NARUTO BANDAI TCG announced

Today the Japanese giant Bandai officially revealed cards and announced that its new TCG will be Naruto!

Is the arrival of such a big competitor a threat to Naruto Mythos TCG? Let's lay out the facts.

First things first: the exact release date of Naruto Bandai TCG has not been announced yet, but we know it will be 2027. So the Italian studio Cicaboom (the creators of Naruto Mythos) still has some time to anchor itself on the market and win players' goodwill. What are each side's strengths? Let's take a look!

Bandai

Bandai is one of Japan's largest toy and entertainment makers, part of the Bandai Namco group, which has been around since 1950. It's behind figures, Gunpla and the official card games of the biggest anime, including Dragon Ball Super, Digimon and the One Piece Card Game. Huge budgets, global distribution and years of „organized play" experience make it a true TCG heavyweight.

Arguments „FOR"

A huge Japanese publisher with big budgets, deep experience and strong player trust.
Bandai tends to reuse similar gameplay systems across its card games, which can make it easier for players who already know the rules framework to migrate. Their most popular title, One Piece, has an enormous player base.
Big potential to conquer America, a market Mythos hasn't claimed yet. If they win the US, they may pull Europeans over too. Asia is in their pocket, that's a fact.
They have a strong, well-established „organized play" and run big tournaments.
Broader access to the license. We don't know the details, but they can surely afford more than the Italians.

Arguments „AGAINST"

Few people remember, but back in 2003–2013 they already had a Naruto TCG that folded. The EU/US only got it in 2026.
Bandai favours Asia, then the US, and Europe… We probably won't get much support for smaller players or engagement with local communities and LGSs. These are guesses, but backed by past practice. Grassroots work doesn't interest them, they're „too big".
Harder distribution from Asia to Europe, worse card availability and potentially higher box prices.
Re-entering with a TCG after the success of Mythos is a low blow to the Italians. They noticed a smaller player's success and want to take it over. Well, that's how the free market works.

Cicaboom (Mythos)

Cicaboom is a small Italian studio from Genoa, the creator of Naruto Mythos TCG, which debuted on 13 March 2026 with the Konoha Shidō expansion. They focus on refined print and material quality and an original, mission-based engine built around managing Chakra, instead of the usual creature summoning. An indie publisher that quickly gained traction, partly thanks to legendary cards coated in 22-karat gold.

Arguments „FOR"

They are currently „on top" and lots of people already collect their cards.
They have until 2027 to capture the market.
The „golden cards" coated in 22-karat gold are very eye-catching for collectors and content-creating influencers.
They officially announced a US launch, so they'll be there before Bandai.
The second set of the first edition launches in a few days, which should fix availability and bring better booster prices. Many players have been waiting for it.
They've also announced a second edition that will release before Bandai. If it's good, they'll win even more players.
They support local tournaments and communities and get involved in events. You can see real grassroots work.
They have strong backing from the current community and a warm, positive image.

Arguments „AGAINST"

They are the smaller player, with less experience and smaller budgets.
Too few cards produced for the first set: many shops received allocations (reduced orders) and customers had pre-orders cancelled.
They make mistakes, like the card-quality issues in the first wave (fixed in the next one).
Despite small tournaments, they haven't run the „big" ones yet, certainly not at Bandai's scale.
A small team, shown by the fact that local partners struggle to communicate with the creators (confirmed in several places).
Lower collector liquidity. The potential is huge, but the market needs time and cards to grow. Future sets will tell: better card access means more buyers and sellers.

In summary (opinion): as Europeans, it's in our interest to wish Cicaboom's Naruto Mythos TCG the best, because they'll be more „on our side", something they themselves, more or less directly, keep highlighting on social media lately. But let's be honest, they're stepping into the ring with a titan. They have until 2027 to capture the market, learn their lessons and fix mistakes, which so far they've done really well. The question is: will that time be enough? Will they make it? Will they secure a stable enough position before Bandai steps in? Or will both card games coexist and compete, creating better conditions for us, the players and collectors?

What's your take? Join the discussion on our Discord server, there's a lot going on, so it's worth a look! Jump in here: discord.gg/dAjT78fYPN

Official Naruto Bandai TCG teaser: