TV-Series
Description
Atticus Rhodes, known in the original Japanese version as Fubuki Tenjōin, is the older brother of Alexis Rhodes and a senior student at Duel Academy. His name, Fubuki, translates to blizzard or snowstorm, which led to his self-appointed title, the Blizzard Prince. Before the events of the series, he was considered one of the most elite students at the academy, part of a renowned trio of top Duelists that also included his close friend Zane Truesdale and another student named Yusuke Fujiwara. However, he mysteriously disappeared one night after being lured to the now-abandoned Obelisk Blue dormitory, leaving his sister to search for him in vain.
Fubuki has a tall and lean build, and his design is intended to be exceptionally handsome, so much so that he has his own fan club among the female students at the academy. He shares some physical traits with his sister, such as similarly styled brown hair. His usual attire is the blue uniform of the senior Obelisk Blue dormitory, though he is also frequently seen in very casual, often flamboyant, clothes like Hawaiian shirts and beachwear, and he is known to enjoy surfing. He also has a well-documented habit of playing the ukulele.
When he is first introduced in person, Fubuki is not himself. He has been possessed by a dark entity known as Nightshroud, or Darkness, and serves as the first of the Shadow Riders. In this state, he is a cold, ruthless, and powerful Duelist who uses a deck focused on the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and its darker evolutions. He forces the protagonist, Jaden Yuki, into a Shadow Game where the souls of his friends are held hostage. After Jaden defeats him and seals away the dark influence, Fubuki is liberated and returns to his normal personality.
The true personality of Fubuki is a sharp contrast to his controlled state. He is revealed to be incredibly cheerful, energetic, outgoing, and, by his sister's admission, somewhat of an eccentric goofball. He is relentlessly optimistic and has a flair for the dramatic, often greeting people with a thumbs-up and his catchphrase, "10 JOIN!" He dreams of becoming a pop idol and constantly tries to recruit his reluctant sister into forming a band with him, which is a source of great irritation for her. Despite his antics, he is popular with women and is known as a smooth talker, a fact that leads other students to seek his romantic advice. He cares deeply for his sister and his friends, believing strongly in the bonds between them. This sincerity shows itself in more serious moments, particularly when he feels a sense of guilt for having disappeared and for being unable to save his friend Yusuke from the darkness.
Fubuki's role in the story develops significantly over time. After recovering from his possession, he becomes a recurring supporting character. Because he was missing for a full academic year, he is forced to repeat his second year, placing him in the same grade as his younger sister. The trauma of his past experience with darkness haunts him, and he becomes concerned when he sees his friend Zane embrace a brutal new dueling style. In a misguided attempt to save Zane, Fubuki uses his old Nightshroud deck in a duel, only to be repossessed by the dark power and defeated once again. Later, when the darkness begins to consume the entire academy, Fubuki takes on a central role. He duels Jaden to forcibly recover his own lost memories of the night he disappeared, revealing that their classmate Yusuke Fujiwara was the true mastermind behind the darkness. He then confronts Fujiwara himself in a final, emotional duel where he battles not only to save the world but to free his old friend and absolve himself of the guilt he has carried for years.
His key relationships define much of his character arc. He shares a close, if often exasperated, bond with his sister, Alexis. He is best friends with Zane Truesdale, and their contrasting personalities complement each other. Much of Fubuki's guilt and motivation stems from his friendship with Yusuke Fujiwara, whom he failed to save from the darkness and who became the second host of Nightshroud. His respect for the main character, Jaden Yuki, grows after Jaden is able to free him from possession and help him recover his past.
As a Duelist, Fubuki is described as being one of the most talented at the academy, on par with Zane. His personal dueling style, separate from his Nightshroud persona, is not heavily featured in the anime, but he is shown to use "Idol" themed cards that support Beast-Warrior type monsters like Panther Warrior. His more fearsome and well-known style is the "Red-Eyes" deck he uses as Nightshroud, which focuses on resurrecting powerful dark dragons from the graveyard. In the manga adaptation of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, his character differs in several ways. He is a star Duelist studying abroad in America, where he is known as Fubu-king, and returns to Duel Academy as a top contender. His signature cards there are a series of Sphere monsters, with his ace being The Atmosphere.
