Conflicted. English vs Japanese TCG

CuriousCleffa

CuriousCleffa

Aspiring Trainer
Member
So today I opened my first Japanese booster box and I really like the Japanese cards. BUT I also really like the English cards, so I made a pros and cons list for each and they're pretty evenly matched. I don't know whether I should switch to collecting Japanese cards only, stick with English, or just get both and have some kind of trading system where I trade Japanese cards for the English cards I still need. It's pretty obviously cheaper to get Japanese cards, which are also better quality. But I also like the look of English cards in terms of the backs of individual cards as well as the booster boxes themselves, and I like the smell of the English cards a lot better aha x). I also figured I could get used to Japanese cards even if I can't really read them, so readability isn't that big of a deal to me.

Anyone have any advice on what I should do? I want to make my decision as soon as possible. Thank you!
 
I find that Japanese cards also maintain their value better. I also enjoy that they come in 1st ED. :)
 
Japanese cards are higher quality, but I'd probably go for English cards. It's harder to find people to trade with if you live in the US, especially when they're looking for (English) deck wants. My entire collection is English, and I think it would be too much of a hassle to switch over to Japanese cards, even if I wanted to. Plus I play the TCG as well so I need them to be English, so I guess I'm biased. Do whatever feels right. :)
 
I buy mainly English, since I play in the US. But I buy Japanese exclusive promos or cards that we never got like vending series, selective Japanese versions of my fave pokemon, and I bought 3 boxes of Japanese wild blaze trying for charizards (and a meowstic!).

I still plan to buy 1 or 2 boxes of English wild blaze when it comes out.
 
Japanese cards provide

Higher quality.
Better pull rates.
Cards that never get printed in English.


I have been collecting Japanese cards since 2000.
 
omahanime said:
Japanese cards provide

Higher quality.
Better pull rates.
Cards that never get printed in English.


I have been collecting Japanese cards since 2000.
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How do you trade for cards that you need? Or do you not trade for them?

And thanks everyone else for the replies! :D Would still like more input if you haven't left your opinion yet :)
 
I trade here or buy off eBay. The more people that trade foreign cards here, the more it will draw people here to trade foreign cards.

With me English cards have slipped to third.
 
I switched to collecting only Japanese cards sometime last year and have never regretted the decision. I believe that people who collect and do not play are much better off collecting Japanese because of the overall value: you get cheaper, better quality cards with higher pull rates, and they're much more likely to retain their value in the long run.

It is slightly more difficult to trade Japanese cards because a lot of traders are also players, and players will only go for English cards, but I think we have a good base of Japanese traders here on PokéBeach, and there are also other communities and Ebay to help finish collections. And like Omaha says, the more people that join in to trading Japanese cards, the easier it is for others to start, and the effect snowballs in a wonderful way. :)
 
Throwing my hat in the ring for Japanese cards. I finished the entire BW series in Japanese and I think I'm done collecting main sets after that, but I still go for Japanese Promos and English Promos.

Like everyone else said, JPN are higher quality, retain value, and provide more satisfaction once you complete a set IMO.
 
Getting your missing cards really isn't that hard, if you know the right people. A few members on this site always have extras of the new set, and for a good price too!

I was getting tired of the already damaged cards I got from English packs. The price is also very high here, over $6 a pack I think. If you order Japanese booster boxes from AmiAmi, you can get them for about $25 a box. If you don't care about being able to read the cards then you really should switch to Japanese, I don't want any English cards anymore!
 
Thanks everyone! :D After thinking it through, and with all your replies, I'm gonna be switching over to Japanese TCG! Ordered two more boxes of Wild Blaze for a decent price :)
 
CuriousCleffa said:
Thanks everyone! :D After thinking it through, and with all your replies, I'm gonna be switching over to Japanese TCG! Ordered two more boxes of Wild Blaze for a decent price :)
Click to expand...

Make sure to start a Japanese trade thread too when you can, we need more Jpn traders ;)
 
CuriousCleffa said:
Thanks everyone! :D After thinking it through, and with all your replies, I'm gonna be switching over to Japanese TCG! Ordered two more boxes of Wild Blaze for a decent price :)
Click to expand...


Where do you buy Japanese cards ? eBay or anything special ?
 
AmiAmi is one of the most preferred sites for Japanese collectors to buy booster boxes and other sealed product. There are other sites and place available for buying singles, etc. We also have many people who sell and trade Japanese cards right here on PokéBeach. :)
 
Where is a good site to purchase Japanese single cards?

I wish to purchase some of the vending series cards and maybe some promos, but eBay is a rip. I wish Troll and Toad sold them.
 
In the US, Collector's Cache has a pretty nice assortment of Japanese singles; I have bought from them before and been pleased. Ebay's not bad at times, but you have to be patient. We also have some sellers and traders on in our Trading Forum here, which also may be helpful for you.
 
I too have occasionally thought of it. Personally I like being able to read my cards but the japanese ones do look cooler. I think one of the biggest problems for me would be it would take alot of money to to do so at this stage. I do never the less have several japanese cards that we never got in english, and I am proud of those as well. I would almost personally suggest both myself.
 
Pikachu6319 said:
I too have occasionally thought of it. Personally I like being able to read my cards but the japanese ones do look cooler. I think one of the biggest problems for me would be it would take alot of money to to do so at this stage. I do never the less have several japanese cards that we never got in english, and I am proud of those as well. I would almost personally suggest both myself.
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There are members here that collect both or more.
 
Japanese cards are a nicer quality and more interesting but much more harder to get (and somewhat expensive depending on where you buy). I collect both languages but Japanese cards are a special treat for me. I have only ordered 1 box and 10 or so individual cards of Japanese. English is much easier to get and the quality is improving dramatically. (See Black and White - Emerging Powers) I collect both but more English than Japanese.
 
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