It’s the Pickle and Daweeb Show, where we bring you anime and manga news from the furthest reaches of the okatu-sphere, like a cucumber-shaped Captain Picard and his human-looking but still socially inept Lieutenant Commander Data. This week, we focus on just a few of the many, many TCG releases coming our way in 2022.
2022: The Year of the TCG?
Honestly, I’m surprised trading card games (TCGs) are still so popular, especially when everyone has a computer in their pocket. That’s my pessimistic inner voice, but the future seems bright. Sure, many of us are playing cards in app form, but cards are still selling, even if Covid threw the finger at us wanting to get around the table and play. As a frequent MtG Arena and Hearthstone player, I know that the digital versions of the games we play have a lot to offer, but they can’t match the feeling of collecting real-life cardboard and getting together with friends in meat space.
As we get a grip on the pandemic, will we see more tournaments and games happening? I already see that going on in my neck of the woods, and I imagine it could bring a resurgence of interest in the cardboard versions of the games we play. That, and TCG publishers have plenty of new releases coming our way. Let’s take a look at a few, and, because it’s the way we roll, we’ve got other random news and discoveries from the Internet, so let’s dive in.
Magic: the Gathering heads to Cyberpunk Japan
Kamigawa Neon Dynasty is the next Magic: the Gathering set, which returns to a Kamigawa that is now neon pink and blue. Cyberpunk is in, and after all the vampires we probably needed to brighten up the place. The set launches on February 18th.
We should probably take a moment to differentiate between “made in Japan” and “inspired by Japan” because I know some of you have no love for the second, but I think the influence of Ghost in the Shell, the color pallet of Promare (Trigger loves their cyan and magenta), and Japanese history is clear to see. I’d be happy to play in that world.
Kamigawa Neon Dynasty, which is the 91st MtG set ever, reintroduces the ninjutsu ability, which lets you swap an unblocked attacking ninja with another from your hand. Haya!
Cutting Paper for Love, Likes, and Entertainment
I love the J-List Official Discord for many reasons, including all the interesting things people find in the wilds of the Internet and then share with us there, just like this bit of stop motion brilliance.
Poseidon Taro’s YouTube channel is dedicated to all kinds of creative stop motion… with paper! The Japanese art of paper-cutting, called kirie (切り絵) in Japanese, is an art form with plenty of history, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring or irrelevant. Poseidon Taro did a version of Kill Me Baby end credits dance. Enjoy!
Final Fantasy TCG Expansion Rebellion’s Call to Launch in August
Square Enix announced a new expansion for their Final Fantasy TCG, called Final Fantasy TCG: Rebellion’s Call, which will launch in August of this year. The set will introduce characters from Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis in card form.
If you’re interested in learning to play the game, you can find the FF-TCG Starter Guide here.
Tomy’s WIXOSS TCG Getting Expansion in March
The WIXOSS TCG is getting its third English expansion, called WIXOSS TCG: Changing Diva English Edition, on March 18th. Akino (No Limit), LOVIT (Card Jockey), Bang (Uchu no Hajimari), and Madoka (DIAGRAM) are set to feature in the expansion as the new Center LRIGs for each team. LRIG, for anyone new to the game, is “girl” spelled backward, as if you needed any more clues that “here be waifus”. WIXOSS TCG is a multimedia franchise that includes TCG, anime, and manga.
My Hero Academia CCG Gets Organised Play
$250,000 is up for grabs in the newly announced Hero League Championship Series, an organized play program for My Hero Academia CCG that kicks off this year. The program starts in March and runs until December.
Top TCG Sellers for December 2021
Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon. That’s what topped TCG sales in December, with Yu-Gi-Oh! taking 3rd place and Digimon taking 8th. Everything else was Pokémon. Celebrations Ultra-Premium Collection and the Evolving Skies Booster Box, both for Pokémon, were the top two sellers.
Top Adult Graphic Novels for December 2021
Chainsaw Man Vol. 8 (first), Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 13 (second), and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Vol. 2 (third) where the top three adult graphic novels in terms of sales for December 2021, which shouldn’t really surprise anyone who follows the J-List Blog. All are from Viz Media, and many of the other volumes in these series feature in the top 20 sales too.
ICv2 has the full top 20 chart.
Are there any other manga titles you’d recommend over these titles? Maybe you grabbed some reading for Christmas that the world needs to know about. What franchise really, really needs a TCG incarnation? Let us know in the comments below.
Till Next Time
Be sure to check out the J-List Store for the best artifacts to show off your love for anime and manga. You can also hang out and chat about anime figures, manga plot holes, or the best way to destroy an onahole, by joining us on Discord.
