Yu - Gi - Oh ! - Episode 055 " Stalked by the Rare Hunters " , known as " Ghouls Assault - The Targeted Red - Eyes Black Dragon " in the Japanese version , is the fifty - fifth episode of the " Yu - Gi - Oh ! " anime . It first aired in Japan on May 15 , 2001 , and in the United States on December 14 , 2002 . Summary . Joey learns about the upcoming Battle City tournament from Yugi and Téa . He decides to join in to help Yugi , despite their warning about Seto Kaiba having a grudge against him . At the registration office , Yugi is well - qualified to enter the tournament , but when Joey tries to sign up , he finds out his ranking is too low . However , the clerk notices Joey ' s Rarest Card is the " Red - Eyes Black Dragon " , something the Rare Hunters would like to get their hands on . The clerk then secretly changes Joey ' s ranking so that it is high enough to let him enter the Tournament and tells him he is qualified and that Joey ' s " incorrect " ranking was due to a computer glitch . The clerk then issues Yugi and Joey their Duel Disk s . Shortly after Yugi and his friends leave , the shop clerk calls the Rare Hunters to tell them that he found a nice catch . That evening , Joey separates from everyone else to go to the hospital to visit Serenity , who is about to get her eye operation . He is confronted by three Rare Hunters . One of them forces Joey into a Duel . The Rare Hunter states to Joey if he loses the duel , he must give up his " Red - Eyes Black Dragon " . All the Rare Hunter does is Draw Cards and Set ' Wall ' Monsters . Joey continuously Destroys his Monsters , but the Rare Hunter eventually Draws all five pieces of " Exodia " and wins . Joey questions the Rare Hunter how he was able to do all that . The Rare Hunter then reveals to Joey that the pieces of " Exodia " are very rare , but he has three complete sets of " Exodia " to insure him of his victories . The group of Rare Hunters then beat Joey up and take away his Red - Eyes as per the stakes of the duel , claiming that there ' s no Card they can ' t replicate . The next morning , Joey ' s mother calls Yugi , to say that he never showed up at the hospital . Yugi , Tristan , and Téa search for him . Tristan , riding his cool motorcycle , finds him at a beach . After some words and blows are exchanged between the two , Tristan takes Joey to the hospital . Apparently after getting beat - up , Joey was angry with having lost his Card and thought he couldn ' t face his younger sister . He helps Serenity get the confidence she needs to go through with her operation . Joey is determined to get his " Red - Eyes Black Dragon " back from the Rare Hunters . Featured Duel : Joey vs . Rare Hunter . Turn 1 : Joey Joey Normal Summon s " Panther Warrior " ( 2000 / 1600 ) in Attack Position . Turn 2 : Rare Hunter Rare Hunter draws . He then Set s a monster . Turn 3 : Joey Joey draws " Scapegoat " and subsequently activates it to Special Summon four " Sheep Tokens " in Defense Position ( 0 / 0 for each Token ) , but these Tokens can ' t be used for a Tribute Summon . Joey then Tribute s a " Sheep Token " to allow " Panther Warrior " to attack . " Panther Warrior " attacks and destroys Rare Hunter ' s Set monster . It ' s revealed to be " Hannibal Necromancer " ( 1400 / 1800 ) . Turn 4 : Rare Hunter Rare Hunter draws . He then activates " Graceful Charity " to draw three cards and discard two . Rare Hunter then Set s a monster . Turn 5 : Joey Joey draws . He then Normal Summon s " Alligator ' s Sword " ( 1500 / 1200 ) in Attack Position . Joey then Tribute s another " Sheep Token " to allow " Panther Warrior " to attack . " Panther Warrior " attacks and destroys Rare Hunter ' s Set monster . It ' s revealed to be " Three - Headed Geedo " ( 1200 / 1400 ) . " Alligator ' s Sword " attacks directly ( Rare Hunter 4000 → 2500 ) . Turn 6 : Rare Hunter Rare Hunter draws . He then activates another " Graceful Charity " to draw three cards and discard two . Rare Hunter then Set s a monster . Turn 7 : Joey Joey draws . He then Tribute s " Alligator ' s Sword " and " Panther Warrior " in order to Tribute Summon " Red - Eyes Black Dragon " ( 2400 / 2000 ) in Attack Position . " Red - Eyes B . Dragon " attacks and destroys Rare Hunter ' s Set monster . It ' s revealed to be " Death Hand " ( 800 / 600 ) . Turn 8 : Rare Hunter Rare Hunter draws the last piece of " Exodia " . " Exodia " is then Special Summoned ( ∞ / ∞ ) in Attack Position . " Exodia " attacks and destroys every monster Joey controls and reduces his Life Points to 0 ( Joey 4000 → 0 ) . Featured cards . The following cards appeared in this episode . Cards in italics debuted here .