The Broken Worlds storyline (commonly referred to as the "Visas" saga) is a metaplot in the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game and the fourth major storyline, following the Abyss storyline. Introduced in Series 11's Battle of Chaos Core Booster, the storyline spans four major archetypes: "Scareclaw", "Tearlaments", "Kashtira" and "Mannadium".
In a most distant universe birthed from nothing, one man, Visas Starfrost, aimlessly travels across a galaxy populated by the most curious of planets. Having been mysteriously robbed of his emotions and sense of purpose, Visas wanders the stars hoping to reunite with the fragments of himself that he has lost. What fateful encounters await him at the edge of the worlds beyond, lead by men who seemingly bear his visage?
This metaplot provides examples of:
- All There in the Manual: Like many card lores, the story itself is told via the card art, but the details are largely revealed via databooks, Valuable Book EX 3 in this case.
- Barely-Changed Dub Name: The Japanese name "New Clear World" was changed to "Clear New World" in English. Presumably this was to remove the Punny Name about "nuclear".
- BFS: After merging with Scareclaw Reichheart, Visas seems to gain his sword or one that resembles it; it's implied in the artwork of Scareclaw Defanging that Scareclaw Light-Heart transforms into it for Visas' use. And later on, Visas gains another one when he becomes Visas Amritara.
- Conveniently Timed Attack from Behind: Tearlaments Kitkallos does this to Kaleido-Heart after Visas frees her from her brainwashing.
- Defeat Means Friendship: Scareclaw Reichheart is accidentally converted into a more portable form when Visas absorbs his power during their clash as Scareclaw Tri-Heart, causing him to become a Super-Deformed Fairy Companion. He subsequently accompanies Visas on his journey, ultimately sacrificing himself to help Visas defeat the Kashtiras.
- Enemy Without: The four "Hearts", Reichheart, Reinoheart, Riseheart, and Riumheart, are manifestations of Visas's lost emotions. Unlike the others, Riumheart is benevolent, but becomes a Hero Antagonist and must defeat Visas after the latter absorbs Reichheart, Reinoheart and Riseheart and loses control over his power.
- Eternal Recurrence: It's all but said that Veda has Visas trapped within one, as his appearance and attack on Amritara results in Visas being thrown back in time to Reichphobia, confronted again by Reichheart who at that point in time already suffered Death of Personality, as Veda is shown to be watching Visas's entire journey in the art of Loka Samsara
. The latest iteration of Visas seeks to do things differently however, choosing not to absorb Reichheart, but extend to him a hand in friendship. - Fusion Dance:
- Kashtira Akstra shows Visas Starfrost absorbing components of his planetary counterparts, resulting in the monstrous Vicious Astraloud, a fusion of Visas Starfrost, Scareclaw Reichheart, Tearlaments Kaleidoheart, and Kashtira Ariseheart.
- At the climax of the story, Visas Starfrost merges the four planets in "Realm Resonance", creating "New World - Amritara". The artwork of "New World Formation" depicts a lush paradise overflowing with life, where the Scareclaws, Tearlaments, and Kashtiras now exist in harmony. Amritata also has the tree from Calarium, which implies the Mannadiums still exist in some form despite being part of Visas' Mental World.
- Kashtira Akstra
- Gratuitous Foreign Language: Owing to the story's inspiration in the Hindu concept of samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, several of the cards have names in Sanskrit. Visas's final form is even named "Visas Samsara".
- Here We Go Again!: The events of "Sharv Sarga" heavily imply that Visas is stuck in a Time Loop, doomed to repeat the events of his story seemingly forever.
- Knight of Cerebus: The plotline gets much darker with the introduction of the Kashtiras, who invade Primeval Planet Perlereino and attack the Tearlaments, stealing Reinoheart from Visas before he can be absorbed. Visas and Light-Heart are forced to confront them alone and battle their ultimate weapon, the planet-destroying Kashtira Shangri-La, that is also threatening the world of the Scareclaws.
- One-Winged Angel: Each of Visas's counterparts has an upgraded Extra Deck form that is DARK Attribute (except Prime-Heart, who is LIGHT Attribute instead), has 3000 ATK, and requires 3 materials to summon: the Link Monster Scareclaw Tri-Heart for Scareclaw Reichheart, the Fusion Monster Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart for Tearalaments Reinoheart, the Xyz Monster Kashtira Arise-Heart for Kashtira Riseheart, and the Synchro Monster Mannadium Prime-Heart for Mannadium Riumheart.
- Reincarnation: The Mannadium Tuners (Meek, Fearless, and Torrid) have the power to help one reincarnate, which is represented by Synchro Summon in-game.
- Weapon of Mass Destruction: Kashtira Shangri-Ira is an utterly massive planet-sized superweapon that vastly overshadows Primitive Planet Reichphobia. In Scareclaw Decline, an armored Visas Starfrost actually battles it, man vs. planet weapon, using his BFS to deflect its attacks.
- World of Action Girls: Primeval Planet Perlereino is inhabited by the Tearlaments, a race of mermaid warrior women. The only one among them who isn't female is Tearlaments Reinoheart, the planet's counterpart of Visas.
