Toppa Bashin – Episode 47

Last episode gave us the relative idea of Nine’s plan, a suggestion on how to stop it, and a valiant effort of previous enemies, however vain it was.

This is the 4th to last episode, let’s see what else is going to happen given the events of last episode.

This feels like another Tournament related episode, “The Curtain Raised” was used last time during the start of a tournament.

Batosupi TV giving us the updates, Bashin and J are going to be a Tag Team for the King Uchuuchouten cup.

Because who could have seen that coming?

I have literally 0 clue what the fuck a “Palace Battle” is.

I tried googling it but as you can imagine the only results I got were Pokemon’s “Battle Palice”

Oh okay, so the “Cup” is really only going to consist of 2 teams going at it, a bit like a World Cup Match in Football.

All of the games involved will consist of Tag battles against Number Nine.

And of course, if they defeat Nine’s Team, they’ll qualify for a special match against King Uchuuchouten, the details of how that would work are not said.

I can totally imagine Nine completely dismissing those details because he’s confident he will win, and if he loses, well its not his problem anymore.

Kitan was watching Batosupi TV and is interrupted by a Customer.

Said Customer is Nine of all people, you’d think he’d have dealt with all remaining matters concerning Kitan when Kitan failed to sway his opinion and left.

Nine quite literally tells Kitan that he’ll be present for the King Uchuuchouten cup, and doesn’t seem to suggest that Kitan has a choice, citing “I’ve made arrangements for that behaviour”

Welp, the masks have GOT to be mind control at this point.

We cut to Card Sensei, understandably looking for the now missing Number Eight. Deciding to look for her at her school.

Oh, apparently she managed to leave a message? Perhaps we’ll glean more info about our baddies-

Its not entirely obvious who’s speaking, its Aibou

Ignoring the fact that Aibou shouldn’t have heard shit being a domestic mouse, its possible that those who become members of Sebiroth only leave the Isekai Dome when Nine instructs them to do something.

And given the nature of the masks themselves, its equally possible that Nine isn’t risking allowing them to eat or drink lest the mask removal causes his mind control to wear off.

Which means half of Sebiroth will be in dire need of sustenance once they’re free of Nine

You’ve been jumping to conclusions literally all series, and sometimes the wrong one.

Why has it taken you 47 episodes to learn how to think?

Card Sensei is rummaging through the staffroom and found a picture of Eight and the students.

Card Sensei is apparently spotted by the cool half of the Cornerstone 6.

Meganeko continues to search the empty halls but is alerted to the sound of Piano.

Given that they’re still on summer vacation and shouldn’t actually be on school grounds right now, this is likely very strange, Bashin is deaf to rhythm and Striker likely doesn’t show an interest in anything that isn’t sport.

I get the whole “Oh shit its someone different that’s unexpected” idea but what reason does fucking Baito-san have to be here, much less why is she playing a fuckin’ Piano?

Interesting mechanism for the brainwashing, those possessed by the masks recognise their original names but don’t see themselves as that person.

She seems aware of the search for Number Eight, but why is Sebibai (Sebiroth Baito-san) here?

It could be an attempt to defeat a Cornerstone wielder but wouldn’t Nine want all of the Cornerstones on hand for the battle?

Though this could be a backup incase they don’t turn up, “Assassins” if you will, to collect the Cornerstones.

I guess that contextualizes why she’s there, she wanted to bring a bag from the school to Eight.

I was going to suggest that “vanished” or “disappeared” meant she would have been sent to the same place Kiano and Elliott were but if that were the case then SebiBai wouldn’t need to bring a bag to her.

SebiBai talks real slow so I’ll summarise, she’s mentioned that along with Eight “vanishing”, Number Two (Elliott) and Number Three (Kiano) have all also vanished.

Welp, you pushed the Grandpa button

Show her what she won Meganeko!

Strangely, Meganeko doesn’t even wait for SebiBai to answer before opening the gate.

47 Episodes and she’s only now figured out that she can actually use her ability to open the gate to trap people.

Jumping to Turn 30 on Baito’s turn huh.

