Fall, Forever
And we've got another birthday to celebrate today! It's one that I've been waiting for too! It's time to obstruct the heavens as we celebrate the birth of the knight who fights for conquest! Everyone, say happy birthday to Raika Koshiba from Cardfight!! Vanguard will+Dress!
ALSO IM SHOWING MORE FAVORITISM HE GETS TWO BDAY PHOTOS!
Raika Koshiba is one of the new main characters and the main rival introduced in the third season of the 2021 era of the Vanguard series known as Cardfight!! Vanguard will+Dress. During school, he's part of the student council and attends the same school as the protagonist, Yu-Yu Kondo; but after school, he becomes the serious and cold-hearted Vanguard player that is also the leader of Tirnanog Youth! He would be invited to the participate in the biggest Vanguard tournament known as Deluxe and would fight against the new antagonist faction known as the Uniformers in order to decide the fate of the free will of Vanguard players!
He would later return in Cardfight!! Vanguard DivineZ DELUXE Arc and DELUXE Finals Arc, graduating high school and being another participate within the third Deluxe and being another obstacle and rival that the current protagonist, Akina Myodo, must surpass in order to grow!
Personality wise, Raika is a very serious and headstrong man who plays Vanguard in order to aspire to be like his idol, a pro Vanguard fighter named Michiru Hazama, and hopefully take down with his own strength. To do this, Raika has become a fighter that analyzes any source of information he can find about his opponent, any card they use, what their strategy is, stuff like that. Raika has always stated he produces results and is rational with making decisions in the game, always ensuring a path to victory. He's the sort of man who takes everything too seriously when it comes to Vanguard, viewing the game as- well- not a game to him. Those that play for fun are people he tends to dislike as he continues to play to win and surpass his idol. By the time of DivineZ, Raika has gotten much softer after befriending Yu-Yu and his crew, becoming a man who, while still stoic in fights and once again plays to win with any strategy he can provide, can easily warm up to others and strike a kindhearted conversation without seeming scary or angry.
Raika is voiced by Jin Ogasawara who's known for voicing Chaco from Fragaria Memories, Nayuta Asahi from Argonavis from BanG Dream! and the Argonavis and GYROAXIA series, Aimery Cenoir from Boys Be Maid, Awaki from SSSS.Dynazenon, Peter Angus from Your Forma, Agito from Foamstars, Fighter G from Go, Go, Loser Ranger!, Touga from Helck, Kanglim from The Haunted House: Secret of the Ghost Ball, Seiji Mukai from Kawaisugi Crisis, Shou Akitsuki from Wave!! Surfing Yappe!!, Jindou Kiriya from Inou no AICis: ESP & High School Detective, Genzui Kusaka from Bucchigire!, Sasaki from Deaimon, Yotsuya, Ryman's Club, and Hamamoto from The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie! He recently started in 2020 and is mainly working in GYROAXIA and Fragaria Memories!
Raika runs a Keter Sanctuary deck, a deck filled with futuristic knights, kings, witches, and other fantasy characters. Raika is constantly known for using the young knight that rebels against society in order to fight for what's right and for a better future, Youthberk! The Youthberk archetype focuses on a level 3 card with "Youthberk" in its name and basically revolves around having a main Youthberk with "Arms" in its name on the field and constantly switching it out during the battle phase to evolve with a skill called "RevolDress", an ability exclusive to Youthberk! RevolDress only activates if you have a Youthberk card as your leader and have an upgrade known as "Revolform" in the hand (and later in the graveyard). After Youthberk attacks, he's allowed to RevolDress into a Revolform card, giving Youthberk an extra attack! Plus, he'll gain an extra ability depending on which form it is! Since I plan on covering ALL the forms, let's talk about them!
