#millennium ring

I could've sworn I posted this before but hey, here you go

Here I go ranting about Ryou Bakura again like anyone's listening lol

In this scene it's obvious that it's the spirit of the ring out and talking and not Ryou himself. You can kinda tell the spirit is trying to act more like Ryou in hopes gramps will just not question him and let it go. He's asking for details and trying to just say he's fine. But when he finally gets irritated with Solomon's push back he straight up slimes him tf out????

But at the same time, isn't it established that Yugi and Ryou (idk about Marik) don't actually change appearances much? It's just so the audience can tell the two part? Or at least Yugi doesn't actually change psychical appearance, he just has what looks like a shift in personality and mannerisms to those around him.

So is this what people actually see when they interact with the spirit of the ring? Because it's so uncanny and creepy to think about that they just see Ryou himself being sadistic and this weird slightly off version of himself mixed with his regular appearance. Especially if you already know Ryou and encounter the spirit but have no idea that a spirit is even possessing him. If I knew Ryou I for sure would be creeped out. They do a good job at making those around him show that they feel like they can't trust him before knowing anything about a spirit in the millennium ring.

And throughout the series you can kind of see that not everyone really catches on to these changes, for example, Yugi changing into Atem. Like by the end of the series it's well established and accepted by everybody as normal and they do know that Atem and Yugi are different people and they eventually put it together that Ryou and the spirit are too. But this point in the series is when this idea is still relatively new to a lot of characters like they're all aware and know what's going on but things are still being figured out. Seto freaks out when he's told about Atem and rejects the idea, so not everybody's on the same page.

I like to think at this point of the series, Tristan is really one of the only ones that has some idea of what's going on in with Ryou in depth. Considering the things he saw while with Bakura at Duelist Kingdom while trying to save Mokuba. And while he does tell the rest what happened, it kind of just gets dropped and he doesn't really go into detail, which is a little disturbing to know he's just kind of carrying that with him. Like he low-key watched this kid from school basically kill the security guards. Bro needs a trusted adult 🥀💔

I really wish they paired the two up more to explore these things further. But maybe I'm asking too much for an anime meant for kids lol

I think what has me obsessing over the scene so much is that you can tell, especially in the eyes, when he wakes up and as he's speaking, that it's the spirit actively pretending to be Ryou.

Other indicators to let the audience know that the spirit is the one that's out, such as the changes in his hair and mannerisms, are also missing. He even softens his voice so pass as Ryou. Yet that raspiness in his voice and his aggressiveness are somewhat still there which creates this feeling of unease, familiar but wrong, around him. And then as he gets angry and attacks Solomon, he drops the act. He even speaks with this fake, manipulating tone that's totally not suspicious at all-

But at the same time if that's just for the audience to see, then Solomon is dealing with this weird, creepy, uncanny valley version of Ryou that he probably hasn't encountered up close like this yet. And upon seeing the ring he knows something's up and immediately asks the spirit who he is. While he's terrified, he stands his ground and seemingly wants to protect Ryou from whatever this is.

Or could it be that Ryou is in on things and just goes with it so they change into the other so rapidly.

Also Solomon saying that Ryou was tossing and turning and screaming in his sleep is crazy omg my baby 💔

In the manga too he accepts that Yugi and Atem both exist together and there's a part where he says those boys were up all night getting ready for the tournament. Which I think it's really cool that he just accepts that some of the Millennium items have a spirit in them and they're just kind of here amongst them and acknowledges Atem like he's just another one of his grandkids lmao

Thank you @mothwaistcoat for the panels 🙏

I just love when the psychological horror aspects of Yu-Gi-Oh show in the unexpected ways that usually get glossed over. Even more so despite the censorship, editing and changes from the manga. This is a scene that I'm sure most people didn't really care about but I think it's important for both Ryou and the spirit of the ring as characters. I wish we got to see more of the two of them interact or have moments like this.

Maybe I'm reading WAY too much into it but whatever

Justice, Blinded

A companion piece to Frankenstein (or His Monster)

a kind of abstract redraw of that dsod flashback! truly a retcon for the ages...

also since i don't think i drew it very clearly, it's meant to be like molten gold mixed with blood beside him