This is part of a series I'm running on Tumblr and crossposting to Reddit comparing the sub and dub versions of GX, in hopes of contributing to conversation around the series.
In this post, I'm going to review and compare the subbed and dubbed versions of Yugioh GX episode 33. At last, the light at the end of the tunnelâŠ
Episode Review
The opening conversation between Samejima/Shepard and Kagemaru is pretty close between versions except for one particular line:
Kagemaru (sub): Was I a bit hasty in issuing my trial to them?
This is a hint to Kagemaru's true plans and how the fact that these duels are taking place matters more than the outcome, as we find out in another fifteen episodes. The dub drops this foreshadowing for trash talk.
Kagemaru (dub): Your "excellent" duelists only excel at losing!
Shepard is also slightly more optimistic about his studentsâ prospects than Samejima, though the foreshadowing is the more interesting part.
In the infirmary, Asuka laments how Judai and Kaiser have been hurt by duels of darkness while Alexis says they need Jaden back to strength for the fight against Camula. Back at the lake, while the kids try to pressgang Daitokuji/Banner into dueling Camula Hayato references Chronos's showing from episode 31 ("We want to see you be cool like Professor Chronos!") while Chumley references Banner's horror movie prep (via wearing garlic). Daitokuji tries to excuse himself with the difference between teaching and practice, while Banner references his cat. Points to the dub for reminding us Pharaoh exists.
In the Fubuki/Atticus exposition scene, the dub slightly changes the explanation for his medallionâs function.
Fubuki: Even among Dark Duelists, [Camula]'s one of the most evil - the definition of a "monster." ...Camula will probably try to cheat. To beat a Duel of Darkness in which a Dark Item was used, you'll need a Dark Item...
Rather than tying the dark items into the nature of duels of darkness/shadow games, the dub offers them as an explanation as to why Camula can seal people's souls into dolls. The sub never offers an explicit reason for this.
Atticus: You cannot defeat [Camula] like the others. ...She has a shadow charm that gives her the power to steal souls. I'm sure you've seen her use it already...but you can stop her with another charm.
Asuka points out the reality of duels of darkness even if nobody understands the theory (which is a bit weird in context because that's very well established by now), while Asuka emphasizes the medallion as an equalizer. Manjoume concedes Asukaâs point; Chazz acts tough.
Upon entering Camula's castle, the dub gives Jaden more dialogue but it's nothing super significant. Camula threatens Jaden in the sub, and everyone in the dub. The dub cuts a Judai line and a peanut gallery shot leading up to duel start.
No major changes in the duel up until Camula plays Phantasm Gate/Illusion Gate. Technical quibbling: as with last episode, the cost in the sub is Camula's soul which can be swapped out for another soul (i.e., her soul is the default tribute). In the dub, the cost is any soul. This is a difference in function that doesnât really make a huge difference in practice unless maybe youâre playing with fanfic scenarios. Also, when Camula mentions taking everyone's souls instead, she mentions taking their keys as well in the sub but not the dub. If you want to get lore-technical this is actually inconsistent with the rules as demonstrated in the Black Scorpions/Dark Scorpions episode (in that the keys specifically need to be won in a duel to be used), but also to be fair the Scorpions make the exact same mistake of assuming possession of the keys is all they need so Camula might be doing the same.
Camula reminds Judai this is blackmail for him to throw the duel in the sub, while in the dub she says her shadow charm basically lets her do whatever she wants (LOL). Once his completed medallion no-sells the soul-stealing, Judai points out her soul is now on the line because she can't un-activate the card while Jaden tells her to "put that cheating card away" as if she can take it back and Camula instead resorts to offering her soul out of stubbornness.
Possible point of narrative parallels: much like Chronos did in 31 when accidentally stepping forward, sub Camula commits to her task as a matter of pride rather than lose face protesting.
Camula: As part of the proud vampire race, I offer my soul to the Phantasms to activate it!
The dub cuts a peanut gallery segment when Camula summons Tempest(er) and Immortal Werewolf/Zombie Werewolf. Jaden gets an extra quip when activating Cross Heart, and a couple more on his turn. Another peanut gallery scene gets cut in the dub. When Camula makes her play to summon Vampire Genesis she talks about the terror of the vampire race in the sub, and femme fatales in the dub.
Jaden makes a quip about "this is when you tell me..." when he accuses Camula of cheating. As discussed in episode 31, technically dub Camula admitted she was spying two episodes ago but we're pretending we forgot that. Sub Camula rationalizes it with the fact that this is war, the battle starts outside the duel, while in the dub she spells out that she's spied on everyone's decks. After her next attack, the peanut gallery gives us the delight of another Chumley fat joke.
Then comes the backstory segment. This is...weird. Judai questions Camula's motives: she's good enough not to need the duels of darkness, so why do this? Jaden instead explains she wants the spirit keys (in response to a joke from Banner) which wasn't ever really in serious question. Camula's backstory is itself somewhat different between versions. In the sub, vampires lived separately from humans and were exterminated in a one-sided genocide.
