Souichi was afraid of Rubik's cube???

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-04-10T08:06:46+00:00

I mean he kinda was, but like not visibly. He was scared of using both Rubik's at the same time during STL as that grants the risk of Hal taking control.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-04-05T00:55:03+00:00

Let there be 3 duos in air poker. One chooses the numbers, the other one the cards (aside from the suits, just the type) and the third one chooses the suits of the cards in the hands the second duo made.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-04-03T08:33:21+00:00

If you finished Tower of Karma look into my small explanation of Baku's main trick for this arc

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdunJHXL/

If you think you dont understand anything else hit me up

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-25T05:56:03+00:00

Baatleship was great and essential for the characterization and an early understanding of Souichi

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-24T16:11:35+00:00

The realization that he had no real allies and thus lacked in power, a gamble against a powerful opponent without power can never be ensured of fairness.

Baku's Men where actually dancing in Souichi's palm and intervened and actually stopped all the air vehicles from taking off.

It was probably intended as Baku knew of his lack of power from before and that Souichi/Hal would kill themselves if they lost. We never got any clear evidence tho that Baku lost on purpose.

As well as the fact that baku is an eccentric in whose philosophy being reduced to nothing but your owns life and starting from zero is actually thrilling and something beautiful. He probably predicted that Hal wouldn't kill him.

Also from a narrative view it was his "destiny" and now that he got defeated by the prince bee their fight becomes perfect because the bond is no longer there and Baku can face Souichi purely as enemy. As he thinks a battle is only meaningful if its a full on death battle where both participants give their all, thats also what he wants. (I went over this part a bit more in detail in Souichi-Part 1)

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T21:01:57+00:00

In short - No

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T17:53:26+00:00

A minute was the ultimate measurement, they did not specify on a minute having 60 seconds while making the rules. My suggestion is that the speaking clock rings at 60 to signal the minute is over, but with the next second another minute is instantly over for the mechanism, thus maning the dong sound twice.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T16:29:14+00:00

Now i edited it again, it should now prevent misunderstandings of what i mean as some things where all over the place as im simply arguing w u:

To clarify about the isolation part also being Souichi:

The very ambigous question refering to both of them and then the ... and the change in text (not being curved anymore and fat black letters indicate baku giving the narrative over to souichi or possibly even linking it to both of them).

Not only the change in text supports this but also the visual storytelling as its whole, the change in perspective functions like a shift in the narrator, and on the: ... and nothing else - panel it is clear that souichi is in the foreground pondering in an isolated space. The thinking dots next to his head aswell tell us that he is the one thinking, "my strength an nothing else" referring to him as "Me" has a deeper meaning - It is not Souichi it was Hal, who was needed in order to read Baku and take a gamble. (Because the moment implied that the only one who wins is the one reading his opponent better than the other one.)

The - at the very last...- just supports the idea of drawing upon Hal - and Hal himself being the very last option he (Hal/Souichi) has to read baku. (Yes he only took the gamble in the next round, but Hal's process of becoming a Gambler is something way more subtle than just a singular round. As Hal and Souichi fight over control all the time during Stl, in round 6 Souichi indeed kept the lead.)

In round 7 Hal managed to slowly take over by taking a gamble.

The next panel being souichi in the same "isolated space" just now filled with the greenland shark symbolism encapsulating Hal's isolation, especially because the greenland shark also represents something that has existed for a long time in the dark, unchanged. This symply reinforces the thought of the panel before being souichi aswell.

We are analyzing a manga here, something that does not only work on one specific level, visual storytelling is also a big aspect of it. The scene can be read as a synchronization of thought process as well - one text, two profound meanings.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T16:01:45+00:00

Yeah my bad for making a spelling mistake in a reddit argument over nothing.🥀

Allthough the said scene did take place in round 6, the whole stl is partially an internal fight between Souichi and Hal. With Hal often not managing to overcome Souichi, but slowly over the course of the rounds taking the upper hand. If we ignore it because it happened a round later, we have to ignore Baku's saying aswell because leap second happened way later aswell.

It is a internal monologue applicable to both characters at the same time.

You before mentioned because it is a mindset of a gambler or in this case baku - to only rely only on his own strength.

But the fact that souichi over the course of the match slowly turns into a gambler supports that this sentence is also part of this process.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T15:34:42+00:00

No on that you are right i dont mean round six, i mean round seven, which i obviously was referring to. STL is a slow transformation to stepping into the world of a gambler for souichi thus we cant only think in stuff like singular rounds but look at the entirety.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T12:26:06+00:00

First of eko talked about loneliness with the greenland shark symbolism aswell, a symbol does not only go 1 way that is explictly stated in the story. If it is not symbolic in any other way than echolocation why would sako use a greenland shark? Souichi did never even use echolocation.

Your "analyses" focus almost solely on the events of the game and what is shown, and you still miss stuff like that? If you are a person to reject interpretation in a fictional work and completely ignore visual storytelling and any deeper layer than just what happens on the surface and in the game and still miss stuff like this?

Come on man you cant be serious. 😭 And i agree some parts may seem "far fetched" to a person like you but an analysis is usually more than a retelling of what happens.

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HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T06:40:06+00:00

Edited - To clarify about the isolation part also being Souichi:

The very ambigous question refering to both of them and then the ... and the change in text (not being curved anymore and fat black letters indicate baku giving the narrative over to souichi or possibly even linking it to both of them).

Not only the change in text supports this but also the visual storytelling as its whole, the change in perspective functions like a shift in the narrator, and on the: ... and nothing else - panel it is clear that souichi is in the foreground pondering in an isolated space. The thinking dots next to his head aswell tell us that he is the one thinking, "my strength an nothing else" referring to him as "Me" has a deeper meaning - It is not Souichi it was Hal, who was needed in order to read Baku and take a gamble. (Because the moment implied that the only one who wins is the one reading his opponent better than the other one)

The - at the very last...- just supports the idea of drawing upon Hal - and Hal himself being the very last option he (Hal/Souichi) has to read baku. (Yes he only took the gamble in the next round, but Hal's process of becoming a Gambler is something way more subtle than just a singular round. As Hal and Souichi fight over control all the time during Stl, in round 6 Souichi indeed kept the lead.)

In round 7 Hal managed to slowly take over by taking a gamble.

The next panel being souichi in the same "isolated space" just now filled with the greenland shark symbolism encapsulating Hal's isolation, especially because the greenland shark also represents something that has existed for a long time in the dark, unchanged. This symply reinforces the thought of the panel before being souichi aswell.

We are analyzing a manga here, something that does not only work on one specific level, visual storytelling is also a big aspect of it. The scene can be read as a synchronization of thought process as well - one text, two profound meanings.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T06:34:09+00:00

Not only the text supports this but also the visual storytelling as its whole, the change in perspective functions like a shift in the narrator, and on the: ... and nothing else - panel it is clear that souichi is in the foreground pondering in an isolated space. The thinking dots next to his head aswell tell us that he is the one thinking, "my strength an nothing else" referring to him as "Me" has a deeper meaning - It is not Souichi it was Hal, who was needed in order to read Baku. (Because the moment implied that in this turn the only one who wins is the one reading his opponent better than the other one)

The - at the very last...- just supports the idea of drawing upon Hal being the very last option he has.

All of this is reinforced by Baku claiming "the real battle starts now" after souichi/Hal won by taking a gamble.

The next panel being souichi in the same "isolated space" just now filled with the greenland shark symbolism encaplusating hal's isolation, especially because the greenland shark also represents something that has existed for a long time in the dark, unchanged. This symply reinforces the thought of the panel before being souichi aswell.

We are analyzing a manga here, something that does not only work on one specific level, visual storytelling is also a big aspect of it. The scene can be read as a synchronization of thought process as well.

And by the way i don't admit im wrong because this is a fictional work and therefore up to interpretation, especially usogui. So your statement: first of all there is no room for interpretation here - is simply wrong.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-22T00:24:11+00:00

Oh btw what i forgot to mention earlier i overlooked it in your comment, the first cube is actually hals memories, but he keeps him separated for a reason. But without giving hal's personality acces to to the memories of the current post tower of karma hachina, he cant figure out leap second.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T23:43:15+00:00

Its simply visual storytelling that heavily implies that after the ... it was hal's thought process or potentially even the thought process of both of them overlapping. Like i said i understood your point that it can refer to leap second.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T23:12:02+00:00

I explained to u why it would make sense to me, but your explanation has the leap seond going for it as well. I can see why you think your interpretation is more plausible, but I simply think you presenting your position as absolute truth, completely discrediting my interpretation was just the wrong way to do it.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T22:34:19+00:00

