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; 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 up and to the 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, and can sometimes be seen with a red scarf around his neck. He abandons the goggles entirely after they are damaged in his Duel with Shingo.

Personality
Yuto and Yuya are alike in that both care about their friends and do not want to hurt anyone. Nonetheless, as a Duelist, Yuto is battle-hardened as he tells Shingo that he doesn't feel the sharpness of a sword nor the power of a bullet from his Dueling.

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 a destroyed cityscape, Yuto was confronted by Yugo, a Duelist riding a Duel Runner. Yuto brought out "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon", while Yugo attempted to counter with a Synchro Monster. 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 "doesn'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's 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 one 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 the Mega Monarch" 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 depart with 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 Xyz Dragon", 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 (whom 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 on 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 then 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 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.

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. Not much of their relationship has been revealed, but they seem to share a close bond.

Deck
Yuto's Deck follows an unusual approach of using a large layout of Spell Cards, many of which can be activated from the Graveyard. He uses several copies of "The Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil" to protect himself against attacks and to Xyz Summon his ace card, "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon", while using cards like "Phantom Des Spear" to protect it as well as damage the opponent, enabling a OTK through the effect of "Xyz Dragon".