Konami has released a new Yu-Gi-Oh! card, and it tells a story about cranes, secrets, and favors returned. The card is called The Secret Crane Princess Who Returns A Favor, and it is a Level 1 LIGHT Winged Beast Tuner Effect Monster with zero ATK and zero DEF. That is the full name of the card, and it is not a typo.
The card’s three effects are simple to state and complicated to execute. You can only use each of them once per turn, and they all revolve around revealing, drawing, and destroying.
First Effect: Recycle During the End Phase
During your opponent’s End Phase, you can place this card from your GY on the top of the Deck. That is the simplest of the three effects, and it is the one least likely to cause trouble. It is a way to recycle the card without doing anything dangerous.
Second Effect: The Hand-Reveal Trick
The second effect is the one that gives the card its name. It is a Quick Effect that lets you return this card from the field to the hand, and if you do, each player draws one card. Then your opponent can draw one card, and if they do, you must keep your hand revealed for the rest of that phase.
The twist is the reveal. You have to show your hand to your opponent, and you have to keep showing it until the phase ends. That is the part of the card’s name that references the Crane Wife legend.
The Legend Behind the Card
The card is clearly based on a folktale about a man who saves a crane. To reward him, the crane becomes his wife in human form without him knowing what she was. She lives with him as a human wife, and he is happy until he looks while she is dressing one night and discovers she is actually a crane. He leaves her forever after that discovery.
The card’s third effect takes that idea of a favor returned and turns it into revenge. Banishing the revealed card from your hand destroys all face-up cards your opponent controls.
Why the Name Works
The card’s name is the whole joke. A crane princess returns a favor by destroying everything the opponent holds. The story is built into the text of the card itself.
The first effect puts the card back on top of the Deck during the End Phase. The second effect reveals your hand and forces your opponent to draw. The third effect destroys everything your opponent controls.
Mechanics of the Card
The card is a Tuner, which means it can be used in plays involving other monsters. But with zero ATK and zero DEF, it is not a monster you want to leave on the field for long. The value comes from the effects, not from the stats.
The first effect is a safe way to cycle the card. The second effect is the riskiest, because revealing your hand gives your opponent information. The third effect is the payoff, but it requires you to have the card in your hand and revealed.
A Card Built on a Story
The card’s design is a direct adaptation of a folktale. The man who saves the crane gets a wife who rewards him. The man who looks at her secret gets left behind. The card’s third effect is the revenge.
The card’s name is the whole joke. A crane princess returns a favor by destroying everything the opponent holds.
What the Card Actually Does
In practice, the card is a combo piece. The second effect sets up the reveal, and the third effect clears the board. The first effect recycles the card without doing anything dangerous.
The card is not a win condition on its own. It is a tool in a deck that wants to disrupt the opponent’s resources.
The Mechanics at a Glance
| Effect | Trigger | Cost | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place on Deck | End Phase | None | Places the card on top of the Deck |
| Reveal Hand | Main Phase | Return the card to hand | Each player draws one card; opponent can draw one card; you reveal your hand for the rest of the phase |
| Destroy All | Quick Effect | Banish the revealed card | Destroys all face-up cards the opponent controls |
The card is a card named after a folktale that lets players draw cards, reveal their hands, and destroy everything the opponent controls. The level of literalism is high, and the result is a card that is both a joke and a functional piece of the game.
See the a run of 22 images at YGOrganization.
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