The BEST episodes of Cardfight!! Vanguard season 4
Every episode of Cardfight!! Vanguard season 4, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Cardfight!! Vanguard season 4!
This story takes place a little further in the future—There are now billions of card game players in the world, to an extent where card games have become a necessity, a part of our lives.The protagonist of this story, Aichi Sendo, is a timid boy in his third year of middle school. He had been living his life looking backward rather than forward, trying not to stand out. However, he had one thing that kept him going - the Blaster Blade, a card from a card game that was given to him when he was little. That card is the reason why he begins to engage in Cardfights, something that changes his life drastically. The name of the card game is Vanguard. The game takes place in a different planet called Cray. It is a place similar to our own planet, but unlike planet Earth, Gods and Demons, Dragons and other mythical creatures still roam the land. It is also a world where both Magic and Science have advanced hand in hand. Countries with advances in different fields and cultures rule over different parts of the planet Cray. And due to a never before seen play system, it becomes popular throughout the world. Aichi, immediately attracted by Vanguard, meets friends such as Misaki Togura and Kamui Katsuragi, along with other rivals. Through friendly rivalry with them, Aichi begins to enjoy a fulfilling life. Aichi, however, has a goal: to once again battle with a Vanguard Fighter by the name of Toshiki Kai. Toshiki Kai is an aloof and cold-hearted high schooler who has outstanding abilities in the world of Vanguard. He is also the reason why Aichi started playing the game. For him, Kai is the person who saved him from his boring life and introduced him to Vanguard. In order to get better at Vanguard, Aichi puts his soul into it every day. He wishes that someday, he'll be able to battle Kai and have him recognize his worth.
#1 - Sword of Courage
Season 4 - Episode 31 - Aired 10/5/2014
The battle between Kai and Aichi reaches its epic conclusion. Aichi hopes to get Kai into an Absolute Lock from which he cannot recover. However, Kai keeps managing to resummon his Legion. During one attack from Blaster Joker, Kai realizes that Blaster Blade holds the key to freeing Aichi and making sure no one will ever have to be sealed away again. On the final turn, Kai draws four consecutive critical triggers, giving his Legion an attack of 40000 and 5 criticals. Aichi can't guard. The seed leaves his body and charges at Kai, but Kai summons Blaster Blade to his side. Blaster Blade begins slicing the seed into many pieces. Each small piece enters the hearts of each of Aichi's mates. Blaster Blade reveals that the seed will continue to divide each time one of them fights another worthy opponent until the seed becomes too weak to continue. He vows that when that happens Link Joker will be accepted as a new clan on Cray. The next morning, Emi wakes Aichi up. Aichi learns that everything he did has been disassembled and everyone now remembers him. He meets up with his friends at the Card Fight Club to begin the school day, and the episode ends with a fight beginning between Kai and Aichi.
#2 - Aichi's Shadow
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/23/2014
Kai and Misaki are in a park where Misaki expresses her worry over whether or not they can find Aichi, but Kai calms her down. At Miyaji Academy, in the room where the Cardfight Club used to meet, Naoki awakes from a nightmare in which he tries to reach Aichi but fails to do so. He then comes across Shingo, who has also forgotten about Aichi. Naoki tries to help him remember, but the two are suddenly approached by a mysterious steward named Moress Pennyworth. He has been sent by the enemy to stop those who are trying to find Aichi, with Naoki set in his sights. The cardfight between Naoki and Moress ensues while Shingo observes. While using his Megacolony deck to paralyze Naoki's units from standing, Moress tries to demoralize Naoki from continuing the search for Aichi. Naoki almost gives in to despair, but with encouragement from Shingo (who slightly regains his memories) and recalling Kai's words of working together, he recovers his fighting spirit and defeats Moress with a Legion attack. Naoki pressures Moress into telling everything he knows, but he manages to escape. Some time later, Naoki tells Misaki of this incident. Meanwhile, Kai pays a visit to Ren at Team Asteroid headquarters.
