Cardfight!! Vanguard V - Episode 13 Review

Episode 13 was actually heartbreaking all things considered as this focused on Kamui trying to overcome the ghosts of his past and falling short.  How did we get here though?  Well...

Kamui and Aichi race to Card Voyage as the former believes that Team Asteroid will attack it just like Capital which turned out to be true.  The two arrive just to see Gouki lose in the same brutal manner as Morikawa did last week at the hands of Kyou Yahagi who declares that Voyage is now under Asteroid's jurisdiction (although a question I still have is what would happen if the owner said "lolno get out kid") while saying that Gouki was a weak fighter.  Kamui recognizes him as the guy who beat him at his first locals which led to it being shut down and immediately makes the challenge as he reveals he's the strongest fighter of Voyage having beaten Gouki earlier.  Kyou mentions that he is a part of Team AL4 which means he's no ordinary opponent while Kamui says he's going to surpass his older, weaker self.  Fight on!

The hell is up with this animation?

The early portion of the fight is vanilla beats as none of the Murakumo units played use any of their effects aside from a Grade 2 that can attack back row units and both participants take hits that place them under extreme pain.  Kamui keeps up a tough front for the sake of Nagisa while Gouki watches in concern because of reasoning we'll see later.  Kamui rides to Perfect Raizer and immediately goes on the offensive with seven consecutive attacks that push Kyou pretty far but ultimately falls short of closing the game out.  Given that the opponent is at 5 damage and doesn't have any means of retiring outside of simply swinging he's got a chance to win this, right?

An artist's imaging of getting Extra Linked by Gouki.

Kyou rides Dueling Dragon - ZANBAKU and through the use of it, Left Arrestor and Right Arrestor puts Kamui under a lock that prevents him from standing his Vanguard and Re-Riding on his next turn.  Damn.  Murakumo gets VG stun and ride block?  Megacolony had to jump through hoops with strides to pull that off.  I wonder how overbalanced they're going to make this?  In any case Kyou goes on his own assault and flips double triggers like a god to put Kamui to five with 1 in hand and a near broken spirit.  Kamui repeats that he'll surpass his old self before losing on the next turn and finally breaking down at his inability to do anything as Aichi and Nagisa rush over to him.  Kyou declares that Kamui and his deck are weaklings and in the ultimate act of evil throws it on the ground.  Nagisa and Gouki get pissed about this with the former defending Kamui by saying he's not weak, but when pressed about why he couldn't win she too starts to break down.

And then Aichi stepped in.

Uh oh.  Someone's Plot Armour is on the verge of awakening.

Aichi, clearly not happy with what's going on as he's talking in his Season 3/4 voice tells Kyou straight up to pick Kamui's stuff up which he agrees to do if the former is able to beat him in a fight.  Aichi accepts and the episode ends with the two squaring off.  Given that the next episode is called Awaken!! PSY-Qualia and we see Soul Saver Dragon being played I can already tell that we're gonna see some crazy shit.