At Anime NYC, trading card company Union Arena debuted their new TCG sets, inclduing the highly anticipated Jujutsu Kaisen set.

Congoers were able to demo three different decks of their choice (Hunter x Hunter, Bleach, or Jujustu Kaisen). New players had the chance to learn the game and shop for booster packs from successful releases such as One Piece. If congoers wanted to set up a demo, they were provided a deck and presented with a promo card upon completion of the demo and a submitted review.

Jujutsu Kaisen Demo Experience

We got to experience the demo at Anime NYC on Saturday. August 24, and had fun playing a new trading card game. On the floor of the Union Arena area, mulitple demo tables represented a specific deck theme. Each table was assigned an instructor who walked plays through everything, from how to properly place the cards on the mat to full on gameplay.

By following the steps the game coach gave us, we could battle each other with the provided a 30-card demo deck at hand. Each deck had the original trio character cards – Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Nobara Kugisaki – along with Satoru Gojo. The deck also contained some event cards, such as ‘Domain Expansion’ and ‘Divergent Fist, and site card ‘Tokyo Jujutsu High School,’ and standard white action point cards (AP cards) .

Our specific demo was for the TCG of Union Arena Jujutsu Kaisen deck. Our coach took us through the sequences and phases. When active, the cards remained upright. However, when resting, cards turned on their side, much like Magic: the Gathering. We were guided through our first two sequences, identical to everyone at the table, and then we could play freely. 

Union Arena offers boundless excitement and strategic complexity for anyone with any experience with trading card games.

Jaesa’s Verdict

As an experienced TCG player who has played Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon TCG, UniVersus, and an extensive amount of video games, I deeply enjoyed the dynamic and engaging playstyle of Union Arena. The steps were easy to follow. After the two guided sequences, I understood the rules and how to flow with the game. The Jujutsu Kaisen cards were fun to play with, and the artwork was straight from the anime. Other Union Arena decks and cards on display at the booth had stunning artwork as well. I liked the unique character abilities. Specifically, Gojo’s was my favorite with an ability that states, “When this character attacks and wins a battle, deal one damage to your opponent,” and when in play, you always draw a card for your turn!

Jenna’s Verdict

This was my very first time playing a table top TCG. Despite being an elementary schooler when Pokemon came out, you would think I would be an old pro by now. However, card based games never interested until the past year. This was the first time I actually was able to experience game play, and with my favorite anime to boot.

As someone who has not the faintest idea how the rules of TCG work, I was nervous to sit down at the table. However, I quickly picked up on the rules with the help of the patient and knowledgable coaches. As soon as we left the demo, I prompty looked up the deck release date so I could play again.

About Union Arena 

Union Arena is a “Common Rules Trading Card Game,” which means players only need to learn one set of rules to play this card game using characters from series they love.”

The Jujutsu Kaisen Booser and Starter decks release November 22, 2024. Every booster pack includes 8 cards. The card categories are as follows based on levels of rarity: Common (C), Uncommon (U), Rare (R), and Super Rare (SR). In total, there are 100 different playable cards. Moreover, each pack may contain one of 6 highly sought-after AP cards distributed randomly. This product also features 28 unique Parallel Rare Cards! Plus, there are exclusive cards with unique illustrations available for this product.

The Hunter x Hunter and Bleach starter decks release September 27th, 2024, with booster packs releasing October 4th, 2024

If you want to learn how to play, visit Union Arena for details.

About the Authors

This article was written collaboratively by entertainment correspondents Jenna Wrenn and Jaesa Evermore. For more of Jenna and Jaesa’s writings, please see their respective author pages.