Astral (manga)

Astral (アストラル Asutoraru) is a mysterious entity in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL manga, and one of the main protagonists, along with his partner and best friend Yuma Tsukumo.

His memories are scattered in the form of the 99 "Numbers". When two or more "Numbers" confront in a Duel, they will fight each other to consume one another. When their owners are defeated in a Duel, the cards are absorbed into Astral.

Biography
When Yuma Tsukumo was Dueling against Shark, Shark was overpowering Yuma since the beginning. But when Yuma decides to believe in himself, his broken pendant restores itself, and Yuma uses it to open The door of his dreams. When he does so, a dark card, called a "Number", possesses Shark, making him even stronger. However, at the same time, a mysterious entity, called Astral, appears before Yuma, and tells him to "stand up and win".

Astral says that he is a Duelist, but that he lost his memories. Also, Yuma notices that nobody else can see Astral besides him. Later, seeing Shark's "Number 17: Leviathan Dragon", Astral remembers the "Numbers" are fragments of his memories, and that he shall collect all "Numbers" in order to retrieve his memories. Also, he says "Numbers" battle to absorb each other - so, if he and Yuma lose, he will disappear.

Astral gives Yuma advice during the Duel, and Yuma appears to begin a comeback. However, he flubs another move, forgetting to activate his "Bye Bye Damage" Trap Card, which could have saved him Life Points. When Shark reduces Yuma's Life Points to 500 and puts him in a corner, Kotori tells him not to give up, and he stands, betting everything in his draw. Yuma draws "Monster Reborn" and decides to counterattack Shark; however, Yuma accidentally makes a misplay. Astral says that Yuma is pathetic, but that his feelings are strong, and that they will win if Yuma trusts him. Suddenly, a black card is revealed in Yuma's Extra Deck - Astral gave him a "Number" card, "Number 39: Utopia", which was formed through Yuma's and Astral's hope (Note: The original name of "Utopia" is "Hope"). Then, using the "Number" and "Double or Nothing!", Yuma and Astral were able to win. After that, Astral absorbs Shark's "Number", and Yuma tells him the Duel was fun. Shark then leaves saying that he wouldn't forget that. From that on, Astral becomes Yuma's partner.

Later, Yuma is deceived by a boy named Tokunosuke, who gets interested in him as he was able to defeat Shark. He asks Yuma for his autograph, and gives Yuma "Baby Tiragon", saying that would represent their friendship.

At home, Astral asks who the two people in the picture Yuma has on his desk are. He tells him that those are his parents who never returned from their adventure. Astral recalls Yuma mentioning that his parents gave him the Emperor's Key and wonders if they are related to its powers. Yuma tells him to forget about that and shows him his new "Baby Tiragon" card - his very own Xyz Monster. Yuma hears someone coming. His sister, Akari, enters the room and asks when he's planning to go to bed - she's trying to write a news article and Yuma won't be quiet. He apologizes and says he'll go to bed now. Seeing the card in his hand, she asks if he's been playing Duel Monsters. He says that of course he hasn't, as his sister previously forbade him to do so. Their grandmother muses that Yuma is a poor kid to be picked on like that. Akari believes that for Yuma, Dueling is more than just a game, and that it can't be helped. Astral is surprised to learn that Yuma isn't allowed to Duel and Yuma responds that his sister doesn't wish him to, as she believes something bad may happen. Astral thinks that perhaps Akari is aware of the relationship between Yuma and The Emperor's Key.

Then, during the next day, Yuma Duels Tokunosuke at school. Yuma asks Astral if he was not going to participate in the Duel, and he replied saying that if "Numbers" are not involved, it doesn't interest him. During the Duel, Tokunosuke uses "Baby Tiragon" to take control of Yuma's "Numbers", and reveals that the paper which Yuma signed was an agreement to bet on their best cards for the Duel. But Yuma uses "Baby Tiragon" together with "Stinging Swordsman" and manages to win. After the Duel, Yuma offers Tokunosuke "Baby Tiragon" back, but Tokunosuke lets it to Yuma, and they become friends.

