TV-Series
Description
Flip Turner, known as Tokunosuke Omoteura in the original Japanese version, is a supporting character in Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL II. He is a thirteen-year-old student at Heartland Academy and a classmate of the protagonist, Yuma Tsukumo. His name reflects his core nature and deck-building philosophy; his surname in Japanese combines the words for outer and inner sides, while his English name directly references the Flip Effect Monster cards he favors. True to this theme, he wears a pair of blue glasses that have a built-in Duel Gazer, and he uses a standard blue D-Pad.
Flip’s background is rooted in a childhood experience that shaped his entire worldview. As a young and naive Duelist, he was frequently targeted by older children who cheated him out of his cards in Ante Duels. Upon discovering their deception, he ran home in tears and vowed revenge. This led him to meticulously study the art of deception and build a deck designed to lure opponents into traps. He eventually defeated his former bullies, who then became his lackeys. This history forged a cynical belief that there is a hidden, darker side to everything and everyone, and that one must be the one manipulating that hidden side rather than being its victim. In the English version of the anime, this philosophy is explicitly stated as his belief that there is a flip-side to everything.
As a result of these experiences, Flip’s personality is characterized by deceit, spite, and a crafty nature. When the character Astral looks at him, he perceives a dark aura similar to those possessed by malevolent Number cards, which visually represents his inner deviousness. Flip is a troublemaker who enjoys causing mischief, such as tricking a candy store owner into going out of business or confusing a cleaning robot for his own amusement. He is a skilled, albeit underhanded, Duelist who relies on elaborate schemes and psychological manipulation rather than straightforward strategies. He has a verbal tic in the Japanese version, frequently ending his sentences with ura, a word that can mean reverse, opposite, or inner, further emphasizing his character theme.
Flip’s primary motivation throughout the series is a desire for power and respect, often sought through dishonest means. He initially seeks to acquire powerful Number cards, which he believes will grant him superiority. This stems from his deep-seated insecurity and his past humiliation, leading him to view others as either tools to be used or obstacles to be overcome. He is envious of Yuma’s collection of Number cards and is driven by the fear of being seen as weak or gullible again.
In the story, Flip serves as a minor antagonist turned ally. He is first introduced as a cunning adversary who orchestrates an elaborate plot to steal Yuma’s Number 39: Utopia. This plan involves doctoring incriminating photos of Yuma, turning his classmates against him, and then befriending him to lure him into an Ante Duel. Throughout the Duel, Flip successfully steals both Utopia and Yuma’s Number 17: Leviathan Dragon. However, he is eventually defeated by his own monster, Baby Tiragon, which Yuma had returned to him. Following this defeat, Yuma’s genuine kindness and lack of a hidden motive cause Flip to have an emotional breakdown, marking a turning point in his character.
His relationship with Yuma Tsukumo is the most significant in his development. After their Duel, Flip becomes a friend and occasional ally, even sacrificing his own chance to meet a hero to help Yuma and his friends sneak past a security guard. However, his reformation is not absolute. He often relapses into his old, opportunistic habits. During the World Duel Carnival, he is disqualified for tricking other participants out of their Heart Pieces with candy that melted, and later, he uses his friends as pawns by assuming a fake identity to advance in the tournament. Other key relationships include his status as a member of the Super Secret Number Cards Investigation Club, alongside friends like Bronk Stone, Caswell Francis, and Tori Meadows.
Flip’s character development is a struggle between his ingrained deceptive nature and the genuine friendship offered by Yuma. While his initial defeat at Yuma’s hands leads to a sincere, positive change in his behavior, he repeatedly falls back on his manipulative ways when tempted by personal gain. The English dub adds a specific moment of realization for him, where Yuma’s simple compliment about his glasses leads him to question his entire philosophy that everything has a hidden side. In ZEXAL II, his development takes a darker turn; his envy of those with Number cards leads him to foolishly accept a Barian Number, a cursed card from the antagonistic Barian World. This action results in him being absorbed into the Barian World, demonstrating the lasting consequences of his greed and his difficulty in fully abandoning his quest for power.
As a Duelist, Flip’s notable abilities revolve around his strategic use of Flip Effect Monsters, which have effects that activate when they are turned face-up. His deck is centered on deception and slow, tactical destruction, often using cards that benefit from being Set on the field before being flipped. His key cards include Baby Tiragon, a weak monster he uses as bait to lower opponents’ guards, and trap cards such as Ultra C, which allows him to take control of an opponent’s Summoned monster. While not the most powerful Duelist in terms of raw strength, his talent lies in his psychological warfare and his ability to engineer a Duel from the very beginning to lead his opponent into a carefully laid trap.
