Mako Tsunami

Mako Tsunami aka Ryota Kajiki in the manga, and Japanese version. He is a character in Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters. He is a fisherman who wants to become the greatest fisherman ever in honor of his father, who died on a shipwreck. In the English version, Mako is searching for his long lost father, who survived the shipwreck, indicated by a missing lifeboat.

Background
Mako was born on the day of March 1st. When he was very young Mako never once spoke about his mother. However he and father would always go out to be on the ocean to fish alot. His father taught everything about the ocean. Mako knows when the ocean, is happy, sad or angry. His father taught him how to cook, and how to fish. When he and his father were out on the ocean. It was a horrible storm, his father tied him up to a wood pole so he can be safe. His father fell into the ocean never to be seen again. Mako vow that he would duel only for his father, much like how Yugi duels for his grandfather. In the Japanese version, Mako say his father died after the incident. In the English version, Mako found out that his father survived the incident, and vows to find him in the ocean.

Personality
He is seen as being very sweet, and kind to others. He hates cheaters, and when people eat his fish without permission. He also likes to trap duelist by using "food" as bait. However he also cam be clumsy such as riding a whale. He enjoys the ocean, and hates to see when sea animals get hurt. He also doesn't like when a octopus is on his head like when he threw it in the ocean just when Joey and Tristan wanted to eat it. Mako enjoys his rivalry with Yugi and Joey so much that he doesn't mind hanging out with them before their duel begins. Mako also enjoys having fun at an aquarium, and obeys the rules of the aquarium as well.

Appearance
He has brown skin and black spiky hair. He wears light blue clothes.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist Manga
Years after the shipwreck, Mako took part in the Duelist Kingdom Duel Monsters tournament, hoping to win the prize money to buy a new boat. At some point, he won a Star Chip, bringing his total to three. He spent much of the tournament near the island's cliffs, where he went fishing. He left some of his catch cooking on an open fire, hoping it would attract Duelists, who he could challenge. This would work to his benefit, as the nearest Battle Box, was next to the sea, which greatly benefited his Deck, through the Field Power Source rule.

Joey Wheeler spotted Mako's fish unattended at the fire and insisted that it was okay for him and his friends to take them. Mako tried to get their attention, but was knocked back into the water by a wave. He emerged with an octopus on his head and shouted at them for taking his food. As Mako introduced himself, Joey laughed at the octopus on his head, which Mako then threw away, much to the dismay of Joey and Tristan Taylor, who would rather have eaten it. Mako notices Yami Yugi is among Joey's friends and thinks he has made a big catch. He decides to share his fish with them and tells them the story of what happened to his boat. As the others were about to leave, Mako threw a harpoon, into the ground near them, telling them to stop. He explained that they had taken his bait and challenged Yami Yugi to a Duel, where they each bet two Star Chips.

In addition to getting an ATK and DEF increase from the Sea terrain, Mako's monsters were able to hide under the water, preventing Yami Yugi from attacking them. They could emerge to attack, a tactic Kajiki referred to as the "sea stealth attack". Yami Yugi tried a "Feral Imp" and "Horn of the Unicorn" combo to attack the water with electricity, but Mako saw what he was planning and Summoned "Jellyfish", which absorbed the electricity. Yami Yugi played "Mystical Moon", with the apparent purpose to strengthen "Silver Fang". However the moon's effect on tide levels, caused the "Leviathan" to flood the field more than usual. When Mako got his monsters to surround Yami Yugi's "Giant Soldier of Stone" to stop Yami Yugi turning it into an island, Yami Yugi destroyed the moon. This returned the tide to normal, beaching Mako's monsters, which Yami Yugi destroyed with "Burning Land", winning the Duel.

Mako was gracious in defeat, and hoped to continue the tournament with his remaining Star Chip. However, he was not one of the four to qualify for the semifinals.

Many months later, Mako took part in the Battle City tournament and managed to earn four Puzzle Cards. Having never been to an aquarium before, he went to Domino City Aquarium, where he later met Joey and Tea Gardner. Mako mistook the killer whale's pool for a fish tank and the killer whale for a catch, remarking that he would like to take it out and cook it on a grill. Tea explained that people visit aquariums to look at sea creatures, not eat them. Mako found that unusual and thought Joey had come to look at fish. When Joey explained that he was there to Duel, Mako laughed and claimed that Joey did not stand a chance against his sea Deck, but accepted his challenge. They decided to Duel on the spot, while the audience for the killer whale show, watched their Duel. Mako suggested that they each bet two Puzzle Cards, so that the winner would advance to the championship rounds. Joey agreed and suggested that they each bet two rare cards as well, so Mako wagered "Leviathan" and "Fortress Whale", while Joey wagered "Jinzo" and "Insect Queen". Having heard that Joey got far in Duelist Kingdom by luck, Mako decided to test his skills for himself.

After Joey accidentally Summoned "Parasite Paracide", having forgot to take it out of his Deck, and tried to use "Chasm of Spikes" on an unaffected monster, "Flying Fish", Mako doubted Joey's abilities and thought he was not taking the game seriously. He complained about players, who do not fight with their full strength, believing them to be disrespectful to their opponents. From that point, he became more pleased with Joey's efforts.

When Joey tried hiding his monster in "Fairy Box", flooded the field with "Umi", so that he could see air bubbles coming from the monster's hiding place. However Joey's use of "Skull Dice", ensured that his own monster was still stronger. Because of "Umi", Joey's monsters, incapable of swimming, could not attack Mako. However, he fused "Alligator Sword" into "Alligator Sword Dragon", which flew across the water to attack. This caused Joey to think the sea was not so tough, a statement Mako was determined to prove wrong.

Mako played cards, which became hidden under the water, like in Duelist Kingdom. Joey thought he could avoid them by flying over the water, but Mako blocked his attacks, with "Tornado Wall". Due to the tide dropping to create the wall, Joey thought he could see that Mako had no monsters. However Mako had hid his monster, "Legendary Fisherman", behind the killer whale, and referred to this strategy as "Sea Stealth II".

Mako Summoned his strongest monster, "Fortress Whale", which would attack Joey directly after "Legendary Fisherman" performed stealth attacks on Joey's monsters. Joey thought about how Mako lured opponents to the cliffs at Duelist Kingdom for territorial advantage and suspected he had done the same with the aquarium. With that, he deduced the location of "Legendary Fisherman". He then used "Magic Arm Shield" to put the fisherman in the path of an attack from "Fortress Whale" Jonouchi also used "Panther Warrior" with "Kunai with Chain" and "Lightning Blade" to defeat "Fortress Whale".

On his last turn, Mako used "Return of the Doomed" to bring back "Legendary Fisherman", hiding it underwater. Joey expected him to bring back the stronger "Fortress Whale" and was surprised when he used "Giant Trunade" to remove "Umi". He defeated "Legendary Fisherman" with "Panther Warrior".

Mako insisted it did not matter, when Joey questioned his last move, but Joey refused to accept a victory when his opponent threw the game. Mako explained that "Legendary Fisherman" was his trump card, which he always fights alongside because of its resemblance to his father and he could not leave it in his Graveyard. He thought he was being silly, but Mako said he would have done the same thing. Mako tried giving Joey "Legendary Fisherman" instead of "Leviathan" as it was his most valuable card. At first Joey could not accept, but Mako assured him that his father would think he was putting too much faith in a card and that his father will always fight by his side even without the card.

Duelist Kingdom arc
His first appearance is in the Duelist Kingdom arc, where he duels Yami Yugi in a battleground near the sea. Due to the fact that his side of the field was water, all of his monsters gained power bonuses and they were able to hide themselves from attack. Therefore, Mako's monsters were able to devastate Yugi's monsters until Yugi played "Full Moon" to increase the ATK points of his "Silver Fang". From here, he shattered the moon with "Giant Soldier of Stone", draining the sea and exposing Mako's monsters. From here, he played "Curse of Dragon" which in combination with the "Burning Land" card, incinerated Mako's monsters and won Yugi the Duel. He then goes in the water to find food ,and wishes his new friends good for the touranment.

Battle City arc
His next appearance in the series is during the Battle City arc. It showed him trying to catch fish in the killer whale tank at Domino City Aquarium, where he was chewed out by the Domino City Aquarium worker, the killer whale's trainer. When the worker was too ill to perform the scheduled show, Mako volunteered to take her place, due to his bond with all sea creatures. He was found at the show by Joey Wheeler who he duels to determine which one of them will go to the playoffs. Using the Field Magic Card "Umi", Mako gains offensive and defensive bonuses for his monsters as well as hiding them. Eventually, Mako calls forth his " Legendary Fisherman", who is immune to Magic Cards and monster assaults as long as "Umi" is on the field. To Mako, "The Legendary Fisherman" is the embodiment of his father and also what he aspires to be in life. Mako then Summons "Fortress Whale", whose power allows him to dominate the field.

Joey eventually uses "Panther Warrior" in conjunction with the Equip Magic Card "Lightning Blade" in order to weaken the "Fortress Whale" as well as increase the power of the "Panther Warrior". Mako then used his "Legendary Fisherman" as a shield to protect his Life Points but with the removal of "Umi" via Joey's "Giant Trunade", it was easily destroyed, winning Joey the Duel. Joey won his "Fortress Whale", and Mako gave his "The Legendary Fisherman" to Joey as well to thank Joey. This is Mako's final Duel in the series. Mako was also the only Duelist Joey faced in tournament apart from Seto Kaiba that didn't cheat, or twist the game to their own will.

Battle City Finals arc
He is shortly seen along with the rest of the Duelists during the semifinal match between Seto Kaiba and Yugi Muto, in which he marvels at the power of the Egyptian Gods "Obelisk the Tormentor" and "Slifer the Sky Dragon".

Ceremonial Battle arc
He appears as a montage created by Maximillion Pegasus shortly before the final Duel when Pegasus says that everyone Yugi and the Pharaoh met had played a role in what was coming up next. In the final episode of the Japanese version, Kajiki is seen on a boat that has a sail that reads "Tairyō" (大漁), which means a large catch of fish. When Kajiki arrives on shore, he encounters the Roba brothers, with Espa Roba ready to Duel.

Yu-Gi-Oh! movie 1
Mako makes a cameo watching the news of Yugi being the champion on TV,

Video Games
Mako Tsunami appears in the following video games:
 * Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monsters Coliseum
 * Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
 * Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution

Quotes

 * That was an excellent duel my friend

Knownable Relatives

 * Unnamed Father (dead)
 * Unnamed Mother
 * Yugi Muto/Yami Yugi (Best Friend/#1 Rival)
 * Joey Wheeler (Second Rival)

Trivia

 * Kajikimaguro means "Swordfish". His English anime name, Mako, originates from the "Mako Shark", and a "Tsunami" is a type of large wave formed by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
 * His birthday is March 1, and his bloodtype is B.
 * His favorite food is Fish dish. While his least favorite food is Shitake.

Voice Actresses & Actors

 * Japanese : Daisuke Namikawa (teenager)
 * Japanese voice actress : Yuki Nakao (child)
 * English : Andrew Rannels (Both), Daniel J. Edwards (Duel Links)


 * all information on Mako Tsunami came from http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Mako_Tsunami