Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 055

"Stalked by the Rare Hunters", known as "Ghouls Storms - The Targeted Red-Eyes Black Dragon" in the Japanese version, is the fifty-fifth episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. It first aired in Japan on May 15, 2001, and in the US on December 14, 2002.

Summary
Joey learns about the upcoming Battle City tournament from Yugi and Téa. He decides to join in to help Yugi, despite their warning about Seto Kaiba having a grudge against him.

At the registration office, Yugi is well-qualified to enter the tournament, but when Joey tries to sign up, he finds out his ranking is too low. However, the clerk notices Joey's Rarest Card is the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, something the Rare Hunters would like to get their hands on. He changes Joey's ranking so that it is high enough to let him enter the Tournament. He then issues Yugi and Joey their Duel Disks. Shortly after they leave he calls the Rare Hunters to tell them that he found a nice catch. That evening, Joey separates from everyone else to go to the hospital to visit Serenity, who is about to get her eye operation. He is confronted by three Rare Hunters. One of them forces him into a Duel where if he loses, he must give up his Red-Eyes Black Dragon. All the Rare Hunter does is Draw Cards and Set 'Wall' Monsters. Joey continuously Destroys his Monsters, but the Rare Hunter eventually Draws all five pieces of Exodia and wins. The group beat him up and take away his Red-Eyes after claiming that there's no Card they can't replicate.

The next morning, Joey's mother calls Yugi, to say that he never showed up at the hospital. Yugi, Tristan, and Téa search for him. Tristan, riding his cool motorcycle, finds him at a beach. After some words and blows are exchanged between the two, Tristan takes Joey to the hospital. Apparently after getting beat-up, Joey was angry with having lost his Card and thought he couldn't face his younger sister. He helps Serenity get the confidence she needs to go through with her operation. Joey is determined to get his Red-Eyes Black Dragon back.

Featured Duel: Joey vs. Rare Hunter
Joey's turn

Joey Normal Summons "Panther Warrior" in Attack Position (2000 ATK / 1600 DEF).

Rare Hunter's turn

Rare Hunter Sets a Monster.

Joey's turn

Joey activates Quick-Play Magic Card "Scapegoat" to Special Summon 4 "Sheep Tokens" in Defense Position (0 ATK / 0 DEF). He Tributes 1 "Sheep Token" to allow "Panther Warrior" 1 Attack. "Panther Warrior" Attacks then Destroys Rare Hunter's Set "Hannibal Necromancer" (1400 ATK / 1800 DEF).

Rare Hunter's turn

Rare Hunter Activates Magic Card "Graceful Charity" to Draw 3 Cards then Discards 2 from his Hand. Then, he Sets a Monster.

Joey's turn

Joey Normal Summons "Alligator's Sword" in Attack Position (1500 ATK / 1200 DEF). He then Tributes another "Sheep Token" to allow "Panther Warrior" 1 Attack. "Panther Warrior" Attacks then Destroys Rare Hunter's Set "Three-Headed Geedo" (1200 ATK / 1400 DEF). "Alligator's Sword" Attacks Seeker (Seeker: 4000 → 2500 Life Points).

Rare Hunter's turn

Rare Hunter Activates another "Graceful Charity" to Draw 3 Cards then Discards 2. Then, he Sets a Monster.

Joey's turn

Joey Tributes "Alligator's Sword" and "Panther Warrior" to Tribute Summon "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" in Attack Position (2400 ATK / 2000 DEF). "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" Attacks then Destroys Rare Hunter's Set Death Hand (??? ATK / ??? DEF).

Rare Hunter's turn

Rare Hunter Draws the last piece of "Exodia" and Summons it which causes him to win automatically.

Differences in adaptations

 * Cut from the dub Yugi and his friends looking at cards through the shop window.
 * When the shopkeeper looks up Yugi on his computer, he it says he is a level 8 duelist. In the English version it is change to see Yugi as a a 5 Star Duelist. Also, when he looks up Joey, in the japanese version it shows him as a level 2 duelist, whilst in the English version it shows him as a 1 Star Duelist.
 * Exodia's star is given five more points in the dub.
 * Cut from the dub, Tristan's driving along the causeway above the beach, when he spots Joey sitting on the sand. Joey's all dirty and beat up, saying, "I'm sorry, Serenity." Joey saying that he can't see his sister because he lost Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Tristan punches and knocks him flat on the floor, hauls him up and gives him a ride on his motorcycle.