Yaiba Tōdō

Yaiba Tōdō ( Tōdō Yaiba) is a character of the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime. He is the Synchro Course Representative at Leo Duel School.

Appearance
Compared to Hokuto Shijima and Masumi Kōtsu, Yaiba is the shortest of the three. He has long brown spiked hair that reaches right above his waist and yellow eyes. His outfit consists of a white sleeveless jacket with a red collar. On his red collar, he wears his LDS pin. Underneath his jacket, he wears what appears to be a two-piece navy blue long-sleeved shirt with pants. He wears grey and red shoes and carries his deck in a black holster which he wears around his waist. Yaiba also carries a kendo sword also known as a shinai.

Personality
Yaiba appears to be less arrogant and more confident in his skills, claiming (and arguably justifiably) that he was the strongest of his fellow Course-representatives. That being said, he's willing to acknowledge when he's in trouble or when he's actually impressed by his opponent. He also seems to hold some pride as a teacher, believing that the Synchro Summoning he taught to Gongenzaka might prevent Yūya from getting into the Junior Youth Championship when they Dueled, and getting furious when Gongenzaka didn't defeat Gen Ankokuji effectively.

He demonstrates camaraderie with Masumi and Hokuto, though he was less supportive of her efforts to find Professor Marco; when she directly asked him to help, he did so, even breaking off his training of Gongenzaka.

Yaiba does have a slightly mean streak, however, dismissing Masumi and Hokuto as weaklings, and after Yūya Sakaki asked Reiji if he knew his father Yūshō, Yaiba was the one who derided Yūshō.

Etymology
The first character which composed "Todo" means "sword". Also, "Yaiba" means "blade" or "edge (of a knife)" (something that is directly mentioned in the series proper when choosing an Action Field for Yaiba to Duel Gongenzaka).

Pre-Maiami Championship
Yaiba, along with fellow LDS course representatives Hokuto Shijima and Masumi Kōtsu, were tasked by Himika Akaba with defeating members of You Show Duel School in retaliation of the attack on Shingo. After Hokuto's loss and Masumi's win, Yaiba was to Duel Sora Shiun'in, but Sora pulled out and had Gongenzaka take his place. Before the Duel, Yaiba commented to the group that unlike his predecessors, he was actually strong. Gongenzaka only Summoned his 1000 ATK "Superheavy Samurai Kabuto" for his first turn, a move that Yaiba regarded as wasted. Gongenzaka retorted that true men made no wasted moves, and was seemingly proved right when Yaiba's Special Summoning of "XX-Saber Fulhelmknight" via "XX-Saber Boggart Knight" prevented them from destroying "Kabuto", as this triggered its defensive effect. But Yaiba proceeded to Synchro Summon twice, bringing out "X-Saber Souza" and "XX-Saber Gatmuz". He destroyed "Kabuto" and reduced Gongenzaka to 1500 Life Points, but was completely shocked by Gongenzaka's ace monster, "Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei", which was Summoned in Defense Position, and could attack with its 3500 DEF. It destroyed "Gatmuz" with ease, but Yaiba was not only able to bring out another next turn, but use Action Cards to power it and "Souza" up enough to overpower "Big Benkei" and inflict Piercing Damage with "Meteorain", though "Big Benkei" survived thanks to the effect of Gongenzaka's "Superheavy Samurai Soul Fire Armor". Noting the activation of the effect from Gongenzaka's hand, Yaiba used the effect of "Gatmuz" to clear out Gongenzaka's hand, but that didn't stop Gongenzaka from drawing a monster that powered up "Big Benkei" to equal stats with "Gatmuz" and destroying "Souza". Yaiba revived Souza and brought out his third "Gatmuz", then used "Souza"'s effect in an attempt to remove "Big Benkei" from the field. Gongenzaka was able to fend off the attack at the cost of his monster's DEF - which had been his plan all along, as this allowed him to use "Superheavy Samurai Soul Break Armor" to inflict enough damage to be victorious. It was at this point that Yaiba learned that Gongenzaka's Deck contained only monsters, and that his effects required him to have no Magic or Trap Cards in his Graveyard. Though impressed, Yaiba bounced the damage back at Gongenzaka, forcing Gongenzaka to use "Superheavy Samurai Soul Big Bang" to end the Duel in a draw.

