Spikes & Baron D.M.Comet

Card Article 5: The Hopes and Lifes, part 1

It have been a LONG time that I have not write an card article. WHY?...you may ask. My reason is...well, of course I'm lazy, but, in the reality, it is VERY hard (I mean it...hard) to write a card article, since really, I do reviews each week on cards...

But, after long time I gave up on this type of article...let me retry it.

This article would be 1st of the 2 card articles (the next one come next week) on a sub-type in Yu-Gi-Oh that just means, LIFE (as in Lifepoints), and HOPES (as in playing it to turn the game around).

WHY and HOW I divided up the articles?? Well, as I like to do all the time, the articles are in "chronical order", or, the cards are always from the oldest to the newest. This time, I just divided the article from "pre-Sanctuary of Skys Angels" and "pro-SoS Angels".

The first Angel I'll talk about is...Skelangel, from Volume 7.

Skelangel
Light/Angel/2/900/400
FLIP: Draw 1 card.

So, WHAT so special about this card being an "Angel"?? This card, first, is very "old-school", since it's really really old...but, drawing card is always good, right?? Yeah, it gave you more HOPE in tight situations, and maybe, turn the game around because of that ONE card.

But anyway, as the effect (orange card) Angels evolved, we saw this:

ME-42
Super Star
Light/Angel/2/500/700
Increase the attack strength of all Light Main-Type monsters by 500. Reduce the attack strength of all Dark Main-Type monsters by 400.

You may ask, why this card is featured in a Angel article?? Well...the reason is, this "old school" card was once to release to help the Angels (Light Main-type) and hurt the Demons (Dark). There's nothing special?? Well...kind of no...but isn't attack boost not enough??

Then, we saw the following Angel:

PS-37
Shining Angel
Light/Angel/4/1400/800
If this card is sent to Graveyard from the field as a result of battle, you may summon a Light Main-Type monster with an attack strength of 1500 or less from your deck to the field in attack mode.

Again, you may ask me "why this card"?? Well, this card is one of the three "common searcher" that are used in this day's meta. WHY? Since it gave you "another chance" and "another type" of monster for you to work on your strategy. Not to mention, Angels want to gave you WHAT you WANTED, but not what you DON'T.

But anyway, as it is evolving, we saw...

SM-41
Hysteric Angel
Light/Angel/4/1800/500
Sacrifice two Light Main-Type monsters on the field, gain 1000 lifepoints.

This card, all I could say, is the first "gain life" theme card for the Angels. This card is commonly use back then as some kind of "beatstick" for a Light deck. Of course, when Angel does something for your benefit, you need to pay SOMETHING, right??

But, the diversity of Angel's effect grow more and more, as seen by:

LN-15
Holy Shrine Soul
Light/Angel/6/2000/1800
This card cannot be Normal Summon. Remove 2 Light Main-Type monsters from Graveyard to special summon this card. When this card is face-up on the field, decrease the attack strength of all opponent's monsters during opponent's Battle Phase.

You understand why I say this card's effect is "wierd", right?? Well, not really. This Angel, through, "abuse" his/her power and actually use "weakening" as part of the war...umm...isn't that the Demon's works??

As the Yu-Gi-Oh game evolve more and more, we could see the Angel's ability get wierder and wierder...like

MA-23
Asura Priest
Light/Angel - Spirit/4/1700/1200
This card cannot be Special Summon. Return this card to the owner's hand during the end phase of the turn that this card is Normal Summon or Reverse Summon. This card can attack each of opponent's monster on the field.

Well, wierd, huh?? Yeah, I don't see WHY an Angel would given an effect of "attack all monster", that's just not Angel...that's kind of a "Beast" or something. But, why I would choose this as example?? Not much reason...but to simpliy point out the fact that: Angel is NOT ONLY for Gaining Lifes or Drawing cards...it could do more...but, as another card in the same booster, the following card get the Angels back on the track of "hope":

MA-13
Sky Knight - Persues
Light/Angel/5/1900/1400
Trample. When this card does battle damages to your opponent, draw 1 card.

Well, this card gets back on the type of "Angel" I talk about...this card help you "draw", gave you one more chance, and help you through problems. Actually, this card is the first card that really shape up the preference of the Angels: helping people.

Then, after pretty much a long time, a series of Angels were release: in the booster "Threat from Dark Realm (305)". All of them, for those who don't know, are use in the original manga/anime by Ishizu.

First of the 5 is...

305-023
Mudora
Earth/Angel/4/1500/1800
Increase this card's attack strength by 200 for each Angel Sub-Type Monsters in your Graveyard.

WHAT so special about this Angel?? This Angel was kind of, in other words, "combining it all together". WHO say Angels cannot die?? No one, Angel could die from any way, and, in order to help the player, they decided to gave their "rest of power" to one, one united body...

As this one have this kind of wierd effect, the next one is more...

305-024
Keldo
4/Earth/Angel/1200/1600
When this card is destroyed as a result of Battle and goes to the Graveyard, choose 2 cards in your opponent's Graveyard and shuffle them into his or her deck.

So, you may ask, HOW wierd?? My answer is, just wierd. I mean it, Angel could "defied" your order and help your opponent?? Umm...that's not the personality of an Angel...definitly NOT. But...this is anime original...anything could happen.

That 3rd out of 5 is...

305-025
Kelbek
4/Earth/Angel/1500/1800
The Monster that attacked this card is returned to its controller's hand. Damage is calculated as normal.

The effect becomes wierder when an Angel do something that usually a Dino or Beast do...sent you to no where in battle. But, that's Angels, they could do ANYTHING to just help the player...which includes...bouncing monster around...

But, dispist that the above three did not show any "normal Angel" stuff...the next two does...as shown first by:

305-026
Zolga
4/Earth/Angel/1700/1200
If this card is sacrificed in a Sacrifice Summon, you gain 2000 LP.

You immediately get what I mean, right?? Gain 2000 Lifepoints...guess an Angel, other than getting itself being sacrifice for others, would do more to help you...

The last card in this aritcle is...

305-027
Agido
4/Earth/Angel/1500/1300
When this card is destroyed as a result of Battle and goes to the Graveyard, roll 1 six-sided dice. You can Special Summon 1 Angel Sub-Type Monster from your Graveyard with a level equal to the die roll. (If the roll is a 6, it includes level 6 and higher.)

I have talk about Angel giving LIFES and HOPES, right?? This one fell RIGHT INTO the "hope" category: you can just "reborn" stuff, after the Angels sacrifice themselves, it's time for them to come back, and help you finish the game.

This would do my first article on Angels. Of course, next time, we would look at some "pro-SoS" Angels, which have even more diverse effect than the "old-school" Angels.

- Baron, 9/8/04