Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - Episode 001

"Go With the Flow, Part 1", known as "I'm Kattobingu!!" in the Japanese version, is the first episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL anime. It first aired in Japan on April 11, 2011 and in the United States on October 15, 2011.

Summary
Yuma Tsukumo appears before The Door with a demonic face wrapped in chains. A voice says that whoever opens this door will receive a new power but in compensation comes with great risk. Emperor's Key worn around Yuma's neck lights up as he wonders about his most precious thing. Suddenly the ground below him crumbles away causing him to fall into an abyss.

In reality, Yuma wakes up after falling out of the hammock in his attic. He realizes that was the first time he had that dream. The clock strikes at 8 o'clock and Yuma realizes that he is late. He gathers up his cards and climbs down a rope from the attic into his bedroom. Downstairs, his sister Kari Tsukumo is working on a few flat screen monitors. She requests that the desk clears up a space in the 3:00 delivery. Yuma rushes down and asks why she didn't wake him. Kari replies that she's busy in the morning with news replies and since Yuma is in junior high he should wake himself up. Yuma pulls a face behind her back and dashes out.

Yuma puts his shoes on at the door and tells his grandmother Haru Tsukumo that he is going out. Haru tells him to take lunch with him, but Yuma says he has no time. Haru is unhappy with this and catches the collar of his shirt with her broom and lifts him off the ground. She explains that if Yuma does take lunch, then he will be in trouble (in the dub, this is changed to to Haru wanting a good-bye kiss).

Later Yuma rushes through the neighborhood and leapfrogs over a Litterbot, which is a litter-collecting robot. The Litterbot is left spinning out of control. He apologizes and continues running. Bronk Stone calls Yuma's name and leaps in front of him on his skateboard. He declares that it is a race to the school entrance. Yuma accepts the challenge, throws a rice cake into his mouth, and runs in front. He claims that he is gaining on Bronk. They reach a stairway. Yuma takes the steps while Bronk rides down the slope in the middle. Bronk reaches the bottom first and kicks another Litterbot, sending it spinning out of control into Yuma's path. Yuma bumps into the Litterbot and is sent flying. His cards fall out of his messenger bag and are scattered with the litter the robot had been collecting. Yuma shouts at Bronk, who continues the race, leaving Yuma behind. A couple of robots gather around where Yuma fell and mistake his cards for litter. Yuma desperately grabs his cards back and tries explaining that they're not trash. However, the Litterbots continue by saying "Dueling Trash" angering Yuma, who says "Listen you twin twits, they're not trash!"

Up above on a cable car Tori Meadows anxiously looks down. Her friends asks that Yuma should get some new cards, as the Litterbots think they are trash. Tori blushes and agrees with them.

Later at the school gym twenty trapezoid blocks have been stacked. A group of students are gathered around watching. Bronk says that if Yuma jumps over these blocks, he would have set the school's record. Yuma says that he can beat the high record. He yells "I'm feeling the flow!", and jumps at the blocks but knocks the stack over and falls on his face. Tori asks if he is okay while Bronk points and laughs that Yuma is an idiot.

At the swimming pool Yuma tries swimming the entire length of the pool in one breath. Tori wishes him luck while Bronk says that it is impossible. He tries saying that swimming one length and holding his breath is no problem. He inhales some water, which then makes him come back up and spit out the water he inhaled. Bronk then calls him an idiot.

In class, Tori sits next to Yuma, who is now exhausted. She asks why Yuma does all those challenges. Yuma says that it is all fun and begins to say his catchphrase but Tori says that nothing will work. Yuma explains that she just doesn't understand and that the important thing is to keep fighting and as long as you don't give up you will someday succeed. Tori smiles and Yuma clasps the Emperor's Key, saying that he has this no matter what happens. Tori asks if it is a keepsake of his traveling parents. Yuma affirms and says that the key opens many possibilities. Tori asks if it would work on her, but Yuma just says "no", much to her surprise. He continues and explains that when he has the key he feels like he can take on any challenge. He stands up and yells "I am feeling the flow" with the whole class and teacher listening.

During their break, Yuma and Tori go to a square where students are Dueling. They put on their Duel Gazers and enter an augmented reality. The two duck as a giant fish flies past them. Yuma laughs and and begins to find an opponent to duel. As they walk among the other students, Yuma asks Tori who he should duel today, Tori replies more like who to lose to today, Yuma asks what that was supposed to mean. Tori directs his attention to a Bronk Dueling someone. They rush up the stairs and find that he is Dueling Shark.

