Wind-Up

The Wind-Up, known as Zenmai in the OCG, are a series of wind-up toy-like monsters that premiered in Generation Force and received further support in Photon Shockwave and Order of Chaos. There are monsters of all Attributes, though EARTH is most prominent, and 4 Xyz Monsters.

The effects of the known "Wind-Up" monsters vary from Special Summon and Swarm tactics to Level- and ATK-manipulation to gaining hand advantage. Each non-Xyz "Wind-Up" monster can only use its effect once while it's face-up on the field. Many support cards revolve around flipping them face-down or otherwise recycling them.

Play Style
A "Wind-Up" Deck uses a variety of single-use monster effects to control the field while "Wind-Up Factory" generates hand advantage. You can use "Tour Guide From the Underworld" to Xyz Summon "Wind-Up Zenmaighty" and proceed to Summon whatever you need from your Deck. "Wind-Up Soldier" can change its Level to 5, allowing you to use "Cyber Dragon" or "Instant Fusion" to produce Rank 5 Xyz Monsters. "Wind-Up Kitten" works with "Junk Synchron" for Level 5 Synchro Summons.

"Wind-Up Factory", "Zenmaighty", and "Honey" can provide you with single-use monsters to address any situation. You can toolbox "Soldier" to kill low-Level beatsticks, "Juggler" to break walls, "Kitten" to deal with Extra Deck monsters and defuse Flip Effects, "Rat" to produce Rank 3 Xyzs, "Rabbit" for reuse and deflection, or "Knight" for defense.

Some "Wind-Up" Decks swarm low-ATK monsters by looping "Wind-Up Rat" to produce multiple "Zenmaighty". This can be used alongside "Wind-Up Magician" to create OTKs.

Monster Cards

 * Wind-Up Honey
 * Wind-Up Juggler
 * Wind-Up Kitten
 * Wind-Up Knight
 * Wind-Up Magician
 * Wind-Up Rabbit
 * Wind-Up Rat
 * Wind-Up Soldier
 * Giant Rat
 * Cyber Dragon
 * Junk Synchron (Allows Synchro opportunities with Kitten)

Spell Cards

 * Wind-Up Factory
 * Zenmailfunction
 * Reinforcement of the Army
 * Instant Fusion
 * Pot of Duality
 * Pot of Avarice
 * Book of Moon
 * Mind Control
 * Dimensional Fissure
 * Creature Swap
 * Emergency Teleport (Only if running Witch/Commander/Girl in tandem)

Trap Cards

 * Overwind
 * Compulsory Evacuation Device
 * Ultimate Offering
 * Starlight Road
 * Safe Zone (for Zenmaighty)
 * Dimensional Prison
 * Call of the Haunted
 * Fiendish Chain
 * Threatening Roar/Waboku
 * Trap Dustshoot
 * Horn of the Phantom Beast

Xyz Monsters
Rank 3:
 * Wind-Up Zenmaines
 * Wind-Up Zenmaighty
 * Number 17: Leviathan Dragon
 * Leviair the Sea Dragon
 * Number 20: Giga-Brilliant

Rank 4: 3-part
 * Wind-Up Zenmaister
 * Number 39: Utopia
 * Steelswarm Roach
 * Gem-Knight Pearl
 * Lavalval Chain
 * Daigusto Emeral
 * Number 16: Ruler of Color - Shock Ruler
 * Vylon Disigma

Rank 5:
 * Wind-Up Zenmaio
 * Tiras, Keeper of Genesis
 * Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon
 * Number 61: Volcasaurus

Synchro Monsters
Level 5
 * Naturia Beast
 * Frozen Fitzgerald (with Junk Synchron and Wind-Up Kitten)

Level 6
 * Naturia Barkion
 * Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
 * Orient Dragon

Level 7
 * Genex Ally Triforce
 * Naturia Landoise
 * Arcanite Magician
 * Ancient Fairy Dragon

Level 8
 * Stardust Dragon
 * Scrap Dragon
 * Thought Ruler Archfiend

Fusion Monsters
(Instant Fusion for Rank 3/4/5 Xyz Monsters or Level 8 Synchro monsters.)
 * Ojama Knight/Karbonala Warrior/Fusionist

Trivia

 * An actual wind-up toy is wound up (Summoning it), doing what the toy was made to do (activating the effect), then is completed (effect can only activate once). Returning to hand or flipping it face-down and back up signifies "winding-up" the monster.
 * This archetype is similar to "T.G.s" and "Scraps" in a way that they look like Machine-Type monsters even though they have different Types.
 * The only Machine-Type monsters are the Xyz Monsters and "Wind-Up Bat".


 * All "Wind-Up" cards with "発条, Zenmai" are spelled "Zenmai" in their TCG names.


 * The archetype seems to be strongly based on the Medabots game series. (Medarot in Japan) With many of the members strongly resembling certain Medabots. The golden Wind-Up Keys in their backs also resemble that of the golden Medals that go into the backs of the Medabots to make them function.