Monday
 
Continuing to look at Hidden Arsenal 6 cards, we open with Evigishki Gustkraken.  I expressed reservations for the Giski Archtype last week, and this card was recently Restricted in the new Japanese list.  This is a Level 6, Water attribute, Aqua type Ritual Monster, with 2400 attack and 1000 defense.  It can be Ritual Summoned with any Gishki Ritual Magic card.  There are three of them to date.  Gishki Aquamirror, which lets you Special Summon a Gishki Ritual Monster by tributing Monsters from your Hand OR Field (not both) whose total Level must EQUAL the Level of the Ritual Monster.  It also lets you shuffle itself from the Graveyard to the Deck to return a Gishki Ritual Monster from your Graveyard to your Hand.
 
Gishki's Duplicate Soul Mirror is only Japanese, and I consider it to be garbage.  It lets you summon a Gishki Ritual Monster by paying 500 Lifepoints times the Level of the Monster, in this case, that would be 3000 Lifepoints.  The other Gishki Ritual Monsters are Level 8 and Level 10 (so 4000 and 5000 Lifepoints there) with this card, and the latter Monster is also Japanese only at present.  The third is Forbidden Art of the Gishki.  It allows you to tribute your Monsters from anywhere on the Field, again whose total Levels EQUAL the Level of the Ritual Monster you are trying to Summon.  The Monster summoned by this card has its attacked halved, and also forbids you from conducting your Battle Phase in the turn you use it.  
 
As for this card itself, I'm not sure why it was Restricted.  It is a Ritual, it's not that strong at 2400 attack, and the effect isn't game breaking.  It lets you look at up to two cards in your opponent's Hand, and shuffle one back into the Deck in the turn it is Ritual Summoned.  Maybe this card was a huge problem in Japan, or in lieu of some game breaking combo, I'm not sure, but I don't see this guy breaking the game open or anything.  
 
Ratings:

Traditional:  1.75/5

Advanced:   2.75/5  It would be difficult to use just as Tech outside of Gishki Decks
 
Art:  5/5

Another week of HIdden Arsenal 6 cards. Today's card is a card from that set, but also got limited in the OCG Forbidden/Limited list, Evigishki Gustkraken. Gustkraken is a level 6 WATER/Aqua type, is a Ritual monster and can be Ritual summoned using any Gishki ritual spell card. When Gustkraken is Ritual summoned, you can look at two random cards in your opponent's hand, then shuffle one of them back into their deck. This effect can be very hurtful to your opponent, especially if they are topdecking and have only 1-2 cards in their hands. Throw in the 2400 ATK stat and this card can wreak havoc on the field at the right time. I can see why this card was limited. And the Gishki archtypes has ways to search and get those cards back from the grave, making them harder to deal with. 
 
Traditional: 2
Advanced: 3
Tomorrow: Another big Fairy.

Let me start off by saying that starting September 1, this card will be the only Ritual Monster to have ever been Limited since Demise, The King of Armageddon. Now that that's out of the way...

Despite Ibirichua Gasutokurake's limitation, she is very easy to search and recycle. She gets numerous amounts of valuable Ritual, Water, and Gishki support. Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and the Djinns are the most powerful Ritual support cards; ironically, I don't really recommend a Gishki Deck to use either as they have better specific support for themselves. For example, Gishki Vision is very popular in Gishki Decks, as he literally will fish Gustkraken straight out of the deck. Summoning Gishki Abyss does the same thing, and summoning Gishki Marker provides you a Ritual card out of the Graveyard. There are others, but those three are the most popular.

Gustkraken's ability for you to throw away a card from your opponent's hand (you can even somewhat choose) is VERY powerful, although I do feel she's not quite as powerful a few other Evigishkis, such as Levianima, Soul Ogre, and Zeal Gigas. Nevertheless, the guarantee of nicking a card out of your opponent's hand every time she's summoned is an effect that should never be taken lightly.
The real reason Gustkraken got Limited, though, is in a Gishki playstyle that completely focuses on her strengths. Use Gishki Aquamirror with Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit to summon Gustkraken. This counts as a Tribute, so Tefnuit can give you another Tefnuit from your deck. Xyz Summon the Rank 6 Constellar Ptolemys Messier 7 with Tefnuit and Gustkraken. Using PM7's effect, put Gustkraken back into your hand to use her effect again. Of course, every time you summon Gustkraken, you steal away a card from your opponent's hand, but all the while you get to look at a DIFFERENT card, which you can wipe out with the help of Mind Crush or D.D. Designator. This is the true terror the ghastly Gustkraken can bring.

Trad: 2.5/5 (Gishkis would be an interesting choice: their Rituals may promote initial hand disorganization which is very bad for Yata-Garasu, but they have methods for replenishing, and Gustkraken in particular is good as operating as a Forceful Sentry...and of course Gishkis work really well with Witch of the Black Forest)
Adv: 4/5
Aesthetics: 5/5 In the sacred office, Noellia approaches the cheerful little servant girl Emilia. It's a Trap! Noellia snatches away Emilia's hat and wand. They are against your wishes, Emilia. This is one Trap you cannot block. The Aquamirror Illusion has been sprung. The deal has been struck, Emilia, and your human self shall be vanquished, for Gishki clan. Yes! YES!!! The Vylons are corrupt and against us now, so together, with the strength of our former rivals the Gustos, bring power to your Gishki family! We shall provide you with untold power! Cast away your humanity, and allow us to clothe you in the new armour as you come forth as the Evigishki Gustkraken! But no...the Aquamirror Illusion has gone wrong... an improper Ritual Summoning, after all. This is brought to the attention of Avance, the head Gishki wizard. Avance walks down to the chamber and draws aside the red curtains, Noellia looking down upon Emilia, lifeless on the floor. Kneeling, Avance fondles Emilia's left hand and enacts the Aquamirror Cycle. An aggressive although furtive clan, the Gishki clan has long since studied the art of Spirit Monsters and their impressive tactics to return themselves to the hand. Emilia woke up, appearing conscious, but no longer as alive as her former self, now a fully-true Spirit Monster, encased in Japanese legend. Her special Spirit Monster ability now allows her to be free from the effects of Traps, but she now is linked to the Gishki life forever...

Philosophy Corner: I'm very sorry for my lack of reviews lately. It was especially tiring and...well, there was just so much stuff to do. I will finish them all someday...and I will let you know when that happens.
abc_at_123.com@hotmail.com