Shark announces that he is performing an Xyz Summon. Since he controls two monsters with the same Level, "Big Jaws" and "Skull Kraken", he can use them as Xyz Material to Xyz Summon an Xyz Monster. He Overlays the two Level 3 monsters and Summons the Rank 3 "Submersible Carrier Aero Shark". Yuma explains that the special thing about Xyz Summoning is that the monsters aren't sent to the Graveyard but become overlay units and support the Xyz Monster. Although he doesn't have any Xyz Monsters himself, Yuma thinks that they are amazing, and that the litter bots wouldn't be calling his cards trash. Shark gets "Submersible Carrier Aero Shark" to attack Bronk directly, dropping his Life Points from 800 to 0 while his remain unscathed at 4000.

The augmented reality disappears and Shark approaches Bronk. Having promised to do so earlier, Shark takes Bronk's Deck. Yuma interrupts and asks what he is doing. Yuma identifies himself and states that he is Bronk's best friend. Two lackeys come over to Shark and ask if Yuma knows who he is. Yuma replies that he is aware that Shark is the boss of bullies in the school. Shark explains that him and Bronk had a little arrangement, whoever wins gets the loser's deck. Yuma asks why Bronk would agree to Sharks deal, and he replies that these guys kept calling him a big chicken and that they challenged him to a duel.

Yuma tells Shark if he is going to challenge Bronk, then that would mean that Shark has to challenge Yuma to a Duel. One of Shark's lackeys says that Yuma is out of his mind and that isn't even in the same league as Shark. Yuma asks if that was a no, and calls Shark a big chicken. Shark says to Yuma what happenes to someone if they called him chicken. Yuma thinks something bad, but Shark says that it hasn't happened to him once. Yuma declares that this is the first time Shark being called a chicken.

Shark admires Yuma for being confident, and holds out Bronk's Deck and tells Yuma if they did duel, what will Yuma exchange if he lost. Yuma looks down at the Emperor's Key and hasn't thought about that part. Shark realizes Yuma's fixation with the object and swipes it while his lackeys hold Yuma back. Yuma demands that Shark returns the key, Shark says that it must be of value to Yuma. He then drops the key on the ground, and says that he will duel for it, stepping on it and breaking it. Yuma falls to his knees and picks up one of the pieces. He asks Shark why he did that, Shark says that Yuma is right on the fact that he is a bully.

Shark smirks and says it looks like he can't return this Deck. Yuma tries to attack Shark but is restrained by Bronk. Since Yuma isn't giving up and says that they can come to some sort of arrangement. Shark decides that if Yuma wins he gets Bronk's deck back and that if he loses, Shark gets Yuma's deck and tells Yuma to come on sunday at the station courtyard, and that if he wants Bronk's deck back, he has to be there.

At night, Yuma suffers the same nightmare which said that he must lose something important to him to gain a power.

Another day at the school gym, Tori asks Yuma if he's going to try and jump the twenty blocks again. However, Yuma appears more serious than the day before and opts not to. At the pool, another student asks Yuma if he is going to try the underwater lap today. He declines and Tori splashes water at him, trying to encourage him to cheer up. Yuma explains that he's not feeling the flow, since Shark broke his key.

After school, Bronk skates up to Yuma and Tori and asks if Yuma plans on Dueling Shark tomorrow. Yuma doesn't know yet,but Bronk tries to talk him out of it fearing that Yuma will lose. Yuma asks how he would know but Bronk argues that Shark made it to the Duel Nationals last year. Bronk admits that this is his own fault and that he doesn't want Yuma to have to suffer on his behalf. Yuma insists that he isn't doing this for Bronk but because he needs to teach Shark that he can't push people around and doesn't care if Shark made it to the nationals, and says that some day he will make it there too. Tori is impressed by Yuma's speech. Bronk is surprised but not fully confident. He says to Yuma that it's up to him what he does and tosses him the part of the key Shark threw away. Yuma is touched that Bronk found this and asks him how. Bronk says that he went looking for it and skates away.

That night, Yuma looks at his Deck. He then says that maybe the litter bots are right on his cards being trash and looks at a picture of his parents. He reminds himself that his dad used this Deck before and concludes that it must be left to Yuma for a reason.

The next morning Yuma rushes out of the house but is called back by Haru. She tosses him a packed meal and says that it's duel fuel and to take down Shark.

At the park, Yuma, Tori and Bronk face Shark and his lackeys. Shark congratulates Yuma for showing up and that he should say goodbye to his cards. Yuma replies that the only thing Shark will be getting is a good old fashion butt kicking, Shark wonders why. Yuma says it's because he is feeling the flow,and readies his Duel Disk and Duel Gazer. The augmented reality is set-up for Yuma and Shark's Duel and their friends are linked in as spectators.

Yuma goes first. His hand contains "Ganbara Knight", "Bye Bye Damage", "Wonder Wand", "Gagaga Magician", "Goblin Out of the Frying Pan", and "Zubaba Knight". He Summons "Zubaba Knight" and says that he cannot attack because he started and ends his turn.