Fubuki has a tall and lean build, and his design is intended to be exceptionally handsome, so much so that he has his own fan club among the female students at the academy. He shares some physical traits with his sister, such as similarly styled brown hair. His usual attire is the blue uniform of the senior Obelisk Blue dormitory, though he is also frequently seen in very casual, often flamboyant, clothes like Hawaiian shirts and beachwear, and he is known to enjoy surfing. He also has a well-documented habit of playing the ukulele.
When he is first introduced in person, Fubuki is not himself. He has been possessed by a dark entity known as Nightshroud, or Darkness, and serves as the first of the Shadow Riders. In this state, he is a cold, ruthless, and powerful Duelist who uses a deck focused on the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and its darker evolutions. He forces the protagonist, Jaden Yuki, into a Shadow Game where the souls of his friends are held hostage. After Jaden defeats him and seals away the dark influence, Fubuki is liberated and returns to his normal personality.
The true personality of Fubuki is a sharp contrast to his controlled state. He is revealed to be incredibly cheerful, energetic, outgoing, and, by his sister's admission, somewhat of an eccentric goofball. He is relentlessly optimistic and has a flair for the dramatic, often greeting people with a thumbs-up and his catchphrase, "10 JOIN!" He dreams of becoming a pop idol and constantly tries to recruit his reluctant sister into forming a band with him, which is a source of great irritation for her. Despite his antics, he is popular with women and is known as a smooth talker, a fact that leads other students to seek his romantic advice. He cares deeply for his sister and his friends, believing strongly in the bonds between them. This sincerity shows itself in more serious moments, particularly when he feels a sense of guilt for having disappeared and for being unable to save his friend Yusuke from the darkness.
Fubuki's role in the story develops significantly over time. After recovering from his possession, he becomes a recurring supporting character. Because he was missing for a full academic year, he is forced to repeat his second year, placing him in the same grade as his younger sister. The trauma of his past experience with darkness haunts him, and he becomes concerned when he sees his friend Zane embrace a brutal new dueling style. In a misguided attempt to save Zane, Fubuki uses his old Nightshroud deck in a duel, only to be repossessed by the dark power and defeated once again. Later, when the darkness begins to consume the entire academy, Fubuki takes on a central role. He duels Jaden to forcibly recover his own lost memories of the night he disappeared, revealing that their classmate Yusuke Fujiwara was the true mastermind behind the darkness. He then confronts Fujiwara himself in a final, emotional duel where he battles not only to save the world but to free his old friend and absolve himself of the guilt he has carried for years.
His key relationships define much of his character arc. He shares a close, if often exasperated, bond with his sister, Alexis. He is best friends with Zane Truesdale, and their contrasting personalities complement each other. Much of Fubuki's guilt and motivation stems from his friendship with Yusuke Fujiwara, whom he failed to save from the darkness and who became the second host of Nightshroud. His respect for the main character, Jaden Yuki, grows after Jaden is able to free him from possession and help him recover his past.
As a Duelist, Fubuki is described as being one of the most talented at the academy, on par with Zane. His personal dueling style, separate from his Nightshroud persona, is not heavily featured in the anime, but he is shown to use "Idol" themed cards that support Beast-Warrior type monsters like Panther Warrior. His more fearsome and well-known style is the "Red-Eyes" deck he uses as Nightshroud, which focuses on resurrecting powerful dark dragons from the graveyard. In the manga adaptation of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, his character differs in several ways. He is a star Duelist studying abroad in America, where he is known as Fubu-king, and returns to Duel Academy as a top contender. His signature cards there are a series of Sphere monsters, with his ace being The Atmosphere.