5Ds is my favorite spinoff because, while most conflicts are still resolved with card games, the protagonists can and will also resolve shit with their fists if they have to.
jack atlas is objectively the funniest yugioh character because his superpower is literally being fucking angry about everything and operating at 100% all the time. he has no chill. none. this man flat out absorbed the essence of a demon god and survived the ensuing cave-in because he managed to out-anger it yet hes fucking poor NOT because he doesn’t have a job or anything but because he has no management skills whatsoever and spends all his money on spicy ramen and overly expensive coffee. the only math he can do is card game math. he loves his motorcycle more than most people yet doesnt even do basic maintanence on it. he was told to dress normally for once instead of his extremely dramatic trenchcoat and he came decked out in a pimpcoat and sunglasses. he fought against both the king of literal hell and 2 of their ancient diety servants and won because he was angry about how they made his crush not cool enough to the point he was willing to die with her out of spite. and going into arc v just like in 5ds he suddenly goes from extremely serious to absolute moron the moment hes defeated because he didnt have to put on airs anymore and was uncasted as antagonist. he spent 95% of the synchro arc being an extremely intimidating duelist and then after his defeat at the hands of a 14 year old he immediately activates Dad Mode™️ for yuya and reira, almost gets yuzu killed because he couldnt NOT do an overly powerful attack and follows yuya through 2 dimensions without ever leaving his motorcycle, riding exclusively on walls and encouraging him the whole time. he only knows how to yell and he does everything with a flourish and drops rose petals every chance he gets. he held a grudge over a card game he WON because his friend didnt beat him with style. he insists people write his name only in all caps. most of these basic tumblr himbos WISH they had what jack atlas has.
Jack, duelling his fake: “Now I’m different: I have people I care for” (cut to shot of Yusei and Kaz), “and people I love!” (cut to shot of CROW, and then Carly peeping in like ‘me too?’
“people I love” immediately looks to Crow
“love”
C r o w
………………………
i mean the fact Jack groups Crow and Carly together just says enough, right? And he’s not even looking at Carly, it was just Crow in the shot until she peeped in.
Before this, when Jack was possibly dead,
Crow is clearly upset along with Yusei - there goes your canon that they totally hate each other like Kaiba and Joey (you can’t argue in canon that they even mutually care for each other, unlike Crow and Jack)
Also in this episode, Jack is trapped in a tentacle VR world (yes that’s right), and Crow is chasing the Fake in the real world whilst shouting at him saying he killed the real Jack, and Crow utters this lovely line:
and in the dub… he says Jack always eats his cereal. Ohk.
When Crow gets hit by the fake…
“my boyf !”
Then, when they all reunite:
genuinely thought they were going to hug or something.
and then Crow cries and hides his tears happy he’s alive…. (or he could be sad that jack’s alive if you wanna go down that route but i mean cmon)
Jack’s reaction to Crow crying is a smug but maybe like happy? grin and to mock him for apologising and getting him all emotional
and the episode closes on them all laughing and Crow getting embarrassed.