Yuko Tsukumo is the "Child of ZEXAL", daughter of Yuma Tsukumo, and the main protagonist of Taylor Gorrell's fanfiction, Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - The Future.
Appearance[]
Yuko wearing her casual clothes, Duel Disk, and Deck Holder.
Yuko's hairstyle is identical to Yuma's, being black with six prominent spikes, the two by the forehead being a different color (this color spreading into the black), but her spikes are more curved and natural, and instead of Yuma's red, the forehead spikes are the same green as her mother's. Also, Yuko has a longer section of hair in the back of her head, coming down to her mid-back. Yuko's facial features are also near-identical to Yuma's, but her eyes are neither red nor hazel; instead, they are gold, believed to be from the power of ZEXAL.
Yuko usually wears a red sleeveless t-shirt with a large cyan star on it, the star having two pink eyes and a pink outline, a short green skirt, shin-length black socks, and brown shoes. When in school, Yuko wears the standard first-year female uniform. Much like her mother, Yuko also has multiple other outfits that she often wears.
Etymology[]
Yuko's name comes from the first two syllables of her parents' names, Yuma and Kotori.
Voice/Mannerisms[]
Yuko uses the very informal pronoun "atai". While its origins are in the lower classes and it is currently common between those who want to be bad girls and female delinquents, in the future its usage gradually morphed into becoming something akin to a female version of the notorious "ore" and a slang version of "atashi", reflecting her spunky yet feminine personality.
An odd quirk that Yuko has is that when she reads a number that end in "00", she will always (incorrectly) read it as "#### Hundred" (#### Hyaku)".
Personality[]
Some of Yuko's alternative outfits.
Much like her father, Yuko is hasty, energetic, and cheerful, always jumping at the chance to challenge herself. Taught her father's "Kattobingu" from a young age ("Kattobingu" was actually her first word), she has a never-give-up attitude in the face of any danger. However, in spite of her hot blood, she tends to keep an intelligent head on the battlefield, but will leave everything to chance in a pinch. Yuko has no problems asking for help if she needs it, and believes that friends should always be there for each other. For all her tough traits, though, Yuko is not tomboyish and is willing to engage in feminine activities such as shopping, having a bit of care for fashion and her looks.
Yuko's lineart, depicting her from various sides, and some of her facial expressions.
However, Yuko also tends to be overconfident and even somewhat haughty when in certain moods, leading to many people noting that Yuko lacks her father's ability to connect with anyone through Duels. She is also rather irresponsible with her ZEXAL power, using Chaos Xyz Change and Shining Draw without a second thought to win, in spite of how much it seems like cheating. In addition to this, Yuko has zero tolerance for betrayal, especially if she's the one being betrayed, and will go after the traitor with a vengeance and the intent of making them suffer.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Baby Yuko toying with the Emperor's Key.
Yuko Tsukumo was born to Yuma and Kotori Tsukumo 9 years after the events of the Numbershots, and 1 year after their wedding. Yuko showed an interest in Duels even as a baby, always watching her father Duel in the Pro Circuit and learning the spirit of "Kattobingu".
Yuko Summons "Number 100" for the first time.
When Yuko was nine, Yuma bought her her first Deck and was her opponent in her very first Duel. However, during the Duel, Yuko's internal ZEXAL power activated, time-warping "Number 100: Ascending Prince Future" from baby form into a teenage battle form, Summoning him as a card and securing victory in her first Duel.
Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - The Future[]
Coming soon...
Non-canon appearances[]
XBrain130's Universe[]
Yuko's school robes.
Yuko appears in XBrain130's "Different Dimension Hunter" universe.
In the second main story of the series, "The Revenge of the Dreamed Hunter", Yuko appears when Kotori calls Yuma to congratulate him for winning the 3rd World Duel Carnival. She showed her father a drawing of "Number 39: Aspiring Emperor - Hope".
Later, the following morning, Yuko is shopping with her mother, when Shiyuki Tahita kidnaps them. When Yuma arrives to Duel him, he reveals that Yuko and Kotori are in a sphere field that will electrify them each time either Duelist takes a damage. To avoid that, Yuma plays defensively, but when Shiyuki breaks through his combo, he quickly tries to switch towards a more offensive strategy, prompting Yuko and Kotori to persuade him to continue without worrying for them.
