HIGH CARD

HIGH CARD was announced as a poker-inspired action project with original creators including TMS, Homura Kawamoto, and Hikaru Muno.

Its major formats include a two-season TV anime, serialized novels, a manga adaptation, and a theatrical production.

The anime aired in two seasons.

Season 1 ran from January to March 2023, and Season 2 ran from January to March 2024.

The project mixes secret agents, mafia conflict, corporate rivalry, and supernatural combat.

Its central visual motif is the deck of playing cards, with each card linked to a special power.

The story takes place in the Kingdom of Fourland, a fictional island nation in the North Atlantic.

Fourland possesses 52 mysterious cards known as X-Playing Cards, each granting one supernatural ability to a compatible user.

These cards were once kept under royal control.

However, after an attack involving the Klondike Family, the cards are scattered across the country.

People chosen by the cards, known as Players, begin using their powers for crime, revenge, ambition, or survival.

To restore order, the king secretly orders the car manufacturer Pinochle to recover the cards.

Pinochle’s hidden agent team is called High Card.

Their mission soon becomes a three-way struggle involving High Card, the mafia-like Klondike Family, and the rival car company Who’s Who.

X-Playing Cards

The X-Playing Cards are 52 supernatural cards that choose compatible users.

A chosen user can activate the card by touching it and strongly willing it to “play.”

When activated, the card becomes a glove worn on the user’s hand.

Each glove bears the suit of the corresponding card.

A Player can normally use only the ability of their own card.

The cards cannot be destroyed by ordinary or extraordinary means.

The suits define the general type of power.

Spades create weapons, Hearts transform the user’s body, Diamonds grant unusual special abilities, and Clubs manipulate forces of nature.

Using a card places mental strain on the Player.

If the user is knocked unconscious, dies, or suffers extreme mental collapse, the power is forcibly canceled.

High Card

High Card is a secret team under Pinochle that recovers X-Playing Cards by royal command.

The team operates as an unofficial spy organization directly tied to the crown.

Its members are granted extraordinary freedom during missions.

Information about them is erased from media and social networks, and police investigations involving them are often shut down.

Their motto is “manners, dignity, and the resolve to risk one’s life.”

Ironically, the phrase “high card” also refers to a weak poker hand with no useful combination.

X-Hand

An X-Hand is a powerful technique activated by holding multiple X-Playing Cards.

It can produce overwhelming effects, but the cost can be severe or even fatal.

High Card

Finn Oldman is the anime’s main protagonist, voiced by Gen Satou.

He carries the Spade 2 card, Neo New Nambu, which creates a revolver whose bullets can ignore air and water resistance.

Finn is sharp-eyed, quick-handed, and skilled at pickpocketing.

He grew up in an orphanage after losing his family and memories in childhood.

His past is darker than he first believes.

Later revelations show that the tragedy involving his family was not a simple accident.

Chris Redgrave is voiced by Toshiki Masuda.

He uses the Heart 5 card, Calories High, which gives him a nearly immortal body that regenerates even from fatal injuries.

Chris must consume large amounts of calories to fuel his power.

He acts as Finn’s partner and mentor, often behaving like a flirt but usually proving sensible at heart.

Leo Constantine Pinochle is voiced by Shun Horie.

He is the youngest member of High Card, the leader of the team, and the manager of Pinochle’s Old Maid branch.

Leo uses the Diamond 7 card, Never No Dollars.

Its ability lets him transform cash within physical reach into objects of equal value.

He is also the protagonist of the novel HIGH CARD -◇7 Never No Dollars.

Despite his age, Leo speaks arrogantly and carries himself like someone born to command.

Wendy Sato is voiced by Haruka Shiraishi.

She uses the Spade Ace card, Love & Peace, which summons a sentient cursed sword.

When Wendy draws the sword, she is possessed by its spirit and becomes a powerful swordswoman.

She is serious, disciplined, and elegant, but also clumsy, frequently late, and famously bad at cooking.

Vijay Kumar Singh is voiced by Yuuichirou Umehara.

He uses the Club 3 card, Green Green, which allows him to control and communicate with plants.

Vijay is the oldest core member of High Card.

He is calm, scholarly, skilled at cooking, and once served as Leo’s tutor.

Pinochle

Bernard Symons is voiced by Kazuhiro Yamaji.

He is Pinochle’s elderly administrative officer and serves as High Card’s handler and Leo’s caretaker.

