#mfb scene analysis

[sky-of-dusk]

Episode 108 - Calming down Kyouya

Can we talk about Ginga succeeding of calming down Kyouya? Just by talking to him?

First, Kyouya rage against their whole environment, destroying everything around him. The others are staying back, explaining his behavior, not ready to intervene. They just want to stay aside and wait for Kyouya’s anger to go out itself.

Then, zoom on Ginga.

Unlike the others, he doesn’t care about explaining Kyouya’s reaction. He just cares about him. His whole attention is on Kyouya. And he does what no one else can:

he intervenes.

Just watch this part in video. Ginga doesn’t hold Kyouya’s wrist: he’s gripping it. He clings it so tight his hand is shaking. It’s not a “let’s happily chat!” it’s “we have to talk, now, and don’t think you’re escaping this” xD

And right away, Ginga starts lecturing Kyouya about the uselessness of his reaction. Who else would have dared to tell this face to face.

I like how he’s shocked 2 seconds flat by Kyouya’s fierceness, and then annoyed. Usually, Kyouya just raise his voice and people start cowering, even those who know him for long like Benkei (Yuu is a whole different problem, because he knows Kyouya isn’t really serious when he roars on him). While Ginga’s first reaction is a mere surprise. He isn’t afraid of Kyouya, he isn’t impressed by his temper. He just didn’t expect him to react like this and when he understands what happens it gets on his nerves.

He starts answering angrily but then calms down. And... Miracle!

Kyouya is suddenly calm.

Ginga talks to Kyouya calmly, as if they are just standing face-to-face. Nothing strange in the current situation, everything’s normal.

And Kyouya lets go of him so gently, especially compared to the way he grabbed him in the scene’s beginning.

I have to point it out again: Ginga just talked and he succeeds to calm Kyouya down. With words (I believe this point can’t be stressed on too much). And Kyouya listens. He listens intently.

(The way Kyouya follows Ginga’s movements, before looking at him again, is so cute)

Then Ginga resumes talking and they stare at each other. In fact, the whole scene is them facing each other. They are in their own world, without the other characters, even without the spectators (they are turned toward each other all along, not facing or glancing at the camera once).

And then, suddenly, the mood changes. It’s not solemn anymore. Kyouya lightens it up with a challenge, that Ginga understands right away. They run away playfully...

...while the others (who still exist, apparently xD) don’t understand what happened. There isn’t even a zoom on their reaction, they stay in the background as one set, because the scene was about Ginga and Kyouya and they have no impact on it.

[sky-of-dusk]

Episode 132 : Kyouya’s return

Did you see how the whole scene is made ? Tension is at its peak: our bladers are fighting their enemies, there are unknown opponents preventing them to reach their goal, Dynamis is inexplicably on the other side... Our bladers are worry, anxious, angry, panicking...

And Kyouya arrives.

(And Ginga forgets about Dynamis, lol)

Kyouya just appears and he becomes the centre of attention. Every beybattle stops for a moment. It’s his scene, and even their enemies don’t ruin it. Everyone waits to see what he’ll do.

Of course, Kyouya talks to Ginga, ignoring every one else.He asks for an explanation. Despite arriving lately, he finds them too slow. He feels the situation is stagnating.

(Moment of silence communication, helping Kyouya spotting the main problem.)

Kyouya walks slowly, calmly, because it’s his scene. Earlier, he had urged Ginga to hurry up and get rid off his opponents, but it doesn’t apply to him. Everything follows his rhythm.

Another thing distinguish with from the others : he’s smiling. On these pictures, it’s a visible detail.

...and just acts as his usual positive self, seeing the fun of beybattling before their importance for the world’s fate.

Ginga is the only one who plays an active role, except Kyouya, in the scene : he tries to warn him about Dynamis and the strangeness of his behavior.

Kyouya challenges Dynamis. First thing, he pushes Ginga and Pegasus outside this battle. He wants it to be a duel.

