Introduction: Power Levels and Powerful Cards
Dragon Ball is one of the most recognisable franchises in the world. Goku, Vegeta, Frieza, Cell — these characters are embedded in global pop culture in a way that few anime properties can match. So when Bandai launched the Dragon Ball Super Card Game in 2017, it had an enormous built-in audience ready and waiting.
What followed was a card game that grew steadily, survived a major format reset, and emerged as one of the most collector-friendly TCGs in the hobby. This is its story.
The Dragon Ball TCG: A Brief History Before DBS
The Dragon Ball Super Card Game isn't the first Dragon Ball card game. Score Entertainment produced a Dragon Ball Z CCG in the early 2000s that had a dedicated following in North America. Panini also produced a Dragon Ball Z Trading Card Game in the 2010s. Neither achieved lasting mainstream success.
Bandai's approach with the Dragon Ball Super Card Game was different: a clean, modern design built for competitive play, with high production values and a direct connection to the then-airing Dragon Ball Super anime series.
Launch and Early Growth (2017–2019)
The Dragon Ball Super Card Game launched in Japan in May 2017, with an English release following in July 2017. The timing aligned perfectly with Dragon Ball Super's international broadcast — the anime was pulling in massive audiences, and the card game rode that wave.
The early sets — Galactic Battle, Union Force, Cross Worlds — established the game's core mechanics and introduced the competitive scene. The game grew steadily, with Bandai investing in organised play through regional and national championships.
By 2019, the Dragon Ball Super Card Game had established itself as a legitimate third pillar of the TCG market alongside Pokémon and Magic, particularly in Europe and North America.
The Unison Warrior Series (2020–2022)
In 2020, Bandai launched the Unison Warrior Series — a new block format that introduced Unison Cards, a new card type that added a persistent resource and ability layer to the game. The Unison Warrior era produced some of the most beloved sets in the game's history:
- Rise of the Unison Warrior — Introduced the new mechanic and set the tone for the era
- Vermilion Bloodline — Vegeta-focused, hugely popular with collectors
- Realm of the Gods — Angels, Gods of Destruction, and some of the most stunning card artwork in the game
- Miraculous Revival — Tournament staples and chase cards that still command strong prices
The Unison Warrior era is widely considered the golden age of the Dragon Ball Super Card Game. Cards from this period are among the most collected in the game's history.
The Zenkai Series: A New Era (2022–Present)
In late 2022, Bandai launched the Zenkai Series — a complete format reset. New mechanics, new card frames, new rarity structures. The Zenkai Series introduced:
- Z-Cards: A new card type with unique gameplay functions and premium foil treatments
- Zenkai Awakened cards: Powered-up versions of existing cards with alternate artwork
- New Leader structures: Redesigned Leader cards with updated abilities
The reset was controversial initially — format resets always are — but the Zenkai Series has proven itself. The new card frames are widely praised for their visual impact, and the Z-Card rarity tier has become one of the most sought-after in the hobby.
By 2026, the Zenkai Series is well into its run, with multiple sets expanding the card pool and the competitive meta continuing to evolve.
How to Play: The Basics
The Dragon Ball Super Card Game is a two-player competitive game. Each player builds a deck of 50 cards and selects a Leader Card. The goal is to reduce your opponent's life to zero — or more precisely, to deal damage equal to their Leader's life value.
Card Types
- Leader Cards: The centrepiece of your deck. Each Leader has a power value, a life value, and abilities. Leaders can Awaken — flip to a powered-up form — when certain conditions are met.
- Battle Cards: Characters you play to attack and defend. Each has a power value and may have special abilities.
- Extra Cards: Played during your opponent's turn or at specific moments. The tactical layer of the game.
- Unison Cards (Unison Warrior era): Persistent cards that provide ongoing abilities and resources.
- Z-Cards (Zenkai Series): Special cards with unique functions and premium treatments.
The Energy System
Resources in the Dragon Ball Super Card Game are managed through an Energy Zone. Each turn, you charge one card from your hand into your Energy Zone face-down (as a coloured energy) or face-up (as a colourless energy). You spend energy to play cards — most cards require a combination of coloured and colourless energy.
Combat
Attacks are declared against the opponent's Leader or their Battle Cards. The defending player can play Extra Cards or rest Battle Cards to add their power to the defence. If an attack isn't negated, the defending player takes damage — they reveal cards from the top of their deck equal to the damage, and any Battle Cards revealed are added to their hand (a mechanic called "damage check" that creates dramatic swings).
Awakening
One of the most exciting moments in the game is when a Leader Awakens — flipping from their base form to a powered-up version with stronger abilities. Awakening conditions vary by Leader but typically involve reaching a certain life total or meeting a specific game state requirement.
The Colours
Like most TCGs, Dragon Ball Super uses a colour system to define deck identity:
- Red: Aggressive, high-power. Goku, Bardock, Broly.
- Blue: Control and hand disruption. Frieza, Cell, the villains.
- Green: Combo and energy manipulation. Piccolo, Gohan, the support characters.
- Yellow: Removal and direct damage. Beerus, Hit, the Gods of Destruction.
- Black: Multi-colour and hybrid strategies. Often the most complex decks.
Why It's Worth Collecting
The Dragon Ball Super Card Game has several qualities that make it particularly attractive for collectors:
The IP: Dragon Ball is one of the most globally recognised franchises in existence. Cards featuring iconic moments — Goku going Super Saiyan, Vegeta's Final Flash, Gohan vs Cell — have emotional resonance that transcends the card game itself.
The artwork: DBS cards are consistently among the most visually stunning in the hobby. The Realm of the Gods and Miraculous Revival sets in particular feature artwork that collectors frame and display independently of the game.
The rarity tiers: The game's Special Rare (SPR) and Secret Rare (SCR) cards are genuinely scarce and command strong secondary market prices. Z-Cards in the Zenkai Series have continued this tradition.
The grading opportunity: DBS cards are underrepresented in graded card collections relative to Pokémon and MTG. Early set cards in PSA 10 or BGS 9.5 are increasingly sought after as the grading hobby expands into anime TCGs.
The nostalgia factor: Dragon Ball Z was many collectors' first anime. The DBS card game gives them a way to reconnect with that nostalgia through a modern, high-quality product.
Getting Started
The easiest entry point is a Starter Deck — preconstructed and ready to play. Bandai releases Starter Decks with most main sets, each built around a specific Leader and colour identity.
For collectors, booster boxes offer the best value per pack and the best odds at hitting Special Rares and Z-Cards. The Zenkai Series booster boxes are the current standard product.
Shop Dragon Ball Super TCG at ChariCards
We stock Dragon Ball Super Card Game sealed products at ChariCards. Whether you're building a competitive deck, chasing Special Rares, or starting your collection, we've got you covered.
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