Bernard uses the Spade 9 card, Bokka, which creates a freely transforming shield.

He handles everything from royal orders to tea service with composed professionalism.

Theodore Constantine Pinochle is voiced by Daisuke Ono.

He is Leo’s father, the CEO of Pinochle, and a former member of the first High Card team.

Theodore uses the Diamond Queen card, Balor.

Its power allows him to generate vision at chosen locations and predict movement through enhanced insight.

Owen Alldays is voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki.

He is Theodore’s secretary and is devoted to him with near-absolute loyalty.

Owen uses the Diamond 8 card, Red Labyrinth.

It connects selected doors to an isolated fictional space, making it ideal for storing recovered cards.

Who’s Who

Norman Kingstadt is voiced by Toshihiko Seki.

He is the CEO of the rival car company Who’s Who and insists on being called “King.”

Norman dresses flamboyantly and sees Theodore as a rival.

Despite his ego, he is warm toward his subordinates.

Blist Blitz Broadhurst is voiced by Shunsuke Takeuchi.

He is one of Norman’s aides and uses the Club 10 card, Million Volt, which controls electricity.

Brandy Blumenthal is voiced by Mie Sonozaki.

She is another aide of Norman and uses the Spade 7 card, Interceptor, which summons a multifunctional motorcycle in the manga.

Klondike Family

Ban Klondike is voiced by Tomokazu Seki.

He is the boss of the Klondike Family and a former member of the first High Card team.

Ban uses the Diamond King card, Round and Round.

Its power lets him rotate objects, whether or not he is touching them.

Tilt is voiced by Toshiyuki Toyonaga.

He is an executive of the Klondike Family and uses the Spade King card, San Galgano, which transforms him into a black-armored knight.

Tilt is later revealed to be Finn’s older brother.

His real name is Fran Oldman, while “Tilt” is a name given to him by Ban.

Burst is voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro.

She is a Player and intelligence operative who deeply trusts Tilt.

Burst uses the Heart Ace card, Faceless.

Its ability lets her transform into people she has met before.

Nhat Chi Nguyen is voiced by Mutsumi Tamura.

She is a Klondike executive and uses the Diamond Ace card, Dynamic Kinesis, which allows telekinetic control of objects.

Zenon is voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka.

He is another Klondike executive and uses the Diamond Jack card, Out of Five, which manipulates the senses and perception.

Zenon’s power can also alter memory.

This makes him one of the most dangerous figures tied to Finn’s past.

Bobby Ball is voiced by Chiharu Sawashiro.

He uses the Diamond 3 card, Marble Rumble, which turns things he touches into marbles.

John Doe is voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue.

He uses the Heart 4 card, Agent S, which lets him split into five versions of himself.

Jasper Rivera is voiced by Koutarou Nishiyama.

He uses the Club 2 card, Metallical Parade, which reshapes metal without changing its hardness.

Alexander Alexson is voiced by Taiten Kusunoki.

He uses the Club 5 card, G-Round, which manipulates earth and stone.

Gao Wang is voiced by Kaori Nazuka.

She uses the Club 8 card, Sinking Shadow, which controls shadows.

Police

Greg Young is voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa.

He is a veteran detective, a heavy smoker, and an old acquaintance of Ban, Theodore, and Norman.

Sugar Peace is voiced by Rie Takahashi.

She is Greg’s rookie partner, earnest and strongly driven by justice.

Other Important Characters

Chelsea Hammond is voiced by Yurika Kubo.

She uses the Diamond 2 card, Love Connection, which connects herself to objects or links objects together.

Michelle Redgrave is voiced by Yurie Kozakai.

She is Chris Redgrave’s younger sister and is hospitalized with the same difficult illness that affected their mother.

Tyler Redgrave is voiced by Kousuke Toriumi.

He was Chris’s father, a former High Card member, and the previous user of Calories High.

Aya Tawawa is voiced by Takako Honda.

She was a member of the first High Card team and uses the Club Jack card, Coming Home, which draws nearby objects toward her.

Lindsey Betz is voiced by Eiji Hanawa.

He runs Sun Fields, the orphanage where Finn was raised.

Lucky Lunchman is voiced by Shigeru Chiba.

He uses the Diamond 10 card, Unlucky Porky, which grants extreme good luck and repels misfortune.

Robert T. Thousand is voiced by Jun Fukushima.

