Bolt Tanner

Bolt Tanner, known as Jin Himuro in the Japanese version, is a former Pro Duelist, who is a close friend of Yusei Fudo, and serves Yusei on his adventures. In the English version, Tanner speaks with a Brooklyn accent, and seems to be the most intellegent of the group of Yusei's friends.

Prior to debut
Tanner was once very prominent in the dueling world, working his way up to facing Jack Atlas himself in a Turbo Duel. However, Jack easily crushed him, and from then on Tanner was little more than a joke in the dueling world. Distraught, he fell in with criminals, drunks, and underground duelists, and was quickly arrested. (In the English Dub, his alcoholism and drug problems are only implied as Tanner states "It was all downhill from there", indicating it was after his loss to Jack.) At the Facility, he is highly respected. He has all new inmates Duel him in order to see if they are also worthy of respect.

The Facility
He meets Yusei Fudo after Yusei is transported to the Facility. Tanner challenges Yusei, who is unable to duel, since he doesn't have a deck. Yanagi duels in place of Yusei. Tanner brings out "Giant Ushi Oni" on his second turn and uses it to turn Yanagi's strategy against him, defeating him that same turn.

Tanner speaks ill of Yanagi Tenzen's cards and stomps on them causing Yusei Fudo to challenge him to a duel, where Yusei uses Yanagi's deck. Yusei defeats him with some difficulty and afterwards Tanner becomes friends with Yusei.

Yusei intends to escape the Facility with Tanner and Yanagi. Tanner gets beaten up and harassed by Mr. Armstrong for being friends with Yusei. (In both versions, there's a more elaborate reason why. In the original Japanese version, Tanner had a knife stashed away in his cell, while in the English Dub, Armstrong beat him up because he had smuggled magazines in his cell though Yusei insists Tanner had none, suggesting Armstrong was greatly unfair.)

After Yusei won the duel with Armstrong, Tanner gave Yusei his "Giant Ushi Oni" as partly as a parting gift and partly as a lead to Blister, a friend of Tanner who could help Yusei.

Fortune Cup
He is released from prison by Blister due to his companionship with Yusei, and he and Yanagi go to meet with Yusei and Blister. Tanner becomes suspicious of Yusei's being invited to the Fortune Cup, positive the tournament is an elaborate trap. After Yusei wins the Fortune Cup, he helps Yusei escape from the reporters.

Dark Signers
After safely reaching Blister's hideout, Yusei tells Tanner and the others about the mysterious spider mark vision shown by the Crimson Dragon. When Yusei says he wants to meet Rex, Tanner objects but is cast aside by Yusei. He then moves into Leo and Luna's apartment. He arranged for a meeting with Divine in hopes of gaining the support of Akiza but is tricked by Divine and they are knocked out by gas. Yanagi and Tanner are taken to a secure room and locked inside.

Yanagi and Tanner wake up in the room wondering what happened. They figure out that Divine put them there and he could not be trusted. They try busting the door for a bit but get nowhere. The entire building shakes and the building starts collapsing. The door is finally loose enough to ram and they bust the door. They find Luna watching her brother through glass. Tanner breaks the glass and frees Leo. They try to find a way out but Luna is lead to Akiza dueling. They follow and watch Akiza and Misty duel. The Duel stops when the building collapses and Tanner, Yanagi, Leo, and Luna run out of the building. They meet Jack outside and tell him that Akiza is inside and may need Help. They run and the building collapses. They find out that Akiza is in the hospital and they visit her. Bolt, Yanagi, and Dexter are last seen seeing the Signers off to the Satellite.

Deck
Tanner plays a Ushi Oni Beatdown Deck, focusing on the otherwise-mundane card "Ushi Oni". With "Cost Down", he can bring out "Ushi Oni" in one turn, and on the next he can tribute it for his ace card, "Giant Ushi Oni". This Deck goes through Life Points quickly, making it the perfect counter to Yanagi's Deck, which inflicts damage to him.