This was it! With all the hype behind Zombies in this format, we were finally going to have a Zombie deck win a Shonen Jump Championship title. Both of these duelists had played their way here this weekend with Zombie builds, so this was officially a mirror match, and it could get very complicated. A big crowd was amassed to watch the finals, including teammates of Anthony’s from Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC, here to lend moral support. The match began swiftly.

Yoder opened with a set card to each zone, risking a Nobleman of Crossout. Anthony summoned Card Trooper, activated Card Trooper’s effect with priority, and sent Cyber Dragon, Pyramid Turtle, and Spirit Reaper to the graveyard. Yoder opted not to make a response, and Anthony activated Nobleman of Crossout to remove Yoder’s set Card Trooper! His own Trooper attacked for 1900 damage and he set a card to finish out, a strong turn of events.

Pyramid Turtle hit the field for Yoder, and it attacked over Card Trooper. Anthony fired back with a Turtle of his own, summoning it and then attacking into Yoder’s. Both were destroyed and Yoder had to make his selection first, pulling another Turtle in defense mode. Anthony opted to special summon Zombie Master, and moved to main phase 2.

He activated Card of Safe Return, then another! He discarded Cyber Dragon for Zombie Master, targeted Pyramid Turtle, and brought it up, drawing two cards from the Safe Returns! He ended, holding Cyber Dragon, Pyramid Turtle, and Book of Life.

Yoder activated Brain Control next turn, taking Pyramid Turtle and tributing it for Ryu Kokki. Pyramid Turtle went to attack mode, rammed Zombie Master, and special summoned a Zombie Master Yoder’s own from his deck. Ryu Kokki attacked Anthony’s Zombie Master next, destroying it, and Yoder’s new Zombie Master attacked directly. He activated Card of Safe Return in main phase 2, discarded Pyramid Turtle to Zombie Master and special summoned it to draw.

He activated Book of Life next, targeting his own Pyramid Turtle and Anthony’s in-graveyard Zombie Master. Anthony chained Call of the Haunted targeting his Zombie Master. Anthony took back his Zombie Master, Yoder special summoned his Pyramid Turtle, and drew for his Safe Return. Since Anthony chained his Call, he couldn’t draw for his special summon. Another Book from Yoder brought up his third Turtle and removed one of Anthony’s. “You’re up.”

Anthony battled back, activating a third Card of Safe Return! He discarded to Zombie Master to bring up Pyramid Turtle, drew three, and then summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior to break Yoder’s Torrential Tribute. Yoder didn’t chain it.

Anthony activated Lightning Vortex, discarding Pyramid Turtle and wiping the field! He activated Book of Life next, brought back the discarded Turtle and drew three more cards, removing Ryu Kokki from Yoder’s graveyard. Turtle, Breaker, and Zombie Master attacked while the other Turtle sat in defense, unable to change position. Yoder was down to 100 life points, and Anthony set one spell or trap.

Yoder activated Book of Life, targeting his Zombie Master and Anthony’s Spirit Reaper. Anthony chained Dust Tornado to destroy his opponent’s Card of Safe Return. Zombie Master came up, and Yoder discarded Il Blud to bring up a Pyramid Turtle. It crashed into Anthony’s, and now he had to choose his special summon first.

He chose Ryu Kokki, and Yoder special summoned the same. He traded his Zombie Master for Anthony’s, then traded his Ryu Kokki for his opponent’s as well. He ended by setting his one last card to his back row.

Anthony turned Pyramid Turtle to attack and went for game, but Yoder flipped Call of the Haunted to special summon Il Blud! Anthony attacked with Pyramid Turtle, it was destroyed, and he special summoned Ryu Kokki from his deck, swinging over Il Blud to take the first duel!

A spectacular series of triple Card of Safe Return plays is just too much for Levi Yoder, and Phillip Anthony wins game 1! Siding was fast, and Yoder confidently announced that he would start game 2, staying upbeat.

He opened with a set monster and a set spell or trap again, chancing the Nobleman one more time. Again, Anthony had it. He summoned Pyramid Turtle, activated Nobleman of Crossout, and removed Yoder’s set Pyramid Turtle from play. Anthony’s attacked directly, he set a spell or trap, and Yoder set another monster.

Anthony turned his Turtle to defense mode, and Yoder set a second monster. Anthony passed, and Yoder flip summoned Spirit Reaper, then Giant Rat. He activated Lightning Vortex, discarding Mei-Kou, Master of Barriers, and attacked directly for 1700 damage. Reaper forced Anthony to discard Ryu Kokki, and in the end phase Yoder lost his Bottomless Trap Hole to his opponent’s Dust Tornado.

Anthony activated Card of Safe Return! He activated Book of Life, brought back Ryu Kokki and removed Mei-Kou from his opponent’s graveyard, drawing a card. He summoned Sangan and sent both of his monsters to attack Spirit Reaper. The duel stood at 4000 to 6300 with Anthony leading, and he set a spell or trap to finish his turn. He was sitting with two Creature Swaps in hand, a precarious position.

Yoder took Sangan with Brain Control, then activated Creature Swap! Anthony chained Call of the Haunted to bring up Pyramid Turtle, complicating Yoder’s choice greatly. “You can have your Sangan back.” Anthony gave him the Pyramid Turtle, predictably. Anthony sent Pyramid Turtle to attack Sangan. Giant Rat rammed Ryu Kokki, pulled Pyramid Turtle, and it in turn attacked into Kokki. That let Yoder special summon Ryu Kokki himself, which then attacked to destroy his opponent’s. Yoder had just 1000 life points left, and he switched Spirit Reaper to defense. He activated Card of Safe Return, activated Book of Life, and brought back his Pyramid Turtle in defense to draw a card. He set the last draw to his back row.

Anthony summoned Card Trooper, sending three useless cards to his graveyard. It attacked his own Pyramid Turtle, but the topdecked card Yoder got last turn from Card of Safe Return was Mirror Force! Anthony drew and ended, comfortable at 6100 life points.

Heavy Storm came down from Yoder, and he ended without turning either of his monsters to attack mode. Mission accomplished though; with Anthony’s Card of Safe Return off the field Yoder had a better chance at survival, which was first and foremost on his mind. Anthony drew and passed again. Yoder drew, set his card to his spell and trap zone, and ended.

Zombie Master came down, and Anthony discarded Ryu Kokki to special summon Pyramid Turtle in defense mode. Zombie Master attacked Yoder’s Pyramid Turtle and he searched his deck for Il Blud, special summoning it. After a lot of consideration Anthony ended his turn, effectively conceding his Zombie Master.

Il Blud was normal summoned again, and Yoder brought up Ryu Kokki from the graveyard. It attacked Zombie Master, Anthony went to 5500 life points and Yoder ended. Anthony summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, broke Mystical Space Typhoon, turned Turtle to attack, and brought back Ryu Kokki with Book of Life; it removed Yoder’s Pyramid Turtle from play. There was nothing Yoder could do; Anthony activated Creature Swap, and the resulting damage from Ryu Kokki attacking the Turtle would finish the game. Yoder immediately conceded in the face of Anthony’s play! The tournament was over!

Phillip Anthony was beside himself and could barely stay in his seat. “I need to thank my team, and my team captain Chris Flores,” noted Anthony immediately, ecstatic to be the newest Shonen Jump Champion!