So its 1v2 lives, 1v4 spirits.

Meganeko seems to have an advantage but only 2 lives with a board of fully exhausted spirits is dangerous.

Because then this shit happens…

Though not quite as spectacularly costed. Xen-Fu, Big-Loki and a Negapluto? All of which are Cost 7. I’m not even sure of any deck makeups that can handle 4 differently coloured Cost 7s.

4 Cost 7s vs Meganeko’s 2 lives sounds a little difficult, I’m anticipating either Silent Wall, or Same Tired.

That was to be expected, with this SebiBai will have all her spirits exhausted and only take one life.

Couple counters to this involve Double Hearts, Pure Elixir, you know, things that deal with precisely this problem.

Meganeko exhausts SebiBai’s entire board, however as Negapluto was already attacking, it continues, reducing Meganeko to a single life.

I won’t lie I wasn’t actually expecting SebiBai’s turn to end, I guess this game will end rather quickly because there will be a number of these types of battles this episode.

Nothing like a New X-Rare to steal you some quick wins. Even better, the 2 DarkPiyons + Arcanabeast-Ken means Rean’s Lv3 effect is live.

Rean attacks, which SebiBai uses Pure Elixir.

Pretty standard but Rean can’t really be blocked.

Oh, that’s surprising, I was almost SURE Meganeko was just going to run all over SebiBai there.

Mild turn for the worse, Rean’s Lv3 effect when attacking is continuous, it doesn’t grant itself an unblockable state for the turn while attacking, its as long as 3 cost 2s exist, if even one of them vanish, either after his attack has begun, he’ll be blockable after.

And Rean’s got a crazy low BP score of 8000 at Lv3.

Big-Loki blocks, gaining 3000 BP, we saw SebiBai put 2 core on it, so its at Lv2, meaning its BP is 9000, which is better than Rean’s

I wasn’t aware we were planning to go for the “Lose your new X-Rare” speedrun, its been 2 episodes!

AND THEN MEGANEKO SCOOPS!?

I guess the situation’s pretty dire, even with another Same Tired and the spirits to use it with she has only a single life and well, SebiBai has 4 spirits.

I can’t think of anything that could save her that mostly comprises of Yellow cards. There is a White 2-card combo that could end any attack step without even losing a life on an empty board but that would demand that Meganeko have both Silent Wall, and a card called “Mist Curtain” which prevents a Spirit from damaging your life.

Bashin and Striker, in search for Meganeko, conveniently find the rest of the Cornerstone 6 + Card Sensei.

Also, can I say? If Baito-san is still using the same voice actor, I want to applaud the lady voicing her, because she sounds NOTHING like Baito-san and genuinely threatening whereas Baito-san sounded much more playful. Good job.

Her voice actor is listed as Makiko Ohmoto.

Oh! She voices Kirby! And is also the voice of Viridi from Kid Icarus. Thats kind of cool.

Ay, Card Sensei recognizes Eight’s Bag, isn’t that cute?

What’s with SebiBai’s analysis of those who have had awakened Cornerstones? She’s probably just being aware of them but its to an unsettling degree.

Also would it not be more effective to possess them with masks? Then again I suppose the Cornerstones need free will to function.

SebiBai feels the need to once again iterate that Eight is gone.

Bashin of course, probably feels very strongly about Baito-san given that she spent a lot of time looking after him as a child.

Cool as it is, Mind Control wouldn’t be very good if it faltered at the first sign of recognition. Granted some Mind Control tropes make the understanding that the Brain is overly complex and people not fully understanding it causes it to leave gaps in the Mind control that the brain can use to free itself. Doesn’t seem to be the case here though.

Also she just fucking SWATS Bashin, holy shit.

Or to sound so fucking cool!
I know, not the time, sorry.

Meganeko is more than a little broken about her loss, given that the whereabouts of Eight and her Grandfather were riding on it.

I’m sorry, look at Bashin’s face here, that’s a rare look, has he developed as a character since the last time he saw Meganeko cry?