Shark begins his turn saying he intends to ground that knight ATK. Shark's hand contains "Salvage", "Skull Kraken", "Jawsman", "Aqua Jet" and "Big Jaws". He draws "Zeus' Breath" and Summons "Big Jaws", which has 1800 ATK. Shark explains that when two monsters in Attack Position battle, the one with the lower ATK is destroyed and its controller receives damage equal to the difference between their ATK. Yuma is surprised and says that means he will be taking 200 points of damage. Shark replies that such a weak monster should have been Summoned in Defense Position but even if he had a stronger one it wouldn't have made a difference. Shark activates "Aqua Jet", increasing the ATK of "Big Jaws" attack by 1000 until the End Phase. "Big Jaws" attacks "Zubaba Knight". "Zubaba Knight" is destroyed and Yuma's Life Points drop to 2800. Shark Sets a card and ends his turn.

Yuma says that he just started and is already losing and wants to even the score begins his turn and Summons "Gagaga Magician" in Attack Position. Shark says that Yuma does not listen, as he just summoned a monster that is weaker than his. However Yuma says he gets it and equips "Gagaga Magician" with "Wonder Wand", increasing its ATK by 500. Yuma says to Shark that he should play weak monsters in Defense Position, and that "Gagaga Magician is not a weak monster any more. Bronk and Tori celebrate the fact that Yuma's monster having more ATK than Shark's. Yuma attacks "Big Jaws" with "Gagaga Magician". Shark says that he is going to activate a trap card, Yuma is surprised to see a trap card; the Trap Card "Zeus' Breath". It negates the attack and inflicts 800 Effect damage to Yuma since Shark controls a WATER monster, "Big Jaws". Yuma is knocked back and his Life Points drop to 2000.

Yuma leaps back up and having seen Shark's Trap, announces that if Shark can play trap cards, so can he, and that's what he does and ends his turn. Bronk slaps his own face in shame and tells Yuma that since he can Set either a Spell or Trap Card he shouldn't be telling his opponent which one it is. Tori also yells at Yuma, telling him to come to his senses.

Shark mocks Yuma for telling him to place a trap card, and says that it's no big deal. He Summons "Skull Kraken", which has only 600 ATK. Yuma feels relieved because none of Shark's monsters are stronger than his "Gagaga Magician", and are not a problem to him, but Shark uses the effect of "Skull Kraken" to destroy one face-up spell or trap card, so Shark destroys "Wonder Wand" returning the ATK of "Gagaga Magician" to 1500, which is lower than that of "Big Jaws".

Bronk is worried because Shark controls two monsters with the same Level so he is aiming to Xyz Summon. Bronk doubts that Yuma can win. Shark asks Yuma if he could really win Bronk's deck with those skills. Yuma thinks to himself that he thought he was feeling the flow but isn't because the key is broken. Shark sees Yuma clutching onto the key and says that he stomped Yuma's key to pieces and that now he is going to stomp on Yuma. Yumat Shark who says that in the end Yuma cannot do anything alone. Yuma argues that he isn't someone like that and no matter how much he fails, how much he gets laughed at, he has always felt the flow, because he has always believed in himself. He says that "when you're feeling the flow, there's no going back. And I so am!", and rips the broken key of his neck.

The piece of the Emperor's Key in Yuma's hand begins to shine brightly and the other piece in his attic is transported to Yuma's hand where it joins together with the other piece. Yuma finds himself at the demonic door he had seen in his dream. Again it tells him to open the door to obtain a new power but if he does he will lose the thing he treasures most. Yuma runs towards the door, yelling "Let's flow!", and puts the key in the door's lock. Yuma is thrown back and the chains around the door snap as it is opened. Suddenly, a mysterious figure named Astral flies towards Yuma who is then trapped within a sphere made of blank cards. The sphere shatters and Yuma is returned to the park where he is still Dueling Shark.

Yuma wonders if he had been dreaming again but finds the Emperor's Key is fixed. He wonders what happened and looks over at Shark, who is surrounded by a purple aura. Shark asks what is going on as he feels a strength overflowing within himself. A voice tells Shark to let the Numbers take hold.

Shark Overlays "Skull Kraken" and "Big Jaws" and Xyz Summons "Number 17: Leviathan Dragon". Yuma asks what kind of monster is that. Bronk is surprised since he hasn't seen that monster before up until now. Tori asks what it is but Bronk doesn't know and is confused about the whole Number thing.

Shark activates the effect of "Number 17: Leviathan Dragon". By detaching an Overlay Unit, "Leviathan Dragon" gains 500 ATK. He detaches "Skull Kraken", raising the ATK to 2500. "Leviathan Dragon" then uses its "Shark Stream Blast" attack to destroy "Gagaga Magician", lowering Yuma's Life Points to 1000. Shark says that it looks as though this duel is about to end and he shall finish Yuma with his next strike. Yuma lies on the ground in pain and starts to doubt himself. However, Astral appears and tells Yuma to rise up. Yuma asks Astral who he is.

