Yuto

Yuto, also known as The Dark Duelist, is one of the main characters in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime. His name was first mentioned on-screen in episode 21; before that, he was known as the Dark Masked Duelist.

Appearance
Yuto strongly resembles Yuya Sakaki; people often confuse him with Yuya, and the first time Yuzu Hiragi saw him, she thought he was Yuya in a costume. Yuto and Yuya have nearly identical faces, except for their eye colors (Yuto's eyes are gray, while Yuya's are crimson). His hair is close to a palette swap of Yuya's, black in the back with light purple in the front. Unlike Yuya, whose hair lies flat, Yuto's sweeps upward and to the right side of his head.

He wears a punk-style outfit, with a dull green formal shirt and dark blue tie, as well as a black cape-like garment with ripped sleeves and edges. Like Yuya, Yuto also wears a choker and wristbands, although his bands are a matching set—black with silver studs—and bear resemblance to those worn by Yugi Muto during Battle City. Yuto also shares Yuya's penchant for goggles, though his are of a sharper make and a more military style. He also sports a mask he uses to conceal his face, a red scarf tied around his upper right arm that is partially hidden by his sleeve, and can sometimes be seen with a larger red scarf around his neck. He abandons the goggles entirely after they are damaged in his Duel with Shingo, and later gets rid of his mask as well.

Personality
Yuto and Yuya are similar in that both care about their friends and do not want to hurt anyone; this is shown by his reluctance to let Yuzu be involved in his fight. However, while Yuya is energetic and positive, Yuto is cold and serious.

As a Duelist, Yuto is battle-hardened, telling Shingo that he doesn't feel the sharpness of a sword nor the power of a bullet from his Dueling. He has a strong desire to not hurt anyone, thus even shows mercy against enemies who possess a disadvantage, such as when he offered a recuperating Sora the chance to surrender during their match after holding back against him on purpose.

Unlike his comrade Shun, he is not reckless or impatient in his mission. Instead of simply attacking anyone he assumes an enemy, he would first interrogate them to get a clear idea of the situation, then leave them alone should they not be a real threat. He also tries to get as few people involved as possible. He was also quick to deduce that most of LDS in the Standard Dimension is unaware of the war between Academia and Resistance.

Abilities
Yuto is able to inflict real damage, destruction, and pain in a Duel even without the presence of an Action Field. His use of this ability is akin to Psychic Duelists in that the effect is physical in nature and not magically induced. Examples of this are wind being felt from Solid Vision holograms, causing explosions that can shake an entire building, and using "Phantom Des Spear" to pin Shingo to a wall by his coat. Upon his next appearance, he was also shown to be acrobatic, performing several high and agile jumps in a scuffle with Sora. Yuto also seems to be somewhat stronger than he looks; he was able to effortlessly knock down Kakimoto off-screen, and knock Shun unconscious with a single punch to the gut.

History
In the ruins of Heartland City of the Xyz Dimension, Yuto confronted Yugo, a Duelist from the Synchro Dimension riding a Duel Runner. Yuto brought out "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon", while Yugo attempted to counter with "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon". Shun Kurosaki and several other Duelists arrived, and Yugo retreated.

Pre-Maiami Championship
Yuto watched Leo Duel School from a distance, holding an LDS badge. Later, he spotted Yuzu Hiragi in front of a warehouse, about to confront Shingo Sawatari, finding her familiar. As the Yuzu's Duel with Shingo was about to begin, Yuto appeared and knocked out Kakimoto. He told Yuzu to stand back and took her place in the Duel. When Yuzu expressed annoyance at his interruption, he stopped her by telling her that he "didn't want to hurt her anymore."

Yuto started his Duel with Shingo and Set all five of the cards in his hand. Shingo mocked him, telling that he was disappointed that he didn't have any monsters. After Shingo destroyed all of Yuto's Set cards with the effects of "Mobius the Frost Monarch" and "Mobius the Mega Monarch", he declared a direct attack, but Yuto activated three copies of "The Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil" from his Graveyard to protect himself. Shingo ended his turn after destroying one of them and Setting a card face-down, and on the following turn, Yuto proceeded to Xyz Summon "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon". He used its effect twice to decrease the ATK of "Mobius" to 700 and increase his monster's to 4600. With one attack he brought Shingo's Life Points to 100 and destroyed Shingo's monster, damaging the hangar in the process (even though there wasn't an Action Field). He questioned Shingo about the link between Leo Duel School and "Academia," but Shingo claimed to know nothing about it. With no further interest in Shingo, Yuto began to leave the Duel unfinished. However, Shingo stopped him, saying the Duel was not over and activated his face-down "Ice Rage Shot". He targeted "Dark Rebellion", aiming to inflict its boosted ATK as damage to Yuto, but Yuto activated "Phantom Des Spear" from his Graveyard, negating the Trap and inflicting enough damage to win the Duel. Using his powers again, Yuto rendered the "Des Spear" real, which pierced Shingo's jacket and pinned him to the wall.