He uses the Heart 3 card, Rockin’ Rock, which hardens and increases the mass of his body.

Apple Link is voiced by Tetsuei Sumiya.

He is a wealthy customer who often visits Pinochle’s Old Maid branch for test drives.

The TV anime was produced by Studio Hibari.

It was directed by Junichi Wada, with series composition by Naoki Kuroyanagi.

The original work is credited to TMS, Homura Kawamoto, and Hikaru Muno.

Character concepts were by Ebimo, and Nozomi Kawano handled character design and chief animation direction.

Music was composed by Ryo Takahashi.

The anime was produced by the HIGH CARD Project with companies including TMS Entertainment, Kadokawa, Sammy, and NetEase Games.

Season 1

Season 1 aired from January 9 to March 27, 2023.

It consisted of 12 episodes.

The season introduces Finn Oldman, the High Card team, the card-recovery mission, and the first major conflicts with the Klondike Family and rival factions.

Season 2

Season 2 aired from January 8 to March 25, 2024.

It also consisted of 12 episodes, bringing the anime total to 24 episodes.

The second season expands the history of the first High Card team, Finn’s family tragedy, and the deeper motives behind Ban Klondike and Theodore Pinochle.

Theme Songs

The Season 1 opening theme is “Trickster” by FIVE NEW OLD.

The Season 1 ending theme is “Squad!” by Meychan.

The Season 2 opening theme is “Showdown” by FIVE NEW OLD.

The Season 2 ending theme is “Hakuchūmu” by Raon.

Episode Highlights

Season 1 begins with “ONE SHOT”, introducing Finn and the world of X-Playing Cards.

It concludes with “FINN”, which places Finn’s identity and future at the center of the conflict.

Season 2 begins with “KNIGHTMARE” and ends with “LAST SHOT.”

Its final stretch focuses heavily on Finn, Tilt, and the truth behind the Oldman family tragedy.

The first novel, HIGH CARD -◇7 Never No Dollars, stars Leo Constantine Pinochle.

It was serialized in Monthly Newtype from the September 2022 issue to the April 2023 issue.

The collected volume was published by Kadokawa on May 1, 2024.

It was written by Hikaru Muno, with illustrations by Ebimo.

A second novel, HIGH CARD -♧3 Green Green & ♡5 Calorie’s High, focuses on Vijay Kumar Singh and Chris Redgrave.

It was serialized from the October 2023 issue to the May 2024 issue of Monthly Newtype.

Its collected volume was published by Kadokawa on January 10, 2025.

The book again features writing by Hikaru Muno and illustrations by Ebimo.

The manga adaptation is titled HIGH CARD -♢9 No Mercy.

It was serialized on Square Enix’s Manga UP! app from August 31, 2022, to June 12, 2024.

The manga’s original story is by Homura Kawamoto, with art by Ebimo.

TMS, Homura Kawamoto, and Hikaru Muno are credited with the original concept.

The manga centers on Percy Parker, a young man from the countryside who becomes involved with the X-Playing Cards.

He carries the Diamond 9 card, No Mercy.

The series was collected into three volumes under the Big Gangan Comics label.

The volumes were released between January 2023 and July 2024.

A stage adaptation titled HIGH CARD the STAGE - CRACK A HAND was announced in 2023.

It was performed at Theater 1010 in Tokyo from January 19 to January 29, 2024.

The stage production starred Ryotaro Akazawa as Finn Oldman and Haruki Kiyama as Chris Redgrave.

Other cast members included Hiroki Ishibashi as Leo Constantine Pinochle, Kanon Nanaki as Wendy Sato, and Gaku Matsuda as Vijay Kumar Singh.

The play was directed by Ikkei Yamamoto.

Its script was written by Hideyuki Nishimori, with music by Tadasuke.

HIGH CARD stands out for its sleek suits, casino-like atmosphere, and colorful superpower system.

The story blends buddy action, corporate intrigue, mafia drama, and royal conspiracy.

Its characters often look polished and stylish, but many carry painful histories or chaotic habits.

That contrast gives the series both flashy spectacle and emotional weight.

The card abilities are simple to understand but flexible in battle.

A revolver, a cursed sword, plant control, regeneration, luck, shadows, electricity, and memory manipulation all turn ordinary card suits into dramatic weapons.

At its core, the franchise is about chosen people trying to decide what to do with dangerous power.

Some seek justice, some seek revenge, and some simply try to protect the few people they still have.