Characters / A Closed Fist To An Open Palm

Zenn Goto

Zenn Goto

The Martial Artist. Zenn is a Slifer Red student who practices Gendai Reiki: A spiritual martial art that promotes harmony, inner peace, and strength in one's character. A talented duelist and martial artist, Zenn prefers training over socializing, tying heavy objects to himself to build strength and character. He is quiet and reserved most of the time, hiding his emotions and secrets in a shroud of his master's quotes. Whenever he gives advice, he'll usually recite a quote from his master. He's strange, bizarre, but quiet and reserved.

Zenn uses a Yokai-themed Zombie deck with Red Ogre and Skull Flame as his ace.

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• The Ace: Has only lost one duel so far. He's also managed to beat Jaden Yuki.
• The Aloner: Doesn't share his dorm room with anybody and before meeting Jasmine, it's implied that he spends most of his time in the woods alone, training.
• Anime Hair: Being a Yu-Gi-Oh! Protagonist, this comes naturally. Zenn has a blonde ponytail with black ends that reaches down to his waist.
• Ass Kicking Pose: Strikes one before every duel...Or when he's reciting something from his master or when he's making a point.
• Awesome, but Impractical: His Fusion Monster, Speed King Skull Flame is this. While it has over 3000 ATK and a pretty strong destruction effect, it needs four cards to summon it, and it has no protection whatsoever.
  • His default strategy tends to lean into this. His turns are often extremely aggressive but costly, meaning that if his opponent survives the initial onslaught, they can mount to a comeback that Zenn may not be able to withstand. Fittingly, his closest duel was against the Stone Wall Ozumaji.
• Bare-Fisted Monk: Gives off this vibe even though the setting permits it.
• Berserk Button: Laziness. Zenn believes in 'earning one's strength' so he tends to look down upon those who don't pull their weight.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Zenn is a good person, but as soon as someone threatens the safety of his friends, he becomes downright terrifying.
• Bully Hunter: Was quick to silence the Fat Bastard Barrett when he decided to insult Blair for being a Slifer Red.
• Character Tics: Strikes A Closed Fist to An Open Palm whenever he summons one of his ace monsters. Bizarrely, his monsters sometimes do this as well.
• Cloud Cuckoo Lander: While he usually hides it, his bizarre tangents, constant posing, and need for theatrics while maintaining a stoic face makes him one of the weirder students at Duel Academy.
• Dem Bones: His deck consists of Zombie-type monsters. Some of them fit the Yokai theme like Red Ogre and Kasha, or are generally just good support for his deck like Skull Conductor and Zombie Master.
• Friendless Background: Would focus on constant training during his childhood rather than making friends. It's a major contribution to his Social Ineptitude.
• Hidden Depths: Despite Zenn's rough looks and muscular physique, he can make very delicate food like Oni-giri.
• Meaningful Name: The word Zen is a spiritual state of focus that incorporates the unity of body and mind. Fitting for a martial artist who spends most of his time training and meditating.
• Nice Guy: While quiet and strange, Zenn likes to help anyone in need and likes to give advice others in his cryptic quotes.
• The Stoic: Usually reserved and rarely shows any emotion, whatever antics he does is always done in a straight face deadpan attitude. His friends aren't having any of that.
• Training from Hell: Zen usually ties a 'burden' to himself, and it changes depending on the chapter, from rocks, to his friend's stuff to even a whole wooden log. Downplayed though in that we never see him get tired or exhausted by it.
• Unknown Rival: Despises Jaden by proxy of Jasmine despising him, Jaden doesn't seem to mind either of them.
• Sleeves Are for Wimps: His Slifer Red jacket doesn't have sleeves, showing off his tanned, muscular arms.
• Socially Awkward Hero: Zenn has a hard time understanding certain social cues, sarcasm, metaphors, and tends to talk very stiltedly whenever he's not reciting quotes from his master. Despite this, he is a hero all the same, willing to stand up against the Makai without hesitation.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Is a lot more rational, mature, and reserved compared to his more impulsive friends.
• Youkai: His deck consists of monsters based on Japanese Folklore.

Jasmine Makurada

Jasmine Makurada

The Harpie Duelist. At the start of the story, Jasmine's stuck in a losing streak. After suffering another loss, Jasmine decides to quit dueling. This is when she meets Zenn and after a duel with her, gain back her lost confidence. Jasmine is Hot-headed, and reckless, but behind that hard exterior is a brave hero that wants the best out of herself and her friends.

Jasmine uses a Harpie Lady deck, with Simorgh and its counterparts as her ace.

