Girag

Gilag, known as Kiraku Souhachi in his past life, is a character appearing in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL anime. He is an Emperor from the Barian World, working under Durbe to gather the Numbers.

Appearance
While in his true form, Gilag has a decidedly alien-looking helmet-like face with two spikes prodding up above the eyes, with green hair in the style of a mohawk. In addition, he wears a dark brown suit with orange colored jewels adorned all over his body, and has a Barian emblem with a golden winged outline on his chest. He also wears matching brown gloves and boots as well as the same G-shaped belt in his human form. In the Barian World Gilag wore a black cloak with a hood.

While in human form, Gilag is a very tall and muscular man with the same green mohawk. He wears suspenders and small pair of wings on his back as well as black fingerless gloves. He also has a thunderbolt marking on the top left-side of his forehead. He appears disguised as a second year student in Heartland Academy, as indicated by the color of his uniform, which is the same as Shark and his gang. While supervising and commentating on the Sports Duel Tournament, and during his Duel with Yuma against Tori and Cathy, Gilag wore a regular Duel Gazer. During the aforementioned Duel, Gilag also wore an orange sports jersey. While Gilag was watching Duels that were part of his plans, and during his Duel against Yuma and Rei, his left eye was surrounded by a red lens instead.

Personality
Gilag is a fearless warrior who does not hesitate in his mission. He assaulted Fuma's gang by himself with no fear, holding Fuma and declaring he liked his eyes as they resembled those of a "scared prey", which also reveals he is sadistic and abusive. He has been shown at repeated times to hold people when he asks questions. Despite the fact he's a warrior he seems to prefer using others to do his work. He also seems to be quite arrogant as he referred to himself as ore-sama in one instance, which is an extremely egotistical way for a person to refer to themselves in Japan. He also seems to have a liking to manga, which is the reason he brainwashed Chitaro Ariga, and even attempted to draw manga sketches, although his designs were terrible. He has an infatuation with the TV singer Sanagi Chouno and goes to a bar called the "BARian" to eat and relax.

Gilag's downfall is his lack of foresight, and his plans always tend to go awry due to a single miscalculation. For example, when brainwashing Tori Meadows and Cathy Katherine, Gilag neglects to take into account Shark's personality, and thus is forced to duel alongside Yuma and help him win. This can be attributed to Gilag's rather arrogant personality, for he thinks his plans as flawless despite his failures.

Despite all of this, Gilag has been shown to be friendly and respectful with several of his fellow Barians, but shares a close relationship with Alit, whom he gives romantic advice to as well as shows mourning over when gravely injured.

Abilities
Gilag has many supernatural powers. He can teleport at will like Vetrix could, and he can also brainwash people by using "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force". Those that he brainwashes maintain their personalities, but develop a devotion to serving the Barian World bordering on obsession. He has supernatural endurance, taking a punch from Fuma in the face with no pain. He also has superhuman strength, which is shown when he broke a TV by stomping on it with one foot.

Strangely, it seems Gilag's cards inflict harm upon himself, and can attach themselves on to him.

Etymology
Gilag's name is derived from Beta Ursae Majoris, also known as Merak, a star located in the Big Dipper asterism.

History
Gilag was born Kiraku Souhachi and was a great warrior. He befriended a tanuki, Ponta, while on the battlefield one day. Ponta became his body double. He would later die and be reincarnated as a Barian.

Vector, Durbe, Alit, Misael, and Gilag wished to gather the "Numbers" and destroy the Astral World. Due to both worlds being made of energy, they could not interact. The four are also incapable of taking "Numbers" directly. To accomplish their goals, they exploited humans such as Vetrix and Dr. Faker.

Barian Invasion
With the defeat of both humans, Durbe determined that they would have to do it themselves. He sent Gilag to Earth, calling him a brave warrior of the Barian World. Gilag appeared from a portal in front of a gang of thugs led by Fuma after Fuma mentioned wanting more power. He teleported through the crowd, avoiding their strikes. He confronted Fuma, who punched him in the face, with Gilag feeling nothing. Gilag hoisted Fuma by the neck and threw him to the ground. Showing a card, "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force", he promised Fuma great power and hypnotized him and his thugs, making them chant "Barian!" With Fuma under his control, he instructed him to go after Yuma Tsukumo. After Fuma was defeated, he retrieved the "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force" without moving and departed through a portal.

After Fuma's loss, Gilag furiously looked for Yuma, even threatening a student. He then spotted the pro Duelist Daisuke Katagiri who was visiting Heartland Academy and followed him into the locker room to brainwash him. Katagiri defeated Rei Shingetsu when the latter got in his way, but was himself defeated by Yuma. Gilag's next attempt involved students from the school, with him brainwashing the Student Council President, Mamoru, who also failed. Gilag stumbleed into the school's Manga Research Club, where he brainwashed Chitaro Ariga.



Gilag ordered Chitaro to find Yuma's weakness. Using his manga sketches of Yuma as a front to speak with him, he attempted to, but failed. Of his own accord, Chitaro spoke to Shark and determined his weakness due to his reaction to dropping one of his rings. Following Shark to the hospital, he saw the boy's bond with his sister Rio. Chitaro returned to Gilag and suggested they target Shark instead of Yuma, as he still couldn't discover Yuma's weakness. Gilag approved the plan before showing Chitaro his own poorly drawn manga sketches. Chitaro trapped Rio in his "fantasy world" using Barian powers and Dueled Shark, with Chitaro insisting that the whole Duel's outcome was already written in his sketchbook. He pushed Shark into a corner by threatening Rio, but Shark fought back after encouragement from Yuma when the latter found Chitaro's sketchbook. Shark's bond with his sister shattered the Barian magic, freeing Rio and allowing Shark to defeat Chitaro, ruining Gilag's plans again.



Still targeting Yuma and Shark, Gilag brainwashed the Ikebana Club and their leader, Aika Hanazoe. However, Rio ended up Dueling Aika in Yuma's place. Despite Aika building her Deck to counter WATER monsters, Rio managed to overcome it and defeat Aika despite her lack of a Chaos "Number". Later, Gilag hid in a room by the old gym at school, watching commercials for Sanagi Chouno's CD. When Alit approached him, he didn't realize it was him, but after seeing Alit's cross counter punch, he knows it's Alit. Later, he went a bar called BARian and gave Alit advice.



When Yuma's friends had a massive argument, Gilag approached Yuma and suggested he host a "Sports Duel Tournament" to help repair their friendships. Yuma agreed and a Tag Duel tournament was organized. When the final Duel approached, Yuma and Shark were to Duel Cathy and Tori. Gilag brainwashed them with "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force" to attempt to take his "Numbers", but this plan was disrupted when Shark left the tournament early. Gilag was substituted in as Yuma's partner instead. This worried him, as a Barian losing to a "CXyz" would have the same result as Astral losing to a "Number". He and Yuma managed to work together to defeat them.



Several days later, he and Alit were training in the forest, doing all sorts of exercises until a Barian energy ball came down from the sky. Gilag and Alit immediately knew who it was and correctly deduced the person to be Misael, due to the amazing amount of power emanating from him. He and Alit were then given the Barian Sphere Cubes by Misael, and Gilag said that he could now use it to defeat Yuma.

Gilag brainwashed some school students to go after Yuma but his plan was ruined by Alit showing up, defeating all the people he manipulated with "Barian's Force". After some protesting between him and Alit, he left. After observing the Duel between Yuma and Alit, he warped back to his hideout, and saw Alit on the ground and hurt, which upset him. He then demanded to know who did this to him, Alit closed his eyes and muttered "Shingetsu", Gilag yelled his name. Later, as Yuma was walking home from school, Gilag challenged him to a Duel, on the condition that he brought Rei with him. Yuma and Astral arrived at the meeting point without Rei, with the former saying he did not believe what Gilag said about Rei being the cause of Alit's injuries. Rei eventually showed up and joined Yuma in the Duel. Due to Rei's terrible Duelling skills, Gilag was able to gain the upper hand early in the Duel, but thanks to Yuma using Rei's "Rank-Up-Magic Limited Barian's Force" to summon "Number C39: Utopia Ray V", Gilag was defeated. After his loss to Yuma and Rei, he was heavily injured and was fading, forcing him to retreat to the Barian World.

In order to heal, Gilag was put into stasis inside of a Baria Crystal alongside Alit, and were watched over by Durbe and Misael. When Vector appeared and mocked them, Misael attempted to physically assault him before being restrained by Durbe.

Legendary Number War
After Vector released Don Thousand and told Durbe and Misael about the Seven Legendary "Numbers", both left for Earth. After that, Vector saw that Gilag and Alit hadn't recovered yet, and used some of Don Thousand's powers to accelerate the healing process. He realized it would still take more time and left for Earth as well. While their comrades were collecting the "Numbers", Gilag and Alit eventually awaken from their stasis. Gilag, Alit and Vector awaited for Durbe and Misael to return, surprising them with their resurrection. Mr. Heartland then appeared and told the group of the new "Number" location and that Yuma might be aiming for it as well. Gilag mentioned that they can ambush Yuma and his gang should they arrived should they arrive first and Alit immediately left to to do so.

Alit
Gilag shares a brotherly relationship with Alit and cares a great deal for him, even giving him romantic advice. and training together. They are occasionally prone to bickering, whether serious or normal.

Gilag was greatly worried for Alit watching him Duel Yuma and upon seeing him on the ground injured. He was also upset over it to the point of letting his anger get the better of him during a brief talk with Misael, who was concerned he was going to go as far as using his "Number".

Ponta
In his past life as a warrior, Gilag befriended a tanuki that had the ability to shapeshift into anything or anyone. The two were close when Gilag was still alive.

Barian Invasion
Gilag uses a Pressure Point Deck consisting of the "Hand" archetype. He also utilizes a burn strategy through cards such as "Erosion Hand Forest" and "Death Hand".

Legendary Number War
While Gilag is body-swapped with Ponta, Ponta uses his body to wield a "Tanuki" Deck focused on swarm tactics.