Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

 

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Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	Rising sun behind a mountain
Design	Mark Rosewater (lead) Ari Nieh Emily Teng Chris Mooney Daniel Holt Dave Humpherys David McDarby Ethan Fleischer Mark Gottlieb
Development	Dave Humpherys (lead)
Art direction	Zack Stella
Release date	February 18, 2022
Themes and mechanics	Legendary creatures, Ninjas and Samurai.
Keywords/​ability words	Channel, Ninjutsu, Reconfigure, Compleated, Transform
Set size	302 +
Expansion code	NEO
Development codename	Hockey
Streets of New Capenna Standard
Midnight Hunt Crimson Vow Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Challenger Decks 2022 Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Unfinity

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is the ninety-first Magic expansion. It will be released on February 18, 2022.

Set details

Neon Dynasty expansion symbol

Key art featuring Kaito

“

Light It Up

”

Public domain name registries connected to this name were filed by NetworkSolutions in October, 2020. A further registration with the gg domain was filed by Wizards itself in May 2021. The set was already hinted at in a public Magic survey from November 19, 2019 that featured multiple pieces of Planeswalker art with descriptions referencing a future Kamigawa. The setting is described as Magic: The Gathering's first science fiction plane. Several Japanese artists were engaged to produce card illustrations, among them famous manga artists like Tetsuo Hara. The central conflict of the set is the conflict between modernity and tradition - a metafictional reference to how R&D struggled to develop a sequel to one of the worst received blocks of Magic, separating it from the previous setting while making it recognizably the same plane. Half of the set features the new mechanized world of modern Kamigawa, while the other half depicts the more traditional Kamigawa as seen in the earlier block.

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty contains 302 regular cards (107 commons, 85 uncommons, 75 rares, 25 mythic rares, 10 basic lands) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. Draft boosters include a guaranteed double-faced card in common or uncommon, with the rare or mythic DFC distributed as normal. The regular cards include 10 "Ukiyo-e" basic lands. Each type has two different pieces of "block-stamped" art. Alternate card frames have another card number than the original version. Borderless planeswalkers are numbered #303-306. The two cards with Phyrexian frame and language are #307-308. "Samurai frames" are #309-330, "Ninja frame" showcase cards are numbered #331-354 and "Soft Glow" showcase cards are #355-405. Borderless Legendary Dragons and lands are #412-428, and the "Neon Ink" cards are #429-432. Extended artwork cards are numbered #433-505. The regular framed basic land cards from the Bundle are numbered #TBA-TBA. Twelve mythic and rare cards with alternate frames received versions with the foil-etched treatment. These are numbered #TBA-TBA and are exclusively found in Collector Boosters. The Bundle promo is #506 and the Buy-a-Box card is #507. The FNM-treatment cards from the Universal promo pack are numbered #508-512.

The "Ninja frame" and "Samurai frame" showcase cards are all Ninjas and Samurai respectively. The 'soft glow" showcase cards are used for alternate versions of all other rare and myhic cards. The "Neon Ink" card treatment only appears on four different versions of Hidetsugu., Devouring Chaos. There are about half as many green ink cards as blue ink cards, and about a quarter that many red ink cards as green ink cards. The yellow ink cards are a promo for WPN Premium shops.

Storyline

Neon Dynasty is set in the current era on Kamigawa, more than 1200 years after conclusion of the original Kamigawa block in 3326 AR. The plane's feudal past has met futuristic modernity, with ninjas and samurai now carrying a cyberpunk aesthetic.

The set features the new planeswalker Kaito, a cyber ninja. The current emperor of Kamigawa is "someone familiar."

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Neon Dynasty are:

• Brilliant Restoration
• Reality Heist
• Tamiyo's Compleation

Marketing

Neon Dynasty Bundle featuring The Wanderer.

Neon Dynasty is sold in regular 16-card Draft Boosters (one card being a marketing card), Theme Boosters, Collector Boosters, Set Boosters, the Neon Dynasty Bundle, and two Commander decks. The Draft Boosters feature artwork depicting Kaito Shizuki. The Set Boosters feature art depicting the Wanderer, and the Collector Boosters feature a brightly color-shifted version of TBA. The Theme Boosters feature art from Thousand-Faced Shadow (Ninjas), Imperial Subduer (), TBA (), TBA (), TBA () and Kappa Tech-Wrecker (). With the release of Neon Dynasty, TBA cards were rotated into The List, many of which were thematically or mechanically linked to the set. These can be found in the Set Boosters.

Beadle & Grimms Silver and Platinum Editions

Beadle & Grimms metal counters

For this set, Wizards of the Coast partnered with Beadle & Grimms, a gaming company that previously had offered official, expanded editions of Dungeons & Dragons modules and other games. They are known to create in-flavor maps, handouts, artifacts, bonus encounters, and other accessories.

Their Kamigawa Silver Edition for $ 199.00 included a demon-themed Lightning Blue deck box, 100 Gold Dragon sleeves, a Kamigawa Art card folio, an art-inspired life counter, a LED playmat, a Kamigawa metal counter set, a demon mask necklace, an exclusive game log, a Kamigawa world map and an in-world Guide to Kamigawa.

The Kamigawa Platinum Edition for $ 449.00 additionally included an exclusive Neon Dynasty-themed backpack, a sword-adorned card vault, a kami-themed Neon Pink deck box, 100 Black Dragon sleeves, a Kamigawa wall art poster, 5 lithographic art prints and a sidekick plush.

These sets of merchandise notably don't include Magic playing cards.

Reveal teaser

The Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Official Teaser featured a scrambled image of the Kaito Shizuki planeswalker card.

AR experience

In January 2022, players can step into the streets of Kamigawa with a special web-based augmented reality experience exclusive to WPN stores. Scanning a QR code in stores with their mobile device, players can view and interact with a street market as long as they're in the store. During the event, players can also access exclusive animated preview cards among other unique encounters within the environment.

Events

• Magic Online and MTG Arena release: February 10, 2022
• Tabletop Prerelease: February 11–17, 2022
• Launch party: February 18–20, 2022
• Friday Night Magic: February 25–April 22, 2022
• Commander Nights: February 28–April 28, 2022
• Game Day: March 5, 2022

Promotional cards

• Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare of Neon Dynasty.
• Other events: cards from the Neon Dynasty universal promo pack.
  • The seasonal dark-frame promos are: Spirited Companion, Enthusiastic Mechanaut, Jukai Naturalist, Silver-Fur Master, and Secluded Courtyard
• Game Day: Consider (participation), Fateful Absence (Top 8) and Atsushi, The Blazing Sky (First place)
• WPN Premium shops: Hidetsugu, Devouring Chaos (Yellow Neon Ink)
• Buy-a-Box: foil alternate art Satoru Umezawa
• Bundle: foil Invoke Despair

Tokens/emblems/markers

There are 19 tokens and emblems:

1. 1/1 Pilot creature with "This creature crews Vehicles as though its power were 2 greater.", for Born to Drive and Prodigy’s Prototype.
2. 1/1 Spirit creature, for Akki Ember-Keeper, Architect of Restoration, Go-Shintai of Shared Purpose, Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance, and Teachings of the Kirin.
3. 2/2 Samurai creature with vigilance, for Banishing Slash, Eiganjo Uprising, Naomi, Pillar of Order, and The Wandering Emperor.
4. 1/1 Ninja creature with "This creature can't be blocked.", for Kaito Shizuki.
5. 1/1 Rat Rogue creature, for Tribute to Horobi.
6. 3/1 Construct artifact creature with haste, for Sokenzan Smelter.
7. 5/5 Dragon Spirit creature with flying, for Goro-Goro, Disciple of Ryusei.
8. 2/2 Goblin Shaman creature with "When this creature attacks, create a Treasure token.", for Fable of the Mirror-Breaker.
9. */* Spirit creature, for Kura, the Boundless Sky.
10. Keimi, a 3/3 legendary Frog creature with "Whenever you cast an enchantment spell, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.", for Tatsunari, Toad Rider.
11. Mechtitan, a 10/10 legendary Construct artifact creature with flying, vigilance, trample, lifelink, and haste that's all colors, for Mechtitan Core.
12. 1/1 Construct artifact creature, for Oni-Cult Anvil.
13. Tamiyo's Notebook, a legendary artifact with “Spells you cast cost less to cast” and “: Draw a card.”, for Tamiyo, Compleated Sage.
14. Treasure artifact, for Atsushi, the Blazing Sky.
15. Emblem for Kaito Shizuki.
16. Emblem for Tezzeret, Betrayer of Flesh.

Themes and mechanics

The designers have taken some design elements from the first block and meshed them with science fiction elements.

Ninjutsu is a returning mechanic from Betrayers of Kamigawa. It allows a player to put a Ninja creature card from their hand into play tapped and attacking by paying a cost while returning another attacking, unblocked creature they control to its owner's hand.

Another returning mechanic is Channel, which was first seen in Saviors of Kamigawa. Channel cards have an activated ability that lets you discard them to get a temporary effect. This time around it is limited to enchantments, artifacts and lands; rather than Spirit creatures.

Enchantment creatures, which were last seen in Theros Beyond Death, are also returning. They predominantly do it in combination with other popular mechanics, such as Sagas, Double-faced cards and Transform. In these cases, the front side (closed fan symbol) is a saga, while the back side (opened fan symbol) is an enchantment creature.

