Middle-aged men’s trade card is prevalent in Japanese countryside

Something unexpected happened in the Saidosho community center in Kawara, a small town in Fokuka County. While kids in most parts of Japan are obsessed with Pokémon cards, or perhaps the latest smartphone game in the franchise, Pokémon TCG Pocket – Kawara’s kids cling to the closer they are to home.

They are playing the Trading Card Game (TCG), and the stars are not fantasy creatures, anime heroes or even famous baseball players, but Ojisan (Middle-aged or older men) comes from the local Saidosho community.

Image: Mayuko Ichii | TW Edit

Card game with local twists

On the surface, this Ojisan TCG looks like any other favorite card game. As of March 18, there are 47 different cards in the series, including 28 locals with statistics and special abilities.

Take the firewall card as an example. It features Mr. Honda (74) as a former fire brigade chief who helped the town safe for decades. Then there is Mr. Takeshita (81), the master of Soba, who held the local moon-wiping class and now has a legendary status among the youth in the town.

The most popular of them is probably Mr. Fuji (68), who has former prison officials turned into community volunteers. His cards were so sought after that local kids even started signing him.

“I was shocked to be honest when they asked me to sign,” Fuji smiled. “I never thought I would be a trading card, let alone a fan.”

Each card comes with a different attack and assigned element type (like the classic fantasy card game), but has a humorous real-world edge. For example, it is no surprise that the firewall is a fire-type equipped with a super defender action, causing 200 damage.

A card called plasma conductor with a smiling, glasses-wearing Ojisan is a type of electric type. At the bottom of the card, there is a series of text explaining how he can fix any appliances without failure.

Screenshots are taken online from FNN Prime

From collecting to fighting

The game was created by Eri Miyahara, Secretary General of the Saizo Community Committee.

“We want to strengthen the connection between children and the older generation in the community. There are a lot of amazing people here. I think it’s a shame no one knows them,” she said. interview and Fuji News Network (fnn). “As the card game spread, many children began to see these men as heroic figures.”

The plan worked. The kids have started attending local events and volunteering for community events – just to have the opportunity to meet Ojisan from their cards. It is reported that participating in town events has doubled since the competition was launched.

Interestingly, Ojisan TCG is not a competitive game. The first set of cards was purely used for collection, but local kids quickly turned it into something more dynamic. They started comparing statistics and declared, “My card is better than your card.”

Seeing this, the creators of the game decided to take it to the next level. New rules have been introduced that allow cards to be used in actual combat. The goal is not to defeat the opponent’s card, but to eliminate it based on the character’s skills and abilities.

The rarity of cards is not based on fantasy statistics, but is related to real-world contributions. The more motivated Ojisan is to engage in volunteer work or community service, the higher the chances of its cards, upgrading to a shiny version with a glossy laminated effect.

While these cards are currently entirely handmade – currently in high demand and often out of stock, they are only for sale in the Saidosho Community Center.

A pack of three cards costs ¥100, while a pack of six cards (including shiny ones) costs ¥500. Despite limited supply, demand is still high, and many kids save pocket money and have the opportunity to get a shiny version of their favorite Ojisan.

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