DAM SON: Intro to Kaiju

Hey once again, Dam Son here featuring one of the new decks released to OCG recently in Extra Pack 2016 - Kaiju

Kaiju is an archetype which playstyle revolves around tributing your opponent's monster to summon your Kaiju monsters to their field. Further more,you can special summon your own Kaiju monsters (without Tributes) whenever your opponent controls a Kaiju monster. That's the only summoning condition! With the limitation of only being able to control 1 Kaiju monster, you can go for the old-fashioned Godzilla Showdown!

All Kaiju monsters require Kaiju Counters to activate their effect. I choose to perceive it as a mana system, similar to the one in MTG.

The Monsters

Dogoran

Being the Godzilla of the Kaiju archetype, Dogoran have the ability to clear the board, leaving Dogoran as the only Kaiju. With 3000 ATK, Dogoran can punch his way through plenty of boss monsters or at worst - perform a suicidal attack into them.


Kumonga

Kumonga as a spider have the ability to prevent your opponent's monster from attacking and using their abilities, similar to encasing the monster in a spider web! Pretty fitting effect if you ask me.


Radian

Radian is the only Kaiju monster to grant the deck somewhat of a swarm capability. Radian have the illusory ability to replicate himself as a form of a token. Its [multidimensional] title is further supported by its artwork, where it seemingly transverse between dimensions, hence the bluriness of its artwork.
Since the token is not a Kaiju monster, it is unaffected by the limitations of the "one Kaiju per owner" rule.

Raidan has gained popularity in many DARK decks as it can be used to be banished for Allure of Darkness. Also, being Level7, it is a perfect gift for the Rank8 decks like Blue-Eyes as they are unlikely to be able to xyz summon with it. However, a synchro summon of 7+1 is still possible though.


Thunder King

Thunder King, probably inspired by King Ghidora from the show, have a hulking ATK of 3300. King Ghidora have the ability to negate all effects on the field till the end of the turn and is able to perform 3 attacks on monsters that turn, granting this card the potential to OTK.
With cards like Half Shut or the presence of low attack monsters on your opponent's field, this card can obliterate their lifepoints.


Gamecial

My personal favourite, and is by far the strongest Kaiju due to its unparalleled negation effect, with relatively low cost. Gamecial can negate any card effect and banish them. However, the only downside is that Gamecial has only 2200 ATK and is frequently used to summon to your opponent's side, only to be destroyed by battle shortly after (poor thing).

Gemecial's low ATK is compensated by its large DEF, which can prove to be troublesome for many decks to bypass.


Jizukiru

Alongside Thunder King, Jizukiru is also the strongest Kaiju in terms of ATK,  sharing a massive ATK of 3300. Jizukiru also have the ability to negate any effect that targets exactly 1 card and pop any card on the field. Best of all, that effect need not target Jizukiru at all. A simple Call of the Haunted can be negated since it targets a card in the graveyard.


Gadarla

Gadarla as Mothra from Godzilla. Gardarla has the ability to half the attack of all other monsters. This make Gadarla better in terms of offensive capabilities than Thunder King and Jizukiru if it were to use its ability.


Mecha Dogoran

Mechanized version of Godzilla, this Kaiju monster is an oddball, straying away from the norm.
It is not able to tribute your opponent's monster for a summon summon onto their field. Mecha Dogoran starts with 0 ATK but he can equip any Kaiju from your hand or graveyard to him, gaining ATK equal to the total ATK of all Kaiju monsters equip to him.

With turns and resources, Mecha Dogoran can build up its ATK, but is far from reliable as it requires time to set up.

Kaiju Spell/Trap

Kyoutou Waterfront

Main source of Kaiju Counters. Kyoutou gains Kaiju Counters whenever a card is sent from the field to the graveyard. Coolest part? If multiple cards are sent to the grave, you will gain Kaiju Counters for each card. When Kyoutou has 3 Counters, you can add 1 Kaiju monster from your deck to your hand.
Kyoutou has its own defense mechanism as Kyoutou can remove 1 counter to prevent its destruction. The only limitation is that in this meta, there is a high chance it will get removed via non-destruction methods, such as Castel or Cosmic Cyclone.
The five-counter limit is also problematic as it restricts your game plan at times, but at the same time, probably a necessary evil for preventing it from becoming too OP.


Kaiju Files

Kaiju Files allows you to tag out any Kaiju from either player's field with another different Kaiju to that respective field. Kaiju Files also gain Kaiju Counters whenever a Kaiju monster is summon to either side of the field. When Kaiju Files have 3 Counters, you can sent Files to grave to add any Kaiju Spell/Trap to the hand. Do note that Kyoutou Waterfront is NOT a Kaiju Card.


Interrupted Kaiju Slumber

Efficient removal card. Slumber destroys all monster on the field and then summon 2 Kaiju monsters, one on either side of the field. This sets us up for the instant Godzilla Showdown!!(yeaaa) In the graveyard, except the turn it is sent, you can banish it to add any Kaiju Monster to your hand. A removal and a searcher packed into a single card. But the only thing you have to worry about is the clause whereby it forces the summoned Kaiju monster to attack. No escaping the showdown I guess.

On a side note, Slumber can be activated in the OCG when there is a Kaiju on the field. Should the said Kaiju avoid destruction, no special summon will occur.


Kaiju Capture Mission

A rather odd card, if you ask me.
Kaiju Capture Mission allows you to target a Kaiju monster on either side of the field and if Capture Mission have less than 3 Kaiju Counters, you can flip that Kaiju monster to face down defense position and gain a Kaiju Counter in the process. I suppose this allows you to gather counters on the field, and at the same time, 'Book of Moon' some Kaiju with large attacks that are on your opponent's side of the field.

Furthermore, if Capture Mission were to be destroyed by your opponent, you get to draw 2 cards. Capture Mission can be used as bait, by setting it face down in the zone, allowing you to get free draws.

Off-Themed Cards

The following cards share synergy with the archetype to provide it support or pave the road for explosive plays. Nah just kidding, Kaiju doesn't have explosive plays. lol.

• Neo-Spacian Grandmole

Grandmole allows you to bounce back whatever Kaiju back to the owner's hand which, in this case should always be you. Grandmole also abuses the lack of Normal Summons performed in the deck

• Trade In

The Kaiju archetype consists of 4 level 8 monsters: Gamecial, Gadarla, Mecha Dogoran and Dogoran. Furthermore, all of them are searchable via Kyoutou Waterfront and Interrupted Kaiju Slumber. Draw power for the deck on top of searchable targets? So why not Trade In?

• Owner's Seal/Remove Brainwashing

Being able to get back your monsters to your side of the field after tributing. Owner's Seal/Remove Brainwashing allows you to tribute your opponent's monster for free. So which to play Owner's Seal or Remove Brainwashing? I personally prefer Remove Brainwashing because I would play it together alongside Magic Planter.

• Skill Drain

Nothing much to comment about this card. Just think about it, a 3300 ATK Kaiju monster on your field and Skill Drain is open. If I must elaborate, Skill Drain gives the deck anti-meta capabilities to punish opponents that are over-reliant on field effects. In addition, it prevents your opponent from abusing your Kaiju monsters' effects when Waterfront is active on the field.

• Rivalry of Warlords

Standard anti-meta card except that it does share synergy with the deck. Giving your opponent a Kumonga and activating Rivalry of Warlords forces them to only summon Insect Type Monsters, which is quite rare in the current meta decks. Gozen Match, recently reprinted can achieve the same results, but I think Rivalry does the job better. Want to consider summoning your Maxx "C", Mr ABC-Player?

Kaiju Engine and Synergy

Kaijus have been teched into many decks as a side deck engine for removal of pesky monsters. This usually consist of a couple of Kaiju monsters, alongside Interrupted Kaiju Slumber. Popular options for a monster lineup include - 3 Gamecial (Weakest) and 1-2 Thunder King/Jizukiru (Strongest)

Engines for the deck

Kaiju Graydles

TCG's favourite. Kaiju Graydles strategy is mainly to give your opponent a Kaiju monster and take it back with Graydles. This accommodates for Graydles weakness of not being able to get a decent target, if your opponent plays passively, at times.


Kaiju Yosenju

Never has two anti-meta decks work so well together, I dare say.
Yosenju provides the offensive pressure that the Kaiju archetype is lacking, whereas the Kaiju monsters aid in the removal of floodgate monsters (like Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon) which Yosenju is unable to bypass without the spells/traps. Also, Kaiju compensates for the lack of field presence that Yosenjus suffer from.
Yosenjus also have the extra ability to remove the Kaiju from your opponent's field, for reuse, with their Compulsary Evacuation Device on legs - Yosenju Kama 3.


K.A.T (Kaiju. Artifacts. Traptrix)

The classic K.A.T deck except that the Kaiju archetype replaced Kuribandits (and Hands from its predecessor H.A.T.). Kaiju gets rid of boss monsters, artifacts prevents them from accessing the extra deck, deadly for pendulums as you stall them for a turn, and Traptrix cleans up the rest with the Traphole card series providing defensive support and pressure.


Conclusion
Kauju, as an archetype, has gained popularity due to its ability to get rid of opposing threats your opponent may have. As long as special summon is permitted, you can easily get rid of monsters that you may not be able to do so via battle. The whole summoning process doesn't start a chain, and as the turn player, you have the priority to perform the first move during your Main Phase 1. Leaving a very small window of oppurtunity - the Standby Phase, for your opponent to react.

A pure archetype deck may not function well, as Kaiju is quite reliant on your opponent's board presence to make plays. Hence the need for engines. I hope this intro guide have served you well.

Once again DAM SON here ending this [Intro To Kaiju]. See you next time.