Manga Tarot

Manga Tarot - Japanese imagery with classic tarot structure

Manga and tarot seem like unlikely partners at first. Yet the combination works. The expressive imagery and exaggerated emotions of manga style make this deck readable and accessible without compromising the symbols.

The cards follow the Rider-Waite structure, but the figures wear Asian clothing, the backgrounds are dreamlike and the facial expressions are unmistakable. The result feels young and fresh without making a fuss about tradition.

What you see on the cards

The lines are fluid, the eyes large, the poses theatrical. That is the essence of manga style. Emotion is central. You see immediately whether someone is sad, powerful or afraid.

The symbols from classic tarot are translated into an Asian context. Swords become katanas, clothing takes on kimono influences, and backgrounds reference temples, mountains and blossoms. It remains tarot, but with a different aesthetic.

The cardstock is smooth and sturdy with a light gloss. The cards are 66 x 120 mm, a compact format that shuffles and lays out easily.

How you read with it

Many people who work with this deck start with the facial expression of the figure. That tells you directly what emotion is at play in a situation. The rest of the symbolism follows naturally.

The dreamlike backgrounds help you move away from literal interpretation. The cards ask you to feel rather than analyze.

Look at the figure's face first before you look at the symbols. The emotion is often the message.

About the creators

Riccardo Minetti has worked for Lo Scarabeo for years and knows the tarot language inside out. Shou Xueting draws in traditional manga style and brings that visual language to the cards. Together they have created a deck that respects both traditions.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 78 (complete tarot)
• Dimensions: 66 x 120 mm
• Material: smooth, sturdy cardstock with light gloss
• Guidebook: multilingual booklet (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish)
• Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
• ISBN: 9788883955020
• Design: Riccardo Minetti
• Illustrations: Shou Xueting

Questions we often get

Is there an English guidebook included?
Yes. The booklet is multilingual and includes English along with French, German, Italian and Spanish. The texts are brief and clear.

What makes the manga style different from other tarot decks?
The emotions are much more expressive. Large eyes, exaggerated facial expressions and theatrical poses make the message immediately visible. That makes the deck more intuitively readable than many traditional decks.