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• Action Girl: Competes with Zenn as the best duelist in the story.
• Arch-Enemy: Jaden Yuki, even though he is completely oblivious to her resentment of him.
• All of the Other Reindeer: Was ostracized during her time in Dueling Prep School due to coming from a poor family and was framed as a thief by her peers.
• Berserk Button: Losing, heckling, being humiliated, Mindy's teasing, the mere sight of Jaden Yuki. She has a few.
• Blow You Away: Her Harpie Ladies, as well as Simorgh, are all WIND monsters.
• Broken Win/Loss Streak: Breaks her twelve-long losing streak by beating Zenn in the 2nd chapter.
• Divine Birds: her ace monster: Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry.
• Fatal Flaw: Her Hair-Trigger Temper. They're been many times in the story where her friends would think the worst of her because of her attitude problems.
• Fiery Redhead: written word-for-word in several chapters. She's very brash and headstrong, doesn't like to give up and is incredibly passionate about dueling.
• Good is Not Nice: Generally rude and abrasive to everyone, but she Jumped at the Call to help Zenn fight the Makai.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: Even the slightest things can set her off. It's a major reason why before meeting Zenn, Mindy was her Only Friend as others lacked the patience to deal with her temper.
• Hot-Blooded: Oh is she ever.
• Hidden Depths:
  • Apparently knows how to bake a good apple pie.
  • Before she attended Duel Academy, she was part of a high-school track team.
• Insult of Endearment: Calls Zenn a 'dork' ever since they've met, first as an insult, now as an affectionate nickname.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She's abrasive, impolite, and impatient, but is ultimately a good person that just suffers from a lot of issues.
• The Lancer: A subversion. Jasmine, while a Foil to Zenn, they don't really get into conflicts with each other. In fact, She's in love with him.
• She Who Fights Monsters: After being bullied when she was younger, Jasmine developed a Hair-Trigger Temper. A temper that she has lashed out against her friends.
• Ship Tease: Has a lot of these moments with Zenn. It's unknown whether or not Zenn shares the same feelings.
• Single-Target Sexuality: She has eyes for Zenn alone, no matter how much she denies it.
• Sore Loser: She slapped Jaden's hand away when he offered her a handshake after he beat her in a duel. Downplayed in that it was her twelfth loss in a row and Jaden was being Innocently Insensitive, so her Berserk Button was pushed.
• Spirited Competitor: After gaining back her confidence, it's clear that she has a passion for dueling, not a passion for winning.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: The tomboy to Mindy's girly girl.
• Unsportsmanlike Gloating: She's prone to this, although this most stems from her self-confidence issues and is mostly done in jest.
• Tsundere: Type A. She's moody and rude most of the time but that's mostly because she has a lot of insecurities. She only shows her soft side to her friends, especially to Zenn.
• Sour Outside, Sad Inside: At her worst, Jasmine is The Bully, but deep down, she only uses her abrasive attitude as a coping mechanism so she could Never Be Hurt Again by those who played with her trust. It's why her circle of friends is so small.

Mindy Hamaguchi

Mindy Hamaguchi

The Aspiring Dueltainer. The Best Friend to Jasmine and the Cool Big Sis to everyone else, Mindy may seem like The Ditz at first but is actually quite perceptive. She hates the Serious Business nature of dueling so she aspires to become a Dueltainer; Professional Duelists whose only goal in a duel is to entertain the audience and make them happy. Can be usually counted on to comfort whoever's feeling down, but expect a sisterly scold before she helps you.

Mindy uses a Performapal deck, with Performapal Sky Magician as her ace.

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• Action Girl: Downplayed compared to the other female characters. She's a capable duelist but doesn't like dueling and the competitiveness it can bring.
• Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Averted, she is described as a 'mess of branches and dirt' after stalking Jasmine through the forests of Duel Academy when she met Zenn.
• Brainy Brunette: She doesn't look nor act like one, but she has the grades and the skill to prove it.
• Brilliant, but Lazy: Mindy's skill at dueling is comparable to Zenn and Jasmine, but unlike them she doesn't really like dueling.
• Character Tics: Winks whenever she's teasing someone or being playful, usually to Jasmine.
• Cool Big Sis: Mindy is this to both Brier and Blair respectively. They usually go to her instead of Zenn or Jasmine when they need help or advice.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: As soon as Mindy puts on her dueltainer persona, she easily trounces Chairman Claire.
• Deadpan Snarker: More emphasis on 'Snarker' than 'Deadpan', she has a pretty quick wit to offset Jasmine's headstrong attitude.
• Fangirl: Subverted. She was quick to point out that something that made Zenn attractive, but only to trick Jasmine to stare at him.
• Fatal Flaw: Her Holier Than Thou attitude and her lack of trust in others to do the right thing.
• Hidden Depths: Despite her looks and attitude, she wishes to be a Dueltainer. Effectively a Stage Magician for duels. She's also a lot more perceptive and intelligent than she lets on.
• Holier Than Thou: Her biggest flaw, she tends to think she's on the higher moral ground compared to her friends. Because of this, she can be condescending and accusing sometimes, thinking the worst out of someone instead of giving them the benefit of a doubt.
• The Gadfly: Teases Jasmine constantly as she knows she'll get a reaction out of her.
• Team Mom: Barring Zenn, Mindy is the most mature of the group. She acts like a mom to Blair and Brier.
• Nice Girl: While her teasing with Jasmine can go a little overboard, Mindy is still kind, generous, and friendly to everyone.
• Large Ham: She turns this up when she's dueling.
• Tomboy and Girly Girl: The girly girl to Jasmine's tomboy.
• Shipper on Deck: Is this to Zenn and Jasmine, wanting the two both get over their Unresolved Sexual Tension.
• Silk Hiding Steel: Behind this bubbly Nice Girl is a great duelist who can put on a show.
• Stage Magician: Her deck mostly consist of Spellcaster-type Performapal monsters.
• What the Hell, Hero?: Gives one to Jasmine after she humiliated her and Blair in public, not knowing that Jasmine was possessed by the Makai during that time.

