Red-Eyes

"Red-Eyes" (レッドアイズ Reddoaizu) is an archetype of Dragon-Type monsters used most notably by Joey Wheeler in Yu-Gi-Oh! and Atticus Rhodes in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.

The archetype is based mainly on supporting the original member, "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" (often given as "Red-Eyes Black Dragon"), who, according to the anime, was created to rival the strength of "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". The first Yu-Gi-Oh! movie stated that while "Blue-Eyes" brings power, "Red-Eyes" brings potential.

"Red-Eyes B. Chick" is not a "Red-Eyes" card because it does not have 「レッドアイズ」 in its Japanese name, and as such most, if not all, "Red-Eyes" support cards specifically exclude it.

Appearances
In the first movie Shougo Aoyama got a "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" card, but was too timid to use it. Yugi Muto uses it against Seto Kaiba for Shougo. He demonstrates how "Red-Eyes" brings potential by fusing it with "Meteor Dragon" to Summon "Meteor Black Dragon".

In the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" became one of the signature cards of Joey Wheeler after he won it from Rex Raptor in Duelist Kingdom. Joey used it and a few of its support cards throughout the series.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Nightshroud and Atticus Rhodes use a "Red-Eyes Deck", including a number of "Red-Eyes" cards and their support.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D Bonds Beyond Time, Paradox used the "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" to Summon "Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon".

In Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" appeared as a statue as one of the legendary monsters and Roku played a "Statue" version of it in a Statue Duel against Yuma Tsukumo.

History
Among the first ever released Structure Decks is Structure Deck: Dragon's Roar, which focuses on mainly on "LV" monsters and powering up "Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon" by sending Dragon-Type monsters to the Graveyard.

Prior to the release of the "Dragon Rulers", "Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon" and "Red-Eyes Wyvern" made the "Hopeless Dragon" Deck and its more aggressive counterpart, "Disaster Dragon", possible, using multiple copies of "Darkness Metal Dragon" to swarm the field until it was Limited.

With the release of Clash of Rebellions, new "Red-Eyes" support based on Gemini monsters and effect damage was introduced. This contrasted with the "Performage" archetype's ability to avoid opposing effect damage and the "D/D" archetype's ability to modify LP to gain advantage.

Invasion: Vengeance provides more support for this archetype's Fusion and Gemini Summoning strategies.

Playing style
As only one of its effects can be used per turn, "The Black Stone of Legend" can alternate each turn between Special Summoning a "Red-Eyes" monster from the Main Deck, and returning itself to the hand and a "Red-Eyes" monster to the Deck.

"Black Metal Dragon" can equip to a "Red-Eyes" monster for an ATK boost and can search for a "Red-Eyes" card when sent to the Graveyard. "The Black Stone of Legend" and "Black Metal Dragon" can be revived by the effect of "Kinka-Byo" or "Junk Synchron".

"Junk Synchron" can Special Summon Level 1 Monsters from Graveyard and Synchro Summon "Herald of the Arc Light". When "Arc Light" is sent to the Graveyard, it can search for either "Paladin of Dark Dragon", "Lord of the Red" or their Ritual Spells.

"Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon" is easiest to Special Summon by Tributing "Paladin of Dark Dragon" by its own effect and "Dark Dragon Ritual" can be banished to search for any "Red-Eyes" Spell or Trap Card. Both Ritual Cards can be searched by "Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands" and "Pre-Preparation of Rites".

"Keeper of the Shrine" (for any Dragon-Type Normal Monster) and "Red-Eyes Retro Dragon" (for any "Red-Eyes" Monster) serve the same purpose as each other for Normal Summoning a "Red-Eyes" Monster from the Hand on your Turn and protecting it on the opposing Turn. Though "Retro Dragon" will keep the revival effect of "Return of the Red-Eyes" active and both will do the same for "Cards of the Red Stone".

"Return of the Red-Eyes" is a powerful support card that can Special Summon a Normal/Gemini-Monster from the Graveyard while the player controls a "Red-Eyes" monster. It can be searched using the effect of "Black Metal Dragon" or "Dark Dragon Ritual".

"Blazing Meteor Black Dragon" is a flexible opening target for "Red-Eyes Fusion" that can be Summoned with "Red-Eyes Fusion", as it does not require any Normal Monsters as Fusion Material, while loading the Graveyard with revival targets.

"Red-Eyes Fusion" is capable of Fusion Summoning a Fusion Monster that lists a "Red-Eyes" monster as Fusion Material by fusing from the hand, Main Deck, or field, but it cannot utilize the archetype's Gemini monsters from the Deck to Summon "Archfiend Black Skull Dragon", as Gemini-Monsters are not treated as Normal Monsters while in the Main Deck.

The "Hieratic" archetype has support for Dragon-type Normal Monsters and particularly the Trap "Return of the Red-Eyes" and Fusion Monster "Blazing Meteor Black Dragon".

"Spark Field" can support the archetype's Gemini monsters as it allows them to be Normal Summoned without Tribute, then Normal Summoned again in the same turn to unlock their effects.