During the will+Dress era, Raika used Youthberk "Skyfall Arms" as his ace unit! This card is very simple: discard a card in order to search the top three cards of your deck for a "Revolform" or call a card as an ally to your field and put the rest at the bottom of the deck. Then, after the battle Skyfall Arms attacks, you can place a Revolform on top of Skyfall Arms and attack again! At the end of the attack, you summon Skyfall Arms back by placing it on top of the Revolform! Youthberk has LOTS of Revolform searchers and some of them activste when they're discarded from the hand, so if you can't find one with Skyfall arms, then the many MANY searchers will find them for you!
As for the Revolforms he used during will+Dress, he uses-
Revolform: Zest - The first Revolform seen. When summoned. Youthberk deals an extra damage to the opponent and gains an extra +15,000 power.
Revolform: Gust - The second Revolform used. When placed, discard a card from your hand to gain an extra +10,000 attack and draw.
Revolform: Tempest - The third Revolform used. When placed, give the entire front row an extra +5,000 power and reveal the top two cards of the deck. Choose one of your opponent's allies with the same level as one of the revealed cards, return it to the bottom of the deck, then add ALL of the revealed cards to your hand.
Revolform: Full Blast - The combined power of Zest, Gust, and Tempest. When summoned, Full Blast checks to see if you have Zest, Gust, and Tempest on the bottom of Youthberk and gains ALL of the effects depending on which ones you have. If you have Zest, deal an extra damage to the opponent. If you have Gust, gain an extra draw. If you have Tempest, return one of your opponent's allies to the bottom of their deck. However, if you have ALL of them, then your entire front row gains +15,000 attack!
During the DivineZ era, Raika and Youthberk would evolve to reach greater heights! Skyfall Arms has evolved into Youthberk: "Skyfall Arms: Rebuild", a symbolism of Youthberk wishing to rebuild the nation he loves and Raika's growth from being alone to making long-term connections! Rebuild once again does the RevolDress mechanic and is able to either summon a Revolform on top of Rebuild from the hand OR pay a single resource the summon it on top of Rebuild from the graveyard! Plus, when a card is summoned on top of Rebuild, you discard a card from your hand to draw one! Issue is, unlike the original Skyfall Arms, Rebuild forces you to banish that Revolform instead. Although it sounds like a detriment, it plays very well with the new Revolform!
Revolform: Exist - The newest form of Youthberk (at the time of this post)! When summoned, you can make one of your allies attack again and give the entire front row +10,000 power! However, if your banishment zone has a Revolform, give the entire front row an extra +20,000 instead! Then, if you have another copy of Exist in the banishment zone, deal an extra damage to your opponent!
With all of this combined, Youthberk proves to be a VERY big threat to the meta who's STILL kicking butt even today! Experienced Youthberk players continue to beat up the meta and destroy as many top decks as possible!
OMG RAIKA YEEEEE HELL YEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! I've changed my feelings on Raika after the beginning of will+Dress. YEAH OKAY SURE HE'S EDGY AS FUCK BUT HE HAS A REALLY CUTE SMILE OK???? LIKE BRUH HE'S SO CUTE FAS{PMS JFIMJF
HOT
Usually his voice was gruff during the beginning cause he's an asshole BUT HE'S GOTTEN SO MUCH SOFTER HE'S NOT A CUTE BITCH HE'S JUST TAME CUTE BITCH NOW HE'S ALSO HELLA CUTE AND ALSO THE LORE FOR YOUTHBERK IS HELLA CRAZY I LOVE IT I KINDA DESCRIBED IT DURING THE DECK ANAYLSIS OF THIS POST BUT YOUTHBERK WAS A BABY WHO WANTED TO BE A COOL KNIGHT BUT WHEN HE BECAME AN ADULT HE REALIZED HOW CORRUPT HIS KINGDOM IS SO HE STARTED REBELLING IN ORDER TO FIX IT AND IT'S SO FUCKING COOL ALSO YOUTHBERK HOT AS FUCK
HOT MAN AWOOOOOOGAAAA
Ever since my sister finally built Youthberk, she's been using him like crazy whenever we play Vanguard lol- it's so fucking fun seeing Youthberk in action in our house it's great lol I would take a bullet for this man ALSO RAIKA'S THEME IS CALLED Breaking the ROCK!! AND IT'S SUNG BY GYROAXIA AND IT SLAPS HARD LIKE GOD DAMN THE SONG TALKS ABOUT BREAKING BONES LIKE HOLY SHIT EDGY BUT GOD DAMN POP OFF KING
There was also this one scene during will+Dress where Raika was in America with Yu-Yu and his friends to witness the American Deluxe tournament and found a card shop and while Yu-Yu's friends were going crazy, Yu-Yu was like "guys shouldn't we save money????" and I kid you not Raika said and I quote. "Yu-Yu Kondo. Don't think. Feel." while pushing his glasses up in the dramatic anime fashion and I was like "god damnit I love this nerd"
HE'S SO CUTE MAN DSKI HSDIUSGF
FUCKING NERD
Also he has sick ass lines when summoning Youthberk and it's just SO cool and to the point. Like "It's time to obstruct the heavens!" and "Fall, forever!" AND IT'S SO FUCKING EDGY BUT SO FUCKING COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hehehehehe Raika is such a fucking bastard man he gets a fic uwu. It's based off of the fight me and my sis had when she used Youthberk against my Bavsargra deck so I hope that's ok! Also I think I made the reader a masochist lol-
Raika Koshiba x Gender-Neutral Reader that uses Sealed Blaze Maiden, Bavsargra
"O maiden of despair, my skyfall spear shall pierce your raging flames. Fall…Forever! RevolDress!! Youthberk "RevolForm: Exist"!"
It all happened so fast.
The maiden you had entrusted your life to had fallen.
The last thing you remember through the visions was your guardian, Sealed Blaze Maiden, Bavsargra, being roughly and thoroughly pierced by the fierce storm created by the leader of the Skyfall Knights, Youthberk himself. With all of his might, the knight had sprung into action, leaping towards the sky and charging straight towards the shield Bavsargra had used to defend herself, only to be pierced by his spears. No matter how much Bavsargra held on, Youthberk charged his spear downwards towards the ground, using all of his strength to deal the most fatal blow he could.
All while you watched; eyes red and puffy, watching your protector fall towards the earth.
"BAVA!"
As your eyes closed, you found yourself back in reality, standing before the table used to play Vanguard while you took your sixth damage, ending the game.
"Thank you for this match," Koshiba Raika bowed towards you from across the table as he began to collect his cards, leaving you standing in shock, heart pounding with increasing fervor. As he finished cleaning and placed his glasses back on, Raika glaced at you with a look of confusion. "….(Y/N)-san? Are you alright? You haven't cleaned up."
"…that was…" you placed your hand over your heart, as you gazed at him, your eyes shining with adoration. "That was so cool, Koshiba senpai!"
Raika gazed at you with confusion before letting out another sigh. "This again? You're always like this after we fight."
"But it's true!" you gasped, pumping your fists into the air while showing off bouts of fury, doing your best to demonstrate the fight within your visions. "The way you were commanding Youthberk was like "go getem youthy!" and the way Bava was like "oh no-" and then the way they were fighting was like blam! bam! boom! and then-!"
Raika couldn't help but sigh again, readjusting his glasses. "I still don't understand the words you describe. But…" a small smile formed onto his face. "i…I'm happy to hear you enjoy each match we have."
"What was that, Koshiba senpai?"
"Nothing." Raika coughed. "Thank you for helping me prepare for the third Deluxe."
"Anytime!" you grinned as Raika walked away before cleaning your cards as well.
"Honestly, what do you see in him?" You could hear Bavsargra whisper within your mind, pouting as she watched you grinned. "You're always swooning over him, even when he tries to completely murder me."
"Sorry, Bava.." you released an awkward chuckle. "But…he's just so cool…I've gotta keep up with him. And for that, I've gotta train hard! Oh, and I've gotta purchase your new upgrades too!"
"…please do…I don't wish to be sent to the hospital again."
Happy birthday Raika!