Blair Flannigan

Blair Flannigan

The Cute Bruiser. The twelve-year-old Blair Flannigan originally tried to get Zenn expelled after he beat Jaden in a duel, but after getting caught by Mindy and actually meeting him, she as well as her partner-in-crime, Brier decides to be their friends instead. Blair is the youngest of the group, she's Loud, and a bit full of herself, but is completely loyal to her friends. No matter how they feel about her 'prince': Jaden Yuki.

She runs a Parshath deck.

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• Affectionate Nick Name: Always call Jaden her 'prince'.
• All Love Is Unrequited: Is totally obsessed with Jaden, but is completely oblivious to her advances.
• All Take and No Give: Unfortunately, she has this relationship with Brier. Brier helps her out with her homework, follows her around, and basically acts as her sidekick, yet she barely does anything for him in return.
• Brilliant, but Lazy: Is pretty smart for her age, but prefers copying off of Brier's work instead of doing it herself.
• Broken Pedestal: Briefly when Jaden doesn't remember her duel with her, only to be rebuilt once Jaden carries her to safety when Duel Academy was being overrun with mosquitos.
• Cute Bruiser: She's a cute girl and a capable Duelist.
• Irony: Is completely infatuated with Jaden Yuki who is Oblivious to Love, yet she herself is unaware of Brier's crush on her.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Is immature and prone to acting like a brat. But sticks to her friends to the bitter end.
• Loving a Shadow: States that she shares a 'special bond' with Jaden, despite barely interacting with him.
• Pet the Dog: Gives Brier a kiss on the cheek as a sort of apology gift after rejecting him.
• Self-Proclaimed Love Interest: Constantly states she is Jaden's girlfriend, even though when they meet, Jaden doesn't remember her.
• Tiny Tyrannical Girl: Bosses Brier around constantly. She tries to The Leader of her group of friends only for them to mostly ignore her.
• Undying Loyalty: Blair's biggest strength is that she will always stick with her friends, even if it means halting her romantic pursuit of Jaden.

Brier Kohara

Brier Kohara

The Doubtful Duelist. Twelve-year-old Brier Kohara is Blair's Best Friend. When the two were caught by Mindy in their plan to expel Zenn from Duel Academy, Brier was the first to fold. Touched by Mindy's kindness despite her status as an Obelisk Blue. Clever and Resourceful, Brier shows a lot of maturity for his age but is a total toady for Blair in an effort to get her attention.

In contrast to his friends, Brier uses a variety of decks depending on the situation. Currently, Brier uses a Dart Striker deck.

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• All Love Is Unrequited: It's revealed in Chapter 12 that he has a crush on Blair, who is too obsessed with Jaden to notice it yet.
• Arch-Enemy: Not to the extent of Jasmine's hostility, but he does have this for Jaden Yuki, especially since he has gotten his Best Friend expelled by accidentally blurting out that he's the Duel Giant in class, being incredibly lucky in duels, and for being the object of affection in Blair's eyes.

