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The Problem with Anime Card Games

I’ve herd the cries and moans of several Naruto TCG players over the past few weeks as many of them began to engage themselves back into the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. Their resentment was written all over their faces as they began to open packs of the new Lord Of Tachyon Galaxy packs. BANDAI entertainment, which is responsible for the Naruto TCG, had finally thrown in the towel and are no longer supporting the game nor plan to make any more sets. Though it’s tragic for Naruto fans and players of the game, I figured this would happen eventually. Anime based card games are a very fickle matter, especially outside of Japan. Not many of them become successful while on the other hand they probably dominate a market. There are very few Anime based card games that still make it today; mainly Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon TCG. But what is the reason for their success? And why do other potential TCGs get left in the dust? Hopefully I can clarify these questions for you…..

Who plays Anime TCGs?

In order to grasp the idea why certain Card Games succeed and why certain ones fail, you must be familiar with the Card Gaming or Table Top Gaming community. There are several different age groups in Table top gaming and there are several different levels of games people like to play. Some like to play very immersive games like War Hammer while others like to play basic turn based card games like Magic the Gathering. Either way it easy to get into any game but can take years to become a master of it.

But what does this mean for Anime TCGs? Well Anime TCGs are usually an oddball in Table Top Communities, well here in the US that is. Anime is typically perceived as Cartoons targeted towards kids, and in fact most Anime based card games are intended for kids. Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon is a card game intended for younger audiences. Also most Anime TCGs base their game system off aspects of the show, like building up a chakra pile (Naruto TCG) or a soul pile for the BLEACH TCG. However these mechanics are only understandable by the people who initially follow the show, and it’s rare for anyone who doesn’t follow Anime to grasp the game.

Before I continue, I’d like to point out why Pokemon TCG and Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG are successful Anime Card Games:

1. Cards aren’t or rarely based on characters from the show


2. They are based on a Monster collection theme


3. Have easy to learn game mechanics


4. Their Anime counter part is still an ongoing series.

Now that I’ve pointed these out, things seem to make more sense now, right? Well if you haven’t grasped it yet, let me explain.

Doomed to Begin With

When we look at the Naruto card game, we can see there several versions of the Naruto card:

We see that there are all Naruto but each Naruto has different card effect or attribute it introduces to the game. Now let’s look at the Dark Magician from the Yu-Gi-OH! TCG

Though both have different card arts, they both serve the same purpose. The point I’m getting at here is that making several cards with the same name but with different effects can become confusing for a new player. This typically the number one reason why most players are discouraged from playing the game in the first place.

This is also lines up with another point, if you make a TCG about an Anime how many times are you going to remake the same character until there is a version of him for every type of deck? This fact also destroys the pleasure of being unique. Many TCG players like to feel Unique with their decks so if everyone has a Naruto in their deck then they aren’t very unique. Basically there is no Diversity. With character based cards, you are limited by the number of characters there are in the show. You can’t purposely make up characters to make more cards because that would conflict with the parent story the game is based off of. The reason why Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! are successful is because they introduce several different types of Monsters every new set or new generation. Anime TCGs are typically limited in sets because they base their game on Characters off the show, and when the show ends…what now? It’s obvious that you can’t continue on unless the creator of the series decides to make a sequel. 

What are Good Anime TCGs?

Besides Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon being the most successful of Anime TCGs there are quite a few other successful Anime TCGs out there. The two I’d like to mention is Cardfight! Vanguard and Weiss Schwarz. Both of these games are owned by a company called Bushiroad, and they have become the leading Card Game company in Japan over the recent years, and for good reason. Cardfight! Vanguard is much like a cross of the Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon TCG, and has fairly simple mechanics with a monster collection theme. Cardfight! Vanguard follows the typical formula for successful TCGs while Weiss Schwarz takes a more daring approach. Weiss Schwarz is an Anime based Card game like none other since it’s not just based on one but several different Anime: Fairy Tail, Sengoku Basara, IdolM@STERS, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Sword Art Online, and so much more. This is probably the best approach to an Anime TCG because it always introduces popular Anime to the mix and include the amazing fantasy of two different Anime squaring off.

Another way for an Anime to become a successful card game is by making it into a Deck Building game. Deck Building games are on the rage these days because they are less costlier then TCGs. You can buy one set and you’ll have all the cards you need for a two - four - or even more player game. The Resident Evil and Tanto Cuore deck building games are prime examples of this. If most Anime card games where like this they’d be more successful.

My final advice to you is, don’t invest in Anime TCGs you know that won’t last. Unless you truly support the series, you’re just wasting money and taking up space in your house. You are most likely better off playing Deck Building games. For you Naruto Players out there, I feel you, but Yu-Gi-Oh! was always gonna out best you in the long run anyways.