#3 - Unchanging Things
Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 7/20/2014
Rati challenges Misaki to a fight where she reveals her past to her. When Rati was very young, she and her father traveled around the world selling doughnuts. In order to break Rati out of her shyness, her father introduced her to Vanguard. The more Rati became engrossed in her fights, she developed a strong attachment to planet Cray and its inhabitants. As a result of constant traveling, Rati realized that she never built any strong relations with any of her opponents and started to believe that bonds such as friendship never last. After the Link Joker affair, Rati became a Quatre Knight because Aichi saved her, and thus is devoted to him. During the fight, Misaki tries to convey her desire to become friends with her, but is ultimately rejected and beaten by Rati. In the end, Misaki loses her memories of Aichi and is sent back to Earth where she becomes saddened over forgetting something important.
#4 - Ren's Promise
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/25/2014
While the Quatre Knights regroup and discuss their next move, Kai and Ren begin their cardfight while Miwa and Naoki watch them. Suspecting Ren is feigning ignorance about Aichi, Kai manages to defeat him in spite of Ren's powerful Legion skill. Although Ren does not give a straight answer, he does provide Kai and his friends with a photo of a place where he recommends them to go. Kai, Miwa, and Naoki then reunite with Misaki and Kamui, and they all prepare to find that location.
#5 - A Season of Journeys
Season 4 - Episode 32 - Aired 10/12/2014
A year has passed since Kai freed Aichi. During that time, the Miyaji Cardfight Club won the High School Cardfight Vanguard championship. The club has also grown in terms of members and support from the student body, and they are holding exhibition fights almost every day. However, Kourin is not a member of the club as her memories regarding Aichi have disappeared. All the while, Aichi has been asked to speak at the upcoming graduation, but he is having a difficult time coming up with words for a speech. Meanwhile, Card Capital is holding a cardfight tournament the same day as graduation, but very few people have signed up. While the Cardfight Club has intramural matches with other schools, Aichi catches up with his friends while Naoki invites all their friends and rivals to the shop tournament. When Aichi talks with Ren, Ren reveals that he has not decided what to do yet in the future because he wants to always remain free. He mentions that Kai is the same way. As Aichi and Naoki head back to school, Kai finally appears. Kai reveals he has been fighting with some old rivals as a way to help him decide what to do in the future. Before Kai can reveal what that will be, Naoki invites him to the Card Capital shop tournament.
#6 - Leaders
Season 4 - Episode 33 - Aired 10/19/2014
The graduation ceremonies are held for Kai, Miwa, and Misaki. Aichi has one more year left of school, but he delivers the good luck address for Misaki's class. After the graduation they all head to Card Capital for the shop tournament. On the way, Aichi and his classmates see Kourin along with the rest of Ultra Rare shooting a commercial for Ultra Water. Despite Kourin no longer having memories of Aichi, he and his friends are nonetheless content that she is doing well. Ultra Rare is hired after the current commercial to do a Cardfight commercial, and they appear to be given their original vanguard cards. The Capital Shop Tournament begins with many old friends and rivals participating, including Team Handsome,Team Caesar,Team SIT Genius, and Team Dreadnought. In the midst of all the action, Leon asks Aichi what he will do now. Although Aichi is undecided, he says that he will look at his friends for inspiration as he sees them all as his vanguard. The shop tournament reaches its climax with Aichi and Kai facing off in the final match. When Aichi asks Kai what he will do, Kai responds that he has accepted Gaillard's invitation to go to Europe. Even though Aichi and Kai both know that they will be separated, they remain confident that they will cross paths again as long as they continue playing Vanguard.