We all know Leone’s power, and how devastating it can be, so the way its gusts push slowly, almost gently, Pegasus outside the stadium is eye-catching. Ginga gets back his bey more gently than after victories.

Dynamis tries to remind him he had left the gang, not caring about the world’s fate, and Kyouya admits it. He shows no guilt or regret. He takes responsability for his actions, but he doesn’t let himself being weight down by them. Besides, his words and movements show he doesn’t take seriously Dynamis’ reproach.

Then, Kyouya acts seriously again. The whole attention is still on him, both from enemies and allies. And the last picture of the episode shows he’s on the legendary bladers side.

In the following episode, we see the battles. Kyouya is alternatively serious and happy, like usually when he fights.

His battle, and Dynamis’ reaction, helps Ginga understands how they can win against Nemesis so he goes on, letting Kyouya taking care of this part.

Ginga steps down as the main character, literally moving into the background, to let the place to Kyouya.

I like how smoothly Ginga hand over to Kyouya

[sky-of-dusk]

Episode 72: Fun vs responsabilities

Ginga and Kyouya don't tackle their battle the same way.

At the beginning of episode 72, Ginga acts withdrawn. He's uneasy, lost in his thoughts. His team, especially Masamune, burden him with the victory. He isn't allowed to focus on his duel, but has to think about his team above all.

The Wild Fang are true to themselves : Benkei is eagerly happy, Nile is between annoyance and boredom, while Damure don't know what to do of himself. Kyouya is calm, thoughtful. He's already turned toward his future duel against Ginga. Benkei wants to talk to him about Galaxy Pegasus but Kyouya stops him harshly. He wants to discover Ginga's and Pegasus's power by himself. It's his moment, he will not let anyone take the control of it.

Then, he smiles:

"I finally get to fight Ginga's Galaxy Pegasus at long last. It's going to be a blast. Let's go."

Right from these moments, the spectator knows the rivals aren't fighting for the same reasons. Kyouya is here to have fun beybattling Ginga, while Ginga had to win for his teammates.

Ginga walks toward the stadium, displaying a serious look (almost somber), while Kyouya smiles, amused even before the duel starts.

Ginga: The time has come at last Kyouya. I hope you're ready. Kyouya: You can talk all you want, pal. All I've got to say to you is that I'm gonna win this thing for sure. Ginga: I don't think so! You'll be walking out the loser!

After they exchange some words, Ginga isn't only withdrawn anymore: he's angry. His position is aggressive, furious, while Kyouya is relaxed (like 80% of the time).

They both invoke their bey-spirit before the duel starts, showing how serious their battle will be.

Ginga Let's rock it! Kyouya: Bring it back, Ginga.

Ginga's words don't suit his tone and his expression. Kyouya seems somewhat crazy, but it's his usual expression when he's about to have fun (a little return to the past, with little and very shining eyes xD)

(I like the harmony between Ginga's and Kyouya's shot)

Kyouya lets Pegasus attack Leone. He lets. He doesn't suffer them.

Kyouya: Ha ha ha! I'm enjoying this ! I'm enjoying it a lot Ginga. This is what a battle should be. Ginga: Kyouya?

Kyouya: Ginga, battling with you is the only reason I came all the way here. So come on. Let's see some more of your attack power. Ginga: Okay! You've got it.

The battle seems to start anew. They exchange blows and Ginga decides to use his special move.

When Ginga launches his special move the first time, he's borderline looking how he was during his first duel against Ryuuga. You know, when he thought he was facing his father's murderer.

But Kyouya counters it easily and Ginga gets destabilized. Kyouya brags some, but then he gets annoyed.

"What's wrong here Ginga?! Is that all you've got?"

Kyouya shows there he doesn't care about victory. He wants to fight Ginga, his rival. He wants to see all Ginga and Pegasus are able of. Everything he had say since the beginning of the episode is heartfelt. It wasn't his usual dramatisation to seem cool.

