News: Gauntlet Buster and Sweep Command Dragon Storm Fukuoka

This morning Doctor O tweeted the results of the Fukuoka branch of Fighters Road 2013, Japan's ongoing national championship. The Junior class champion took first place using a Narukami deck, with second place going to a Kagerou cardfighter.  The Open class tournament had both its first and second place spots taken by Narukami fighters, one using a now-standard Gauntlet Buster Dragon and Descendant deck, with the other using a different Eradicator build that combined Spark Horn and Sweep Command Dragon, using cards from the eleventh booster set, BT11: Seal Dragon Unleashed. Spark Horn has drawn some attention as a variation on the Eradicator formula, as when his attack hits a vanguard he can use an especial counterblast to retire an opponent's rearguard--without needing to be at limit break. This gives a Narukami fighter a stronger midgame, pressuring the opponent to drop cards for defense earlier in a fight, weakening their overall presence when the time comes for Sweep Command to hit the field, simultaneously retiring the opponent's rearguards and drawing new cards through his limit break and a combo with the Eradicators' many retire skills.

The Eradicators' continued dominance throughout this tournament season has drawn criticism, as the Narukami clan as a whole has continued to receive support from every core booster set since BT08, with multiple cards coming out as definitively competitive decks of their own, and this trend will not be broken until VG-BT13: Catastrophic Outbreak. With Descendant having come out as a competitive deck surpassing Dragonic Overlord The End in threat, the restricted list having done little to stop his reign, currently accounting for five of the eight Open class decks currently being used to contend for the national title and 32% of all 2013 tournament decks, an extremely powerful crossbreak Reverse unit coming for the clan in VG-BT12: Binding Force of the Black Rings, and the build only becoming stronger as a counter to the new Lock mechanic, many are calling for the plug to be pulled on the clan altogether. For some however, Spike Brothers having broken the Eradicator's stranglehold on the format at Hiroshima has inspired new hope.

The remaining three tournaments will take place in Tokyo, Sapporo and Nagoya with the Tokyo tournament being next in line on the 7th of July. This will be the first time that Okayama, Hakata and Osaka will not be participating.

News: FR2013 Hiroshima Regional Decklists, Dudley Emperor & Tsukuyomi Make Waves, Salome's Pro Debut

The decklists for Fighter's Road 2013 Hiroshima went out this morning, finally giving a look into the Spike Brothers deck that drew so much attention over the weekend. The deck is a modern spin on the classic Dudley Emperor build, using just two copies of Juggernaut Maximum that effectively act as tech cards searched directly with Emperor's limit break, and filling out the remaining grade 3 space with Bad End Dragger, the Spike Brothers' break ride that can give +10000 power to every attacking Brother when its skill is triggered, then shuffle them back in the deck to open the field up for superior calls. By using Dragger in concert with Emperor's superior call limit break, pro fighter and contender for the national title Okudaira Ryousuke is able to make two rearguard attacks in the range of 21-26000 power followed by two more of around 31000, all with a 31000 power vanguard line shaking up field's center. In a format currently dominated by 11000-power Lords this maneuver can require as much as 115000 shield to block, but leaves its fighter dangerously exposed if it is not timed correctly, and as it can only be triggered within a limited window late in a match, the slower setup is not for everyone. Okudaira's deck is noticeably more conservative than typical Dragger decks, as Bad End Dragger is the only card from BT10 than he uses, rejecting the Dudley subgroup that VG-BT10 built up.

Meanwhile the runner-up Yoshida Yuuta has demonstrated that the Eradicator decklist pioneered by Uemura Shouhei has continued to endure through Dragonic Descendant's restriction, although the general trend that Yoshida has followed has been towards the Vowing Sword Dragon break ride rather than BT11's Sweep Command, who has existed on the edges of Eradicator play ever since his set's release. Since Nanakado Yuusuke's revision that added Chou-ou and Shuki from BT11, the deck has gone virtually unchanged between different fighters, with only personal preferences over first vanguard and which cards get priority differentiating the lists.

An interesting point regarding the finalist decklists is that Bushiroad's continual efforts to bury the Full Moon deck seem to be in vain. Yet another cardfighter has taken a creative spin on the Tsukuyomi build, hybridizing Oracle Think Tank and Genesis cards into a single deck that combines Tsukuyomi's soul-based draw power and grade security with Genesis' long term offensive and mass soulcharging. Although Japan's current restricted list prevents Full Moon from being run in copies exceeding two, Yasue Takamasa was not dissuaded by the restrictions and attempted his own revival of the fan-favorite Moon deck.

The Open division team tournament has brought with it our first look at a professional Jewel Knight deck, with Kadobayashi Masaki's Salome build eschewing many Royal Paladin staples like Blaster Blade and Palamedes in favor of a pure subgroup focus on developing extra critical. An interesting innovation of the deck is its use of multiple copies of the first vanguard Tiffany, superior calling the two extra copies with Salome's and Sybill's counterblasts to pump up the power of the rearguard lines multiple times late in the match.

Open Class Regional Tournament
Regional Champion: Okudaira Ryousuke/奥平諒介
Grade 0
x1 Mecha Trainer (FVG)
x4 Cheer Girl, Tiara HT
x4 Cheerful Lynx DT
x4 Sonic Breaker CT
x4 Silence Joker CT
Grade 1
x3 Cheer Girl, Marylin
x4 Wonder Boy
x4 Reckless Express
x2 Medical Manager
Grade 2
x4 Highspeed Brakki
x4 Treasured, Black Panther
x4 Panzer Gale
Grade 3
x3 Demonic Lord, Dudley Emperor
x3 Bad End Dragger
x2 Juggernaut Maximum

Runner up: Yoshida Yuuta/吉田雄太
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator, Dragon Mage DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Eradicator of the Divine Spear, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x3 Rising Phoenix
x4 Eradicator, Wyvern Guard Guld
x2 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x2 Eradicator of the Ceremonial Bonfire, Castor
x3 Iron Blood Eradicator, Shuki
Grade 2
x4 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x3 Dragonic Deathscythe
x4 Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Chou-Ou
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x4 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
x2 Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon

Doctor O's Pick: Yasue Takamasa/安永卓正
Grade 0
x1 Godhawk, Ichibyoshi (FVG)
x4 Psychic Bird CT
x4 Battle Sister, Ginger CT
x4 Battle Sister, Chai HT
x4 Battle Maiden, Kukurihime CT
Grade 1
x4 Goddess of the Crescent Moon, Tsukuyomi
x4 Battle Maiden, Tatsutahime
x4 Goddess of Protection, Kushinada
x2 Dark Cat
Grade 2
x4 Goddess of the Half Moon, Tsukuyomi
x4 Battle Maiden, Saohime
x2 Twilight Hunter, Artemis
x2 Witch of Birds, Chamomile
Grade 3
x2 Goddess of the Full Moon, Tsukuyomi
x4 Battle Deity of the Moonlit Night, Artemis
x1 Witch of Wolves, Saffron

Junior Class Regional Tournament
Regional Champion: Matsushita Shunji/松下隼士
Grade 0
x1 Lizard Soldier, Conroe (FVG)
x4 Seal Dragon, Artpitch DT
x4 Seal Dragon, Biera CT
x4 Seal Dragon, Shading HT
x4 Blue Ray Dracokid CT
Grade 1
x1 Wyvern Guard, Barri
x4 Embodiment of Armor, Bahr
x3 Seal Dragon, Rinocross
x4 Dragon Monk, Gojo
x2 Flame of Hope, Aermo
Grade 2
x3 Seal Dragon, Hunger Hell Dragon
x4 Burning Horn Dragon
x4 Berserk Dragon
Grade 3
x4 Dragonic Overlord The End
x4 Dauntless Drive Dragon

