• Arrangement: Junichi Igarashi "IGAO"
• Sung by: Duel Hero Yuu & Atsut

A longer version was released from episode 27.

Ending Theme

• Period: All episodes
• Title: Summon the Strongest V!
• Lyricist: rui
• Composer: Junichi Igarashi "IGAO"
• Arrangement: Junichi Igarashi "IGAO"
• Sung by: Duel Hero Yuu & Atsut

The appeal and evaluation of "Duel Masters Victory"

"Duel Masters Victory" was a new development in the series, and it gave viewers a fresh surprise by focusing on his younger brother, Shota, rather than Shobu. Shota's character starts out completely uninterested in Duel Masters, but is gradually drawn in by its charm. This coming-of-age story resonated with viewers and succeeded in winning new fans of the series.

Also, Katsuta's showdown with Dragon Ryu, his biggest rival, is one of the highlights of the series. Dragon Ryu's strong personality and Katsuta's competitive nature clash, creating a story that draws viewers in. In addition, unique characters such as Bucchake, Yodel, Ben-chan, and Mimi add excitement to the story, providing viewers with laughter and emotion.

Animation production is handled by Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment, and the technical skills of each staff member, including character design, art direction, and color design, shine through. In particular, the Duel Masters battle scenes are characterized by their dynamic expression using 3DCG, making a visual impact. In addition, the music by Igarashi "IGAO" Junichi is also an important element in livening up the atmosphere of the work.

The opening theme "My Victory!" and the ending theme "Summon Strongest V!" have captured the hearts of viewers with the powerful vocals of Duel Heroes Yu & Atsuto, combined with the composition and arrangement of Igarashi "IGAO" Junichi. In particular, the release of the long version of the opening theme from episode 27 was a great joy for fans.

Duel Masters Victory Recommendation

"Duel Masters Victory" depicts the world of Duel Masters from a new perspective, and is recommended not only for fans of the series, but also for viewers who are experiencing Duel Masters for the first time. Katsuta's growth story, the exploits of unique characters, and dynamic battle scenes will provide viewers with a lot of excitement and emotion.

Also, by enjoying the entire Duel Masters series, which we have listed as a related work, you can gain a deeper understanding and enjoy the world of Duel Masters. In particular, the movie version depicts the appeal of Duel Masters from a different perspective than the TV series, making it a must-see for fans.

"Duel Masters Victory" is a work that brings out the charm of Duel Masters to the fullest, and is a work that provides viewers with new excitement and thrills. Please enjoy the world of Duel Masters through this work.