CGC Now Grading the Azuki TCG

CGC® is thrilled to announce that it is expanding its expert authentication, grading and encapsulation services to include the Azuki TCG, a trading card game based on the popular Azuki intellectual property.

Established in 2022, Azuki is an anime-inspired collection of more than 10,000 characters designed by Arnold Tsang (Steamboy33), the former Character Art Director for Blizzard’s hit hero shooter video game Overwatch. These characters can be purchased through collectible media by community members, who then interact to give them identities, stories and businesses. What began as a humble community experiment has grown into a massive multimedia franchise, including multiple anime anthologies, collectible merchandise, clothing, accessories and, now, a trading card game.

The Azuki TCG features Azuki’s existing characters in beautiful hand-drawn card anime artwork, featuring the talents of many artists from the Azuki-based communities. Gameplay consists of dynamic combat between two players who have the goal of reducing their opponent’s Leader card’s HP to zero. To do this, players use a deck consisting of 50 cards, a Leader card, a Gate card and ten IKZ cards to deal damage, cast spells, equip weapons and more. Each game lasts around 20 minutes, offering players a fun and fast-paced game that’s perfect for casual and tournament play.

“The Azuki TCG is unique in its premise and history,” said Matt Quinn, Vice President of CGC Cards. “We are thrilled to be part of its evolving legacy by offering both existing and future Azuki community members the opportunity to have their cards authenticated, graded and encapsulated, ensuring their protection for years to come.”

The Azuki TCG is set to release its first expansion, Gates Awakened, in summer 2026. Starter decks are available for presale on the Azuki TCG website. Go here to learn more about the Azuki TCG and to check out pre-sale options.

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.

CGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, a global provider of expert and impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. Since 1987, the Certified Collectibles Group companies have certified more than 110 million collectibles, including coins, banknotes, comic books, cards, autographs and stamps.