Episode 164

Kagura vs. Yukino is the 164th episode of the Fairy Tail anime. It aired on January 12, 2013.

Kagura and Yukino begin the final fight of the second day of the Grand Magic Games, Yukino summoning some of the Ecliptic Zodiac who are quickly overpowered by Kagura. Forced into a corner, Yukino summons the 13th Zodiac, but is still beaten by Kagura, who calmly takes the beast out. As the second day ends, Jellal worries over the lack of mysterious Magic presence, Erza is reunited with Millianna and Yukino faces even greater perils at the hand of Sabertooth's master, Jiemma.

Synopsis
The crowd at the Grand Magic Games quickly displays their shock and discomfort at Yukino's proposal of putting forth her life as a bet on the battle she will soon undertake. Kagura however, calmly accepts, and the crowd becomes tense for the fight to come.

Yukino opens the battle by drawing a Celestial Spirit Gate Key and summoning Pisces, the Spirit appearing as two gigantic fish which circle the arena and awe the crowd whilst Arcadios and Datong express their excitement at seeing a second Celestial Spirit Mage in the competition. At Yukino's command, Pisces launches itself directly at Kagura, though the Mermaid Heel Mage manages to continuously dodge it through a number of impressive leaps and flips. Seeing Kagura use her swiftness to her advantage, Yukino performs a multiple summon, calling forth Libra of the Twelve Zodiac, much to the crowds pleasure. Libra is soon commanded to use her gravity altering abilities to keep Kagura pressed to the ground, and with her opponent kept in place, Yukino once again sends Pisces in for the attack. However, before Pisces can land it's blow, Kagura manages to break out of Libra's grip and jump into the air, causing Yukino to change her tactic and command Libra to change the gravity around Kagura, forcing the woman to smash into one of the statues of the Domus Flau, once again pinned. With Team Sabertooth thinking the battle will soon be over, Yukino sends in Pisces yet again, though Kagura suddenly halts both of the Spirits, turning Libra's Magic against them both and returning the favor by pressing them both into the ground. Yukino finally realizes that Kagura can also perform gravity-manipulating Magic, and sends the now overpowered Libra and Pisces back to the Spirit World.

With two of her Spirits surpassed, Yukino states that she is being forced to open the 13th gate, this shocking Lucy, who expresses her disbelief from the stands. When Wendy questions what Yukino is talking about, Lucy explains that she knows of a rumor that there is a 13th Zodiac Spirit separate from the known twelve, but that she has never seen the Spirit before and doubted it's actual existence. On the field, Yukino draws a key and begins to summon the Spirit, the skies turning dark as she states that Kagura is now out of luck. Kagura, however, seemingly undaunted by every word Yukino has spoken, grips her sword and begins to run towards the Sabertooth Mage, stating that she never relies on luck, rather her own choices, to find her future. Yukino then completes her summoning, calling forth the gigantic metal-plated snake Ophiuchus, who shocks the crowd.

Kagura though, simply slices her way through the Spirit in no time at all, amazing the crowd even further when she appears in Yukino's face in an instant and strikes her down, winning the fight as calmly as she began it. As the match is declared over and Kagura is announced the winner, all those watching stare on dumbfounded by the quick conclusion, whilst Kagura coldly reminds Yukino that her life is now her possession, walking away as the second day of the Games is finished.

That night, Erza and Jellal meet under a bridge in Crocus, discussing the mysterious presence that Jellal has sensed every year, the Crime Sorcière Mage slightly uneasy as it hasn't appeared yet in the Games. With the two being unable to really come to any solid conclusion over what may be happening, Jellal states that he will begin to check out the organizers on the third day, and as the two depart, silently thanks Erza for having a normal conversation with him. Whilst Erza walks back to Fairy Tail's quarters, she is called out to by a member of Mermaid Heel, who reveals herself to be Millianna. As the two run to each other and hug, Erza begins to tear up and expresses her happiness at seeing Millianna well and happy in a new guild. Also catching up are Bacchus and Rocker of Team Quatro Puppy, the two Mages having joined Fairy Tail in their celebration at a bar. As the two declare that they should be getting back to their quarters, Levy awakens from a tipsy sleep, and the group discusses both Yukino and Kagura and the amazing things they saw in the battle earlier that day. They are interrupted by Rocker though, who has wandered back to the bar leading Lyon and Chelia, the two apparently looking for the group.