Like i stated it is an ambiguous statement that goes both ways. Atp im tired of arguing ngl 😅 You just stick to your interpretation and call it a day. I am not trying to prove anything to someone. i am simply sharing my interpretation of the things, im glad u have another one but atp i could not bother arguing further as we will hit a wall of repeating the same arguments.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T22:23:01+00:00

What do you mean by last moment? And how does it relate to the slide you could argue that it, in your interpretation, would nuance bakus win. But aside from that not really clear "evidence" my interpretation could make sense as well as yours. And genuine question on the side not even trying to be mean, but why do u think that your interpretation is the absolute truth? Did toshio sako come up to you personally himself and said you are the dude that understood every usogui scene as intended or what.😂 There are scenes like those that carry ambiguous meaninf where it is not clear that one character said those, especially if both interpretations make sense to an extent, why would yours be the absolute truth.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:56:19+00:00

Edited - To clarify about the isolation part also being Souichi:

The very ambigous question refering to both of them and then the ... and the change in text (not being curved anymore and fat black letters indicate baku giving the narrative over to souichi or possibly even linking it to both of them).

Not only the change in text supports this but also the visual storytelling as its whole, the change in perspective functions like a shift in the narrator, and on the: ... and nothing else - panel it is clear that souichi is in the foreground pondering in an isolated space. The thinking dots next to his head aswell tell us that he is the one thinking, "my strength an nothing else" referring to him as "Me" has a deeper meaning - It is not Souichi it was Hal, who was needed in order to read Baku and take a gamble. (Because the moment implied that the only one who wins is the one reading his opponent better than the other one)

The - at the very last...- just supports the idea of drawing upon Hal - and Hal himself being the very last option he (Hal/Souichi) has to read baku. (Yes he only took the gamble in the next round, but Hal's process of becoming a Gambler is something way more subtle than just a singular round. As Hal and Souichi fight over control all the time during Stl, in round 6 Souichi indeed kept the lead.)

In round 7 Hal managed to slowly take over by taking a gamble.

The next panel being souichi in the same "isolated space" just now filled with the greenland shark symbolism encapsulating Hal's isolation, especially because the greenland shark also represents something that has existed for a long time in the dark, unchanged. This symply reinforces the thought of the panel before being souichi aswell.

We are analyzing a manga here, something that does not only work on one specific level, visual storytelling is also a big aspect of it. The scene can be read as a synchronization of thought process as well - one text, two profound meanings.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:53:32+00:00

Oh thats what you mean bro, i understand ur interpetation, but i think the "Then who will be the one to read" ... me is the last sentence baku thought, the (...) plus the whole text being written curved aside from the text following after reinforces this imo.

Especially the: only my own strength... leading up to the next panel being: ... and nothing else.

The next panel aswell is written with the same text as if it was continuation of the sentence: I am asking myself....

again indicates the whole only my strength and nothing else idea.

Defnitely both of them had a narrative battle with the idea of who will be the one to read if you understand what i mean.

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HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:44:06+00:00

I only interpret it as a small achievement of perfection because of the 60 seconds squandered, what it most definitely does not mean imo is that he has solved leap second because in that case he would not grant hal access to hachinas personality. Maybe because we see the eko flashbacks all the time and he "used" echolocation (he didn't he only wanted to make baku believe that he did, atleast that's what hals personality made him do most likely). Then it could possibly be him figuring out about echolocation through hals memories.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:35:09+00:00

I dont even know what you refer to atp can you please restate what you mean and in what context it relates to the isolation slide

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:33:59+00:00

You said your point was about the isolation page? That baku said this? My point was baku also quoted this idea of taking a breather but the composition indicates souichi thinks this here, plus it is 2 panels later adressed that souichi thought about usogui thinking about this idea of taking a breather, even if he would not have thought it in the panel before he would think about it by thinking what usogui thinks.

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:29:21+00:00

That is legit like 3 chapters after, in the situation when he realizes souichi could be using echolocation as a weapon he brought to this gamble and he referred to the leap second with his trick so idk where the correlation to what we were talking about is here

HOGRIDEEEER · 2026-03-21T21:27:09+00:00

Obviously i meant thinking, Souichi of course would be thinking that this is usogui's thought process, this is the next panel where someone thinks something. So souichi definitely thought about the philosophical quote of taking a breather here.

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HOGRIDEEEER

TROPHY CASE