Deck Review: Anime Tarot

McCalla Ann (author) and Mercenary of Duna (artist), The Anime Tarot Deck and Guidebook. San Rafael, CA: Insight Editions, 2022. ISBN: 9781647225698.  (link to publisher)

Genre: Tarot decks, cartomancy

Subgenre: Anime

Format: kit with guidebook and 78-card deck. 

Source: I own this one.

This kit includes the 78-card deck and a small paperback companion book. The book is arranged as follows: 

• Introduction. A short introductory statement describing the deck's theme. On Tarot, it says, "it actually works best as an oracle of guidance to help us level up, overcome adversity, and grow both individually and within our communities" (4). The deck draws on themes and archetypes of anime. 
• Understanding Your Tarot Deck. This is the basic description of a Tarot deck's structure. The author tells us that some names and meanings may be different from the conventional because "this deck pulls from both Rider-Waite and Thoth traditions of tarot in order to provide the best of what both have to offer" (9). 
• The Major Arcana. Each entry has a full page color picture of the card. The text includes a description of the card's image, plus upright and reversed meanings. 
• The Minor Arcana. This is arranged by suits: wands, cups, swords, and disks. The court cards are included in the suits, and each suit starts with the court cards then goes over the pips. The entries include a half page picture of the card, then underneath we get upright and reversed meanings. 
• Tarot readings. This section includes how to care for your deck, preparing to read Tarot, and three card spreads. 

Justice-XI

The book is easy to read, and the text is attuned to the anime themes and archetypes. Some of the meanings may differ from the more traditional, but they remain overall within Rider Waite Smith (RWS). The book can work well for beginners, but intermediate users can find insights as well. It is a light book that gives you enough to get started. 

The cards depict a variety of anime themes and characters. The cards are colorful without being too bright. The characters are expressive, conveying emotions, which helps readers when interpreting. I'd say the art overall is pretty straightforward. A few images differ from the standard, and anime and mange fans may recognize them easier than other casual readers. Still, I found myself liking the cards and warming up to the deck. The art is clear, easy to read. If you read intuitively, the deck may work for you. If you read within RWS, the deck can work for you too. I'd say the Thoth elements are minimal, and they do not detract from the reading experience. 

Six of Cups

The big negative issue with the deck is the card material. It has a matte finish that makes the cards stick and seriously difficult to shuffle. It makes the deck's usability hard. The card stock is thick, which can be good, but it can make the deck a bit heavy in your hands. I probably would like this deck more if the finish did not make it so hard to use.

The cards measure about 4 3/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches. All cards are fully illustrated. The art on the back of the cards is reversible. The art is very good, and I enjoy the anime style very much. Fans of anime and/or manga will likely enjoy it. Folks tend to rag on the deck's publisher, and there are plenty of reasons to criticize their products, but aside from the finish, this fully illustrated deck overall is well done. I like it, and I am still happy to have it. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

This book and deck kit qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge: