Akatsuki - No, not the cool ones from Naruto, but they are Ninjas.

     I do apologize for the long delay between the Burn Ninja episode and the "A" episode. I got floored with work, finals, and ER visits killed a lot of my mood for writing, so I am kicking in my butt (and in Blazblue Cross Tag Battle) in order to get me to write this chapter. So pretty excited to talk about this one because its utility and oddly amazing synergy is an enigma that transcends time and space and possibly rational reasoning, but this isn't the time to discuss my life choices. Today we are looking at the Set Spell Manipulating Dungeon World archetype - Akatsuki.
How did this happen and why does it work so well?
     Akatsuki is an archetype that Started in H-EB01, Miracle Impack with two cards. The Dungeon forms of Zanya and Akatsuki, cause seasons 1 and 2 gave everyone a Dungeon Form because WOAH! WACKY DUNGEON WORLD! Akatsuki and Zanya were not really a combo set, but they did work with the same thing. Once the X Dungeon Booster came out, it gave us a new card for Zanya and Akatsuki, so since we had two Akatsuki cards, and the original Zanya dungeon card had a archetype reaction to Akatsuki cards, so this made Akatsuki an archetype, despite no one actually realizing it! The three cards do not seem to be connected to each other, but they create this odd engine of a deck using the two Akatsuki`s together and the other Adventurer cards, in order to make a deck type that really surprises even me. There are only three cards to this archetype so I will explain the three cards, how they work with each other for once, and well...I guess show you how Akatsuki can be better, which still surprises me to say. So let`s start looking at little boys!!!!


That came out so wrong.
The Three Ninja Guardians of the Mission Cards

Apprentice Ninja, Akatsuki is a Size 1 3/1/3 Ninja/Adventurer that is free to call. His ability is that when he link attacks with another <<Adventurer>>, you choose a "Mission" card on your field and you can put the top card of your deck into it face down.  Pushes cards into a Missions Soul and since it isn't a OPT, multiple Akatsuki linking can push a ton into the soul very fast. Its a 3-4 of in the Akatsuki deck simply due to his it can be used to speed the deck. His attack power is now the best, but since Adventurers link attack, and the sword Etherstorm can help push his stat`s up, it isn't a big deal. He will help link attacks reach 10K power to hit walls while also applying link damage pressure

Swordsman of the East, Zanya is a 5/2/1 Dungeon World Vanilla, but he has an ability!!! ZOHMG THIS IS SO POWERFUL FOR SEASON 1 BUDDYFIGHT! He can only be called if his Buddy is an Adventuer, but I only say that just in case you decide to buddy the rock that you got the head injury from to give you that decision. His real skill comes in to the fact that he gains [Move] if you have a "Mission" card in your drop zone, or an "Akatsuki" on your field. Nice Vanilla body pumped by Etherstorm to a 6/2/2. Good move when you use a Tasuku turn to go from Closed to Open Center attacks. Protection on turns with lack of shields, since we can recycle our monsters in the deck through the drop zone. 2-3 of in the deck but is still pretty nice to have. 

NOW THE REAL GOOD CARD IS THIS! Princes from the East, Zanya and Akatsuki are a size 1 5/1/1 Dual Card with Ninja and Adventurer...this time it matters just in case you throw him in Ninja`s. When the duo attacks, you can put a <<Ninja>> OR a card with [Set] from your drop zone into your hand. This is not OPT Restricted, so you can use Thundering Gao to Re[^] him and allow a second attack, which let`s you have a second [Set] Spell return from drop. You can recycle [Set]s from your drop with Princes, and then use Akatsuki to put cards faster into the soul. This recursion system allows for the usability of multiple set spells and a good amount of drop zone recycling to put cards from deck into hand from field into drop back to hand. This is the preferred Buddy in the deck and amazing in this deck.