Runner-up: Tokioka Yuuto/時岡悠翔
Grade 0
x1 Spring Breeze Messenger (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Strike Liberator CT
x4 Weapons Liberator, Gwydion DT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
Grade 1
x2 Liberator of the Future, Llew
x4 Curved Blade Liberator, Josephus
x4 Little Liberator, Marron
x4 Halo Liberator, Mark
Grade 2
x4 Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
x1 Blaster Blade Liberator
x2 Liberator of Silence, Gallatin
x4 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
Grade 3
x4 Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
x2 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot
x2 Steel Spear Liberator, Bleoberis

Doctor O's Pick: Tsumura Kouji/津村康史
Grade 0
x1 Beast Deity, White Tiger (FVG)
x4 Battle Raizer ST
x4 Round Girl, Clara HT
x3 The Gong DT
x2 Three Minutes DT
x3 Red Lightning CT
Grade 1
x4 Twin Blader
x4 Beast Deity, Blank Marsh
x2 Death Army Guy
x2 Clay-doll Mechanic
x3 The Screamin' and Dancin' Announcer, Shout
Grade 2
x2 Magician Girl, Kirara
x4 Beast Deity, Golden Angel
x3 Beast Deity, Hatred Chaos
x1 Death Army Lady
Grade 3
x2 Ultra Beast Deity, Illuminal Dragon
x4 Beast Deity, Azure Dragon
x1 Beast Deity, Ethics Buster
x1 Asura Kaiser

Vanguard Fight High School 2013 Summer, Open Class Hiroshima Regional Tournament Championship Team
Kadobayashi Masaki/門林将生
Grade 0
x3 Dreaming Jewel Knight, Tiffany (FVG)
x4 Blazing Jewel Knight, Rachelle CT
x4 Enthusiastic Jewel Knight, Polly HT
x4 Dedicated Jewel Knight, Tabitha DT
x4 Bringer of Good Luck, Epona CT
Grade 1
x4 Jewel Knight, Prizme
x4 Stinging Jewel Knight, Sherrie
x4 Flashing Jewel Knight, Iseult
x2 Regret Jewel Knight, Ulrien
Grade 2
x4 Fellowship Jewel Knight, Tracie
x4 Dogmatize Jewel Knight, Sybill
x2 Pathetique Jewel Knight, Owain
Grade 3
x4 Leading Jewel Knight, Salome
x3 Pure Heart Jewel Knight, Ashley

Fujioka Tatsuya/藤岡龍也
Grade 0
x1 Little Witch, LuLu (FVG)
x4 Oracle Guardian, Nike CT
x4 Psychic Bird CT
x4 Battle Sister, Ginger CT
x4 Battle Sister, Chai HT
Grade 1
x3 Battle Sister, Chocolat
x2 Battle Sister, Cocoa
x4 Oracle Guardian, Gemini
x4 Dark Cat
x2 Luck Bird
Grade 2
x4 Battle Sister, Tart
x1 Maiden of Libra
x2 Battle Sister, Mocha
x4 Silent Tom
Grade 3
x4 Scarlet Witch, CoCo
x3 Goddess of Flower Divination, Sakuya

Maenaka Toshiki/前中俊樹
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator, Dragon Mage DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Eradicator of the Divine Spear, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x3 Eradicator, Wyvern Guard Guld
x4 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x3 Iron Blood Eradicator, Shuki
x3 Eradicator of the Ceremonial Bonfire, Castor 
Grade 2
x3 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x3 Conquering Eradicator, Zuitan
x4 Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Chou-Ou
x2 Dragon Dancer, Julia
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x4 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
x2 Eradicator, Electric Shaper Dragon

