Visually, the Mystical Manga Tarot sets out to captures the style and spirit of Japanese graphic novels. Illustrated by Rann and with commentary by tarot expert Barbara Moore this boxed-set includes a standard set of seventy-eight tarot cards and accompanying instruction manual.
The Cards
The Mystical Manga Tarot cards are a slightly different aspect ratio from normal with them being slightly taller than one might expect. I can see this being a slight issue when it comes to shuffling using petite hands but quite frankly I liked this readjustment to their size. It resulted in the sense of a more imposing set of characters – particularly within the major arcana.
The cards themselves are beautifully produced and the artist has utilized a subtle use of color which lends a romanticised atmosphere to the deck. The card stock itself is, as is so often the case these days, a little on the light and flimsy side though. I would be concerned about their durability in the long term and through heavy use.
As a structure the minor arcana follows the traditional cups, wands, swords, & coins format. For the major arcana this too remains the same with no deviation from the standard format of FOOL through to THE WORLD.
The Book
The accompanying manual is a sumptuously produced publication. All of the cards are shown in color along with their divination meanings whilst the book itself is printed on high-gloss paper which really does justice to the gorgeous illustrations on the cards.
As a manual of introduction to the tarot this book contains all of the usual important topics including; guidance on what the tarot is and how to use it, a few tarot spreads and how they work, and, of course, a full description of each card along with its reversed meaning.
Overall
It is worth repeating that the Mystical Manga Tarot is a beautifully-crafted product. Even its presentation box is extremely well-produced making this a great gift for someone. For whom you might ask? Well, this deck is pitched at the beginner and does a remarkably good job at setting out the groundwork for those starting out along the road. The addition of The Fool’s Journey at the end of the book is also a powerful way of drawing the reader into deeper themes contained within the tarot card divination system as a whole.
Mystical Manga Tarot is a beautifully illustrated deck and overall a superbly produced product. Collector’s of tarot decks will particularly appreciate the care that has gone into it whilst newcommers to the art of tarot divination will find within it a sense of fun, femininity, and vitality for which the cards are not always known.
Highly recommended!
5/5