Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel - DAY 23!

Welcome back to Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel! TOMORROW IS CHRISTMAS EVE!!

There's only ONE DOOR LEFT after this one!

It's the other half of our card combo that started yesterday, Winged Kuriboh LV10!

General Observation:

Winged Kuriboh LV10 can only be special summoned by the effect of yesterday's card, Transcendent Wings. With all that you have to give up for THAT card, you might be wondering if LV10 here is really worth it, especially after glancing at his unchanged ATK and DEF stats. Well, in true Kuriboh fashion, his effect MORE than makes up for his meager strength. 

Y'see, you can tribute this guy during your opponent's Battle Phase to destroy EVERY attack position Monster they have in play AS WELL AS inflict damage to them equal to the combined total of those Monsters' ATK values. This has the potential to be a HUGE game changer, especially if you're on the ropes and staring down a powerful opposition. 

Since Transcendent Wings is quick-play, I would highly recommend pulling off the full combo during your opponent's Battle Phase, that way they have less of a chance to avert the effect.

Trivia Observation:

As it's paired with Transcendent Wings, Winged Kuriboh LV10 debuted in the same TCG set, Cybernetic Revolution, as both an Ultra Rare and an Ultimate Rare. It also debuted in the same episode of the GX anime as the Wings and even got in a couple of GX manga appearances starting with Chapter 3.

A unique thing about Winged Kuriboh's level forms (both LV9 AND LV10) is that they aren't affected by Spell and Trap cards that typically deal with other level-changing Monsters such as Armed Dragon and Horus the Black Flame Dragon. (For example, a Spell like "Level Up!" would have absolutely no effect on a base Winged Kuriboh because LV9 and LV10 aren't listed on its card text.)

Personal Observation:

Yep, seems like things have played out exactly how I figured they would when we got the flute. This is an especially neat one for me, as I don't believe I've ever owned this card. (I've owned the Ultimate version of Transcendent Wings, but never this card.)

Winged Kuriboh's multi-day saga has come to an end and set us up for our grand finale tomorrow. I actually already 100% know what it's gonna bring (it's featured on the other side of the Calendar and was the biggest selling point), so come back tomorrow for the first brand new card in Yu-Gi-Oh! Advent Calendar history as we wrap up Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel!

Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel - DAY 22!

Happy weekend-before-Christmas and welcome back to Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel! If you don't know what we've been up to by Day 22, then I highly suggest not starting with this part.

Just three more doors counting today's! THE HOLIDAYS ARE NIGH.

Looks like I was right on the money once again! It's the Spell Card, Transcendent Wings!

General Observation:

Strategy section's gonna be a bit lighter today, as this card HEAVILY relies on another that I'm sure we'll get tomorrow. Anyway, in exchange for two cards from your hand and one Winged Kuriboh, you can then special summon probably-tomorrow's-card from your hand or deck. It's quick-play, meaning you can spring it on your opponent's turn and the two-card hand cost has big potential for planting cards with grave effects.

Trivia Observation:

Transcendent Wings was originally printed in the TCG set, Cybernetic Revolution as both a Rare and Ultimate Rare. It debuted in the GX anime with Episode 4 where it was gifted from Ms. Dorothy to Jaden in time to help him save his skin in a duel against Chazz Princeton. It made a few appearances in later GX episodes as well.

Personal Observation:

Called it! Think I know EXACTLY what awaits us in those last two boxes.

We're winding down, so don't miss the final two installments of Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel!

Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel - DAY 21!

Feliz Navidad and hello again from Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel, a little series about trading cards that's going by WAY faster than it seems like it would. Guess that's what a late Thanksgiving gets ya.

Day 21! (Which is also the last door on this side of the Calendar!)

Had a feeling we'd be getting this one today after we got the flute! It's Jaden Yuki's spirit partner, Winged Kuriboh! (Winky variant!)

General Observation:

Winged Kuriboh is really the first on-the-frontline kinda Kuriboh ever printed. If he's destroyed while on the field and sent to the graveyard (either through battle or an effect), you take absolutely no damage for the rest of the turn. This makes him great for stalling and defense. (Especially when called directly to the field by the flute from yesterday.) Plus, combine him with two specific cards (which may or may not show up tomorrow and the next day if that feeling I had continues to be accurate) to increase his versatility further.

Trivia Observation:

Winged Kuriboh was first printed in the premiere GX era TCG set, The Lost Millennium. However, this winky version was initially offered as a promo card included with the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Duel Academy Gameboy Advance game. 