#7 - Gateway to Sanctuary
Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 6/29/2014
While in the city with Shingo, Naoki spots Moress and manages to track him down, seeing the butler use a gateway like the one Gaillard and Kourin previously used. Naoki tells Kai and his friends about his discovery, and despite it possibly being a trap, the group decides to use the portal anyway. They find and activate the gateway, which transports the team to a sanctuary separate from Earth. Kai and his friends are shortly confronted by Serra and Moress, with the former telling them that Aichi is sealed here and that defeating the Quatre Knights will lift the seal. Serra also informs them that whoever loses in a cardfight held within the sanctuary will also lose their memories regarding Aichi. Naoki decides to fight against Serra, who is now using a Granblue deck. In the middle of the fight, Serra reveals his family history and practices. His family would ruthlessly cut off any kin who loses in a cardfight, and Serra himself has done so, which has shaped him into becoming the cold-hearted person he is now. Although afraid to lose his memories about Aichi, Naoki regains his confidence and prepares to go on the offensive.
#8 - Sword of Destruction
Season 4 - Episode 30 - Aired 9/28/2014
The final battle between Kai and Aichi commences, with Aichi wanting Kai, Naoki, Ren, and Leon to become Quatre Knights if he wins. After all that Kai has done to get to this point and the feelings of his other friends, Aichi nonetheless is unfazed. To show this, Aichi uses the power of Star-vader, Blaster Joker, which is Blaster Blade tainted by Link Joker, to not only lock all of Kai's rear-guards but also breaks apart his Legion...
#9 - Manly Big Bang
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 7/6/2014
Although Naoki deals 5 damage to Serra while destroying his rear-guards, Serra performs Legion and replenishes his forces on the following turn. Serra also reveals to everyone that Aichi was the one who wanted him along with Gaillard, Neve, and Rati to become Quatre Knights. Naoki wonders why Aichi would do all of this and then remembers his training with Leon. Naoki performs Legion and again attacks and retires all of Serra's rear-guards while empowering his own units, leading to his victory. While in disbelief over this loss, Serra faces Judgment from the fight field and loses consciousness. Having sensed Serra's defeat, the other Quatre Knights prepare to face Kai and his friends in battle.
#10 - Steel Will
Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 7/13/2014
While traversing the sanctuary, Kai and Naoki get separated from Misaki, Kamui, and Miwa, who are transported away to different rooms. In one room, Miwa is confronted by Neve, and the two engage in a cardfight. It is during the fight in which Neve talks about his past. His home country used to have civil war, and it was not until Neve decided to enter and ultimately win the European Vanguard Circuit that the country was brought back together. However, the country fell into war again during the Link Joker invasion, which forced Neve to fight his own friends. It was due to Aichi's efforts to stop Link Joker that made Neve decide to ally with him as a Quatre Knight. In the end, Miwa loses to Neve, who tells him the real reason as to why Aichi is currently sealed in the sanctuary, which is to stop another war similar to the Link Joker invasion from happening. Because of Miwa's defeat, Neve erases his memories regarding Aichi, and Miwa is teleported back to Earth in front of Card Capital.
#11 - The Oath of the Blue Flames
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 7/27/2014
Elsewhere in the sanctuary, Kamui fights Gaillard. Despite Kamui's strong feelings to save Aichi, Gaillard claims that Aichi willingly chose to be sealed away. Gaillard defeats Kamui, who has his memories of Aichi erased and is sent back to Earth like Miwa and Misaki before him. Kai and Naoki manage to reach the chamber where Aichi is sealed but are soon confronted by Gaillard. After telling Kai and Naoki that Miwa, Misaki, and Kamui were defeated, Gaillard teleports himself and the two to another chamber where he and Kai begin their cardfight. During the battle, Gaillard reveals his past. As a child, Gaillard's home burned down and he lost everything including his family. He was then put in an orphanage but did not want to become friends with the other children. One day, a boy gave Gaillard a Vanguard card to cheer him up, but Gaillard still was not willing to befriend him. It was not until Gaillard decided to retrieve the boy's toy car from two bullies that his heart began to open. Gaillard became engrossed in Vanguard and made many more friends as a result. He eventually became the champion of the European Vanguard Circuit and has used Vanguard to brighten the spirits of other unfortunate children. However, due to the Link Joker event which nearly Reversed everyone in the world, Gaillard bears a grudge against Kai, who had aided in the Link Joker invasion.