Modified is a batching term that collectively refers to creatures that are equipped, enchanted, or have counters on them.

Reconfigure is a new mechanic that allows artifact creatures that are equipment to attach themselves to other creatures.

Compleated is a new keyword that describes Phyrexian planeswalkers. It appears on Tamiyo, Compleated Sage along with Phyrexian hybrid mana ().

Bushido is not a featured keyword. However, some cards feature the mechanic written out in the text.

Limited archetypes

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty features the following limited archetypes:

• : Vehicles (Prodigy’s Prototype)
• : Ninjas/Ninjitsu (Silver-Fur Master)
• : Artifact Sacrifice ()
• : Modified ()
• : Enchantments matter (Jukai Naturalist)
• : Artifacts and Enchantments (Naomi, Pillar of Order)
• : Artifacts matter (Enthusiastic Mechanaut)
• : Recursion (Gloomshrieker)
• : Warriors/Samurai (Asari Captain)
• : Channel Ramp ()

Card types

Artifacts and enchantments fulfill a similar mechanical role in the set but are flavorfully contrary to one another. The modern side of Kamigawa uses various types of artifacts. The traditional side uses various types of enchantments. The modern side has artifact creatures and equipment. The traditional side has enchantment creatures and auras. Each side is weighed toward certain colors:

Modernity < blue < red < black > white > green > Tradition.

Black in particular features cards that benefit from the player controlling both an artifact and enchantment, which was previously a threshold ability called "Balance" within Vision Design.

Legendary creatures are a theme, like in the original block. Ninjas and Samurai are also heavily featured in this set.

Vehicles are featured as constructs that the Kami can inhabit for a more physical form.

Cycles

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty has nine cycles.

Cycle name
Legendary Dragon Spirits	Ao, the Dawn Sky	Kairi, the Swirling Sky	Junji, the Midnight Sky	Atsushi, the Blazing Sky	Kura, the Boundless Sky
	Five mythic rare legendary Dragon Spirits that have a choice of two abilities when the creature dies.
Legendary lands	Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire	Otawara, Ethereal City	Takenuma, Abandoned Mire	Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance	Boseiju, Who Endures
	Five rare legendary lands with channel. The channel ability costs less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
Marches	March of Otherworldly Light			March of Reckless Joy
	Five rare spells that cost M. These spells cost less to cast for each card you exile of their same color when you cast them.
Invocations	Invoke Justice	Invoke Whirlwind	Invoke Despair	Invoke Calamity
	Five monocolored rare spells that are named "Invoke . . ." with quadruple colored mana. They were to resemble monocolored Ultimatums (see Shards of Alara or Ikoria) and who refers to the five Myojin.
Shrines	Go-Shintai of Shared Purpose			Go-Shintai of Ancient Wars
	Five Shrines that are also enchantment creatures
Uncommon creature sagas	Michiko’s Reign of Truth // Portrait of Michiko	Behold the Unspeakable // Vision of the Unspeakable			Boseiju Reaches Skyward // Branch of Boseiju
	Five Uncommon Sagas with transform and an 0/0 enchantment creature in the back.
Common creature sagas	Befriending the Moths // Imperial Moth	The Modern Age // Vector Glider		The Shattered States Era // Nameless Conqueror
	Five Common Sagas with transform and an enchantment creature in the back.

Double cycles

Cycle name
Uncommon signpost creatures	Prodigy’s Prototype	Silver-Fur Master			Jukai Naturalist	Naomi, Pillar of Order	Enthusiastic Mechanaut	Gloomshrieker	Asari Captain
	Ten uncommon gold creatures, each supporting a draft archetype.

Vertical cycles

Cycle name
Keyword counter ninjas	Biting-Palm Ninja	Kappa Tech-Wrecker
	A vertical cycle of ninjas with keyword counter.

Pairs

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty has mirrored pairs.

Mirrored Pairs		Description
Norika Yamazaki, the Poet ()	Heiko Yamazaki, the General ()	Two uncommon legendary samurais from the Yamazaki family. One allows you to cast artifacts from the graveyard and the other enchantments.

Reprinted cards

• Essence Capture, first printed in Ravnica Allegiance.

Notable cards

• Vessel of the All-Consuming is an alternate-loss card

Preconstructed decks

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty features two Commander decks that are released as a regular part of a set's product line.

Theme deck name	Color Identity					Commander
Buckle Up	W	U				Kotori, Pilot Prodigy
Upgrades Unleashed				R	G	Chishiro, the Shattered Blade

Gallery

• 

  Mochi gamer pouch from Ultra•PRO

• 

  Planeswalker card seen during the Teaser

External links

• Dave Humpherys (January 28, 2022). "Bringing Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Designs to Life". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.