The first time he completely ignored her, the second time he supported her but otherwise kept his usual optimism, now though its completely different, he’s actually concerned, a face he’s been making since J became Jack Knight.

The situation is more dire of course, but he’s handling it with a much greater level of maturity than he deals with most things, he’s GROWIN’ UP!

Many things are legal in this world but still morally unforgiveable.

One of those things, is making Meganeko cry.

A rare moment of rage for Bashin, I love it.

Yes I have an extreme adoration for when characters in anime show genuine rage, sue me.

Oh, it appears the Masks have at least been available long enough for Card Sensei to know about them, there are a hell of a ton of them so they would have to have been manufacturing them for a while.

Uh, interesting way of describing Mind Control, it doesn’t “Control their minds” it suppresses their free will? I guess that’s why all of the members of Sebiroth are still aware of themselves and others within their ranks..

Based on SebiBai’s description of “The Soul of the person that had that name has disappeared”, and Nine informing Kiano and Elliott to, well, “Disappear”

The matching vague choice of wording could imply that its one and the same.

I have a hard time believing they could get a mask on Kiano’s face with his huge ass chin in the way though.

Card Sensei says something that could be considered rather reasonable, given that previous members of Thousand Spirits Group have all chosen not to follow Nine, with the exception of Smile, Thousand Spirits Group is likely not the problem here, it’s JUST Nine, so they specify that their opposition isn’t the group as a whole, it’s the current management.

The Cornerstone 6 inform Card Sensei that Elliott and Kiano left them a message.

Ah yes, that useless message that does nothing but inform them that they’re unavailable.

Oh, they DID leave Kiano’s card collection with them.

I don’t remember the tape leaving a password combination to the briefcase but hey, maybe J already knew it.

They even show us the cards, WELP, you know what time it is!

Its time to review! I should probably caveat this with that not all 5 cards in that briefcase are X-Rares, only the bottom 2 are.

So we’ll deal with the non X-Rares first.

3 members of BS05’s “Dragon Rider” series, they’re all Cost 6 Spirits that hold the ability of allowing you to ignore the need to Tribute them by having you exhaust them instead, all of them additionally have an effect that supports “Dragon Emperor” and “Vanity Deity” family cards.

We know of the Dragon Emperors, the 7 Dragons in BS04 that all wield Double Symbols, but we have not seen a single card with the “Vanity Deity” family just yet.

And that’s because they do not yet exist, this was a pre-emptive effect they were granted for Cards that come out a little later.

Regardless, the only Tribute Spirits that exist are not Dragon Emperors aside from Dark Siegfried, so hilariously these cards are more of a use to Nine than anyone else.

Now for the other 2 cards.

Behold, the final 2 X-Rares of BS05, and our first face-to-face look at a Dual-Coloured Spirit. A Spirit with 2 Reductions and even a Spirit with 2 differently coloured Symbols.

Let’s talk about Siegfrieden first, an evident combination between Siegfried and Odin, Bashin and J’s first 2 X-Rares, as such it shares their families and even has an effect when Siegfried or Odin is used as the Tribute for it. Increasing the Cost Limit of it’s destruction effect from 5 to 8. So there is value in speeding up its Tribute with a different card but you’ll hamper the damage you can do with it.

Still, that effect on attack at Lv3 is GNARLY for this time, its a relatively high BP limit, and lets not mention the wopping 15000 BP at Lv3, that’s the highest we’ve seen, its just a shame that its Lv1 and Lv2 are only 1000 BP apart before shooting up by 8000 BP.

Weirdly enough, Siegfrieden doesn’t hold ANY of the traits of its previous 2 counterparts in terms of effect, aiming for straight up destruction in both cases which neither Siegfried nor Odin can do.

The GreatArmoredLord Deathtaurus is a combination of SevenShogun’s Desperado and Kingtaurus. “Des” and “Death” are pronounced the same in Japanese as they don’t differentiate between “S” and “Th” sounds.