#12 - Flames of Perdition
Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 8/3/2014
As Kai starts a counterattack, Gaillard continues to say how Kai has no right to break the seals and free Aichi because of his sinful actions during the Link Joker incident. Gaillard further tells a story about a boy named Nicola who did not recover from the incident no matter what Gaillard did to help him. However, it was Aichi who helped Nicola, and it was then that Gaillard decided to become a Quatre Knight to serve Aichi. Despite Gaillard believing that Kai's actions will lead to world destruction again, Kai defeats him and inflicts Judgment on Gaillard. Shortly after the fight, Serra appears and traps Kai, Naoki, and Gaillard within an ice barricade. Accompanied by Moress, Serra goes to the chamber where Aichi is located and freezes the remaining seals while also revealing that everything that has happened was part of his grand scheme...
#13 - Interrupted Sleep
Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 8/10/2014
As the trapped trio of Kai, Gaillard, and Naoki learn of Serra's true colors, Kourin arrives to find that Serra has frozen the seals containing Aichi, who awakens while covered in a dark aura. Kourin tries to check on Aichi, who blasts her away with an energy pulse and knocks her unconscious. Serra further reveals his true plan to release the certain power that is inside Aichi. Serra then moves on to the next stage of his plan, which is tricking Neve into fighting Aichi. Meanwhile, Gaillard tells Kai and Naoki the reason why Aichi was sealed to begin with. As it turns out, a "seed" was planted inside Aichi's body during the final battle in the Link Joker invasion. This seed is actually Link Joker, which was slowly taking control of Aichi. Believing that the only way to deal with the seed was to contain it, Aichi gathered Gaillard, Neve, Serra, and Rati as Quatre Knights and had them seal himself away along with the seed. With Kai and Naoki now knowing the truth, they form an alliance with a reluctant Gaillard. Although still injured from his fight with Kai, Gaillard tries to use his flame powers to melt their ice prison. At the same time, Neve cardfights against Aichi, who is now using a Link Joker deck.
#14 - Aichi Awakens
Season 4 - Episode 24 - Aired 8/17/2014
Neve launches powerful attacks in the hopes of opening Aichi's heart from Link Joker. Although the attacks seem to have an effect on Aichi, he nonetheless remains possessed and wins the fight. However, when Neve receives Judgment as a result of his loss, Aichi snaps out of his trance and temporarily suppresses Link Joker, reverting to his normal self. Meanwhile, Rati is confronted by Serra, who reveals his true intentions to her. Serra wishes to break the remaining seals and use the power of Link Joker for himself. To stop Serra, Rati engages him in a cardfight. Elsewhere, Kai, Gaillard, and Naoki are freed from their ice prison by the unexpected appearances of Ren and Leon.
#15 - Cold Ambition
Season 4 - Episode 25 - Aired 8/24/2014
While Ren and Leon explain their reasons as to why they wanted to remain neutral in the whole situation, Rati cardfights Serra, who is now using a Link Joker deck. Rati tries her best to defeat Serra after finally realizing the value of friendship from Aichi and Misaki. Nonetheless, Serra, who wants to use the power of Link Joker for himself, beats Rati and thus breaks the last seal...
#16 - Omega's Return
Season 4 - Episode 26 - Aired 8/31/2014
With all of the seals broken, the Link Joker seed within Aichi tries to leave his body, and the sanctuary begins to crumble. Kourin attempts to help Aichi, who successfully manages to keep the seed under control but loses consciousness. Then, Serra appears and traps Kourin in an ice cage, forcing her to watch as he is about to take the power of Link Joker from Aichi's body. Suddenly, Kai, Gaillard, Naoki, Ren, and Leon appear, with Gaillard using his flame powers to free Kourin from the ice. Gaillard takes it upon himself to cardfight Serra, who reveals more of his evil ambitions to wield the power of Link Joker as he believes he is most suited to do so. As a show of his strength, Serra locks two of Gaillard's rear-guards and then unleashes Omega Lock to prevent them from being unlocked...