His anime debut was, of course, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX where he became Jaden's partner from the very first episode through all four seasons thanks to a little introduction from the King of Games. (He also backed Jaden up in the GX manga where his backstory was given an Ancient Egyptian twist.) Despite being Jaden's primary duel spirit friend, though, the only appearance he made in the Bonds Beyond Time movie was a cameo on the art of The Flute of Summoning Kuriboh. (Guess between Banner and Yubel, Jaden had enough spiritual intervention for one movie.)

Personal Observation:

Yep, my feeling from yesterday was right on the money! (Also figured they'd save him for towards the end since his winky variant was one of the most highly-advertised inclusions in this set through both press releases and him fronting one side of the box.) Now to see if the next two days play out like I think they will! (With a Spell Card and another LV Monster.)

Winged Kuriboh's gotta fly, but come back tomorrow to see if there are more feathers on Day 22 of Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel!

Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel - DAY 20!

Mele kalikimaka and welcome back to Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel, a thing I've been doing to combine my loves of Christmas and Yu-Gi-Oh! through the magic of card game mumbo jumbo technobabble.

The big 2-0! We only have FOUR days of this left!

Day 20 has brought us a song, courtesy of The Flute of Summoning Kuriboh!

General Observation:

The Flute of Summoning Kuriboh is a quick-play Spell Card that allows you to bring either a basic Kuriboh or a Winged Kuriboh to either your hand or field. This allows you to easily set up for activating either of their effects depending on which one you choose to bring out, and thanks to this, the flute is an ideal defensive card. (You could also combo this card with Detonate on your opponent's turn and make whatever card they were about to use blow up in their face.)

Trivia Observation:

The first English-printed version of the flute was actually a promo card from a 2006 McDonald's Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Happy Meal. It was then given a mass release years later in Legendary Collection 2.

The card made its anime debut in Episode 46 of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX as a part of Jaden Yuki's deck and went on to make several more appearances. (Including in Bonds Beyond Time where it was used by Jaden to bring Yugi's Kuriboh to his hand so he could discard it to negate incoming damage.) Yu-Gi-Oh! diehards will know that this wasn't the first Spell to include "The Flute of Summoning" in its name, as Lord of D. had a bit of experience tooting his own horn.

Personal Observation:

Another I blanked on that I should've figured would be a part of this! (Depending on what card we get tomorrow, I might have a guess as to how the rest of this is gonna play out.)

The flute is going silent, but come back tomorrow for another Kuriboh's tune on Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel!

Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel - DAY 5!

Welcome back to the fifth installment of Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel, a catalogued December journey through the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG 2019 Advent Calendar rife with less-than-basic strategies and bonus trivia largely culled from the YGO Wiki.

Less than twenty doors to go!

We've got another curveball today! It's our first GX era Kuriboh, but one that was introduced a bit later in the manga. It's Winged Kuriboh LV9!

General Observation:

Unlike the previous effect Monsters we've seen in this Calendar, this guy can't just be normal summoned right away. You have to either tribute summon him by offering other Monsters or special summon him using either a general card with that ability or by using his very unique effect. Said effect allows him to be special summoned from your hand by activating it as part of a Spell/Trap/Effect chain composed of either your or your opponent's cards. (Said chain also has to encompass at least two cards before Winged Kuriboh LV9 comes in.) 

He's also unique among Kuribohs in that his ATK and DEF are question marks and their true values are decided by the number of Spell Cards in your opponent's graveyard. (He gains 500 ATK/DEF for every one.) However, as long as he's face up on the field, Spell Cards are banished rather than sent to the graveyard, so it's best to only bust him out after your opponent has activated quite a few Spells. Also keep in mind that only one copy of this card can exist on both sides of the field at the same time, so best not to count on special summoning multiple roided-up fuzzballs.

Trivia Observation:

Winged Kuriboh LV9 was originally printed as an included promo card with Volume 3 of the GX manga. His appearance in said manga was in Chapter 21, where Jaden Yuki uses him to turn the tables on Seika Kohinata's snake deck fronted by Evil Dragon Ananta. (Ananta the Snake Dragon in the manga.) 

Interestingly, his effect was completely different in the manga, being special summoned by banishing Monsters using a separate Spell Card, Alchemical Experiment. (His ATK and DEF values were also determined by the banished Monsters rather than the opponent's Spells.) The manga version was also destroyed at the end of the turn, creating obvious parallels with another member of the Winged Kuriboh lineage I'm sure we'll be seeing by the end of December.

Personal Observation:

Whoa, definitely wasn't expecting to see this guy first in the GX era cards. Makes me very interested in seeing who's next.

That's all I've got on LV9, but come back tomorrow for a different fuzzball or fuzzball-affiliate on Day 6 of Astral's Advent Observations: The Kuriquel!