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(This is during Duellist Kingdom, where high-level monsters do not require
tributes.)

In [Episode 033](http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_-_Episode_033), Yugi
has Gaia the Dragon Champion on his field, and Jounouchi has in his hand Red-
Eyes Black Dragon, Graverobber, and Kunai with Chain. He thinks it's hopeless,
since even if he summons Red-Eyes, Gaia still has greater strength. But he
draws Copycat, inspiring a strategy: He summons Red-Eyes, then activates
Graverobber from his hand as a Spell Card, stealing Yugi's Summoned Skull.
Next he uses Copycat as a Spell Card, which apparently allows him to mimic any
card which Yugi has used; he chooses Polymerization, and with it he fuses
Summoned Skull and Red-Eyes to summon Black Skull Dragon, a monster that can
overpower Gaia.

Meanwhile, I think: _Wouldn't it have been simpler to use Kunai with Chain?_
Red-Eyes has 2400 ATK, and Gaia has 2600. The Trap Card Kunai with Chain can
add 500 additional ATK to a monster. If he had summoned Red-Eyes and allowed
Yugi to attack with Gaia, he could have activated Kunai with Chain and
defeated Gaia without his original needlessly complex strategy, saving several
cards that could be useful later. While Kunai with Chain did end up being
useful later itself, Graverobber and Copycat, I think, are more worth saving.


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question
yu-gi-oh
Why didn't Jounouchi just use Kunai with Chain?


Based on various non-anime sources and the precedent shown in earlier episodes
/ followed in later episodes, there seems to have been a requirement on Kunai
with Chain that it could only be used by Warrior and Beast-Warrior monsters.

While this wasn't written into the text of the card in the show, the theory
does fit with the basic premise that Duelist Kingdom era Yu-Gi-Oh! that "It
has to be somewhat reasonable within the 'lore' of the game." As a relatively
generic "weapon", its use would thus be limited to Warriors ("trained" in the
use of weapons).

Supporting the implicit/explicit "Warrior or Beast-Warrior only" clause:

In earlier episodes (<https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Kunai_with_Chain_(anime)>):

  * Episode 19: In the duel with the Paradox Brothers, Axe Raider (Warrior) and Celtic Guardian (Warrior) receive the effects.
  * Episode 31: In the duel with Bandit Keith, Garoozis (Beast-Warrior) receives the effect.
  * Episode 34: In the duel with Yugi, the effect is again demonstrated as being used by Garoozis (Beast-Warrior)

In later episodes, post-Duelist Kingdom:

  * Episode 44: The original "Virtual World", used by Axe Raider (Warrior) (not technically a "duel" since this is the original RPG-like game being beta'd by Kaiba Corp)
  * Episode 69: In the duel with Mako Tsunami in Battle City, used by Panther Warrior (Beast-Warrior)
  * Episode 111: In the tag duel with Yugi vs "The Big Five" in the full "Virtual World" arc, used by Alligator's Sword (Beast-Warrior)

All of these instances are consistent with the idea that Kunai with Chain must
be used by a Warrior or Beast-Warrior monster.

In non-anime sources, when Kunai with Chain is used directly as a power-up
spell (and not as a trap consistent with it's real-life version), it usually
includes the requirement for Warrior and Beast-Warrior monsters. Examples
include:

  * Various games describe the Kunai with Chain "spell" card as "featuring the effects of... the Legendary Sword and the Sword of Ruin." Each of these spells existing separately in those games and referring to "drawing out the power of Warriors." EX: [_Dark Duel Stories_](https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Kunai_with_Chain_\(DDS\)), [_Forbidden Memories_](https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Kunai_with_Chain_\(FMR\))
  * The game [_Duelist of the Roses_](https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Kunai_with_Chain_\(DOR\)) has the effect "Increases the power of WARRIOR and BEAST-WARRIOR monsters by 500 points"
  * The games [_The Sacred Cards_](https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Kunai_with_Chain_\(TSC\)) and [_Reshef of Destruction_](https://yugipedia.com/wiki/Kunai_with_Chain_\(ROD\)) both specify "It can be equipped by any warrior..."

Notably, all of those examples are in versions of the game that either are not
based on the traditional Duel Monsters format or are heavily adapted from the
real-life format because of technical limitations.

Between all of these examples seeming to indicate intent to be Warrior or
Beast-Warriors only and the tendency for Duelist Kingdom era Yu-Gi-Oh! to be
incredibly inconsistent with what cards do, this is one of the cases where the
show was relatively consistent about this restriction.


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