#17 - Determination of the Bluish Flames
Season 4 - Episode 27 - Aired 9/7/2014
Despite some of Gaillard's rear-guards being Omega Locked, he mounts a counterattack on Serra, who then declares "Final Turn". After locking another of Gaillard's rear-guards, Serra launches five attacks on him, but Gaillard manages to defend himself, thus thwarting Serra's "Final Turn". Having learned from Kai the importance of having mates, Gaillard defeats Serra on the next turn and then inflicts Judgment on him. Though it seemed over, Serra quickly recovers and uses his powers to create walls of ice, blocking everyone while he makes his way to Aichi. However, Rati and Neve use their powers to break the ice and stop Serra in his tracks. It is then that Gaillard points out that the brooch Serra wears, which serves as proof of his position as a Quatre Knight, has broken. With Serra no longer being a Quatre Knight, he is forced out of the sanctuary and vanishes. Soon after, Gaillard sets his sight towards Kai...
#18 - Our Place
Season 4 - Episode 28 - Aired 9/14/2014
With Serra gone, the Quatre Knights and Kourin turn their attention towards Kai and his group. When Kourin steps up to fight, Naoki volunteers to face her. As the battle continues, Kourin reveals how she came to be by Aichi's side. She resolved to support Aichi by absorbing the seed's power whenever it would try to seep out of Aichi; Kourin's absorption resulted in her being able to use Link Joker for herself. Nonetheless, Naoki is determined to bring both Aichi and Kourin back and reform the Cardfight Club. He defeats Kourin, who is about to fall over but is saved by Aichi. After Kourin faints, Aichi and Kai stare intensely at each other...
#19 - Pride of the Flames
Season 4 - Episode 29 - Aired 9/21/2014
To prevent Kai from fighting Aichi, Gaillard takes it upon himself to battle Kai in a final confrontation. Kai and Gaillard engage in a fierce cardfight with both sides getting multiple triggers and performing many Legions. The two fighters push each other near the brink of defeat, but in the end, Kai is victorious after Gaillard is exhausted of all his heal triggers. After Gaillard requests for Kai to save Aichi, Kai and Aichi prepare to fight each other...
#20 - Kai's Will
Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 6/22/2014
While Naoki, Kamui, and Miwa continue their training, Kai and Misaki are still distraught by what Aichi and Kourin had said to them. With reassurance from Leon, Misaki eventually regains confidence and her faith in Kourin; she then begins her own training with him. However, with the Blaster Blade Seeker card gone, Kai remains lost despite Jillian's and Sharlene's attempts to help him. When Leon retells the story of when he willingly had accepted Void's power, he asks Kai what does he want to do. Finally, Kai realizes he wants to save Aichi no matter what and returns to using his Kagero deck. Kai and his friends finish their training and leave the island. As they return home, it is revealed that Leon and Ren were offered by Aichi to become Quatre Knights, but they both declined. They decided to stay neutral and instead leave it to Kai and his friends to save Aichi.