This surprisingly makes Japanese quite legible under the effects of Lisps and Lambdacism (inability to properly pronounce “S” and “L” sounds)

Deathtaurus has a slightly tuned variation of its 2 predecessors effects rather than requiring that its 2 predecessors be used as tribute to faciliate it’s effects. Firstly it can consider the opponent’s Spirits when gaining Core on summon with a downside of only being able to consider exhausted spirits. Getting exhausted Spirits on YOUR end of the board is hard, unless of course, you use a Dragon Rider. Its Kingtaurus’ effect, but given a Purple aspect.

At Lv3, Deathtaurus has another variation of Kingtaurus’ effect but given a Purple aspect, namely its effect when it defeats an opposing Spirit, it can send a total of 2 cores from any opposing Spirits to the Void. This is nasty because those are effectively permanently lost Cores, its 13000 BP at Lv3 isn’t much to scoff at either, its a shame it requires 7 core, which can be expedited with it’s effect on summon but still crazy.

Anyway, I’ve droned on about cool cards long enough, on with the show!

Card Sensei sees them and is like “Cool but you realise this is a terrible idea right?”

A Trap is a prediction of what a person will do, and employing an action that takes advantage of that, usually at that person’s expense. Usually this requires hiding the Trap so that the victim is unsuspecting.

However, the best Traps are those that you know someone will walk into regardless of whether or not they know about it. Because they have to. But like at that point it’s not really a “Trap” because they’re aware of it, its just the expectation of opposition.

Like they know Nine is going to try and oppose them, the Tournament being a “Trap” because Nine WANTS them to fight there isn’t really changing the situation.

You can do nothing and 100% lose, or you can do something and have a slightly lesser percentage to lose.

Elliott offered them cards but they only have 1 of each new X-Rare?
Plus there’s nothing for Kyouka and Meganeko in this particular instance.

Meganeko probably won’t need one, she just got Rean from Kitan but Kyouka is kinda chopped liver here.

Listen, he may not have a Cornerstone, but he IS really good at card games.

And in the end, isn’t that all that really matters?

Nine is also operating without Cornerstones, they’re helpful but I doubt they’re necessary to oppose Nine who doesn’t even have them.

Isn’t there like a security guard looking around the school grounds? They ARE trespassing at this moment in time.

And also being children with a little less experience at Battle Spirits you’re probably going to want all the help you can get.

Card Sensei dropped Smile with a 5 card 5-Colour combo like a boss, I’m sure he doesn’t really need it.

The Speed Star pulls up to visit Card Sensei.

Well this is a bit awkward, Card Sensei re-ignited his feelings for Eight, so Hayami is going to be a bit of a strange person to interact with at this time.

Well, if he’s immature at least, acting as he did may have given him a slightly greater maturity when dealing with women now.

Hayami I guess wanted a Drive and a chat with Card Sensei, and she brings up the old conversation of Parents Day.

God that was so long ago, but Card Sensei gave a lecture concerning Bashin’s father which reignited Hayami’s confidence.

What kind of world is the million dollar question.

And given the current theory that Uchuuchouten is infact Bashin Touha, how warped did that idea become?

Which explains the name Bashin gave to his mouse. A term of endearment for him.

Oh don’t tell me, he’s going to go on a suicide mission to damage Nine’s plan as much as possible before the Cornerstone 6 get there.

Here we go.

Welp, place your bets people, who is Card Sensei going to get absolutely mauled by after having not had a clean loss to any member of Thousand Spirits Group for many episodes?

My guess: Smile’s going to get his final victory over Card Sensei.

Well you see, Hayami, that’s the point.

WELL AIN’T THAT A FUNNY COINCIDENCE.

She’s playing dumb and she knows it, no Mother of Bashin Toppa gets to simply get away from being an awesome Battler.

Ah, Card Sensei was inspired by The Speed Star? And he’s thought she was beautiful for a long time (despite being masked)

I guess Card Sensei had already figured out that Hayami was the Speed Star a long time ago, and only aimed for her affections after things went sour with Eight.

I guess Hayami is somewhat aware of Eight’s disappearance and that Card Sensei was interested in her.