Concurrently, all of the Sabertooth guild is summoned by guild master Jiemma, the man reminding them of Sabertooth's guiding principles and berating Sting for his poor performance that day. With Sting given another chance to repent for his actions in the coming days, Yukino is called forth, Jiemma throwing grapes at her as he describes her horrible failures and embarrassing of the Sabertooth name in her loss to Kagura. Willing to do anything to make up for her loss, Yukino accepts Jiemma's request that she "throw everything away", stepping forward to be punished as Erza and Millianna catch up, Fairy Tail parties on further in the tavern and Jellal stares out over Crocus.

Battles & Events

 * Kagura Mikazuchi vs. Yukino Aguria (started and concluded)
 * Erza and Millianna Reunite

Magic used

 * Summoned the Paired Fish, Pisces
 * Summoned the Heavenly Scales, Libra
 * Summoned the Snake Charmer, Ophiuchus
 * Summoned the Canis Minor, Nikora
 * Summoned the Canis Minor, Nikora

Abilities used

 * Flight
 * Multiple Summons
 * Combination Attacks
 * Swordsmanship
 * Immense Speed

Items used

 * Celestial Spirit Gate Keys
 * Gate of the Paired Fish Key
 * Gate of the Heavenly Scales Key
 * Gate of the Snake Charmer Key
 * Gate of the Canis Minor Key

Manga & Anime Differences

 * The anime included a short clip of Team Fairy Tail A and some of Team Sabertooth reacting to the bet between Yukino and Kagura.
 * Though the King of Fiore did not appear in the manga at all, he makes several appearances throughout the episode, each time commenting on the battle.
 * When Yukino pulls out her first Celestial Spirit Gate Key in the anime, Kagura comments on it. In the manga, it is Mavis who comments.
 * The anime added many clips of the characters discussing Pisces and what they believed it would look like.
 * In the manga, Pisces is summoned and immediately flies at Kagura to attack. In the anime, their entrance is much longer, with it's swooping over the crowd and circling the arena many times before trying to strike.
 * The anime extended the start of the battle between Kagura and Pisces, with the Mermaid Heel Mage performing many more acrobatic feats to dodge them, and the members of the teams commenting. In the manga, Yukino summons Libra immediately after Kagura dodges for the first time.
 * In the manga, it is two members of the crowd who comment on Yukino's ability to perform a double summoning. In the anime, it is Lucy.
 * The anime added the crowd, Chapati, Yajima and Jason all being infatuated with Libra's appearance.
 * The anime added additional parts to the battle, with Yukino ordering Libra to pin Kagura to a statue by making gravity go sideways. Kagura then rebuts by cancelling this and forcing both Pisces and Libra into the ground with her Magic before they are sent back to the Celestial Spirit World. In the manga, Yukino merely sends the two back after seeing that Libra can not affect Kagura when she first tries to pin her.
 * The anime added a clip of Team Sabertooth worrying about Yukino, but Sting is telling them that she is just getting started.
 * The anime extended Ophiuchus' summoning, with the crowd all being shown shocked and both Arcadios and Datong commenting.
 * The anime added a recap of the current standings of every team in the Grand Magic Games before declaring the day over, with Quatro Cerberus also being shown distraught at the change of their team name.
 * Whilst the manga did show Arcadios excited over the appearance of two Celestial Spirit Mages, the anime added in Datong being worried by it.
 * The location of Jellal and Erza's private conversation appears different between the two media.
 * The anime added a completely new scene in which Fairy Tail celebrates at a bar and all get immensely drunk, with some of the members of Team Quatro Puppy making an appearance to have some fun too. Yukino's fate is also discussed by many of Fairy Tail's members in this scene, and Lyon and Chelia also make a later appearance, despite Chelia remaining completely unknown to all of Fairy Tail before her battle in the manga.
 * The building in which Sabertooth is living in Crocus for the Games appears different between the two media.
 * The anime added a clip of Jellal looking out over Crocus.