Ginga: Kyouya, you can try but I won't be so easy to take down. Kyouya: This is it Ginga. Let's settle things.

And AT LAST! the changement Kyouya was hoping for happens:

Ginga: No problem! Let's see what you've got Kyouya!

Except Nile, no one understands this interaction. The Gan Gan Galaxy, the Wild Fang, Hikaru and Ryuusei are all shown surprised, somewhat destabilized.

Then Ginga and Kyouya have their beybattle. They fight, use their special moves, taunt the other one, shrug off their bragging (offending them by doing so). They fight fiercely, as they aren't able to with other bladers. So fiercely, with such refusal to lose, their battle ends the only way it could :

with a spectacular drawn.

Conclusion

If Kyouya's goal had been victory (only victory) and not having fun battling Ginga, he could have won. But he attacks and provokes Ginga until his rival comes back to his senses and truly battles him.

Kyouya has such a supportive role. (He can't help it.)

[sky-of-dusk]

Kyouya vs Ryuuga: the decisive battle

The duel between Kyouya and Ryuuga is one of the most important of Beyblade Metal Fusion. It is as decisive in the anime and the manga, though not for the same reason.

Beyblade Metal Fusion - episode 49

The whole point of Kyouya's and Ryuuga's battle is reminder of the blader’s spirit.

“But I have the blader’s spirit. This is how Leone and I fight and win!”

Kyouya encourages Ryuuga to give up the Dark Power's tricks and to fight as a true blader. He succeeds and, for a time, they have a duel spirit against spirit.

Watching their battle, Ginga realizes Ryuuga is a blader too. He didn't have this thought before, and is somewhat puzzled by it (we can't blame him since the past he shares with Ryuuga).

“Bladers spirits splashing until they are burned out. Well that is a true blader like Kyouya and even Ryuuga.”

He certainly wouldn't have understood it without Kyouya. Consequently, he wouldn't have tried to save Ryuuga from the Dark Power and everyone would have lost in the end.

"If I fight force with force, I cannot win. They save me in order to give me that message. Save... That's it! (...) I'm no gonna abandon a fellow blader. That's exactly what the Dark bey has been doing."

- Ginga Hagane, episode 51

Beyblade Metal Fusion, volume 4

In the manga, the duel between Kyouya and Ryuuga is fierce too. It isn’t about the blader’s spirit but about stopping Ryuuga no matter what. Kyouya succeeds to damage L-Drago (he’s the only blader who achieves this feat). He weakens L-Drago attacks, allowing Pegasus in the next fight to survive its special moves (it’s in black and white in the manga), and lowers its defence/stamina, so Pegasus' attacks are able to affect it.

To conclude

Basically, it is Ginga and Kyouya who wins against Ryuuga.

[sky-of-dusk]

Kyouya: It was hell.

Benkei: Hell?

Kyouya: I can still hear it. The wind blowing from the valley. The bloodthirsty growls of the wolves. I took a look at Hell on Earth you couldn’t even imagine !

Benkei: Hell on Earth...

Kyouya: To live or to die... To kill or to be killed... In the end, you can only depend on your own strenght.

- Beyblade Metal Fusion, episode 9 (japanese dub)

Kyouya: Go back and tell this to Hagane Ginga: “Tategami Kyouya had come back from Hell just to defeat you!”

-  Beyblade Metal Fusion, episode 9 (japanese dub)

(I quoted the japanese dub, because I read something in a book and it made me think about Kyouya’s first crossing of the Wolf Canyon. I wanted to check if I was thinking too much into this or if I could be a little right)

The meido is the first step to reach underworld/paradise in Buddhism. It’s for the souls who had a nuanced life, who did nothing extraordinarily good or evil. It is described as a place of non-stop howling wind and harassing animals (normally, birds). It has cliffs so high one would be able to reach their top only with huge efforts, determination and overcoming moments of discouragement. But they have to climb these cliffs if they want to reach the next step, usually the hereafter (though it was the contrary for Kyouya : he had to climb them to come back to life).

The cliffs are a symbol of the soul’s sins.

So, Kyouya in the Wolf Canyon was literally Kyouya crossing Hell... and he didn’t escape it safe and sound.

[sky-of-dusk]

Episode 25 - who knows Kyouya best

When Kyouya is fighting Captain Capri, we are entitled with Ginga’s and Madoka’s remarks. Of course, it incites to compare their reactions.

When they notice Kyouya is taking part in the  tournament

Madoka is shown in the B-Pit, fixing beys and half-listening to tournaments. She draws her attention back on the screen and we see her surprise.

Ginga isn't shown right away. We see first a public screen, showing the participants and Kyouya among them. Ginga stops, turning his back to us, and looks at Kyouya. The perspective gives the impression the rivals are facing each other. Then we see Ginga's face.

1. Kyouya wins easily against his opponent

Madoka, happily : Well done. There just aren't a lot of bladers that are at Kyouya's level in the competition. So this tournament should definitively be a cakewalk.

We don't see or hear Ginga.

2. Captain Capri's appearance

Madoka : He's opposite to the wild Kyouya because he calculates things so we better be careful with him.

Ginga : Wow. He's interesting. Just keep your head up Kyouya.

Madoka worries because of the difference between Tobio's and Kyouya's way to battle. Ginga, otherwise, sees right away the same thing that Kyouya : Tobio is an interesting challenger. He's happy for his rival.

3. Captain Capri's new moves

Madoka : It'll be near impossible for Kyouya to guess Capricorn's moves now !

Ginga : So what are you gonna do ?

Madoka becomes anxious, not even able to remain seated while Ginga is perfectly calm and only wonder how Kyouya will win, because he doesn't doubt it.

4. Kyouya lets Tobio attacks him

Madoka  : Why doesn't he attack ? Kyouya never gives up no matter what is going on.

Ginga : Kyouya... you're up to something. You've planned this all along...

Madoka has the impression Kyouya is giving up but, on the other side, she knows it's not in his character. The opposite impressions confuse her. Contrary to her, Ginga is smiling. He understands right away that Kyouya has something in mind, despite not knowing exactly what. Still more important, he understands Kyouya had led Tobio exactly where he wanted.

5. After the fight

Ginga : Pushing himself right to the edge. That's Kyouya all over.

Madoka : Wouah ! I'm exhausted just from watching.

There, we have Ginga’s reaction first, then Madoka’s (the reverse order of their interventions during the whole episode). Ginga's smiling and relaxed because he didn't doubt once Kyouya risked to lose. He's even telling this behavior is pure Kyouya way. Madoka is worn out because she didn't stop worrying during Kyouya's and Tobio's duel.

The usefulness of the remarks

Ginga's and Madoka's remarks aren’t useful for the scenario’s progression. They are only useful for character relationship. They show to the spectator that Ginga understands Kyouya and his way of thinking. He translates his actions into words, believe in his skills to beat his opponent. Madoka doesn’t know Kyouya as much : she's worried about him because he is a part of her inner circle, but she doesn't succeed to guess his thoughts or understands his actions.

These scenes highlight something hinted since the Wolf Canyon episodes : how easily Ginga and Kyouya understand each other. Ginga succeeds to reach out to Kyouya during their fight (episode 10). Kyouya guesses how they should treat Ginga after his defeat against Ryuuga (episode 14). Ginga understands what Kyouya implies when he lectures Benkei and Kenta, while Benkei (though he knows Kyouya for longer) doesn’t (episode 19)... All of this leading to Ginga saying he knows Kyouya better than anyone during Fury (episode 105).

In this episode, there is another big difference between Ginga and Madoka : Ginga talks to Kyouya, like his rival could hear him (knowing them, it's perfectly possible xD), while Madoka talks about him. It shows there is less emotional distance between Ginga and Kyouya than between Madoka and Kyouya.