Card Sensei did mention that “The Speed Star” was spotted while he was a member of the Thousand Spirits Group, I guess she was affiliated enough to know Card Sensei’s situation with Eight.

Uses an outdated idea of gender, but she’s trying to encourage him so I’ll let it go.

I wonder if there’s a variant of that kind of encouragement that can be used gender-neutrally?

I guess in this case “Man” is being used to suggest Card Sensei’s determined demeanor and willingness to fight.

So, “If you’re a Fighter” or “If you’re willing to fight” works?

Her ability to go unnoticed while still being aware of the structure of the Numbers Elite is probably one of the reasons Nine hasn’t targeted her.

The other is probably because Nine doesn’t want to target her given Nine likes Hayami.

Also could people like stop wanting to bone Bashin’s mother? She hasn’t exactly popped out many geniuses.

HOW CRYPTIC.

A loud flag from the writers going “By the way! Hayami’s gonna be involved! But we’re not gonna tell you how!” so we’re just going to have to sit and wait wondering “When the fuck is Hayami going to get here?”

Sensei can’t even walk a mile without running into Smile.

The fact that Smile is STILL HERE in spite of the Sebiroth being controlled should really suggest to you that the kid is fucking broken on a fundamental level Card Sensei.

You didn’t teach him to be the way he is, he chose it once he decided he was better than you.

He’s been an ungrateful little shit this entire time and you should probably spend less time talking him out of it and more time kicking his ass.

It appears “Sebiroth” is the new name they’ve given the new Thousand Spirits Group, as if to further separate it from Uchuuchouten, even in name.

It appears Card Sensei is going to have to fight as a one-man army against these Sebiroth goons.

The problem here is the minute Card Sensei loses once he’ll be fitted with one of their masks and forced to fight as “Number Five” again. Probably.

So he has to win ALL of these battles.

Card Sensei has spotted Eight among the ranks, which is the reason he went there, so that makes things easier.

Smile decides to try his luck at getting Card Sensei’s surrender, based on him seeing Eight’s state.

Also they didn’t fit Eight with a Suit, but they did give her the “Sexy Queen” outfit.

It seems a bit disconnected from the previous statement but Card Sensei is still trying his best to make it so the Cornerstone 6 don’t have to battle.

I’m trying to piece together what the hell Smile’s problem is?

Was it because he was taught to an extent where he believed himself to be strong? By a master who’s Cornerstone awakened the fastest?

And then because his Master left without a word, that damaged his belief that he was strong? Because strong people don’t run?

Is that what this is?

Smile really doesn’t like Card Sensei showing his pain over Smile’s current state. What is Smile’s baggage such that he even takes Card Sensei’s attempt to reconcile as offensive?

…Does Smile have a fucking inferiority complex because Card Sensei became strong for no reason?

How about fuck you?

Oh, Nine’s here, I thought we were just going to settle this with only Smile, oh well.

Nine intends to turn him into another member of Sebiroth it seems, wielding the Numbers Elite forcibly.

And we see Card Sensei get interrupted mid-punch by Batosupi TV at the dawn of the Uchuuchouten Cup.

Which is to say, the poor sod got captured. Probably.

I hope he punched Nine in the face, I hope Nine walks in with a bruise, and I hope several Sebiroth members got masks torn from their faces.

So I guess they ARE going to each Dome? But they need to do Tags right? I don’t really get how this is going to work.

Please, don’t fucking tell me this all powerful King has been completely blind to Nine’s movements all this time.

Uchuuchouten’s gonna be an idiot isn’t he?

I see that Nine is going to challenge Uchuuchouten directly.

Usually when a Dragon challenges their Big Bad, it doesn’t end well for the Dragon. All of the Transformers scenes I’ve seen usually have Starscream just outliving Megatron, not outright defeating him in forward combat, though maybe I just haven’t seen enough Transformers.

…They’re actually gonna fucking do this aren’t they?

…Nevermind, Uchuuchouten’s doomed. If it genuinely catches the villain off guard and they don’t maintain their composure, it usually means they’ve been caught with their pants down and they gon’ die.

