There are many popular trading card games that exist in the world today. But only a select few are ever very popular, capturing the hearts and imaginations of people all over the globe. Among those is Cardfight Vanguard: a competitive and highly entertaining card game that allows players to duke it out in two-player spars and emerge victorious. Cardfight!! Vanguard is one of the most popular card games in the world, with hundreds of thousands of fans, competitive tournaments attended by loyal players and card collectors, events showcasing their numerous achievements, spinoffs of manga, and so much more. And the Cardfight!! Vanguard craze seems like it’s here to stay: with so many new updates to the cards themselves, and so much more content on the way, there’s no reason for it to slow down. But how did this hype train even begin? Let’s delve into the wonderful world of CFV and see the makings of a successful franchise.
What is Cardfight!! Vanguard, though?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know what Cardfight!! Vanguard is. Many things might come to mind: the hit anime show, for one. Or the popular trading card game. It doesn’t pertain to a single piece of medium, but it encompasses all this. Cardfight!! Vanguard is a multimedia franchise that spans numerous shows, manga, anime, and even live action movies. Conceived by the masterminds of Bushiroad, and in collaboration with many popular personalities like mangaka Akira Itou, the concept had snowballed into a phenomenon since its debut in 2010.
The (Real Life) Story of Cardfight!! Vanguard
In early 2010, Bushiroad gave the world the first glimpses at what would later become the Cardfight!! Vanguard card game. There was much buzz about it after its release, and it only grew in popularity after it took off in Japan Then later, in Singapore, the exciting announcement of an English translation for the game was dropped, propelling the card game into the international scene. Its first foray into the international card game scene proved so successful that there were subsequent releases of English cards, as well as releases in other languages such as Thai.
For some, their first introduction to Cardfight!! Vanguard was through the popular anime show under the same name. Its introduction to the public happened almost simultaneously with the release of the card game. Only a few short months after the card game dropped, Bushiroad deemed the card game popular enough to turn into a full blown franchise. Soon, more exciting projects came out as a result.
July of 2010 saw the births of the story and lore that would accompany the card game. TMS Entertainment greenlit the anime TV series and the rest was history. In January of 2011, the series premiered in Japan with director Hatsuki Tsuji at the helm, and aired on several TV channels such as TV Aichi, TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, and many more. It soon became international broadcast began soon after that, with Crunchyroll getting in on the hype and distributing the show to audiences in the US and select other countries.
Since then, tons more other content have followed suit. The anime series was renewed for more seasons, and spinoff series were made following the original’s success. An anime film had been released soon after the series had wrapped up. More collectible Cardfight!! Vanguard card packs and boosters are continuously being released. Countless merchandise and new content is planned and produced each year. There’s always something new in store for fans.
The (True) Story of Cardfight!! Vanguard
New to the Cardfight!! Vanguard card game? Don’t worry, there’s not a lot of backstory to work through if you’re just a fan of the game, but the anime does give you a little insight. The story is set on the planet of Cray, where the titular Cardfight!! Vanguard is a game that’s popular throughout the entire world. Sounds a bit meta, doesn’t it? Your goals are to dominate the game using the card characters (aptly named Vanguards) which you summon to the battlefield to fight for you. You use strategy and quick thinking to win over your opponent!
The anime, on the other hand, is about a young boy in high school who wants to become one of the best players in Cardfight!! Vanguard. When he gets his card stolen by a classmate, he embarks on a journey that will turn him into a legendary cardfighter. It’s an interesting anime that delves deep into the lore of Cardfight!! Vanguard and enriches your understanding of the game. The original series is a must-watch for any fan!
Understanding Cardfight!! Vanguard
If you’re thinking of starting your exciting new journey into Cardfight!! Vanguard, then there’s a wealth of resources available for you. The best thing about Cardfight!! Vanguard is that the franchise is easy to dig through, and even if you’re a newbie with lots to learn, you don’t need to see all of the content to understand. Now that you know the history of Cardfight Vanguard, why not do your own research and see what else you can find out? Visit Cardfight!! Vanguard’s site to know more about the best TCG you can ever play.