High Card

High Card (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Homura Kawamoto, Hikaru Muno, and TMS Entertainment. It consists of a manga series, a novel series, drama CDs, and an anime television series produced by Studio Hibari, which aired from January to March 2023, with its second season aired from January to March 2024. The project's theme is poker, with everything from the title to the names of fictional locations referencing some form of playing card game.

During a preview of the anime series at Anime NYC in November 2022, Kawamoto and Muno further explained that High Card was heavily inspired by the Kingsman movies, including their decision to put the setting in a fictional kingdom outside of Japan, hoping to appeal to a wider audience across the world.

Plot
The royal family of the Kingdom of Fourland holds a secret deck of 52 "X-Playing cards", each of which bestow a superhuman power or ability to whoever uses them. However, the cards were nearly stolen one month ago, and then scattered across the land. In the present, a thief named Finn is struggling to raise funds for his orphanage before the landlord clears it out. After hitching a ride to a casino, Finn soon finds himself inducted into High Card, a special group tasked by the King to recover all 52 cards, while working undercover as salesmen for the Pinochle car company.

High Card must deal with threats from rival car company "Who's Who" seeking to crush Pinochle, and the Klondike mafia family who wants the X-Playing cards for their own nefarious ends.

Pinochle (High Card)

 * Finn Oldman (フィン・オールドマン)
 * The newest member of High Card, a skilled pickpocket with great eyesight and focus allowing him to think multiple steps ahead. After trying to quickly raise money to save the orphanage where he grew up, Finn soon found himself embroiled in the battle over the X-Playing cards. He holds the 2 of Spades, "Neo New Nambu", which summons a loaded Nambu revolver into his hand, and can summon extra bullets into his free hand.
 * The newest member of High Card, a skilled pickpocket with great eyesight and focus allowing him to think multiple steps ahead. After trying to quickly raise money to save the orphanage where he grew up, Finn soon found himself embroiled in the battle over the X-Playing cards. He holds the 2 of Spades, "Neo New Nambu", which summons a loaded Nambu revolver into his hand, and can summon extra bullets into his free hand.


 * Chris Redgrave (クリス・レッドグレイヴ)
 * A flirty womanizer and skilled driver with a sweet tooth. He recruits Finn after seeing his skills first-hand in Bell End, and becomes his mentor at Pinochle's Old Maid branch. He wields the 5 of Hearts, "Calorie's High", allowing him to heal injuries instantly that would otherwise prove fatal by burning calories.
 * A flirty womanizer and skilled driver with a sweet tooth. He recruits Finn after seeing his skills first-hand in Bell End, and becomes his mentor at Pinochle's Old Maid branch. He wields the 5 of Hearts, "Calorie's High", allowing him to heal injuries instantly that would otherwise prove fatal by burning calories.


 * Leo Constantine Pinochle (レオ・コンスタンティン・ピノクル)
 * The 14-year-old son of the Pinochle company's CEO, and the manager of the Old Maid office, with an abrasive demeanor that often grates on his colleagues. However, his position in society and his money puts him at the top of High Card. Leo wields the 7 of Diamonds, "Never No Dollars", which allows him to instantly swap nearby cash for an object of equivalent value.
 * The 14-year-old son of the Pinochle company's CEO, and the manager of the Old Maid office, with an abrasive demeanor that often grates on his colleagues. However, his position in society and his money puts him at the top of High Card. Leo wields the 7 of Diamonds, "Never No Dollars", which allows him to instantly swap nearby cash for an object of equivalent value.


 * Wendy Sato (ウェンディ・サトー)
 * The daughter of a master swordsman from the Far East, Wendy handles the accounting for Pinochle's Old Maid office. She wields the Ace of Spades that summons "Love and Peace", a large sword with a mind of its own.
 * The daughter of a master swordsman from the Far East, Wendy handles the accounting for Pinochle's Old Maid office. She wields the Ace of Spades that summons "Love and Peace", a large sword with a mind of its own.


 * Vijay Kumar Singh (ヴィジャイ・クマール・シン)
 * A highly intelligent PhD student at the University of Cribbage and a good cook who manages the systems at Pinochle's Old Maid office, but his aloof personality makes him difficult to approach for most people. He wields the 3 of Clubs, with the power "Green Green", allowing him to communicate with nearby plants and control them.
 * A highly intelligent PhD student at the University of Cribbage and a good cook who manages the systems at Pinochle's Old Maid office, but his aloof personality makes him difficult to approach for most people. He wields the 3 of Clubs, with the power "Green Green", allowing him to communicate with nearby plants and control them.


 * Bernard Symons (バーナード・シモンズ)
 * Leo's butler who serves as an administrator for High Card who does everything from serving tea to servicing cars at Pinochle's Old Maid branch. His card, the 9 of Spades, "Bokka", can summon an impenetrable shield that can transform into any shape
 * Leo's butler who serves as an administrator for High Card who does everything from serving tea to servicing cars at Pinochle's Old Maid branch. His card, the 9 of Spades, "Bokka", can summon an impenetrable shield that can transform into any shape


 * Theodore Constantine Pinochle (セオドール・コンスタンティン・ピノクル)
 * The CEO of Pinochle, Leo's father, one of the antagonists and the head of High Card who works directly under the King. His card the Queen of Diamonds, "Balor", grants enhanced vision, allowing him to see the player with the 7 of Hearts which grants invisibility, and possible X-ray vision.
 * The CEO of Pinochle, Leo's father, one of the antagonists and the head of High Card who works directly under the King. His card the Queen of Diamonds, "Balor", grants enhanced vision, allowing him to see the player with the 7 of Hearts which grants invisibility, and possible X-ray vision.


 * Owen Alldays (オーウェン・オールデイズ)
 * Theodore's personal secretary who carries out his orders faithfully. Owen wields the 8 of Diamonds, "Red Labyrinth" which allows him and other people to step into another dimension that's connected to every single door in Fourland.
 * Theodore's personal secretary who carries out his orders faithfully. Owen wields the 8 of Diamonds, "Red Labyrinth" which allows him and other people to step into another dimension that's connected to every single door in Fourland.

Who's Who

 * Norman Kingstadt (ノーマン・キングスタット)
 * The flamboyant and charismatic CEO of "Who's Who" in a one-sided rivalry with his childhood friend Theodore, though he does not reciprocate.
 * The flamboyant and charismatic CEO of "Who's Who" in a one-sided rivalry with his childhood friend Theodore, though he does not reciprocate.


 * Blist Blitz Broadhurst (ブリスト・ブリッツ・ブロードハースト)
 * Norman's personal secretary and bodyguard. In contrast to his boss, Blist prefers to keep a strictly professional attitude while on the job, constantly reminding Norman about pay and labor regulations even as he works to collect X-Playing cards for him. He is also a Player with the 10 of Clubs, "Million Volt", which lets him channel electricity through his body.
 * Norman's personal secretary and bodyguard. In contrast to his boss, Blist prefers to keep a strictly professional attitude while on the job, constantly reminding Norman about pay and labor regulations even as he works to collect X-Playing cards for him. He is also a Player with the 10 of Clubs, "Million Volt", which lets him channel electricity through his body.


 * Brandy Blumenthal (ブランディ・ブルーメンタール)
 * Norman's other personal secretary and bodyguard who sees his obsession with his rival and the X-Playing cards as a waste of time, even as she provides support for him. She is also a Player with the 7 of Spades, "Interceptor", which summons a high performance motorcycle which can be modified on the go with various modifications like missile launchers, sidecar, and machine guns.
 * Norman's other personal secretary and bodyguard who sees his obsession with his rival and the X-Playing cards as a waste of time, even as she provides support for him. She is also a Player with the 7 of Spades, "Interceptor", which summons a high performance motorcycle which can be modified on the go with various modifications like missile launchers, sidecar, and machine guns.

Klondike

 * Ban Klondike (バン・クロンダイク)
 * One of the antagonists.
 * The head of the Klondike family, known throughout Fourland as ruthless mafia boss, though he appears to have a softer side when dealing with women and children. Ban seeks the X-Playing cards for his own ends and has a shared history with Theodore and Norman. He has the King of Diamonds, "Round and Round", which allows him to rotate anything that his is touching or can't touch.
 * The head of the Klondike family, known throughout Fourland as ruthless mafia boss, though he appears to have a softer side when dealing with women and children. Ban seeks the X-Playing cards for his own ends and has a shared history with Theodore and Norman. He has the King of Diamonds, "Round and Round", which allows him to rotate anything that his is touching or can't touch.


 * Tilt (ティルト)
 * A young Klondike executive who serves as a mediating force for inter-family struggles, and manages the search for the X-Playing cards. He has the King of Spades, "San Galgono", which grants him a knight armour and a sword. However the downside is that the card is able to take full control of your body, has its own consciousness and it own motives.
 * A young Klondike executive who serves as a mediating force for inter-family struggles, and manages the search for the X-Playing cards. He has the King of Spades, "San Galgono", which grants him a knight armour and a sword. However the downside is that the card is able to take full control of your body, has its own consciousness and it own motives.


 * Bobby Ball (ボビー・ボール)
 * A member of the Klondike family who works under Tilt to acquire the X-Playing cards, and is cruel to nearly everyone he meets. He wields the 3 of Diamonds, "Marble Rumble", that lets him turn anything he grabs into marbles, which he can then use as projectile weapons.
 * A member of the Klondike family who works under Tilt to acquire the X-Playing cards, and is cruel to nearly everyone he meets. He wields the 3 of Diamonds, "Marble Rumble", that lets him turn anything he grabs into marbles, which he can then use as projectile weapons.


 * Zenon
 * The Player with the Jack of Diamonds, "Out of Five", which allows him to affect the five senses and cognition of anyone that hears the sound created by scratching his gauntlets on a surface.
 * The Player with the Jack of Diamonds, "Out of Five", which allows him to affect the five senses and cognition of anyone that hears the sound created by scratching his gauntlets on a surface.


 * Burst
 * The Player with the Ace of Hearts, "Faceless", which allows her to copy the appearance of anyone she makes physical contact with, and allows her to use their X-Playing Card. In a relationship with TILT.
 * The Player with the Ace of Hearts, "Faceless", which allows her to copy the appearance of anyone she makes physical contact with, and allows her to use their X-Playing Card. In a relationship with TILT.

Others

 * Greg Young (グレッグ・ヤング)
 * A veteran Inspector within the Shield Police Department, and one of the few people outside High Card who is aware of its existence as well as the X-Playing cards. Greg is an old friend of both Ban and Theodore.
 * A veteran Inspector within the Shield Police Department, and one of the few people outside High Card who is aware of its existence as well as the X-Playing cards. Greg is an old friend of both Ban and Theodore.


 * Sugar Peace (シュガー・ピース)
 * A novice detective who works under Greg.
 * A novice detective who works under Greg.


 * Chelsea Hammond (チェルシー・ハモンド)
 * A social media influencer looking to find her "soulmate." A Player who holds the 2 of Diamonds, "Love Connection", which sticks two people's hands together. After an encounter with Finn and Chris, she later becomes a waitress at their local bar.
 * A social media influencer looking to find her "soulmate." A Player who holds the 2 of Diamonds, "Love Connection", which sticks two people's hands together. After an encounter with Finn and Chris, she later becomes a waitress at their local bar.


 * Michelle Redgrave (ミシェル・レッドグレイブ)
 * Chris' younger sister. She has a genetic disease inherited from her mother.
 * Chris' younger sister. She has a genetic disease inherited from her mother.


 * Lindsey Betz (リンジー・ベッツ)
 * The Director of the Sun Fields Orphanage, a good-natured man struggling to keep the orphanage open while having trouble paying rent to an uncaring landlord.
 * The Director of the Sun Fields Orphanage, a good-natured man struggling to keep the orphanage open while having trouble paying rent to an uncaring landlord.


 * Lucky Lunchman (ラッキー・ランチマン)
 * A card shark blessed with incredible luck thanks to the 10 of Diamonds ability, "Unlucky Poky", which granted him preternatural luck and thus prevented him from being harmed. After being threatened into giving up his card, he is soon killed after losing his luck along with the card.
 * A card shark blessed with incredible luck thanks to the 10 of Diamonds ability, "Unlucky Poky", which granted him preternatural luck and thus prevented him from being harmed. After being threatened into giving up his card, he is soon killed after losing his luck along with the card.


 * Aya Tawawa (アーヤ・タワワ)
 * A former member of High Card 25 years ago who was part of a team previously led by Leo and Chris' fathers, Theodore and Tyler. However due to a decision made by Theodore regarding a young Chris, she dishearteningly left the team and exiled herself. Years later, she saves Finn and entrusts him with her Card, the J of Spades, "Coming Home" that allows her to pull any in-sight object towards her.
 * A former member of High Card 25 years ago who was part of a team previously led by Leo and Chris' fathers, Theodore and Tyler. However due to a decision made by Theodore regarding a young Chris, she dishearteningly left the team and exiled herself. Years later, she saves Finn and entrusts him with her Card, the J of Spades, "Coming Home" that allows her to pull any in-sight object towards her.


 * Chloe

Anime
On June 9, 2021, it was announced that Homura Kawamoto, Hikaru Muno, and TMS Entertainment were working on a multimedia franchise, which include an anime television series. The project is done in collaboration with KADOKAWA Co., Ltd. and Sammy Co., Ltd.

The series is produced by Studio Hibari and directed by Junichi Wada, with Kenichi Yamashita, Kazuhiko Inukai, Shingo Nagai, and Naoki Kuroyanagi writing the scripts; Nozomi Kawano designing the characters; and Ryo Takahashi composing the music. It aired from January 9 to March 27, 2023, on AT-X and other networks. The opening theme song is "Trickster", performed by Five New Old, while the ending theme song is "Squad!", performed by Meychan. Crunchyroll licensed the series.

A second season was announced at AnimeJapan on March 26, 2023, which aired from January 8 to March 25, 2024. The opening theme song is "Showdown", again performed by Five New Old, while the ending theme song is "Hakuchūmu" (白昼夢), performed by Raon.

Following the final episode of the second season, it was announced that the series would receive a twenty-fifth episode.

Print
A manga and novel adaptation of the franchise have been announced. The side story manga, titled High Card -♢9 No Mercy, began serialization in Square Enix's online manga magazine Manga Up! on August 31, 2022. The manga's chapters have been collected into two tankōbon volumes as of January 6, 2024. The manga is set to end with the release of its third volume.

Drama CD
A drama CD adaptation of the franchise was released on December 3, 2021.