It’s September 26, and we’re just two weeks away from the American premiere of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.

The much-awaited second member of the Yu-Gi-Oh! animated series family, GX takes a glance at the not-so-distant future of the duelist world. Following teenager Jaden Yuki, GX revolves around Duel Academy, which is a boarding school with a twist. Hidden in a distant land accessible only by train, the Academy houses the best and brightest of the world’s next-generation duelists . . .

 . . . or so it’s said. In reality, the school is home to a wide variety of kids at different levels of skill and maturity, and a duelist’s raw performance determines where he or she is seated in Duel Academy’s hierarchy. The cream of the crop live in the Obelisk Blue dorm, while the middle-of-the-road duelists occupy Ra Yellow. The rest? They’re relegated to Slifer Red, a dorm with few comforts, luxuries, and hope.

However, that’s where we find Jaden Yuki, our hero. Little is expected of him as he begins his enrollment as a freshman with some of the worst test scores in his year. But with his new friends, indomitable spirit, and Elemental Hero cards, he may just surprise the entire school.

New Advanced Format Announced!

Coming into effect on October 1, the list departs from the Japanese one and is more customized for the Western play environment. Surprises include the forbidding of Pot of Greed and the limiting of Magician of Faith, while more predictable changes spanned from removing Sinister Serpent and Mirror Force to the long-awaited “death” of Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning.

Here at Metagame.com, we wish Black Luster Soldier a fond farewell in its retirement. May it be pleasant, and, more importantly, never undone.

Shonen Jump Championship Atlanta: Attendance News

Next weekend, hundreds of duelists will descend upon Atlanta for the first tournament using the brand-new Advanced format. Many duelists are scrambling to test what they can now that North America’s new Advanced format lists have been released. Faithful readers, you know the time, date, and place. But what you might not be aware of is what the competition will look like for the weekend.

In a word? Fierce.

Comic Odyssey will be in attendance, and they’ve been training and testing furiously for this new format. Team Hunger Force will be aiming for a repeat of their victory at Shonen Jump Championship Boston, and while I won’t give anything away, they’re going to be packing some very surprising tech. “Out of left field?” Try, “out of the entire park.” I guarantee you won’t be able to guess some of what they have in store.

In addition, Team Savage and Team Overdose will also be making appearances, and this is just the guest list two weeks in advance. With a number of other teams within traveling distance of Atlanta, and with tons of strong individual duelists looking to make an impact, this one seems like it’ll be a tournament for the ages.

Metagame.com’s Julia Hedberg will be there live covering all the players, teams, tech, and decks you want to read about. The first Shonen Jump Championship to use the new Advanced format, Atlanta is going to be off the charts. If you’re heading there, good luck. If not, clear your calendar and get ready to give your browser’s refresh button a serious workout!

This Week At Metagame.com

This week, Mike Rosenberg kicks everything off with a look at Magical Hats. A personal favorite of mine, Magical Hats gains a lot of utility in the new Advanced format. How? Read Mike’s article to find out! The versatility of this underrated trap can be surprising to those who haven’t considered it, so if you want to be on the cutting edge of strategy, this article is a must-read.

Jerome McHale follows up last his Rocket Warrior tin week articles with an in-depth look at a deck that actually uses the little fellow. Jerome’s created a great strategy that works off core theory principles that are inherent to the new format. Check it out on Tuesday!

On Wednesday, I’ll do my first Apotheosis deck fix for the current Advanced format. I’ll take a look at a weird two-pronged Lockdown strategy. Gravity Bind and Level Limit – Area B, perhaps? Pish! Nothing so mundane. How about two Marauding Captains and D. D. Borderline? That’s more like it.

Next up, it’s Curtis Schultz with another lesson on rulings and possibilities. Curtis looks at the two new members of the D.D. family tree, demonstrating some of the finer points of D. D. M. – Different Dimension Master, and D. D. Trap Hole. Are you interested in using either (or both) of these cool new cards? You should read Curtis’s column first!

Julia Hedberg takes an introductory look at tech on Friday—what is it, what does it mean, and why should you care? If you’re relatively new to high-level competition or you’re just starting out your career as a duelist, these are questions you’ve probably asked. Tune in for explanations and a cheat sheet of recent tech highlights!

Jae Kim will round out the week with another installment of the The Juncture. Jae’s at his best when he’s writing about that which he intimately understands, and his familiarity and experience shows through in this week’s article on trap engines. Do you think the “big four” are the only trap choices out there? Read on, and think again.

That’s it for this week! Head on back in another seven days for more news, column previews, current events, and a final update before Shonen Jump Championship Atlanta!