After a Numbers holder attempts to rob a shopping mall, Kaito Tenjo a Numbers Hunter, defeats him and absorbs his "Number", alongside with his soul. Kaito then flies, and in the way, finds Yuma, who possesses "Number" cards, making him force Yuma into a Duel, betting the "Numbers" and his soul. However, even with Yuma's "Kattobingu" spirit, he wasn't a challenge to Kaito, who dominated the Duel. When Kaito was about to win, his robot servant, Orbital 7, warns him his brother Haruto is in bad conditions, and Kaito immediately cancels the Duel.

Upon his loss to Kaito, Yuma's spirit is totally broken. Seeing that, Kotori tries in many ways to cheer him up, but it doesn't work, and she even ends up being hospitalized. Then, in order to help Yuma, his friends form the Numbers Club, with the intention of helping him collecting the "Numbers". Then, after many research, Tokunosuke finds an information that "Numbers" exist in the Heartland Theme Park. By that way, they take Yuma to the park. However, the owner of the park, Mr. Heartland, hired three Numbers Hunters, who work in the park, collecting "Numbers" secretly disguised as employees.

Yuma and his friends than go to the park, and have fun in many attractions. After trying many of them, they go to a roller coaster attraction called "Captain Corn's Nature Cruise", owned by a popular character from the Theme Park, Captain Corn. However, Captain Corn is one of the Numbers Hunters from the park, and as soon as Yuma enters in the roller coaster, he splits the wagons, separating Yuma from his friends, and challenging him to a Duel betting the "Numbers".

While Yuma and Corn Duel, Kotori, Tetsuo, Cathy and Tokunosuke notice Yuma's missing, and try to leave to look for him. But Captain Corn traps and almost kills them. However, Cathy's agility saved the group, while Yuma managed to defeat Captain Corn. Yuma and his friend then meet, and eat Captain Corn, who exploded into a pile of popcorn due the explosion of Yuma's "Hope Buster".

When Astral absorbs Captain Corn's "Number", Mr. Heartland appears and reveals he is hunting the "Numbers" to destroy Astral's home, the Astral World, because it is evil, and Astral is the "messenger". Yuma defends Astral, but Mr. Heartland clicks his fingers, and a kind of door opens in the floor, making them fall in the "Speed Loader", another attraction in the Theme Park. There, they find another Numbers Hunter from the Park, Thunder Spark, who challenges Yuma to a "Speed Duel" in the "Speed Loader". He also gives Yuma's friends a helicopter, so that they can watch the Duel. However, as Yuma couldn't concentrate in the Duel and in the ride at the same time, Astral offered himself to instruct him what cards to play while he rides, and said Yuma to trust him. In response to Astral's feelings, Yuma gets very spirited and begins riding.

During the Duel, Thunder Spark showed himself as a valuable opponent, but that wasn't Yuma's only problem: the "Speed Loader" contains a large variety of fields, each one with different obstacles, and while Astral Dueled, Yuma had big problems driving through them. When arriving at the water field, Yuma falls in the large and deep river located in there, and almost die. Kotori and Cathy even jumped from the helicopter trying to save him. However, as Yuma sinks, he listens to his father's voice, and does "Kattobing". With Astral's help, Yuma manages to go back to the Duel, bringing out Captain Corn's "Black Corn", which together with his "Utopia", allows him to reach victory.

After a hard Duel, Astral finally reaches victory with Yuma. After Thunder Spark is defeated, Yuma thanks Astral, and they try to shake hands, but Astral's hand goes directly through Yuma's, and they just laugh on that. Yuma then goes to where Spark is, when Spark asks Yuma to shake hands, as he "did" with Astral. Yuma accepts it, but gets electrocuted with Spark's touch. Spark explains he could never shake hands with anyone, because he wasn't a human, and would electrify anyone he touched. However, happy for being able to touch a person, Spark now says his last words to Yuma, and quietly disappears in peace, letting his "Number" to Yuma. Yuma and Astral take the "Number", as they lament Spark's "death".

