Yen's Journey :

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Introduction
After Odawara
V. Rate : 50%
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Oda Yen is an old samurai. Not really a old experienced martial art teacher, neither one of these ancien fighter made monks. He's an old dishonored samurai.
On his youth, he was a young and proud warrior of the Oda clan ; smart, skilled and quite feared too ; he was expected to have a brilliant future in his clan.
Then the civil war happened.
Before the battle against the Imagawa's clan, Yen's gunso, Katsukase-sama, asked him to stay at Odawara to protect his wife, Otsuka-chan.
The battle was won epically despite the really bad settings, but at the fort, a rumor told that a romance happened between Yen and Otsuka-chan. It was half-true in fact, because the two persons became good friends ; but when Katsukaze heard it, his honor was stroke to death.
Yen and Katsukaze duelled one another at Odawara main place ; but Katsukase was already wounded from the last battle, and was killed at the first strike.
Because it was a duel of honor, Yen hadn't being pursued by the clan, but Otsuka wasn't as merciful. He tried his life long to be forgiven by the young widow ; but never succeeded.
Otsuka died at 45, and Yen seemed to have lost all interest in life. He became a drunkard, and finally leaved the Oda clan. Now he's travelling throught Japan, seeking a new place to settle on.


Duel 1 : Against Crypt Queens [Lost]
[Oda Yen] [link]
[Crypt Queens][link]

Winner: ~vampireking. Haha, seventeen had a naughty entry! Nice colors and more attractive compares to vampireking's entry. But I'm leaning more to vampireking for his better execution in composition, character's anatomy, background, and actions. The way vampire drew characters are more lively and expressive too! However, the "action lines" shouldn't be that solid on a black surface. It kinda ruin the composition.

Yen's though : It was my first duel since a long time. I maybe was a little rusted ; even at my age, I've a lot to learn...

Duel 2 : Against Dairyu [Won]
Save your opponant !
[Oda Yen] [link]
[Dairyu] Forfeit...

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen Winner by default.

Yen's though : I can't be proud. I did my duty.

Duel 3 Against Ginrei [Won]
A fight involving bamboo.
[Oda Yen] [link]
[Ginrei][link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen: Two very different approaches by both artists for this duel. Mehp's piece went for the physical approach. The setting was simple, but nice, and the posture of both fighters show the action fairly well. Though it is a bit stiff. #17's comedic route was a bit more inventive which helped earn him a win. The composition and interaction between the duelers had a good dialogue which creates more interest in the story being told. Nice job from both of you.

Yen's though : An interesting duel on the originality plan, cause my opponant was darnly sexy. But on the technical plan, I really needed to improve...

Duel 4 With Nanatsue against Duke and Punchbiscuit [Lost]
[Us] [link]
[Duke & Punchbiscuit] [link]

Winner: *Akulas-Psyhos ; the teamwork between VampireKing and Number-seventeen was quite impressive... for the first 6 pages. the extreme drop in quality for the last 5 pages definitely left a lot to be desired. In contrast, akulas impressed with strong cinematic combat shots that really emphasized the aggression and fast paced action. while not as clean as the opponents entry, it depicted a strong beatdown with consistent quality throughout all the pages, although... there does seem to be one more opponent who's fate isnt addressed. While VK and NS's entry likely addressed the second characters fate in the later pages, these pages are quite hard to read. given what's available to work with, i think Akula came through with a slightly stronger front, and a great attempt at difficult angles and renders.

Yen's though : What a disappointment. We took blows in our head because my friend given up the fight too early before the conclusion, while we had a good chance of wining. And this DARNED GIRL got the hell in her fist, ouch.

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Chapter one
Tetsu no Tatsu
V. Rate : 60%
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After he met the Masuyo family on the Tetsu no Tatsu inn, Oda Yen decided to stay. He'll work as a bodyguard and will teach the family's daughter to read and write. Of course, as a bouncer, Yen is really incompetent ; drunkard, foul mouthed and sometimes violent, he usually do more mess than he reestablish order. But being a bouncer was a good experience for him. Cause me met a lot of people, the little Nekomata-chan who's always teasing him, Mokusetsu-kun, Kadri-chan, Dousen-san who kicked his ass, and Joben who introduced him to the Kurohasukai.
Oda Yen loved this episode of his late life.

Duel 5 Against Dousen [Lost]
Duel in an inn
[Oda Yen][link]
[Dousen][link]

Winner: *KawaiiSonicChao Win goes to Chao for a clearer win shot. In number-seventeen's it looks like Voyager has fallen asleep. There's good details in both though number-seventeen's more structured setting comes off as a bit too straight and thusly less convincing. (Not to sure what's happening with the floating lantern.) The organic look of Chao's entry helps push it ahead for the win.

Yen's though : Before you ask, I was wining at the go game.

Duel 6 Against Aetos [Won]
Regular duel
[Oda Yen] [link]
[Aetos] [link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen There was a powerful flow of movement and energy in seventeen's entry. There is also a sense of victory in number-seventeen's entry had that dancing-sword's did not.

Yen's though : Really, it was the first drawing on a winning line. After this fistfight, I never stopped improving.

Duel 7 Against Mokusetsu [Won]
Regular duel
[Oda Yen][link]
[Mokusetsu] [link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen Both entries from the artists make great use of effects. I prefered seventeed though for greater attention to details.

Yen's though : I think I like Kiki personally, though the boy must hate me now. But young people are noisy, by always making double-meaning sentences...

Duel 8 Against Joben [Forfeit]
[Oda Yen] Forfeit...
[Joben] [link]

Winner: =josukeX Won by forfeit as i cannot find an entry for his opponent.

Yen's though : Okay. I deserved it. And I made a friend.

Duel 9 Against Kadri Ai [Won]
Regular duel
[Oda Yen][link]
[Kadri Ai][link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen gets the win for having a clear outcome.

Yen's though : Kadri Ai is young but have a lot of potential. Maybe I should train her properly and make her into a fearsome fighter ! Haha !

Duel 10 Against Kampank [Won]
[Oda Yen][link]
[Kampank][link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen Although there were a few aspects of Coferosa's we liked more, his piece felt rushed and incomplete. Seventeen has maintained a good amount of quality. However we'd recommend not relying on photoshop textures as much and thinking more about color in relation to the light and environment.

Yen's though : I never though I can handle a Gokiburi-gumi member, and especially not the invincible Kampank. But I fought with my hearth, and I deserve this victory. I'm maybe not the stronger samurai of the old Japan but... Well, I think I just need more sake.

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Chapter two
Kurohasu-kai
V. Rate : Pending.
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Things began to get worse after a fistfight with a member of the Gokiburi-gumi. Before this, Oda Yen only beaten random people and his exactions had no consequences. Let's get to the point : Yen didn't feared thoses “consequences”, because he was old, melancholic and because he was a samurai before all. But he was in charge of a mother and her daughter, and didn't wanted, at any prices, thugs of the Gokiburi-gumi to take an hair from them.
So, Yen contacted Joben-san again. The two men fought before, in the outskirts of the TnT inn, and Joben had the upper hand ; and it appeared he was a main member of the Kurohasu-kai clan.
The Kurohasu-kai clan was far smaller than the Gokiburi-gumi and couldn't handle a frontal confrontation, but Yen feared so much for the Masuyo's lives, he could take any protection available. Plus, he known that a clan as big as the “cockroach team” would never launch a frontal assault on the TnT inn.
The Black Lotus Society was important enough to make the individual zealous thugs to rethink about their probable foolish projects...

Let us use this little interlude to talk about current Yen's social life.


Duel 11 Against Deadface [Won]
Dojo sparring

[Oda Yen][link]
[Deadface][link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen
~Number-Seventeen's duel is clean and crisp, depicting his character's impending victory well. ~AsianEyes442's lines are a bit sloppy and detract from the picture. Also, at first glance it was difficult to see exactly what was happening.

Yen's thought : I'm beggining to feel used to bunk young girls, eh. I remember my first battle since Odawara. Oooh, things have changed, boy ! It wasn't a bad spar, cause I discovered shinai could be used to club people. I'll remeber it well.

Side 1 Gifts[No results]
[Oda Yen][link]

Yen's thought : I was in a good mood, so as I said, I trained Kadri Ai. We trained all the day long, and she left the inn at the evening, promising to come again to pay me back. Yeah yeah. Old men know that means « farwell » on young girls' mouthes.

Side 2 Couple Contest [First place]
[Oda Yen and Akina Sorano] [link]

Yen's thought : I'm now officially in couple, and I guess honey will come to see me often, at the inn. Plus, we have been selected as the "Most Unique Couple" of the year. Guess it won't last long.
I wonder how people will receive the new. Rina-sama doesn't pay me to flirt, and I don't want Neko-chan to take exemple. I don't want her to end up in the arms of an old crap ! And for the customers and other people... Well, I don't care of what can think people I'm blowing the heads.

Side 3 Haloween costume contest
[Oda Yen] [link]

Duel 12 With Dôsen, against Tenma and Ayame [Won]
Tag duel - Splash page

[Oda Yen and Dôsen] [link]
[Tenma and Ayame] Forfeit

Winners: *KawaiiSonicChao & ~Number-Seventeen won by forfiet, as I cannot find their opponents' entry.

Yen's thought : Bang ! Ka-pow ! Eat the ground, kids, it'll make you grow ! Haha ! Seriousely, there are so much facts on this duel, brillantly won by myself and Dôsen-sama. So, in a wrong order. Both men of this duel have previousely been kicked by their female partner. Dôsen have been beaten by forfeit previousely, by Tenma-san, so this win is a sweet revenge for her. Ayame-san won't stop repairing her naginata. It's been broken two times in two duels. And I do prefer see Dôsen-sama in the good side of my spear.

Duel 13 Against Dakota [Won]
[Oda Yen] [link]
[Dakota] [link]

Winner: ~Number-Seventeen
Both entries were very entertaining and I found ~Lastdragondreamer's entry to be fun and amusing. However, ~Number-Seventeen had a very, VERY clear win, clean lines and colors, and turned his pages in by the deadline.

Yen's thoughts : This one was pretty hard. I'm still not fit for long duels, so I'll have to train more. Ironically, I won because I was faster than my opponant. Do you trust it? Me, with my weight, having to rely on speed...!