It’s time to du-… fight! Vertical Inc. announced late this week that they’ve licensed their own card battling series:
Cardfight!! Vanguard – Akira Ito
The series has more in common with the better known YuGiOh than just the card duels they’re based around. The creator of Cardfight!! Vanguard was the artist who handled the YuGiOh R manga series. With that kind of global popularity, can you blame them for wanting to give it their own spin? Or Vertical for continuing to branch out into different demographics.
Cardfight!! Vanguard is also currently being streamed on Crunchyroll, who gives the following summary:
“The card game ‘Vanguard’ has swept the entire world and changed the fate of one boy. His name is Aichi Sendou. To make an impression on Toshiki Kai, a Cardfighter he deeply admires, Aichi begins to play Vanguard and soon becomes caught up in the fun and charm of the game.”
Vertical Inc is releasing two first volumes – one regular edition and one deluxe edition. Both have the same page count and a trading card, but the deluxe edition also includes a fifty card starter deck, game mat and box. Amazon says the titles will be released at the end of March 2014, while Vertical is listing April 2014.
Pre-orders are currently available via Amazon for the regular (Amazon CAN | US) and deluxe editions (Amazon CAN | US).
Cardfight!! Vanguard is one of those series that leaves me feeling out of touch with today’s ‘mainstream’ anime fans. I’m told it’s popular. I’ve seen the Walmart aisles littered with the merchandise and even a giant outdoor billboard. I think I may’ve even seen a snippet of it on television. What I’ve never seen or knowingly met, however, is an actual fan. Where are you, mystical fans? Fans of Pokemon and YuGiOh I still see on a regular basis – battling outside schools, meeting in local game shops, trading and arguing in the comic stores, begging their parents for the newest release. So… what gives?
Maybe the lack of Cardfight!! Vanguard fans is a regional thing. Whatever it is, I hope the series’ popularity I’ve heard such tell about means that it will be asuccess for Vertical Inc. Fortunately it seems to be going well so far.
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As for Vanguard, I believe the card game/merch is doing well, but that’s about it. That’s not to say the anime and manga aren’t popular, but they’re more niche because the anime is only available subbed here. There is a dub but I believe it’s only for like Australian territories, and the manga has nothing but summaries/pics on some fan sites until the release come out.