After jumping into the Speed Loader's river field in order to save Yuma, Kotori and Cathy got totally wet. They then find a room with some female clothes, and borrow a dress for each. There, Yuma and his friends find a big door after a staircase, which they pass by, entering a dark room, decorated with lots of dolls, and featuring a big stairway leading to a Doll House. Suddenly, Koron-chan, another popular character from the Heartland Theme Park, comes down the stairs, holding a candlestick. She initially greets them, but when Cathy replies, she notices Kotori and Cathy are using clothes from hers. The girls try to excuse, but Koron-chan doesn't listen to them, and enraged, throws the candlestick, which surrounds them with flames, and challenges Yuma to a Duel.

Koron-chan quickly Summons her "Number", "Number 22: Fran Ken" (called "Ken-chan" by her), totally overpowering Yuma. However, at a certain point of the Duel, Yuma asks her why is she so obsessed in winning and serving Mr. Heartland, and if she had any personal reasons like the previous assassin. She then tells Yuma and his friends about her past, and crying, yells that she doesn't want to be a miserable doll anymore. That feelings reach Cathy, who revealed she was the girl that abandoned her. Kotori tries to soften Cathy's past acts in order to help Yuma concentrate in the Duel, but Koron-chan rages, and throws oil in the fire surrounding them, making it even higher. They then continue the Duel.

However, due to a strange event involving her "Number" and Yuma's "Gagaga Girl", she loses the Duel. The impact of "Utopia's" attack throws Koron directly to the fire wall.

At that time, Cathy dives into the flames and tries to save her, saying that she was the one who abandoned Koron, and had to save her. Cathy's noble attitude makes Yuma, Tetsuo and Tokunosuke get shocked, but in the hurry, Cathy mistakes and gets out of the fire carrying one of Koron's doll. This time, Yuma goes to the flames to save Koron, but, who appears to save both, who would be burnt by the flames, is the one who gave Koron a soul - Grandpa Demetto! While he sends Yuma and Koron out of the fire, he is engulfed by the flames together with the field.

Koron mourns the death of Demetto, who she loved. As she had nowhere to go now, Yuma invites her to live with him in his house, and says that everybody that Duels him becomes his friend. In tears, Koron forgives Cathy, and accepts Yuma's invitation, becoming friends with him and the rest of the gang.

Yuma, the Numbers Club and Koron-chan then run to a railway bridge in order to escape from the Heartland Theme Park, but the exit is locked, and Kaito and Orbital 7 appear. Kaito challenges Yuma to a Duel in order to obtain his "Numbers", but Mr. Heartland shows up interrupting them. Apparently, Mr. Heartland had a plan to get rid of Yuma and takes his "Numbers", as his assassins were defeated. However, Kaito refuses to follow his method, and, with no option, triggers Orbital 7's self-explode mechanism, which destroys the bridge. But as Yuma and his friends fall down in the water, Kaito saves them, and let them escape.

Koron explains that Kaito has became a Numbers Hunter to protect his little brother, who is ill. Astral tells Yuma that even Kaito's reasons being noble, as long as he continues being a Numbers Hunter, someday they'll have to fight each other. Yuma replies saying that he knows that, and when that happens, he will not lose.

Deck
While Dueling, Astral uses Yuma's Deck but focusing on defensive strategies, and uses card effects to Swarm monsters to his field and Summon Xyz Monsters.

Numbers absorbed

 * Number 39: Utopia
 * Number 17: Leviathan Dragon
 * Number 50: Black Corn
 * Number 91: Thunder Spark Dragon
 * Number 22: Fran Ken