Last updated on February 28, 2024
Liliana, Dreadhorde General | Illustration by Yoshitaka Amano
Alternate arts are one of Magic’s best features. Many of the cards are story pieces, exposing bits of lore. Alternate arts give us another peek at these moments. They’re also a fantastic way to add character to a deck, not to mention potentially exciting chase cards for collectors.
Most Magic sets have alternate art these days, often with special frames that help exhibit some of the set's influences. Among the most interesting alternate arts are those exclusive to Japanese booster packs.
What Are Japanese Alternate Arts?
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries | Illustration by Toshiaki Takayama
Japanese alternate arts are alternate arts exclusively found in Japanese booster packs. The most notable exclusive art runs are the Japanese Mystical Archive cards from Strixhaven and War of the Spark’s alternate art planeswalkers.
Japanese alternate arts are usually printed in Japanese themselves. They often feature art from prominent Japanese artists, like Liliana, Dreadhorde General, whose alternate art was done by Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame.
Why Do the Japanese Versions Have Alternate Art?
Japanese alt arts began with War of the Spark. To commemorate the momentous occasion that was the conclusion of the Bolas arc, each of the 40 planeswalkers in the set received alternate art cards exclusive to Japanese boosters.
The Mystical Archive cards from Strixhaven followed this trend with less exclusivity; while only the Draft and Set boosters contained the alternate arts with Japanese, Collector boosters had them globally. The Japanese alt arts help make the product appealing in Japan, one of Magic’s largest overseas markets. Expanding the appeal to that market while creating chase cards for collectors has led to many popular products.
Where Can You Get Japanese Alternate Arts?
Japanese alt arts are available in War of the Spark and Strixhaven.
You can find the Japanese alt art planeswalkers from War of the Spark only in Japanese WAR boosters; this product came out before Set boosters and Collector boosters, so Draft boosters are your only option.
The Japanese Mystical Archive alt arts are in Strixhaven Collector boosters in any language, as well as Japanese Draft and Set boosters.
Several Secret Lairs also feature exclusive Japanese art, notably the Special Guest Secret Lairs by Junji Ito and Yoji Shinkawa; each Secret Lair was offered printed in Japanese or English.
Are Japanese Alternate Arts Valuable?
They can be. As is often the case with alternate arts, the value of the base version can affect the value of the alternate version; a bulk bin rare rarely costs more because of special art unless it’s scarce. Alternate foils tend to be a bit more valuable.
There can be outliers; for example, the alternate art of Liliana, Dreadhorde General by Yoshitaka Amano doesn’t go for less than a hundred dollars, and the foil version has seen asking prices well over a thousand.
Are Japanese Alternate Arts Legal?
Official Magic cards printed by Wizards of the Coast are legal in sanctioned play, so long as they don’t have a special size or thickness. You can play cards in any language you like; they don’t have to be the language the event is run in.
Are There English Versions of Japanese-Exclusive Cards?
The Japanese-exclusive cards in War of the Spark and Strixhaven have no English versions. Even if you open a Japanese Mystical Archive in an English Collector booster, it’ll be printed in Japanese.
Japanese Alternate Arts Vs. Anime Cards
The primary difference between the Japanese Alternate Arts and the anime cards is availability and the products they’re found in.
Japanese alternate arts are exclusive to Japanese boosters, except for the Mystical Archive cards appearing in global Collector boosters. They only come in Japanese.
The anime cards, which we’ve seen as alternate arts in products including Wild of Eldraine’s Enchanting Tales bonus sheet and Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, are just alternate arts one can find in any booster pack. They’re alternate arts using art inspired by or referencing Japanese anime; however, they aren’t Japanese alternate arts.
How To Get Japanese-Mystical Archive Cards
There are a few great spots to find the Japanese Mystical Archive cards from Strixhaven, whether you’re looking to pick up the singles you want or purchase sealed products for the excitement of opening the cards yourself.
TCGplayer/Card Kingdom
TCGplayer and Card Kingdom are fantastic places to purchase singles from the US. TCGplayer tends to be a bit cheaper because of the competitive nature of their marketplace, but Card Kingdom is backed by years of renown and can be more convenient if you want your cards to come in one package instead of multiple envelopes.
Hareruya
Hareruya is the biggest Magicshop in Japan, on par with American stores like Card Kingdom. They have a deep pool of Japanese cards, making them ideal for finding Mystical Archives or regular arts in Japanese. They ship worldwide, though international shipping can be expensive depending on exchange rates.
Amazon
Amazon will be one of your best resources for finding old sealed products like Japanese War of the Spark and Strixhaven. Since these products have chase cards, they can be a bit more expensive than other sets.
- Your War of the Spark booster box contains at least one PLANESWALKER IN EVERY PACK. (Rarity varies between uncommon and mythic rare. )
- RAVNICA is under seige as Nicol Bolas and the planeswalkers of the Gatewatch face off in their epic final battle.
- New mechanic AMASS and returning favorite PROLIFERATE both help strenghten your creatures with +1/+1 counters.
- War of the Spark is the follow-up to the hit Magic: The Gathering (MTG) expansions GUILDS OF RAVNICA and RAVNICA ALLEGIANCE.
- Your War of the Spark booster box includes 540 cards, including at least 36 planeswalker cards, to help FILL YOUR BINDER.
Wrap Up
Nissa, Who Shakes the World | Illustration by Hitowa
Alternate arts are fantastic for Magic; they give players tons of room for expression, and by making some of them quite hard to find, they help drive down the price for everybody while collectors go after the big-ticket items.
The Japanese exclusive alternate arts have been among some of Magic’s most popular, often drawing on the talents of iconic Japanese artists to help create vivid play experiences. What are your favorite alternate arts? Do you like the Mystical Archives? Let me know in the comments below or on the Draftsim Discord!
Stay safe, and keep collecting!
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