Flip’s background is rooted in a childhood experience that shaped his entire worldview. As a young and naive Duelist, he was frequently targeted by older children who cheated him out of his cards in Ante Duels. Upon discovering their deception, he ran home in tears and vowed revenge. This led him to meticulously study the art of deception and build a deck designed to lure opponents into traps. He eventually defeated his former bullies, who then became his lackeys. This history forged a cynical belief that there is a hidden, darker side to everything and everyone, and that one must be the one manipulating that hidden side rather than being its victim. In the English version of the anime, this philosophy is explicitly stated as his belief that there is a flip-side to everything.
As a result of these experiences, Flip’s personality is characterized by deceit, spite, and a crafty nature. When the character Astral looks at him, he perceives a dark aura similar to those possessed by malevolent Number cards, which visually represents his inner deviousness. Flip is a troublemaker who enjoys causing mischief, such as tricking a candy store owner into going out of business or confusing a cleaning robot for his own amusement. He is a skilled, albeit underhanded, Duelist who relies on elaborate schemes and psychological manipulation rather than straightforward strategies. He has a verbal tic in the Japanese version, frequently ending his sentences with ura, a word that can mean reverse, opposite, or inner, further emphasizing his character theme.
Flip’s primary motivation throughout the series is a desire for power and respect, often sought through dishonest means. He initially seeks to acquire powerful Number cards, which he believes will grant him superiority. This stems from his deep-seated insecurity and his past humiliation, leading him to view others as either tools to be used or obstacles to be overcome. He is envious of Yuma’s collection of Number cards and is driven by the fear of being seen as weak or gullible again.
In the story, Flip serves as a minor antagonist turned ally. He is first introduced as a cunning adversary who orchestrates an elaborate plot to steal Yuma’s Number 39: Utopia. This plan involves doctoring incriminating photos of Yuma, turning his classmates against him, and then befriending him to lure him into an Ante Duel. Throughout the Duel, Flip successfully steals both Utopia and Yuma’s Number 17: Leviathan Dragon. However, he is eventually defeated by his own monster, Baby Tiragon, which Yuma had returned to him. Following this defeat, Yuma’s genuine kindness and lack of a hidden motive cause Flip to have an emotional breakdown, marking a turning point in his character.
His relationship with Yuma Tsukumo is the most significant in his development. After their Duel, Flip becomes a friend and occasional ally, even sacrificing his own chance to meet a hero to help Yuma and his friends sneak past a security guard. However, his reformation is not absolute. He often relapses into his old, opportunistic habits. During the World Duel Carnival, he is disqualified for tricking other participants out of their Heart Pieces with candy that melted, and later, he uses his friends as pawns by assuming a fake identity to advance in the tournament. Other key relationships include his status as a member of the Super Secret Number Cards Investigation Club, alongside friends like Bronk Stone, Caswell Francis, and Tori Meadows.
Flip’s character development is a struggle between his ingrained deceptive nature and the genuine friendship offered by Yuma. While his initial defeat at Yuma’s hands leads to a sincere, positive change in his behavior, he repeatedly falls back on his manipulative ways when tempted by personal gain. The English dub adds a specific moment of realization for him, where Yuma’s simple compliment about his glasses leads him to question his entire philosophy that everything has a hidden side. In ZEXAL II, his development takes a darker turn; his envy of those with Number cards leads him to foolishly accept a Barian Number, a cursed card from the antagonistic Barian World. This action results in him being absorbed into the Barian World, demonstrating the lasting consequences of his greed and his difficulty in fully abandoning his quest for power.
As a Duelist, Flip’s notable abilities revolve around his strategic use of Flip Effect Monsters, which have effects that activate when they are turned face-up. His deck is centered on deception and slow, tactical destruction, often using cards that benefit from being Set on the field before being flipped. His key cards include Baby Tiragon, a weak monster he uses as bait to lower opponents’ guards, and trap cards such as Ultra C, which allows him to take control of an opponent’s Summoned monster. While not the most powerful Duelist in terms of raw strength, his talent lies in his psychological warfare and his ability to engineer a Duel from the very beginning to lead his opponent into a carefully laid trap.