Japanese · No. 099

The Reversed Nō Mask

Inspired by: The masks of Noh theater, carved to change expression as the actor tilts his head.

The Reversed Nō Mask
A smile becomes a lament when the mask turns.
Rarity
Uncommon
Category
Spell
Effect
Swaps ATK and DEF of your opponent's monsters.

The myth

The reversed mask is a MYTHENOR creation based on a real art. Noh, the theater shaped in the fourteenth century by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, uses painted wooden masks to portray gods, ghosts, women, old men and demons. The finest are carved with a neutral, ambiguous expression: when the actor tilts the face upward, terasu, the mask seems to smile; downward, kumorasu, it seems sad. The hannya mask, of a woman consumed by jealousy, blends fury and grief. The card imagines a mask that, when turned, swaps one emotion for its opposite.

Why it has this power

An Uncommon spell that swaps the ATK and DEF of every monster on the field. Like the mask that shifts from joy to lament, the whole duel turns inside out: guardians like the Palace Turtle or Benkei become attackers, and fragile attackers are exposed. A surprise card for those who know the numbers well.

Did you know

Zeami wrote treatises on the art of Noh, such as the Fūshikaden, in which he speaks of hana, the "flower", the charm the actor must awaken in the audience.

Connections

  • In Kenji, Kamo River Fisherman's deck
  • In Hanae, Wandering Miko's deck
  • In Renji, Ronin of the Snowy Roads's deck
  • In Master Suzu of Mount Kurama's deck
  • In Kaguya, Guardian of the Torii's deck

Where to get it

  • Daily Offering: 0.45% per pack (Uncommon 33% per card)
  • Welcome Pack: 1.1% per pack (Uncommon 30% per card)
  • Traveler's Pack: 0.96% per pack · 5.6% in the themed pack (Uncommon 29% per card)
  • Bronze Reliquary: 0.94% per pack · 5.5% in the themed pack (Uncommon 29% per card)
  • Silver Reliquary: 0.96% per pack · 5.6% in the themed pack (Uncommon 33% per card)
  • Golden Reliquary: 0.94% per pack · 5.5% in the themed pack (Uncommon 35% per card)
  • Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.98% of days · 400 gold
  • Craft with card dust: 100 dust
  • Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

  1. Noh Theatre — World History Encyclopedia — Mark Cartwright
  2. Noh theatre — Encyclopaedia Britannica — The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica