Publication Facts and Rating (0 to 5 stars) "At-a-Glance"

Publisher: Seimidou-Shuppan (Japan)
Publication Year: 1991 (reprinted 1995[?], 1999[?])
Number of cards: 78
Quality of artwork -- 4 1/2 stars
Usefulness for meditation/pathworking -- 2 stars
Readability (Divination) -- 2 stars
Symbology -- 2 stars
Value to Collectors -- 4 stars

General Commentary
If the "buzz" on the 'Net can be believed, tarot is hot -- REALLY hot -- in many eastern Asian countries right now. U.S. Games products are selling well in Japan and Taiwan, and there are a growing number of Asian-based Internet websites devoted to various aspects of tarot reading, collecting, and studies.

But while a portion of U.S.-published tarots appear to have a reasonably good distribution in Asian countries, Asian-published tarots appear to have virtually no distribution in the U.S. A sad fact, given that there are a fair number of high-quality decks produced by medium- to large-size Asian publishing houses. The result: North American tarot collectors are frequently forced to pay high prices for tarots that are often widely available on the other side of the Pacific. Nowadays, Asian tarots rarely sell for less than $50 when they appear on the major auction sites, such as eBay -- and, in fact, will often bring prices in triple-digits.

Since most tarot enthusiasts don't have "deep enough pockets" to be able to afford to buy many decks at such prices, the question arises: "Are they worth it?" This article is the first in what is intended to be a series of reviews of Asian tarots, designed in part to answer that question. In addition, I hope that other Western hemisphere tarot-lovers will benefit from the opportunity to learn more about a segment of tarot that is not as well represented on English-language websites.

Having said that, my first review will actually focus on what is perhaps the most well-known and popular Asian tarot in North America today: Yoshitaka Amano's "Amano Tarot." Most of the popularity of this particular tarot can probably be traced back to Amano's notable contributions to several popular animation and graphic novel series, including "Final Fantasy" and his collaboration with Neil Gaiman on "Sandman: Dream Hunters." As Asian artists go, Amano is "high profile," and ergo, so is his work.

In the illustrations of the Amano Tarot, we can see the sweeping yet delicate detail that makes Amano's artwork so generally appealing. The style of the images seem to combine the soft feel of the traditional Japanese black-and-white Suibokuga style with the bold colors of the modern Manga artists. What the pictures lack in unstereotyped or meaningful symbolism, they make up for in sheer visceral impact. It is an enjoyable experience to peruse each and every card.

Stunning artwork, however, does not necessarily a good "reading deck" make. There is some question in my mind as to whether Amano's deck is another example of an artist's "after-the-fact" tarot. That is, the illustrations came first, and the compilation of those illustrations into a tarot -- matched up with traditional titles -- came later. The designs used in some cards, such as The Hermit, do seem like a bit of a stretch. Appealing, satisfying... yes. But often lacking in the type of useful associative qualities that provide the basis for a good reading session.

Furthermore, in the book "The Illustrations for Tarot Card of Yoshitaka Amano" (a coffee-table book showing the illustrations used for the majors, courts, and aces of the Amano Tarot), an "original title" is given under the tarot designation for each card. This again suggests, to me, that Amano used some of his preexisting work to create his deck. A table of traditional titles and the corresponding Amano "original titles" (as given in the "Tarot Card of Yoshitaka Amano" book), is shown below:
 

(Note that these "original titles" are not printed on the cards themselves -- they were only published in the large-format book, which is sold separately. The titles printed on the cards are the "traditional" designations, and are given in English.)

The pip cards (2 - 10) are done "Marseilles-style;" that is, the design chosen for the suit-symbol is simply repeated on the card an appropriate number of times.

The Amano Tarot is typically sold as a deck-and-book set. It is extremely well packaged, and the cards are produced on a high-quality, heavy, gloss-coat stock. The book is, not surprisingly, written in Japanese only.

At present, obtaining a copy of this deck is not too *terribly* difficult -- as long as you are willing to pay the high prices it commands on the major auction sites. It does seem to be offered up on eBay with some regularity. Some other sites that provide information or reviews of the Amano Tarot mention a Japanese animé group called Mangou Club as a source for obtaining a copy. However, most of the pages that refer to Mangou Club appear to have been posted at least two years ago; I did not receive any response to my inquiry when I originally tried to purchase the Amano Tarot last year, and I have since spoken with several other folks who have tried to order tarots from them without success. For those who wish to try, however, some (probably outdated) tarot-related information on Mangou Club can be found at: http://clysmic.com/tarot/imports.html#japan

In the final analysis, the Amano Tarot is a beautiful deck for the collector -- especially for those who may already be fans of Amano's work -- but almost certainly not worth the probable cost for those looking strictly for a reading deck with an "oriental flair." (Whether there is a strong "oriental" feel to Amano's work at all is, perhaps, somewhat a matter of debate. Regarding Amano's illustrative style, the website Amano's World states: "Heavily influenced by Disney cartoons, he [Amano] constantly absorbed art from other cultures.") Those readers with a particular affinity for Japanese imagery would probably do just as well with the domestically-produced Ukiyoe Tarot.

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Guest review copyright 2000 by Jeannette Roth
Used with permission