Vanguard Fight High School 2013 Summer, Student-only Class Hiroshima Regional Tournament Championship Team
Ichimaru Shoutarou/一丸翔太朗
Grade 0
x1 Spark Kid Dragoon (FVG)
x4 Eradicator, Dragon Mage DT
x4 Demonic Dragon Eradicator, Seiobo HT
x4 Eradicator, Yellow Gem Carbuncle CT
x4 Eradicator of the Divine Spear, Pollux CT
Grade 1
x3 Eradicator of the True Flames, Kougaiji
x4 Eradicator, Wyvern Guard Guld
x3 Eradicator, Demolition Dragon
x3 Iron Blood Eradicator, Shuki
Grade 2
x4 Eradicator, Spark Rain Dragon
x4 Conquering Eradicator, Zuitan
x4 Fiendish Sword Eradicator, Chou-Ou
Grade 3
x2 Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant
x3 Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon
x3 Eradicator, Sweep Command Dragon

Okabe Mizuki/岡部瑞生
Grade 0
x1 Lizard Soldier, Conroe (FVG)
x4 Seal Dragon Shading HT
x4 Seal Dragon, Artpitch DT
x4 Seal Dragon, Biera CT
x4 Blue Ray Dracokid CT
Grade 1
x4 Embodiment of Armor, Bahr
x4 Seal Dragon, Rinocross
x4 Seal Dragon, Kersey
x1 Flame of Promise, Aermo
Grade 2
x4 Bellicosity Dragon
x4 Burning Horn Dragon
x4 Seal Dragon, Corduroy
Grade 3
x4 Dragonic Overlord The End
x4 Dragonic Overlord

Toda Yuki/戸田優輝
Grade 0
x1 Spring Breeze Messenger (FVG)
x4 Liberator of Hope, Epona CT
x4 Strike Liberator CT
x4 Weapons Liberator, Gwydion DT
x4 Elixir Liberator HT
Grade 1
x2 Liberator of the Future, Llew
x4 Curved Blade Liberator, Josephus
x2 Little Liberator, Marron
x4 Halo Liberator, Mark
x2 Liberator, Flare Mane Stallion
Grade 2
x2 Liberator of the Flute, Escrad
x2 Blaster Blade Liberator
x4 Liberator of Silence, Gallatin
x2 Liberator of Royalty, Phallon
x2 Zoigal Liberator
Grade 3
x4 Liberator of the Round Table, Alfred
x2 Solitary Liberator, Gancelot
x1 Wild Dancing Liberator, Mailshion

News: Spike Brothers Tops Hiroshima's Open Division Regional

Although high hopes have been pinned on the clan ever since Bad End Dragger's unveiling in VG-BT10: Triumphant Return of the King of Knights, in general the Spike Brothers clan's tournament results have not been above the bar set by the 2013 format shift. This trend was overturned earlier today, when Doctor O reported the Hiroshima regional results for the ongoing Japanese national championship, where a determined Spike Brothers cardfighter placed first in the tournament brackets, breaking the Eradicator-Liberator deadlock that has persisted since the onset of the current tournament season. Second place went to a Gauntlet Buster deck, while the Junior class tournament has seen Kagerou remain a consistent favorite, with Dauntless Drive Dragon breaking into first place. The tournament decklists should be out later this week.

The remaining four tournaments will take place in Fukuoka, Tokyo, Sapporo and Nagoya with the Fukuoka tournament being next in line on the 22nd. This will be the first time that Fukuoka prefecture has been included in the national tournament, and also the first time that Okayama, Hakata and Osaka will not be participating.

News: Nubatama to be Completed in BT13: Catastrophic Outbreak, New Rarity Introduced

The impossible has been made possible this morning as Bushiroad Inc. has revealed which clans will be receiving support in the upcoming booster set, VG-BT13: Catastrophic Outbreak. Two years, three months and two days to the date, the Nubatama ninja clan will be receiving its first new support cards since VG-BT01: Descent of the King of Knights. Bushiroad of Japan stated through their official Twitter channels in 2011 that they had dropped Nubatama entirely, due to balance issues. The clan's theme of forcing the opponent to discard cards was seen as potentially destabilizing in a game where the ability to defend from the hand is the most important point in countering the opponent's turn, and to avoid that destabilization Bushiroad chose to reinvision the clan as Murakumo in EB01: Comic Style Vol. 1, converting the at-the-time new Nubatama cards Left Arrestor, Right Arrestor, Archer FUSHIMI, Twin Swordsman MUSASHI and Dueling Dragon ZANBAKU that Itou Akira had created for the clan into Murakumo units. After BT05: Awakening of Twin Blades had completed the process by branching Murakumo out into a fully playable deck of its own where Nubatama remained unsupported, all hope seemed lost for the fan-favorite clan and its signature cardfighter Ninja Master M. Earlier this year however, CEO Kidani Takaaki mentioned in a Q&A session that Nubatama would be completed within 2013, and BT13 appears to be making good on that promise.