During the subsequent Duel between Yūya Sakaki and Reiji Akaba, Yaiba brought up the uncomfortable subject of Yūya's father when it was mentioned, prompting swift rebuke from Reiji. He was present when the group were alerted of the disappearance of Professor Marco, and he later went with Masumi and Hokuto to the site of the incident. One of LDS's top team aces, Tio explained that they were looking into the attack, pacifying Yaiba and Hokuto, and causing them to admit their admiration for the top-team. Masumi wasn't convinced, and she went by herself to the scene of the first incident.

Later, after the attack on a trio of LDS aces, Masumi went out to the scene of that incident. Though they didn't appear as worried as her, Yaiba and Hokuto were apprehensive about the incidents, and noted that they could be next. Gongenzaka then showed up, apparently angry and intimidating Yaiba, who thought Gongenzaka wanted a rematch. Instead, Gongenzaka humbly fell on his knees and requested that Yaiba teach him Synchro Summoning, much to Yaiba's utter shock. Yaiba and Hokuto were later conacted by Masumi, who had found the black-masked man who had attacked Shingo and the man who had attacked everyone else. Yaiba contacted LDS, and Hokuto an into Yūya Sakaki - quite literally - on the way. They explained to Yūya that they'd found the culprit of the assault incidents, and Yūya joined them, but when they got to the harbor, the culprits were gone. As they parted ways, Yaiba, likely having heard so from Gongenzaka, wished Yūya luck in getting into the Maiami Championship, though he noted that it might be impossible for him.

Yaiba took the time to train Gongenzaka on a shore platform, but he was interrupted halfway through by Masumi, who had found Shun, the Duelist that had attacked Professor Marco. Yaiba joined her and Hokuto, suggesting that if they won, their opportunities would widen, and suggesting that they play by Battle Royale rules. After Hokuto returned Shun's three "Raid Raptors - Vanishing Lanius" to his hand, Yaiba used "XX-Saber Hyunlei" to destroy his Magic and Trap Cards, and "Gatmuz" to wipe out his hand, leaving him apparently defenseless for Masumi to take down. But Shun used "Raid Raptors - Readiness" to survive the game ending damage, and after claiming that the three students' Dueling lacked determination and strength, he brought out the 100 ATK "Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon," and though Yaiba initially mocked it, "Rise Falcon's" effect allowed it to attack all of their monsters and gain their combined ATK, and it wiped Yaiba and his friends out in one swoop. Yaiba wasn't sealed into a card like most of Shun's other victims, as the arrival of Reiji and his subsequent truce with Shun prevented it, and his memory was wiped and altered to remove his memories of Shun and make him believe that Shun had always been a part of their group.

Round 1
Yaiba watched Masumi's Duel with Yuzu, and was concerned when she was pushed into a corner and after the attack that caused her to lose caused her to fall, but relieved when Yuzu's monster saved her.

On the second day of the tournament, Yaiba watched his "disciple", Gongenzaka's, first match against Gen Ankokuji. He wasn't pleased when Gongenzaka's strategy to Synchro Summon was countered, as it made him look bad, and confused as to why Gongenzaka appeared to be panicking. Gongenzaka was eventually able to Synchro Summon and win, much to Yaiba's relief.

The next day he and his comrades watched Yūya's duel with Shingo. While they showed disdain for him, they were amazed by Shingo's unique Yosenju strategies that sealed away Yūya's Pendulum Summon.

After watching the match, he and his comrades then watched Shun's duel with Sora in Heartland Action field. When Shun began to reminisce about his home, Yaiba and his friends began to wonder where Shun was from. He and his comrades grew excited at the never before seen Rank-up Xyz Evolution made by Shun and again when he won.

2 days after that he met Yūya with his friends where he denied to take him to meet Shun because Shun hardly even speaks to Yaiba and his friends. However, he offered to have him and his friends watch his match against Isao where they were shocked to see Yaiba being physically assaulted to keep him from getting action cards and therefore lost. Due to the beating, he had to be hospitalized. This act fueled Yūya's determination to make Isao smile in their upcoming duel.

Synchro Dimension Arc
After the invasion of the Obelisk Force, Himika Akaba revealed the existence of the Fusion Dimension, it fighters, and the Lancers. When they saw video footage of the knight of duels being sealed into cars, A bandaged Yaiba with Masumi began to suspect that happened to Hokuto as well. He then contemplating joining the Lancers with Masumi.

Deck
Yaiba uses an "X-Saber" Deck focused on Synchro Summoning "XX-Saber Gatmuz" and swarming the field with Synchro Monsters, then using the effect of "Gatmuz" to clear his opponent's hand.