It seems Uchuuchouten isn’t particularly pleased with Nine’s use of the black masks.

Uchuuchouten surmises Nine held the intend to betray him from day one, because of the fact that he chose an opportune time to perform the “Coup D’etat”

Uchuuchouten strangely returns to his lack of concern, suggesting that the Cornerstone 6 are going to beat the everloving shit out of Nine.

What is Nine’s problem against the Cornerstones, sweet jesus? Is it because he didn’t get one? Is that it?

Smile decides not to stick around for the rebellion?

Come on Smile, you don’t want to see Uchuuchouten battle? The guy barely shows up, that’s like a once in a lifetime chance.

Well the audience probably consists of Sebiroth members and TV crew so no shit.

Okay do you NEED that many members? They’re going to have 3 tag battles and they have 8 members, 2 of these masked schmucks aren’t even going to participate.

I guess the masks are not rigid and are flexible, seeing as they can just wrap AROUND Kiano’s chin.

the Mind control feature is probably in the solid earpieces.

And since the Dome Opens to Night in spite of it being Day, we can be sure that the Cornerstones are enabling the Dome to connect to Isekai.

Striker and Suiren vs Eight and Nine? That’s a weird pairing, I thought Nine would tag with Smile or something against Bashin and J.

Guess I was wrong.

If I remember these tag battle rules correctly, Life is shared but each player has an opportunity to Flash.

Striker has gone back to set 1 with only a Lv2 Beatbeetle and Flyingmirage on his board.

Nothing like the tried and true strat of “The Fruit of Life”

Considering its Eight’s turn thats nawt gud.

Nine has 2 Lizardedges, one at Lv3 and a Lv2 Taurusknight

While Eight has Bat-Bat and Skulldevil.

Jesus I don’t think I’ve seen a single spirit passed Set 2 wtf is this?

Eight plays Negapluto at Lv1 and attacks with it.

Thank god I was getting worried this would be a game of oldies, anyway Negapluto attacking at Lv1 means Striker isn’t allowed to block with Green Spirits.

Nine uses his Flash opportunity to use Double Hearts on Negapluto, giving it an extra Symbol.

Finally, we actually see ONE side’s life, Striker and Suiren were on 6 life and are now on 4.

Notably, The Fruit of Life only activates when life is reduced and doesn’t consider how much life was lost, so Striker only gets 1 card despite losing 2 lives.

Eight attacks with Skulldevil, reducing Team Shomen Toppa to 3 lives.

I see they’re leaving it with that for the turn, its now Suiren’s turn.

For whatever reason, though they’ve done this before, you can deploy Nexuses to your partner’s field as opposed to your own.

Though a card like The Shackles of Doom seems universal so it shouldn’t matter what field it’s on.

The other cards from BS01 can go fuck themselves, but I’m always up to seeing old X-Rares. Desperado hasn’t been seen in a while in favor of Destlord.

All but Nine’s Lizardedge and Taurusknight are depleted by Desperado’s effect.

That’s gonna be pretty hefty, cuz then Desperado gains 4 core out of nowhere.

It appears without free will the masked members of Sebiroth don’t have the capacity to make use of their experience and foresight, they can only operate on available knowledge present in the battle.

In short, they can’t metagame.

That was… abrupt. Oh well, I guess we’ll see where this leads next episode,

Not sure how to feel about this one, we moved kinda fast through it, we had Sebiroth Baito-san take on Meganeko, the group unveiled their new X-Rares, Card Sensei got captured and then the group found out about it and started facing Nine all in the same episode.

The Pacing was a little off, I guess they really shouldn’t have wasted an episode at the beach. (Yes, I’m STILL mad about that)

And they don’t talk about anything NEW in the Batosupi Lecture, Not gonna lie this episode kinda… isn’t good.

I know its necessary to watch because its got a number of plot-relevant details in it but the pacing is just straight up awful, why was Meganeko losing to Baito-san more interesting than the start of this tag battle?

Its a bit strange to me, but hopefully next episode will be better, there’s only 3 left after all!

See you all next time!