Yuko and Kotori were shocked when Yuma Summoned "Number 96: Black Mist" to counterattack, but even more when Shiyuki managed to steal it and Rank it Up into "Black Storm". As the Duel continued, the child and the woman took various electric shocks, causing them to fall in a state of semiconsciousness. Notheless, Yuko cheered slightly when Yuma used "Rainbow Kuriboh".
After Yuma won, Shiyuki tried to kill the 3 Tsukumos with his "Number 130: Galaxy-Eyes Great Space Dragon", but the intervention of Kaito and Mizael eliminated him. The next day, when the three wake up in a hospital, Yuma reveals that he wanted to give them a few cards as gifts: "Devoted Empress - Love" to Kotori, and "Chaos Xyz Dark Fairy Cheer Girl" and "Rank-Up-Magic - Argent Chaos Force" to Yuko. The latter complained as she said she would have preferred the "Rank-Up-Magic - Quick Chaos" of "Uncle Shark".
The Tsukumo family with Yuko as child.
In the unrelated story "Visiting Friends", she comes with her parents to visit the Varian World. While Yuma enjoys a Duel with Alito, Girag and Vector, she encounters Polari, daughter of Merag and Durbe, and befriends her with a Duel. When she Summons "Ascending Prince - Future", she mentions it is a gift by her dad. Then, after both Tsukumos win, Yuko kicks Vector's leg when she maliciously asks Kotori a kiss.
Grown-up Yuko in XBrain130's continuity.
In the prequel story "Premonition", Yuko has a premonitory dream, in which she and Yuma are chased by a shadow riding a dragon. Yuma is blasted by an energy attack, and Yuko is grabbed. The shadow asks her with a warped voice if "she wants to join her mommy and daddy", scaring her, and then she's eaten by the dragon. Then, she sees various glowing eyes staring at her, and Numbers 96 appears to her, warning her about an old enemy about to return. It then cuts to an hotel bedroom, where an adult Yuko is resting before returning to Heartland to enter the 7th Terran World Duel Carnival Qualifications along her father.
In the third main story, "The Obstinacy of the Hunter", Yuko appears behind her parents during the opening cerimony, commenting that the world needs a new, younger champion. Father and daughter start smirking at each other about who will win, when Polari's family appears, and greet each other, with Polari saying she is there to cheer her best friend. During the Finalist Party, she sits by herself in a table, looking at her parents dancing and spending time together, noting how they love each other just like day 1. She also gets a brief talk with her best friend Tryga (here a Barian Prince named Kodak) through her D-Gazer linked. The following day, the Tsukumo family watches in horror as Shiyuki, returned once again, brutally One Turn Kills IV, with Yuko recalling how the experience with the last encounter gave her nightmares for the rest of her childhood. Resoluted to defeat him and avenge herself and her family, she faces him in the semi-finals. Even though they exchange a lot of blows with each other, culminating in her "Rank-Up-Magic - Explosive Chaos" nuking the field, Shiyuki ultimately Summons once again his fierce Number, whose attack slams her in a wall and wounds her. She later gets up from the hospital bed she was put on, sporting some bandages, and returns to the stadium with the support of Tryga, wanting to see Yuma beating him once again.
According to XBrain130, his plan for her role in the ARC-V timesetting is to portray her as a rather famous Pro Duelist, and having her emigrated to America, which would explain why Strong Ishijima was the Asian Champion. Yuma would be taking a break from his career (though he is still the current King of Games), allowing her to keep all of his Numbers. This is mentioned by Sora and Tatsuya in the one-shot "Fruits of Love".
Yuko in the Resistance AU.
In the ARC-V AU oneshot "Resistance", she's the head of the Xyz Dimension's Resistance. She assumed her position after the Academia started attacking, their targets being Yuma and his friends via surgical strikes. As she was the oldest Pro Duelist left, she swore to save her parents. She is the one who gave Shun Kurosaki his "Rank-Up-Magics" and sent him and Yuto in the Standard Dimension to search information on Academia, Leo Corporation, Leo Duel School, and Ruri Kurosaki.
In "Together In The End", set after ARC-V, Yuko deals with the death of her beloved parents in a car accident. While she initially fells in depression, she eventually feels better after spending some personal time with Tryga. She then discovers, much to her joy, that Yuma and Kotori reincarnated as a Barian and an Astral being respectively. Her father tells her to keep the Emperor's Key and the Numbers, effectively passing them to her as inheritance. Yuya Sakaki and Yuzu Hiragi, together with their children Yushi and Asuyu, make a cameo appareance in the funeral, trying to comfort Yuko.
Yin-Yang Yoh's Universe[]
Yuko chatting with Celeste in Yin-Yang Yoh's continuity.
Yuko is also seen in the "Numeralshots" Universe, a fanfiction universe created by Yin-Yang Yoh.
In the prologue of the series, Yuko appears after Yuma has won the Ultra Violet Duel Circuit. She gave her father a hug after his victory, him telling her to go to bed immediately afterwards, since it is her birthday.
Later, in the following morning, thirteen year-old Yuko and her brother, Kalan, meet "Uncle Astral" and "Aunt Mia", who are all overjoyed at meeting each other. Later on, the Tsukumos barely avoid being late, but Yuko is about a fraction of a minute late, only being able to watch the end of her best friend, Tryga's, duel. Tryga gives her a card, the identity of it being hidden until she draws it during her test duel. They both have a small moment, until it is rudely interrupted by the Card Professor, Cadmus Suoh.
Yuko wearing her Duel Gazer.
Yuma and Kotori then give their daughter a deck as a birthday present, which she then uses against Cadmus, additional support of Astral and Mia providing her two Numbers, Number 39: Utopia, and Number 13: Paradise. She duels somewhat aloofly, opting to "go easy on the old man", which immediately backfires as she loses over half of her life points in one turn. With encouragement and scolding by Astral, she takes the duel more seriously, summoning both of her parent's numbers in a matter of minutes. Unfortuanately, she is somewhat overwhelmed by Cadmus' five dragon monsters, leaving her with only Numbers 39 and 13 without any Overlay Units. She refuses to give up, her determination bringing out her hidden power that she inherited from Yuma, The Shining Draw, which she immediately uses. When she does however, it brings forth Celeste, another Astral being. Yuko and Celeste then summon Number F100: Arcadia, which she uses along with other equip spells to win the duel.
Cadmus refuses to accept the loss he suffers, prompting him to try and kick out Yuko from Heartland Academy, but Takashi and Cathy intervene, letting her in the Academy. Much rejoicing was seen afterwards.
Abilities[]
Yuko performing a Shining Draw.
Yuko has had the power of ZEXAL within her from birth. With it, she can perform Chaos Xyz Change and Shining Draw with virtually no effort, creating cards she needs to get out of pinches.
In XBrain130's continuity, she can also remotely Summon the Numbers from Yuma's Key, even if she doesn't wear it.
A possible explain is that during the ZEXAL Changes, a small part of Astral's DNA remains in Yuma. Then, when Yuko was conceived, she received those bits of DNA. This would also explain why Yuma is able to perform a Shining Draw on his own, late in the series.
Deck[]
| Record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Outcome | |
| Yuma Tsukumo | Win | |
The Deck Yuma bought for Yuko is an Antimaterion Deck, which are capable of Summoning Xyz Monsters at an insane pace, usually three Xyz Monsters per turn. After receiving him, her Antimaterions' strategy serves the implicit purpose of powering up her own Number: "Number 100: Ascending Prince Future".
| Deck | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-canon[]
| Opponent(s) | Fic | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Polari | Visiting Friends | Win |
In XBrain130's timeline, it's said that Yuko uses Kotori's Fairy Deck. Most cards are just mentioned, only "Ascending Prince - Future" and "Fairy's Fury" are seen played.
| Draw&Beat Fairies | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| ||
| Opponent(s) | Fic | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Shiyuki Tahita | The Obstinacy of the Hunter Chapters 4-5 | Lose |
In her adulthood, she switches to a competitive "Antimaterion" Deck, similar to her original self's one. She also has the ability to borrow any Number from Yuma's Key at any time.
| Antimaterion Xyz Swarm | ||
|---|---|---|
| Record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Outcome | |
| Cadmus Suoh | Win | |
In Yin-Yang Yoh's timeline, Yuko uses a Utopia/Paradise/Arcadia Deck that was made for her, as a birthday present, specializing in summoning her Utopian, Paradise, and Arcadia Xyz Monsters, which are to support her own Number: "Number F100: Arcadia".
| Title | ||
|---|---|---|
Trivia[]
- The star on Yuko's shirt based on the iconic Super Stars from the Super Mario Bros. franchise.
- The idea of it, along that of her casual clothing except the colors, is from XBrain130, who is also the one who drew all the images in this page.
- The voice actresses for Yuko are the same ones for Kjelle from Fire Emblem Awakening. Those were picked by Yin-Yang Yoh.