Before leaving, Yuto removed his mask. Yuzu, Shingo, and his friends all mistook him for Yuya Sakaki, and Shingo's friends fled, carrying their leader away. Yuzu, still thinking that Yuto was Yuya, asked him what he was doing dressed like that, when her bracelet started glowing. Once the light faded, she found herself alone in the hangar. As she wondered what just happened, Yuya (who had been alerted to the recent events by Ally) appeared and rushed to her. Yuzu asked him if he was really Yuya, wondering why Yuto looked so much like him.

Yuto stayed hidden throughout parts of Maiami City, eventually settling at the hangar where he committed his previous attack. He was spotted by Sora Shiun'in during his training with Yuzu, prompting Sora to chase and attack him. The two clashed with their Duel Disks. Yuto refused to identify himself, but when Sora claimed he wasn't from "here", he quickly replied "neither are you." The two were about to begin a Duel, but were interrupted by Masumi Kotsu, furious and determined to avenge her Professor. After an argument between Yuzu and Masumi, Yuto vanished as Yuzu's bracelet glowed once more, and once again, Yuya came in running, concerned about her safety.

Yuto later witnessed Yuzu training with Sora once again, hidden behind a warehouse. Yuzu attempted to perform a Fusion Summon, which failed due to the fact that she forgot to put her Fusion Monster in her Extra Deck. Sora then said he noticed that Yuzu wasn't feeling herself because all she could think about was her first encounter with Yuto. Yuto recalled his Duel against Yugo, after which Shun Kurosaki asked him about Ruri. Yuzu's bracelet glowed once again, signalling the arrival of Yuya, and Yuto was teleported away from the area to a Duel between Tio and Shun Kurosaki.

When Shun interrupted a meeting between Masumi, Yuzu, and Sora and was about to force Masumi into a Duel, Yuto jumped in and pulled Shun's arm back. He removed his mask to warn Shun against his next actions, to which Shun retorted after pulling down his own scarf. When Shun noticed Yuzu, he mistook her for his sister, Ruri Kurosaki and began barraging her with questions, causing Yuto to punch him unconscious, then carry him bodily over the shoulder. When Yuto saw a "Polymerization" card in Yuzu's scattered Deck, he picked it up and remarked that it didn't suit Yuzu, prompting Sora to be offended. As Yaiba Todo, Hokuto Shijima, and Yuya came running over, Yuzu's bracelet teleported both Yuto and Shun away.

As Yuzu searched for Masumi down an alleyway, Yuto appeared to stop her from moving further, as Shun was engaged in a Duel with Masumi. Yuzu pleaded with Yuto to stop Shun, but upon receiving an unsatisfactory response, made to move past him. Yuto stopped her again, reiterating that he didn't want her to get hurt; Yuzu called him out for saying that, yet letting others get hurt, then asked him about his purpose. Yuto revealed that they were in search for Ruri, who had been captured and happens to look like Yuzu. He went on to say that Yuzu could't be Ruri, as Yuzu learned Fusion Summon, the enemy's summon method. Yuzu retorted that she learned it to protect her comrades. Yuto then told her about he and his comrades' intention to build a world where no one can be hurt, and his hope that Yuzu survives if she gets involved in this battle, even if she has to use Fusion. Yuto told Yuzu his name before leaving.

Maiami Championship
Unlike Shun, Yuto did not take part in the Maiami Championship. He walked past a big screen displaying Shun's Duel against Sora as Shun talked about the Resistance. After Sora's defeat, he approached him in the hospital to interrogate him about Ruri's whereabouts, but he was only able to learn that captured Duelists were sealed inside cards. Sora insisted that Yuto take him to Shun for a rematch, but Yuto refused. When the guards discovered him, Yuto fled with Sora hot on his tail. At Central Park, Sora taunted Yuto about Ruri's fate, claiming that he would hunt down all Xyz users like Yuto, and suggested that destroying Fusion users would help get Ruri back. Yuto promptly challenged Sora as a result, and took damage on the first turn. Recovering, he brought out "The Phantom Knights of Break Sword," which Sora destroyed with his "Frightfur Bear" and used to power it up. He brought out "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon" in the next turn and was in a position to win the Duel, but deliberately held back out of mercy, destroying "Bear," but leaving Sora with enough Life Points to stay in the match. Yuya arrived to help his friend as Yuto offered Sora the chance to surrender. Despite him and Yuya looking alike, Yuto showed no obvious surprise. When Sora didn't back down, and Yuto vowed to bring down Sora as the first step to bringing down Fusion, a furious Yuya joined the Duel, refusing to let Yuto hurt his friend further. Yuya quickly performed a Pendulum Summon, bringing out "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon". When the Dragon appeared, both Yuto and Yuya felt a burning sensation in their chests as "Odd-Eyes" and "Dark Rebellion" roared at each other. Aiming to destroy both Dragons, Yuya attacked, but despite using "Timegazer Magician" to counter Yuto's Traps, Yuto was able to successfully protect "Dark Rebellion." When Yuya pressed for answers to the enmity between the other two Duelists, Sora chided Yuto for not speaking since it'd reveal his faction's weakness. Sora proceeded to reveal his true strength, but before he could he was transported back to the Fusion Dimension by Academia.

Yuto proceeded to recover his Life Points and remove his Traps, pointing out to Yuya that their Duel was now pointless, and both Duelists mutually ended the Duel. Yuya pointed out how Yuto held back in the Duel, and reasoned that Yuto did not want to fight at all. Yuto spoke about how his hometown, Heartland, was once a city full of smiles, until the Fusion Dimension attacked, and told Yuya of the four known Dimensions. Yuya was skeptical, but declared that Duelling wasn't a tool for fighting, but for giving people happiness. Before they could finish their talk, however, Yugo emerged from a beam of light on his Duel Runner, crashing into a surveillance camera. Upon removing his helmet, he was revealed to look like both Yuto and Yuya. Seeing Yuto, Yugo challenged him to a Duel.

Yuto was ready for Pawn of Fusion's challenge, but when called so, Yugo protested that his name was Yugo, rather than being a Fusion Pawn. During the course of the Duel, Yugo remained upon his Duel Runner, thus Yuto had to run about to catch up to him and dodge the vehicle. Both Yuto and Yugo vowed to defeat the other for taking something precious from them. When Yugo brought out his "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon," he allowed Yuto to bring out "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon," claiming that "Synchro Dragon" wanted to fight against it. When the two Dragons were summoned, his eyes began glowing and apparently became possessed, claiming that he must destroy everything, the same thing happened to Yugo. Yuya managed to snap him out of it, and while Yuto had the chance to defeat "Synchro Dragon", he ended his turn. Yugo however was still possessed and proceeded to defeat Yuto, who saved Yuya from the shockwave. Upon losing the Duel, he vanished in Yuya's arms, but not before entrusting his wishes and his "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon" to Yuya. His Duel Disk and Deck were later retrieved by Nakajima.

Yuzu Hiragi
Yuto first mistook Yuzu for Ruri Kurosaki, and thus grew protective of her, even though Yuzu appears to have never met him. Later, he observed Yuzu learning the Fusion Summon, thus when Shun Kurosaki mistook Yuzu for Ruri as well, Yuto insisted that Yuzu is not Ruri. Despite that, Yuto continues to look out for Yuzu.

Shun Kurosaki
Shun Kurosaki is one of Yuto's comrades and Ruri's older brother. While they seem to have differing approaches towards finding Ruri and defeating Academia, they seem to share a close bond and trust each other's Duelling skills.

Yuya Sakaki
Despite their nearly identical faces, Yuto showed no surprise when meeting Yuya and somehow already knows his name. He openly explained the situation between the 4 dimensions and was surprised to see Yuya's determination to refuse to let dueling be used for war. Later he entrusted his "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon" to Yuya believing in his power before vanishing.

Deck
Yuto runs a "The Phantom Knights" Deck that is almost identical to Yuma's deck in terms of strategy. He focuses on summoning powerful Xyz Monsters such as his ace "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon". He supports his monsters with cards that increase ATK and cards that protect his life points and monsters from enemy attacks. He also uses lots of spell cards that can be activated from the graveyard. His deck is capable of OTK tactics, though Yuto often refrains from delivering an OTK because he doesn't want to hurt his opponents.