Discover the ranking of the 15 TCGs that dominated the market in 2023. Whether you're a seasoned collector, or simply a fan of your favorite card illustrations, you're sure to find some familiar games among the 2023 bestsellers.
Top TCG sales 2023 in Japan
| Card Game |
Edition |
Sales 2023 (by million yen)
Increase in a year(%) |
| Pokemon Trading Card Game |
Pokemon |
1 337 ▲ 137% |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG |
Konami |
471 ▲ 103% |
| Duel Masters |
Tomy (Takaratomy) |
289 ▲ 97% |
| One Piece |
Bandai |
265 ▲ 313% |
| Weiss Schwarz |
Bushiroad |
139 ▲ 147% |
| MTG |
Wizards of the Coast |
53 ▲ 94% |
| Battles Spirits |
Bandai |
38 ▲ 91% |
| Shadowverse |
Bushiroad |
37▲ 50% |
| Union Arena |
Bandai |
32 ▲ 643% |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel |
Konami |
31 ▲ 114% |
| Cardfight ! Vanguard |
Bushiroad |
29 ▲ 152% |
| Digimon |
Bandai |
12 ▲ 84% |
| Wixoss |
Tomy (Takaratomy) |
10 ▲ 104% |
| Build Divide |
Aniplex |
9 ▲ 151% |
| Rebirth for you |
Bushiroad |
8.7 ▲ 74% |
Période considérée pour le prélèvement des données : d’avril 2023 à mars 2024
Source - Media create, 2024
1. Pokemon Trading Card Game
Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) is a TCG game based on the Pokémon franchise, launched in Japan in 1996. It features over 14,000 cards across more than 90 expansions. Cards are divided into pokémon, trainer and energy, with rare versions such as holographic and VMAX cards.
Value of individual rare cards : from 550 yens to 14 000 000 yen.
Shop Pokemon Cards
2. Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG
The Yu-Gi-Oh ! Official Card Game was launched in Japan in 1999, with over 11,000 cards published. Cards are divided into monsters, magic, and traps, with unique mechanics such as special summoning and hit points. Its success is based on its strategic complexity and its link with the anime and manga of the same name.
Value of Individual Rare Cards: From 2 200 yen to 980 000 yen.
Shop Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG
L’année 2024 marque les 25 ans des jeux Yu-Gi-Oh. À l'occasion de cet anniversaire, profitez d’un coffret de cartes spécial.
Découvrez aussi le top 2023 des 14 cartes les plus chères et les plus rares.
3. Duel Masters
The Duel Masters Card Gamewas launched in Japan in 2002, and now boasts over 5,000 published cards. Although the anime quickly disappeared in France after 2005, it remains a must-have in Japan! In this game, players use creatures and spells, exploiting shields to protect their hit points.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 2 000 yen to 31 000 yen.
Shop Duel Masters
4. One Piece
Unlike the top 3 best-selling TCGs in the 2023 ranking, the One Piece card game was only released very recently. Released in 2022 on the occasion of the anime's 25ᵉ anniversary, One Piece quickly proved to be a must-have in the trading card universe, in part because of a card design and a choice to create many new illustrations (featuring said illustrators).
Although this TCG ranking is dominated by Konami's Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh licenses, One Piece is showing exceptional growth so soon after its release.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 500 yen to 180 000 yen.
Shop One Piece Cards
5. Weiss Schwarz
Weiss Schwarz is a TCG launched in 2008. These represent characters and scenes from various popular anime, manga, and video games. Card types include characters, events, and story climaxes, with unique mechanics. Among the best-known licenses are Chainsaw Man, Azur Lane, SPYxFAMILY, Star Wars and many others.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 500 yen to 1,500 000 yen.
Shop Weiss Schwarz
6. MTG
Short for Magic: the Gathering, MTG was first published in 1993. The most-played game in the world (not least because it's the oldest and most established in the USA), it is the genre's benchmark in terms of game elements, and has been a source of inspiration on numerous occasions, from Duel Masters to the very recent Disney Lorcana.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 40 yen to 680 000 yen.