BT13 will be providing support for the Link Joker, Dimension Police, Nova Grappler, Nubatama, Aqua Force, Angel Feather, Great Nature and Granblue clans. As a climax set, BT13 represents a dramatic high point in the storyline, and prominently features Kai Toshiki with a new Link Joker cover card. The set will also have one Oracle Think Tank card, a print of CEO Amaterasu as drawn by the artist behind the Mini-Van manga and Flash anime, Quily. This Amaterasu will introduce a new rarity, Secret Rare, and is being issued to celebrate the release of the Mini-Van DVDs. Quily has previously done renditions of Midnight Bunny and Alluring Succubus as promo cards.

Catastrophic Outbreak will also bring new Reverse units to the clans it's supporting, distributing the powerful Lock mechanic both as a way to pay costs for game-ending skills, and as an offensive tool to be used against the opponent. The set will contain 102 cards, 8 RRR/12 RR/22 R/60 C with 12 Special Parallel prints of those. Each box will come with 1 of 6 Link Joker promo cards.

其れは尽きる事の無い禍い―

"It's a catastrophe with no end in sight..."

Press Release: Bushiroad Announces Next Generation Licenses – “Future Card Buddyfight” & “Five Qross”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bushiroad Announces Next Generation Licenses – “Future Card Buddyfight” & “Five Qross”

Tokyo, Japan (June 13, 2013) – Bushiroad announced 2 next generation licenses, “ Future Card Buddyfight” and “Five Qross” at the International Tokyo Toy Show 2013 in Tokyo, on June 13, 2013.

“Future Card Buddyfight” is a new generation trading card game meant for children between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. Comic serialization begins from Winter 2013 in Shogakukan’s “CoroCoro Comic,” and the airing of the “Future Card Buddyfight” TV Animation in Japan starts in early 2014.

In an unprecedented move, the company has announced that “Future Card Buddyfight” will feature simultaneous worldwide releases of both the Japanese and English editions of the card game in January 2014.

Bushiroad will release further information about “Future Card Buddyfight” in Autumn 2013.

More announcements on this exciting new license will be made at http://fc-buddyfight.com/.

The other license in development, “Five Qross,” is scheduled for release in Autumn 2013 in Japan. “Five Qross” will utilize a hybrid system where players purchase physical packs and play online.

*Logo not final and is subject to change.

---------

Bushiroad Group Publishing Inc. consists of 5 sub-entities: Bushiroad Inc., Bushiroad South East Asia Pte Ltd, Bushiroad USA Inc., Bushiroad Media, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co., Ltd.

Bushiroad South East Asia Pte Ltd was established in Singapore on November 12, 2011 in order to expand the overseas market for Bushiroad card games such as Cardfight!! Vanguard, Weiβ Schwarz, Chaos TCG and Victory Spark.

Bushiroad USA Inc. was established in Los Angeles, California on May 18, 2012, to better cater to the growing demand and interest in Cardfight!! Vanguard from both players and retailers in the USA.

News: Thirteenth Booster Set "Catastrophic Outbreak" Announced

Doctor O has released photos of Bushiroad's Japanese release schedule leading through September 2013, and with it unveiled VG-BT13: Catastrophic Outbreak (絶禍繚乱 "Profusion of Absolute Evil," "Profusion of Absolute Misfortune" et al.) a booster set currently known to reinforce the Dimension Police, introducing new Dimensional Robo units while also bringing the new "Lock" mechanic from TD11 and BT12 to clans that have yet to receive it. BT13 is being touted as a "climax set," inviting comparison to BT05 and BT09 from previous seasons; however, it is currently believed based on previous panel comments from Bushiroad CEO Kidani Takaaki that the third season of Cardfight!! Vanguard, Link Joker, will be airing for over a year, so the use of the term "climax" for BT13 may be looser here.

While the specific remaining clans of the set are not yet revealed, Link Joker has already been implied by the expansion of the Lock mechanic and set colors, and it is known that BT13 will be released on September 9th, 2013.

News: Link Joker Units and "Lock" Unveiled

呪縛［ロック］されたカードは、裏向きになり何もでない。持ち主のターンの終わりに表に戻る
"A "Locked" Card is turned face-down and cannot do anything. It is turned back face-up at the end of its owner's turn."

The official Japanese portal has updated with information on the long-awaited Link Joker clan, and the Lock mechanic that they will be introducing in TD11: Star-Vader Invasion and BT12: Binding Force of the Black Rings. This new mechanic extends both to Link Joker units and “Я” or Reverse series units, those corrupted by the clan. According to Doctor O's twitter, locked cards are rendered completely unusable, are no longer treated as rearguards, and so cannot be retired or have new units called over them. Furthermore, the clan of a Locked unit is negated in the process. Locked units effectively no longer exist but still prevent their rearguard circle from being used, creating a disruptive strategy that destroys rearguard-centric decks--and in a format that has in many ways been defined by the mass distribution of Masquerade and Kay clones, most decks of the current format will feel the effects of that. As the Lock lasts throughout the turn of the card's owner, “Я” units that use Lock to pay costs like Vowing Saber Dragon “Я” have an advantage over opponents inflicted with Lock by card skills, as they will regain the use of their rearguards at the end of the turn that they paid the cost in, while the opponent will have to sit through both the Lock user's turn and their next one until they get back control of their cards. The new Link Joker units unveiled are listed below, with translations provided by NeoArkadia.

Star-Vader, Dusttail Unicorn
Grade 0/Link Joker - Cyber Beast/5000 Power/10000 Shield
Auto: Forerunner
Activate (R): [Counter Blast 1 Card, Place this card in the Soul] If you have a "Link Joker" Vanguard and your opponent has a Locked Card, you can choose 1 of your opponent's Rearguards, Lock it.

Star-Vader, Darkband Dragon
Grade 3/Link Joker - Cyber Dragon/10000 Power/No Shield
Activate (V) Limit Break 4: [Counter Blast 1 Card with "Starvader" in its name] Choose 1 of your opponent's Back Row Rearguards, Lock it.
Auto (V): When this Unit attacks, if you have more Rearguards than your opponent, this Unit gains 3000 Power during this turn.

Star-Vader, Infinite Zero Dragon
Grade 3/Link Joker - Cyber Dragon/11000 Power/No Shield
Auto Limit Break 4: When a <<Link Joker>> rides this Unit, your opponent chooses 1 Rearguard in their Back Row and Front Row, and Locks them, then you choose 1 of your Vanguards, this Unit gains 10000 Power during this turn.
Auto (V): When this Unit attacks the Vanguard, it gains 2000 Power during this Battle.
Continuous (V/R): Lord

Star-Vader, Mobius Breath Dragon
Grade 2/Link Joker - Cyber Dragon/9000 Power/5000 Shield
Auto (V): When this Unit's Attack hits the Vanguard, choose 1 of your opponent's Rearguards, and Lock it.







Note that units returning from Lock are not entering a rearguard circle but are instead being flipped back over, so on-call skills like that of Gigantech Charger will not activate. Units which gain power from having other units on the field like Liberator of the Round Table Alfred and The Dark Dictator will not be able to derive any power from Locked units, as those units do not exist until they are turned back up.