Episode 7: The Sea God Leviathan

Duelist Kingdom: Joey celebrates his two Star Chips. (Japanese Jounouchi isn't quite as brash as US Joey, saying "I can't believe I did so well," rather than all the "I'm the man" gloating US Joey does.) Téa and Tristan are both impressed that Joey managed to beat Mai—but Yugi says he knew Joey could do it.

Now Joey and the rest of the gang are hungry, but nobody thought to bring any food along. (In the Japanese version, Anzu ticks off the tournament organisers for not providing food for the participants.) Tristan says he's got it covered, but in fact all he's brought is a book on survival in the woods. As usual, the Japanese writing on the book cover is changed for the US version. (The Japanese title reads "Survival Book.")

Since they can't eat it, no one's impressed. But Joey smells something cooking, and takes off. At the edge of the shore, they find three fish cooking over a fire. Joey and Tristan rush to dig in, while Téa and Yugi hold back, not knowing whose fish they are. (In the US version, Joey and Tristan call out, "Feeding frenzy!" as they're about to eat. In the Japanese, the phrase is "Itadakimasu!", a set phrase Japanese people say before eating. Literally, it means, "I will receive it," and is somewhat like saying grace, except that it has no religious connotation. After they eat, the set phrase is "Gochisou-sama deshita," or just "Gochisou-sama," which means "It was a feast.")

But before they can eat, the catcher of the fish rises up out of the sea—it's Mako Tsunami (Kajiki Ryouta—"kajikimagurou" is swordfish), the ocean duelist. He's pretty upset about the boys' attempt to eat his dinner, until he finds out that their friend is Yugi Mutou, the duelist who beat Seto Kaiba. (At this point, Yugi is still pronouncing his name "Moto," but somewhere along the line they start saying "Mutoh," to bring it in line with the Japanese pronunciation.) Mako says it will be his honor to duel Yugi, and invites him and his friends to join him for a meal, which they happily do.

Mako tells them that his dream is to win enough money to buy his own boat. They thank him for the meal, and start to leave, but he stops them by throwing his harpoon to land at a frightened Yugi's feet. He's used the fish as bait, he says, to reel in duelists to challenge, and now he challenges Yugi! And Yugi gladly accepts. (By now, in the Japanese version, they don't show the whole transformation when Yugi's puzzle goes off and the spirit comes out to duel—all we see is Yami appearing in a cone of light. But the US version, for some reason, continues to add back the entire sequence of the puzzle moving, Yugi calling out, the big thingie spinning, and then Yami appearing.)

A dueling arena rises up out of the sea. The field is half land, half sea, and the wager is two stars. Mako begins by playing an ocean monster that remains hidden under the water. Yugi's a bit thrown by having to duel against monsters he can't see, but he plays the Horned Imp (Imp), which is destroyed by Mako's huge Fiend Kraken (Devil Kraken). Next Yugi plays Feral Imp (Gremlin), and Mako counters with Giant Jellyfish in defense. Yugi powers up the Feral Imp with Horn of the Unicorn and attacks, but the Giant Jellyfish absorbs the Feral Imp's electrical attack and protects Mako. Now the Feral Imp falls to Mako's Fiend Kraken, and Yugi's down to 1480 life points.

Yugi next plays Silver Fang, and the magic card the Full Moon. Mako counters with Kuriyoshin (not sure how that's spelled) (Leviathan) (telling Yugi, per the subtitles, "You can not down down on ocean"), which not only destroys Silver Fang, but reduces Yugi's land-based playing field to a small island.

Mako stops to talk about his father, and how they used to fish together, until one day their boat was caught in a storm. Mako's father tied him to the mast, but a huge wave swept his father out to sea. Mako is convinced his father is still alive, and is determined to buy a boat so he can search the seven seas until he finds him. (In the Japanese, Mako also talks about wanting to conquer his fear of the ocean, which has haunted him ever since the storm.) Yugi understands Mako's determination, and now Téa and the others also see that Mako is fighting for someone other than himself.

But Yugi is determined, too. He plays Giant Soldier of Stone in defense, but is attacked by Mako's Great White Terror. Yugi switches Giant Soldier of Stone to attack mode, and attacks the Full Moon he'd placed on the field earlier. Destroying the Moon causes the tides to recede and leave Mako's monsters beached and helpless. Then Yugi plays Curse of Dragon along with the magic card Burning Land (which was fancied up a bit for the US version) and destroys Mako's monsters, taking all of Mako's life points and winning the duel.

Mako's disappointed, but accepts defeat gracefully, and Yugi and Mako shake hands and part as friends. Mako leaps back into the sea and swims away to catch some more fish, while the four friends walk off together.