I remember when Jose Arocho was a relative unknown who wouldn’t stop bugging me for feature matches. He lost them whenever he actually got one, but he just kept coming back for more anyway. There was just no keeping him down, and now, he’s sitting at the Finals table playing for a Shonen Jump Championship title. Nobody saw this one coming.

His opponent, Michael Kohanim, fought his way here today through players like Lazaro Bellido and Robert Ackerman, reprising his Day 2 showing from Shonen Jump Championship Philadelphia in 2006, a tournament played at this very venue. He was playing Gladiator Beasts, while Arocho was running Dark Armed Dragon. Could Gladiators win again, or would Dark Armed Dragon, the least-represented deck in this Top 16, recapture its former glory? We were about to find out.

Game 1

Arocho won the die roll, gave a quick shout-out to his girlfriend Jessica, and then played Reinforcement of the Army. He searched out Elemental Hero Stratos, summoned him, and searched Destiny Hero – Malicious with his effect. He activated Allure of Darkness next, removing Destiny Hero – Plasma from his hand, and set two cards to his back row. “Go.”

Kohanim had Reinforcement of the Army, Gladiator Beast Bestiari, Bottomless Trap Hole, Waboku, Premature Burial, and Gladiator Proving Ground. He played Reinforcement to get Stratos, summoned him, searched for Elemental Hero Prisma, and attacked to trade his Stratos for Arocho’s. He set one spell or trap, ended, and Arocho set a spell or trap too. He then summoned Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, attacked for 1000 damage, and ended. “You may go.”

Kohanim summoned Prisma, activated Premature Burial to special summon Stratos, and activated his effect to destroy Arocho’s newest set card — Solemn Judgment. He attacked, but lost both of his monsters to Mirror Force! He hadn’t even activated Prisma’s effect, an odd decision. “You’re up.”

Arocho summoned Card Trooper, sent Malicious, Reinforcement of the Army, and Destiny Draw to his graveyard to boost its ATK, then attacked with Fear Monger and Trooper for 2900 damage total. Kohanim was really getting whomped.

He drew Heavy Storm, and had that, D.D. Crow, Bestiari, Waboku, and Proving Ground. He played the latter, searched for Gladiator Beast Laquari, and then summoned it. Laquari attacked Card Trooper, Arocho drew a card for Trooper’s effect, and Kohanim shuffled back Laquari at the end of the battle phase for Bestiari.

Arocho chained his one set spell or trap, Crush Card Virus! He tributed Fear Monger, Kohanim lost his on-field and in-hand copies of Bestiari (two total), and ended. Arocho summoned Cyber Valley and tried to use Malicious to return Destiny Draw to the top of his deck, but lost the Destiny Draw to D.D. Crow. Kohanim didn’t understand that doing so would keep Cyber Valley from being removed, and that Arocho would get to keep his Malicious, since everything in Cyber Valley’s third effect happens at resolution. He was unhappy that he’d played the Crow. After some brief confusion and a turn’s time, Arocho had successfully used the Cyber Valley’s third effect, played Dark Grepher, and used its effect to set up Dark Armed Dragon. Kohanim removed the Dragon with Bottomless Trap Hole, blocked Dark Grepher’s attack next turn with Mirror Force, and activated Monster Reborn to take Arocho’s Stratos.

He summoned him, used his effect to search his deck for Prisma, and summoned it! Arocho had nothing but a face-down spell or trap, while Kohanim had Prisma, Stratos, and a set spell or trap. Kohanim activated Prisma’s effect, sent Laquari to the graveyard, and attacked — Arocho flipped Scapegoat, leaving Stratos and Prisma to attack two Sheep Tokens. Arocho drew and passed.

Kohanim sent another Laquari to his graveyard with Prisma’s effect, then special summoned Test Tiger! He tagged out Prisma for Darius, brought back Bestiari to the field with its effect, and contact Fused for Gyzarus. Gyzarus destroyed both Sheep Tokens, attacked for 2400 damage, and Stratos attacked for 1800. Gyzarus then tagged out, bringing Darius and Secutor to the field. Darius brought back Bestiari and Kohanim ended his turn.

Arocho had 19 cards left in his deck, two of which were Dark Armed Dragon. He needed to draw one of them to have a prayer here. He drew, activated Premature Burial, and brought back his Card Trooper. He rammed the Trooper, without boosting it, into Gladiator Beast Bestiari, desperate to draw cards. The attack went through, Arocho took some damage, and didn’t topdeck the Dark Armed Dragon — he scooped immediately.

Both duelists dove into their side decks. Arocho was not pleased at having to win out, while Kohanim seemed a bit stoked after winning out of that rough D.D. Crow play. He was now just one win away from claiming the Shonen Jump Championship title.

Game 2

Arocho opened game 2 with a set monster, and two set spell or trap cards. Kohanim fired back with Darius, set two cards himself reading Morphing Jar, and attacked into Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter! Ryko destroyed the Darius, then sent two Destiny Draw and Malicious to Arocho’s graveyard. He passed his next turn without making a play.

Kohanim summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched out Prisma, and attacked for 1800 damage. Arocho set a third back row card, Kohanim attacked for another 1800 and Arocho shook his head. He was down to 4400 life points. A set monster finished Kohanim’s turn.

“Normal summon,” announced Arocho, placing Dark Grepher on the field. He then discarded Fear Monger for its effect, and sent Destiny Hero – Disk Commander to the graveyard. Kohanim activated D.D. Crow targeting the Disk Commander, but Arocho chained Limit Reverse! Kohanim chained Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, targeting the Limit Reverse and discarding Laquari.

But Arocho had Solemn Judgment! He chained it, and Kohanim chained another Solemn! Disk Commander was removed from the field and Wind Blast sent Limit Reverse back to the top of Arocho’s deck.

He crashed Dark Grepher into Stratos, leaving himself at three Darks, and special summoned Dark Armed Dragon. He removed Grepher and Fear Monger, destroying Stratos and Kohanim’s set Sangan, and Kohanim got Test Tiger from his deck. Arocho reeled.

Kohanim summoned Prisma, sent Bestiari to the graveyard with its effect, and special summoned Test Tiger. He tributed the Tiger to tag out Prisma, brought in Darius, and then brought back Bestiari. He contact Fused for Gyzarus, targeted Arocho’s Dark Armed Dragon and face-down spell or trap, and Arocho chained Scapegoat! He special summoned his four Sheep Tokens.

Kohanim had Book of Moon and Monster Reborn as his two in-hand cards. Arocho had two Dark monsters in his graveyard. Gyzarus attacked a Token, tagged out to Darius and Murmillo, and destroyed a Token with Murmillo. Darius pulled back Laquari from the graveyard, and a contact Fusion for Heraklinos ended the turn.

But Arocho summoned Phantom of Chaos next turn! He removed Dark Armed Dragon to copy its effect, and Malicious to destroy Heraklinos, but next turn the Reborn hit the field, and Heraklinos erupted from the graveyard! Arocho couldn’t protect Phantom of Chaos, and when Heraklinos attacked the resulting damage was enough to end the duel, the match, and the tournament.

Michael Kohanim is your new Shonen Jump Champion, chalking up another victory for Gladiator Beasts!