Bronk Stone vs. Reginald "Shark" Kastle
Duel begins from an unspecified turn. Bronk has an empty field and 800 Life Points, while Shark has "Big Jaws" (1800/300) and "Skull Kraken" (600/1600) in Attack Position and 4000 Life Points.

Shark's turn

Shark overlays his two Level 3 monsters to Xyz Summon "Submersible Carrier Aero Shark" (1900/1000) in Attack Position. "Aero Shark" attacks directly (Bronk 800 → 0).

Yuma Tsukumo vs. Reginald "Shark" Kastle
Turn 1: Yuma

Yuma's opening hand contains "Ganbara Knight", "Bye Bye Damage", "Wonder Wand", "Gagaga Magician", "Goblin Out of the Frying Pan" and "Zubaba Knight". He Normal Summons "Zubaba Knight" (1600/900).

Turn 2: Shark

Shark's opening hand contains "Salvage", "Skull Kraken", "Jawsman", "Aqua Jet", "Big Jaws" and "Zeus' Breath". Shark Normal Summons "Big Jaws" (1800/300) and then activates "Aqua Jet", increasing the ATK of "Big Jaws" by 1000 until the End Phase. "Big Jaws" attacks and destroys "Zubaba Knight" (Yuma 4000 → 2800). Shark Sets a card. The ATK of "Big Jaws" returns to its original value at the End Phase.

Turn 3: Yuma

Yuma Normal Summons "Gagaga Magician" (1500/1000) and equips it with "Wonder Wand", increasing its ATK by 500 (1500 → 2000). "Gagaga Magician" attacks "Big Jaws", but Shark activates his face-down "Zeus' Breath", negating the attack and inflicting 800 effect damage to Yuma since Shark controls a face-up WATER-Attribute monster (Yuma 2800 → 2000). Yuma Sets a card.

Turn 4: Shark

Shark Normal Summons "Skull Kraken" (600/1600) in Attack Position. Its effect activates, destroying "Wonder Wand". Shark overlays his two Level 3 monsters to Xyz Summon "Number 17: Leviathan Dragon" (2000/0) in Attack Position. Shark activates the effect of "Leviathan Dragon", detaching the overlaid "Skull Kraken" to increase the ATK of "Leviathan Dragon" by 500 (2000 → 2500). "Leviathan Dragon" attacks and destroys "Gagaga Magician" (Yuma 2000 → 1000).

Duel continues in the next episode.

Featured cards
The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.

In adaptations

 * Cut from the dub is the moment when "Submersible Carrier Aero Shark"'s attack rams into Bronk, ending his duel with Shark. The dub shows the monster approaching Bronk, but then quickly whites out and in to showing Bronk falling to the ground.

From the preview

 * The trailer for the series featured a scene from this episode, where Yuma and Tori watch over a field of Duelists. The scene in the trailer showed one of the monsters on the field being the Synchro Monster "Iron Chain Dragon", yet when the episode aired, it is replaced with another monster.
 * The trailer when summons Zubaba knight where are the attack points is green instead of red

From the manga
This episode is based on Ranks 1: "" and 2 "" of the manga. A number of changes are made, including:
 * A scene where Yuma is running along a zig-zag path towards the gate at the beginning is removed.


 * In the manga, Yuma woke up from the nightmare because the clock on his room made noise. In the anime, he woke up because he fell of his bed.


 * In the manga, it was explained that Yuma had slept in because he was up late preparing his Deck to counter bronk's.


 * In the manga when Haru lifted up Yuma with her broom, he dropped his cards. After asking if he had breakfast, Haru asked if Yuma had forty straight losses to Bronk, but Yuma corrected her saying it was closer to fifty.


 * The scenes with the litter collecting robots, Yuma racing Bronk to school and Tori seeing him from a cable car were not present in the manga.


 * In the manga, Shark broke Emperor's Key by crushing it with his hand, in the anime he stepped on it after throwing it to the floor.


 * The scenes where Yuma was depressed over the Emperor's Key being broken were not present in the manga.


 * In the manga, Shark used "Poseidon Wave". This was replaced with "Zeus' Breath" in the anime to avoid similarities to the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami, which took place a month before the episode first aired.

Mistakes

 * When Yuma declares the end of his turn, the "Gagaga Magician" card is on Yuma's Duel Disk, instead of "Zubaba Knight".


 * In the dub, Yuma's Life Points were shown at 2650 before decreasing to 2000 via "Zeus' Breath". Additionally, the card shown at the bottom of Reginald Kastle's Deck was not changed to the dub's card template.


 * In the dub, Yuma mispronounced the word "true", saying "through" instead.