An Extra Section to explain how this works
     First we start our turn by [Set]ing "Party Formed" and an additional Mission (Either The Teamwork or Defeat Monsters for Pressure or Rest at Naziro for Recovery), which activates Party Formed to search out an Adventurer (Either Item or Prince Akatsuki) from your deck and gain some nice life. This puts Party Formed into the drop zone. Then call Princes Akatsuki to your side, Thunder Brave Gao, and Messiah Tasuku, as well as having equipped either Etherstorm for wall clearing, or New Brave Seeker, for draw power. Give Crit ALWAYS to Prince Akatsuki. Attack solely with Tasuku, let him die. Now link with Prince Akatsuki and your item. It will deal 4-5 Damage on first link, and fuel the soul. You then use Prince Akatsuki to pick up any Misison Card you used before hand. Next you link with Gao and the second attack of your item, This will activate Gao to pay 1 gauge, and stand Gao AND Akatsuki. Second Link will fuel Teamworks soul and Second attack to destroy a center monster will fuel Defeat Monsters depending on Situation. Then swing by themselves to maximize damage, or one final link. The second attack of Akatsuki will allow you to put back "Party Formed" into hand to reuse on your turn again. Each turn, recycling cards from drop, getting back your monsters and Mission spells, searching them out if something goes wrong. Repeat over and over as you keep stacking cards in your hand and recycling all these cards. It`s an oddly fun and refreshing deck experience that rewards an unorthodox way of playing. Most decks like to go aggro and focus solely on their monsters for the engine, The Missions in this case act as the engine and the monsters act as the cogs while all work together. If you have BFA Or a couple loose cards around, the deck can be very budget friendly and is a total blast to play in a casual environment. They were never made to be seen together, but since they are together, they make a nice picture of a consistent deck that holds the original image of <<Adventurer>>s that the deck moved away from a bit. So let`s go from me rambling to me explaining the obvious.
Why is Krillin not viable for EVO? I-I mean...Why is Akatsuki not viable for BCS?
     If you actually decide to read this section with legitimate questioning on why Akatsuki isn't meta, then I just recommend getting off now. Akatsuki was an accident of a Meme deck that is just fun to play and offers a unique play style. It doesn't have card draw or pressure up the ass like Chaos or Sun Dragons (By the way, Got damn Suns are going crazy). It`s the definition of an meme-deck. A clump of collectible cards carrying confidence cradling crazy combinations. If this deck wants to succeed (which it humanly cannot), it would need legitimately BROKEN cards, I`m talking cards made to be as unfair as possible. Chaos Territory on the Sides so you can have 4 AKATSUKI`S! Perfect plan.

     Just kidding, that is stupid. In short, the support they need is just more power to get past the new power creeped decks. Since their link attacks already provide the numbers and their main win condition is soul manipulation through the set spells, it is more likely to just give them something that gives their damage potential rather then power.

(WOW IT TOOK SO LONG TO EVEN THINK OF A BASIC IDEA! JESUS!)

      Boom, I decided to make universal, so everyone can enjoy moving cards around like a money trafficking deal. Oni Assassains can use it when you move cards from soul to soul. As well as when using Akatsuki`s main gimmick of moving cards into your Mission Cards, the critical helps regarding adding pressure to center monsters, and on link attacks to do massive penetrate damage as the deck is not made to do pressure but just win through resource gaining so the critical pressure helps in the more aggressive gameplay.


I Suck at keeping promises, also in retrospect
     I do not believe the guy who developed the new Akatsuki and Zanya card for the X Booster knew about the other two Akatsuki cards and just made a pretty good splashable card to make the quota on the booster. Again, this was likely when the new R&D Director for Buddyfight likely was trying to get his feet wet to see what worked and what didn't, and seeing how early the set came in Japan as opposed to the west, it's just a hunch to assume that the guy got lucky and made something intentional. Whether you agree on the new directors card design or not, guy has the ideas and a lot of decks are fun to play with, albeit not against...Godpunks...
     If you want a fun, casual deck that has an interesting play style and overall win-con, I recommend Akatsuki as your choice to play. The deck is super cheap all things considered since all the key pieces are commons, and the extra half of the deck is made of bulk commons you probably have in your storage. So try it out and see how it does, it could surprise you as it did me on its fun, unique, and unconventional play-style.
     I think the next episode will be a bit different...I want to show my thoughts on all the new Ace decks that are out, and with so many decks being released at once (At the time of this video, 10 new Attributes), its clearly a new time to start Buddyfighting, and with the massive delays for the English release of the new cards, you have a ton of time to try the decks in BFA and see what you find fun and if you want to join the game. I hope you leave a like below, a comment, or just how you feel. Thank you and have a Rockin Summer!!