• Coat Cape: Wears his Ra Yellow jacket like this. With this and his green hair, he looks a lot like Yuya Sakaki.
• Classical Anti-Hero: The biggest example out of the main five. Brier is unathletic, timid, and full of self-doubt, but he has a big heart and will always try to be the Ideal Hero he wants to be.
• Cowardly Lion: Terrified of Konaki, but is willing to duel the Makai if it means saving Alexis.
• Crazy-Prepared: The only duelist so far in the story who uses multiple decks.
• Dishing Out Dirt: A common element in Brier's decks is that almost all of his monsters have the EARTH attribute.
• Green-Eyed Monster: Is envious of Jaden for unwittingly stealing his chances of getting together with Blair.
• Height Angst: Considers himself a shrimp and yearns to be Tall, Dark, and Handsome
• Heroic Self-Deprecation: Does this a lot, may it be aloud or in thought.
• Humble Hero: Despite his intelligence and his skill in dueling, Brier doesn't really think of himself as anything special.
• Mr. Exposition: Whenever the group is watching a duel, Brier will usually be this to Blair, explaining card effects to her.
• Nice Guy: Brier has a lot of self-confidence issues which breeds into his flaws, but he is still a good guy when you get down to it.
• Performance Anxiety: Suffers from this. He would've won his duel against Barrett if it weren't for Makai!Jasmine's jeering.
• Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The Sensitive Guy to Zenn's Manly Man.
• Shrinking Violet: Usually shy and prone to mumbling. Even amongst the Makai Busters, he usually tends to stay quiet and lets his more out-spoken friends do the bantering.
• The Smart Guy: Similar to Bastion in the original TV Series, Brier fits into this role for The Makai Busters, being the only duelist who uses different decks and different strategies.
• Sidekick: To Blair.
• Tiny School Boy: The shy and insecure kind and it's stated that Blair is taller than him, making him the shortest of the Makai Busters.
• The Strategist: Duels in this way. Brier prefers planning ahead in his duels, and he uses spells and traps that can synergize with each other as well as focusing more on card advantage.
• Weak, but Skilled: Brier's Ace Monster: Perfect Dart Striker lacks the firepower of his friend's Ace Monsters, but makes up it by using a lot of support spells and traps. In fact, unlike the others, Blair's Dart Striker deck mostly consist of cards that synergize with his monster's theme of tributes.

The Makai

When Trilojig was defeated, a single drop of his blood fell to the earth, giving birth to the Makai: Physical Manifestations of Humanities' darkest emotions. They seek to resurrect their fallen emperor, they do this by spawning servants of Makai, who possess the vulnerable and warp them into terror-spreading monsters.

In General

• Always Chaotic Evil: So far, none of them are even remotely good, Justified though as they're Made of Evil.
• Beat the Curse Out of Him: So far, the only way to exorcise a Makai is to beat them in a duel.
• Demonic Possession: Their Modus Operandi.

• Evil Gloating: All the servants are prone to this, mostly used to invoke anger and annoyance.
• Evil Is Petty: While cruel and monstrous with their actions, they generally act like The Bully or a Troll and usually resort to petty jabs and insults to chip at their opponent's confidence.
• Eyeless Face: A common trait is that they either have no eyes or its obscured by their grotesque features.
• Hive Mind: While the Makai's servants are capable of tactics and independent thought, they only have one purpose: To feed their masters, which in this case is a mere drop of Trilojig's blood, grown into an abomination.
• It Can Think: Interestingly, only the servants are capable of this, possessing enough intelligence to conduct basic tactics and work with other active servants. The actual spawn of Trilojig's blood is a mindless beast whose only capable of spawning more servants and consuming negative energy.
• Made of Evil: The Makai is mindless amalgamations of negative energy, born from Trilojig's spilled blood when he was defeated centuries ago. During his reign, they served as his army.

• No Biological Sex: Justified as they are Made of Evil. In the story, they're usually referred to with gender-neutral pronouns.
• No Name Given: Averted for the Servants, played straight with the Makai themselves, only having titles of what sin they represent.
• Villainous Glutton: If The Makai aren't spawning servants to gather negative energy, they're eating negative energy. They have no thoughts beyond that.
• Xanatos Gambit: The Makai's only goal is to feed off of negative energy and grow. Whenever a servant possesses someone, the Makai feed off of that person as soon as they come into contact, this means that even if the servant is quickly defeated, The Makai will grow and be closer to their goal of resurrecting Trilojig.

Ozumaji

Possession Target: Jasmine Makaruda

• Dem Bones: its other half is this.
• Plant Person: One half of it anyway.

Konaki

Intended Possession Target: Brier Kohara

• Body Horror: Is depicted as a bloated corpse with gigantic tumors, warts, and boils.

• Mirror Monster: Dwells within a mirror, it first reflects a potential target an image of themselves before dragging them in.
• The Swarm: Able to summon and control a horde of leeches.

Ikanok

Possession Target: Alexis Rhodes

• Flies Equals Evil: Their Ace monster: Infection Buzz King.
• Sdrawkcab Name: Was spawned at the same time as Konaki was created so its name is reversed.

• The Swarm: Able to summon and control a cloud of mosquitos and flies.

Kirigami

Possession Target: Nameless Slifer Red Student

• Love Potion: Spreaded a love plague to garner desire.
• Paper People
• The Dividual: Was able to split themselves apart in order to tag duel.

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