Cardfight!! Vanguard Divinez Episode 2 “Fated Clash” is a fun introduction to the titular card game elevated by tender, emotional moments sprinkled throughout. A lot of people born in the 90s and early 2000s grew up watching the Yu-Gi-Oh anime series. The show was about a magical card game that the characters played for fun and whenever they needed to resolve conflict.
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The cards could be purchased and dueled with in real life, but there was a catch. A lot of the rules and cards used in the anime were not available in or accurate to the real-world Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game. There was a certain joy to collecting the cards you saw on TV, but the differences between the two versions of the game took away some of the magic.
CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD DIVINEZ – Ep. 2 Is About Learning To Play
Yu-Gi-Oh itself was inspired by Magic The Gathering, the original modern TCG. Cardfight!! Vanguard attempting to replicate the anime+TCG multi-media approach of Yu-Gi-Oh is the next step in that legacy. Maybe this cycle is derivative, but there’s no denying that it works to stir the nostalgia of a generation. Furthermore, by homaging similar franchises, Vanguard gains the opportunity to improve on the shortcomings of the past.
The premiere of Cardfight!! Vanguard Divinez ended with Nao Inabe preparing to walk Akina Myodo through his first game of Cardfight!! Vanguard. The credits rolled before they could really get started, but fortunately, the second episode spends most of its runtime going through their fight. Nao is a fantastic teacher who presents the basics of the game to Akina and the audience without overcomplicating things.
CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD DIVINEZ – “Fated Clash” Makes The TCG Look Fun
Nao dreams of becoming a professional Cardfighter and Akina needs to learn so that he can change fate itself. Akina’s little sister Hikari is sick, and if Akina can win in the “Fated Clash” Cardfight!! Vanguard tournament, he can magically improve her condition. Nao is passionate about the mechanics of the game as well as the lore. She loses herself in her love for the game when explaining that to play Vanguard is to symbolically fight a great battle on the planet Cray. Her fiery excitement is so strong that it carries into the hearts of Akina and viewers alike.
Nao teaches us about the goal of the game (successfully attack the opponent’s Vanguard and deal 6 damage), how to guard attacks (using units with shield power to increase the strength of your Vanguard and avoid taking damage), and much more. The introduction does have a few shortcomings, but the adorable and passionate presentation of this first duel more than makes up for the flaws.
CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD DIVINEZ & The Power Of Belief In Miracles
Cardfight!! Vanguard Divinez is introducing several new mechanics into the real-world Cardfight!! trading card game. One of those is the new “Energy Generator” ability, which allows special abilities to trigger by spending energy. While this card is now available in the Japanese version of Cardfight!! Vanguard, it won’t be released in English until April 19, alongside the new Start-up Trial Decks inspired by the show. While it was thrilling to witness this new part of the game in action during the anime, it’s unfortunate that there is such a long wait for the physical cards in the West.
Episode 2 of Cardfight!! Vanguard Divinez also fails to explain concepts like Soul Blast/Soul Charge and Counter Blast/Counter Charge, but that could (and should) happen in an upcoming episode. The informative match between Akina and Nao is a delightful asset, but the best scenes in this episode take place afterward. Hikari gets so excited when Akina tells her that he is learning Cardfight!! Vanguard that she overexerts herself and has a coughing fit. Later, Nao has a call with an unknown individual, wherein she promises to abandon her dreams of going pro if she can’t win big at her upcoming tournament.
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There is something so sad about Hikari’s illness and Nao’s predicament. For a show with only two episodes under its belt, Divinez already knows how to slide heartbreak in between moments of fun-filled fantasy.
Cardfight!! Vanguard Divinez Season 1, Episode 2 “Fated Clash” earns a 7.5/10, and it is a must-watch for fans interested in learning to play the game. The episode is available to stream now on YouTube and Crunchyroll.
About Cardfight!! Vanguard Divinez
Directed By: Hiroki Yamamoto
Script By: Takahito Onishi
Distribution: YouTube/Crunchyroll
Publisher: Bushiroad, Inc.
Starring: Toshiya Miyata as Akina Myodo, Eri Yukimara as Hikari Myodo, Jun Fukuyama as Gabwellius, Reiji Kawashima as Suo Yobitisugi, Takumi Mano as Taizo Kiyokura, Yuka Nishio as Nao Inabe and Amane Shindo as Megumi Okura.
Synopsis: With the knowledge that Hikari’s illness may be cured if he is the last one standing in the “Fated Clash”, Akina gains a sense for Vanguard under the tutelage of Nao, his senior from his part-time job. However, as if his line of thinking was foreseen, Gabwelius appears before Akina once more.
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KEEP READING: CARDFIGHT VANGUARD DIVINEZ Episode 1 Review – A Magical New Beginning