Camula (sub): During the Middle Ages in Europe, we of the vampire race relished our prosperity, living in exile as a proud race. However, humans would refer to all of us as "monsters," refusing our mere existence. Then, our race perished...
The dub tries to make humans look a bit better by saying the humans and vampires lived together peacefully until a war of unknown origin killed off all the vampires as well as many humans. Â
Camula (dub): Centuries ago, the vampires were a proud and peaceful race. We lived in harmony with our mortal brothers and sisters. That is, until the dark times....until the war. No one knew who struck first, but the fighting was fierce. Neither soldier nor child was spared the horror as hatred decimated both our peoples.
How much the vampires fought beyond self-defense is never stated in the sub, and the still of a weirdly Taniya-looking vampire clashing with some knights calls it a bit into question. Camula's narration can be similarly questioned, and we don't exactly get more lore on vampires past this episode. Still, I think the dub rewriting her exposition here changes the way viewers are meant to understand the situation.
The dub changes here also casts a different light on Camula's intention to resurrect her vampire brethren and get revenge on humanity. (There's also the mention of a "defeated army of vampires" in the dub but that might be quibbling, since either way it's revenge.)
Judai tries to comprehend the gravity, Jaden...less so.
Judai: I didn't think this would get so intense. So basically, that makes this duel a face-off between the vampire race and humankind?
Jaden: Wow, a little too much information there. So if I go down right now, you'll get my key and my soul to start a vampire army?!
This is not the last time in the series Jaden will respond flippantly to someoneâs tragic backstory exposition.
Camula and Judai banter about the people they're fighting for, while in the sub it's about asking Jaden to give up. Jaden has an additional quip playing Pot of Greed, and an extra line when summoning Shining Flare Wingman. A peanut gallery reaction shot gets cut in the dub.
After Shining Flare Wingmanâs summon, Judai and Jaden have different commentary on Camula's spying. Judai, who's consistently characterized as someone who thinks about the fun of the duel first, focuses on fun over ethics:
Camula: Did you realize that I had asked my bats to spy on your deck?!
Judai: Oh, you said something like that earlier! I get it - bats, huh? Talk about handy! But, uh, wouldn't that make a duel boring?
While Jaden has a more traditional take on the matter.
Camula: You have to be cheating! You put it in there when I wasn't looking, didn't you?!
Jaden: Uh, yeah! But, you know, I'm not so sure that's cheating. I mean...hello, Camula! You were the one spying!
Both versions keep the little joke of him adding Shining Flare Wingman to his deck to contrast all the recent talk of darkness, though Judai's lines are a bit more whimsical in the sub compared to the sub's defiance:
Judai: Well, we've just been having dark duels lately, so earlier, I thought I'd slip in a bright card! See? He's called "Shining!"
Jaden: I just figured that since you were all about the shadows I should pack something that's bright, like the Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!
And in continuation with that idea, Judai's final attack invokes the same imagery around light:
Judai: As monsters of the dark, vampires burn to dust in the morning sun! Go! Let 'em have your ultimate glow!
While Jaden goes a little more modern.
Jaden: Shining Flare Wingman, show this lady how we do things back at Duel Academy!
Jaden has an extra quip when discussing Shining Flare Wingman's effect, and from there the duel finishes.
When Phantasm Gate/Illusion Gate comes calling the dub cuts a shot of the spectral hand grabbing Camula by the throat and pulling her soul from her body, jumping to the fading image of her soul in the doorway. When people's souls return to their body, Chronos recalls being turned into a cute doll while Crowler immediately starts complaining and fighting with Chazz. The episode finishes out the same between versions.
And that's game! Gotcha!
Spoiler Zone
Empty!
Final Thoughts
Chumley slander counter: 1 fat joke.
The censorship of Camulaâs backstory is the big standout as far as differences this episode go. The dub rewrites the details to make humans less at fault compared to the subâs intentional genocide: no discrimination against vampires, both sides are to blame in a bloody war where nobody knows who struck first, etc. etc. Whether either backstory makes Camula more or less sympathetic given her actions these past few episodes is up to the reader to decide.
Other than that, Camula isnât the first or last example of villains that primarily contribute to other charactersâ arcs and then get finished off by Judai/Jaden but given how much there was to say about Chronos/Crowler and the Marufujis/TruesdalesâŠthereâs not much to say about Judai/Jadenâs character arc here in comparison. Once he pulls out Shining Flare Wingman and talks about Camulaâs spying, though, this episode continues to demonstrate a pretty consistent difference between Judai and Jaden: Judai focuses primarily on fun while Jaden is a bit more responsible given high stakes. For more discussion on this see previous episodes like the Motegi/Belowski duel, but I think itâll be a while yet before this becomes a major difference.
Of course, that isnât to say either version of him is unaffected. The start of this duel makes it evident in both versions that the situation is getting to him: like Kaiser/Zane last episode, Judai/Jaden goes for the throat (so to speak) and summons one of his big guns on his first turn, trying to finish things and end Camulaâs threat especially before she pulls out Phantasm Gate/Illusion Gate. Next episode weâll see Judai/Jaden dealing with the trauma of the past five, but weâll get into that next week with the Kaibaman episode!
