Card Review: Number 39: Utopia

Recently I made an overview of the 4 Ace Cards held by the main protagonists of each Yu-Gi-Oh! show. Number 39: Utopia is used by Yuma Tsukumo and is also the cover card for Starter Deck: 2011: Dawn of the Xyz. Even now, Number: 39 Utopia is probably the only reason that people are buying the new Starter Deck, save for a few new and good cards that are included with the deck itself. Personally I really like Number 39: Utopia because of it's artwork and significance in the new Yu-Gi-Oh! show. He looks like a noble warrior that is ready to defend anyone.

So let's examine this defender from the other side of the universe! Number 39: Utopia is a, LIGHT Attributed, RANK* 4 Monster/Xyz/Effect monster with 2500ATK and 2000DEF, just like the other iconic 'Legendaries'. 'Utopia' is a very defensive Card; even with 2500ATK points, there are many cards that can still defeat it in battle. To cope with this, his effect allows him to Negate Attacks, by using its "Xyz Material" (dubbed in the show as "Overlay Units"), the monsters used to Summon for the Summoning of Utopia. Under normal conditions, he will be able to Negate 2 attacks; it doesn't matter who is the one attacking. In most cases, Utopia will not have to Negate ALL attacks since this effect is optional, and for anything to actually pose a real threat, your opponent's monster would have to be 2500ATK Points strong or stronger or possess a deadly effect like that of Ally of Justice Catastor to make you expend an Xyz Material. Utopia can protect the user from 2 attacks, but I would like to say that he can actually block a total of 3 attacks!

The theoretical third attack that Utopia can black is derived from his draw back effect. The unfortunate drawback is that if he is attacked (attacked=/=attacks) by an opponent's monster whilst having no Xyz Material to shield himself with, he will be destroyed. Basically, without his powers, Utopia can die with his own effect; although, upon will self destruct, the monster that attacked him will not be able to attack again for the turn, unless another effect will permit it to do so. So imagine 3 Blue-Eyes White Dragons on your opponent's side of the field; all you have is a fresh Number 39: Utopia on your side. Blue-Eyes 1 and 2 attack, you Negate both attacks by detaching 1 Xyz Material for each attack. (Since the effect does not say "Once per turn", it is implied that you may use it multiple times on the same turn.) Now that Utopia is unguarded, the last Dragon attacks, but Utopia takes one for the team. The battle is nullified and you won't have to suffer from battle damage since the last Blue-Eyes will not be able to attack again.

Being only Rank 4, this card is relatively easy to summon because most of the useful cards utilized in many decks tend to be Level 4. Overall, it is a good card that is both useful and fun to use.

This card recently received an evolved form that is more aggressive, in the new booster pack. In other trivia, Number 39: Utopia looks like the Lancelot Knightmare mech from the Anime Code Geass.

*RANK is a status that Xyz monsters operate by. Instead of using Levels that are lined from the right side above the card art, Ranks are lined from the left side above the card art. Rank is represented by golden stars in black orbs, as opposed to yellow stars in red orbs for Level. Rank and Level are NOT the same, and any Xyz Monster technically has no Level (but still may not be used as a Synchro Material Monster, until a card that specifically says so is made).

The Ace Monster Cards of a Decade

So Yu-Gi-Oh! has been around for just over a decade now, and it is amazing how popular the franchise has become. Most of the success is because of the TV shows that have kept people of many ages excited to buy new cards, trade, and duel with their friends. Because the game changed with the introduction of new card types and archetypes that utilized different mechanics of gameplay, the creators of Yu-Gi-Oh! produced different TV shows to introduce new cards and new styles of dueling. To date there are four Yu-Gi-Oh! TV shows: Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters (or the First Generation Yu-Gi-Oh! That many people are familiar with), Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal.  Because each show has its own story, each show also has its own protagonist with their own card that they consider their best Monster Card. Since each protagonist is meant to be a spiritual successor to the original hero, Yugi, their best cards all share two similarities: They each have 2500 ATK Points and they each need (at least) 2 monsters to be summoned by their intended method of summoning.

So let’s take a look at the four monster cards that have aided our heroes in their duels!

Generation 1

The Dark Magician, held by Yugi in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. I already reviewed this card before, but what I would like to note about it is that its DEF is 2100. For some reason, the other Monster Cards that follow all have 2000 DEF. Yugi's main reason for using this card is simply that it is his favorite. Later in the series, it is implied that this Monster Card is an incarnation of one of the Pharaoh's loyal servants from his past life.

Generation 2

Elemental Hero Neos, held by Jaden Yuki from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. Although Jaden did not receive or duel with this card until around the second season it is still considered his best Monster Card. This is a Monster designed by Jaden when he was a child; it was entered in a contest to create a deck of Duel Monsters cards and for some reason the cards were launched into "Neo Space". By being launched into space, the cards were infused with the power of Duel Spirits that Jaden can see. Neos' main ability is to be able to "Contact Fuse" with other Neo Spacians, as the card's flavor text would suggest. (This is an actual mechanic to the Neo Spacian Archetype.) Like Dark Magician, it is a Level 7 Normal Monster. Unlike Dark Magician, it is a, Light Attributed, Warrior-Type Monster Card.

Generation 3

Stardust Dragon, held by Yusei Fudo from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's

Here is a card that might have single hand-idly changed the way of dueling forever. For the first time ever, not only was a Dragon-Type Monster Card the best Card of the Protagonits, but it was also an Effect Monster and it also came from the Extra Deck! (Prior to 5D's, The Extra Deck was called the Fusion Deck. The era of 5D's also introduced the Synchro Monster, which changed how people dueled. Most of the show focuses on the importance of Synchro Monsters in society.) At the beginning of the the show Yusei does not use this card because it was stolen from him by his former friend and rival Jack Atlas. Stardust Dragon is said to serve a powerful creature known as The Crimson Dragon. The Crimson Dragon chose 5 signers and entrusted them with a portion of their powers to those signers destined to restore balance to the world. Stardust Dragon, along with the other "Signer Dragons" played a huge role in the 5D's anime. Throughout the series, Stardust Dragon obtained more power evolved forms.

Generation 4

Number 39: Utopia, held by Yuma Tsukumo. Currently, this card is the whole reason anyone is buying the Starter Deck for 2011. (This, and maybe the other two Xyz Monsters that are included.) The Number Cards are said to come from another dimension or another word in Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal; and according to Konami's official Yu-Gi-Oh! website, Xyz Monsters travel from across the galaxy! Number 39: Utopia (In Japan he is known as Aspiring Emperor Hope) is the first Xyz Monster that came into Yuma's possession, granted by Astral's Power. (Astral is an Duelist Spirit from another world. He is a parallel of the Pharaoh from the original series.) Like Ash, Yuma's goal is to "Catch 'em all!". The Number Cards are powerful cards that amplify the emotions (and darkness) within people's hearts. Yuma must duel and defeat those with Number Cards in order to obtain them. Number Cards are also the pieces of Astral's memories. Why does a powerful spirit with amnesia sound like such a familiar premise for a story?... What is interesting about Number 39: Utopia is that his effect is very defensive, just like Stardust Dragon's effect, which is also defensive but in a different manner.

These cards may receive a review on their own sometime in the future for a more in depth analysis. For now, this is just a preview and overview of all of these cards.