#21 - Island Awaiting The Wind
Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 6/15/2014
Kai and the group are still in shock over what happened with Kourin and what Aichi said. Then, Naoki suggests to undergo intensive training from Leon, although Kai and Misaki are reluctant. Nevertheless, with Shin coming along and leaving Card Capital under Ren's supervision, Kai and his friends go to Leon's home island. Once there, Naoki and Kamui begin their training under Leon's tutelage. Naoki repeatedly cardfights against Leon but loses every match. Believing Naoki is not making any progress through these repetitive fights, Leon then decides to have him reach a nearby islet before battling him again. Later joined by Kamui, Naoki tries to swim among other various methods to reach the islet, but all of their attempts fail due to the current. It is not until Naoki and Kamui see Sharlene effortlessly fishing in a boat close by them that they see the error of their ways. By dinnertime, Naoki and Kamui return to Leon and present him with fruit that only grows on that islet as proof that they have completed Leon's test. So, Naoki has earned another chance to fight Leon. Now knowing that passion alone not being enough, being adaptive, and experimenting were the lessons that Leon was trying to teach him and Kamui, Naoki uses a modified deck to push Leon close to defeat. Despite his best efforts, Leon still wins but compliments Naoki's perseverance as his strength and has now learned to take full advantage of it.
#22 - The Announced Truth
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 6/8/2014
Showing to be allied with Gaillard, Kourin battles Kai in Gaillard's Holy Prominence Prison. Kai and his friends are further surprised when they see Kourin using a Link Joker deck. After many questions from Kai and the others asking Kourin's intentions, she finally reveals that everything from people losing their memories regarding Aichi to the Quatre Knights trying to stop them is all what Aichi wants. Although Kai and the others are first in disbelief, Kourin draws everyone into an image of Aichi himself telling Kai and the others to give up their search for him. After that revelation, Kourin proceeds to defeat Kai with a Link Joker Legion attack and then takes the Blaster Blade Seeker card away from him. Kai gets damaged from the prison as a result of his loss, and Kourin and Gaillard retreat through a portal, which breaks and therefore prevents Kai and his friends from following them.
#23 - The Place Where Aichi Will Return
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 6/1/2014
Naoki makes a sign for the Miyaji Academy Cardfight Club and posts it on the door of the room where the club used to meet, thus creating a place where he feels confident that Aichi will return to. After telling Shingo to take care of the room, Naoki and Misaki leave the school and meet up with Kai, Kamui, and Miwa. Together, they travel to the site depicted in the photograph that Ren gave to Kai. Once there, they are surprised when Gaillard suddenly appears through a portal. Naoki tries to fight and defeat him, but ultimately, Gaillard is victorious. After Naoki suffers damage from his loss, Kai attempts to cardfight Gaillard. In a shocking turn of events, Kourin appears by Gaillard's side...
#24 - Freezing Ice Serra
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 5/18/2014
After Serra creates the Millenium Blizzard Prison, Kamui begins his fight against him. He quickly deals a lot of damage to Serra while proclaiming that he will find Aichi. Serra taunts him by saying that Aichi does not want to be with Kamui and the others anymore. Serra triumphs over Kamui, which causes the prison to damage Kamui's body. Both Misaki and Kamui try to fight Rati and Serra again, but due to their injuries, the two Quatre Knights simply leave but not before Serra tells Kamui that the Quatre Knights must be defeated in order to reach Aichi. After Misaki and Kamui regroup, they decide to return to Card Capital and upgrade their decks. Meanwhile, Kai returns to Team Asteroid HQ along with Miwa and Naoki. They meet with Ren and ask about Aichi, but Ren again claims he does not remember him. However, when Kai mentions the Quatre Knights, Ren shows awareness about them, which makes Kai believe that Ren knows more than he is letting on. To find answers from Ren, Kai prepares to cardfight him.
#25 - Illusional Ratie
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/11/2014
Misaki fights Rati within the Fairy Masquerade Prison, which is in a dimension separated from the real world. While dealing major damage to Rati, Misaki expresses how much she cares for Aichi as a friend. Similar to her earlier match against Kenji, Rati once again executes her strategy of exchanging Misaki's rear-guards with weaker grade 0 units and wins the fight after dismissing Misaki's feelings of friendship as illusions. Because of her defeat, the prison directly damages Misaki, leaving her severely injured. Elsewhere, Kamui is about to start his fight against Serra.