Shop MTG
7. Battle Spirits
Available to the Japanese public since 2008, the game contains over 2,000 cards and a hundred different boosters. It was only recently that the Battle Spirits license was re-exported worldwide with Battle Spirits Saga. This is the second attempt to export the game to the world market, an attempt that failed in 2009, after five sets. Collaborative boosters include the Digimon World, Kamen Rider, Gundam, and Evangelion.
Value of Individual Rare Card: from 8 000 yen to 170 000 yen.
Shop Battles Spirits
8. Shadowverse Evolve
Shadowverse was originally a digital trading card game launched in 2016. Its physical version, Shadowverse Evolve, has only existed in Japan since 2022, with over 2,500 cards published through several expansions. Its anime style appeals to a huge number of players and collectors. It has also had an anime adaptation since 2020.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 100 yen to 550 000 yens.
Shop Shadowverse: Evolve
9. Union Arena
Released in 2021, this game is a hit with famous anime licenses and already boasts over a thousand cards. Notable additions in 2023, such as cards from Tekken 7, Blue Lock, Sword Art Online, Gintama, HunterXHunter, and Demon Slayer, explain the steady rise in sales. 2024 is no exception, with sets from Bleach, Undead Unluck, and Shy!
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 100 yen to 1 100 000 yen.
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10. Yu-Gi-Oh ! Rush Duel
Released in 2020, Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel is a simplified and accelerated version of the original game. It is a different game, not an expansion. You'll find new attacks, formations and rules. Rush Duel cards have the same structure as the original game, but are identified by a generally brighter color palette and the words “Rush Duel” under the description of the card's effects.
Value of Individual Rare Cards: from 200 yen to 200,000 yen.
Shop Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel
11. Cardfight! Vanguard
Launched in 2011, Vanguard is an adaptation of the anime of the same name. The game's growing success is due in part to boosters developed in collaboration with other anime universes such as Touken Ranbu, Monster Strike, Shaman King, and Record of Ragnarok.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 550 yen to 65,000 yens.
Shop Cardfight! Vanguard
12. Digimon
The Digimon TCG, launched on January 27, 2021, features various levels of digivolution, allowing transformations into more powerful versions. While the Digimon universe has been rare in the West for 10-15 years, it has never stopped living and telling stories in Japan.
Value of Individual Rare Cards : from 400 yen to 300,000 yen.
Shop Digimon Cards
13. Wixoss
Wixoss was released in 2014 and boasts over 2,000 cards. Since then, anime, films, and other games have been derived from the original. Almost all the characters featured in Wixoss decks are female, hence its popularity in Japan.
Value of Individual Rare Cards: from 300 yen to 120,000 yen.
Shop Wixoss
14. Build Divide
This game was released in 2021. Build Divide is a bit special in this top 15, as it is published by Aniplex, a Sony company, and therefore rather specialized in anime and music. The game's collab includes famous anime such as Fullmetal Alchemist, and Bocchi the Rock! and Fate/Zero.
Value of Individual Rare Cards: From 900 yen to 50,000 yens.
Shop Build Divide
15. ReBirth for you
Launched in 2020, ReBirth for You features a large majority of female characters. The game features special sets with anime and video game characters such as Azur Lane, Idolmaster, Blue Archive, and Yuru Camp.
Valeur des cartes rares à l'unité : de 300 yens à 100 000 yens.
Shop Rebirth for you
The TCG market in Japan in 2023 shows remarkable vitality and diversity, fueled by classic franchises, constant innovation and an ability to adapt to changing collector preferences. Based on the first months of 2024 (Statista), we can expect Dragon Ball Fusion World to enter the top tier by the end of 2024.
To get your hands on the rarest cards, take a look at the auctions on ZenMarket.
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