Unown DAMAGE Banned in Japan, Will Likely Be Banned by TPCi Too!

The official Japanese Pokemon Card website has just announced that Unown DAMAGE will be banned from their Expanded format starting February 1st.

All cards banned in Japan’s Expanded format have always been banned in America’s Expanded format. This means Unown will likely be banned here too, perhaps upon the release of Team Up or Unbroken Bonds.

Archeops, Forest of Giant Plants, Lysandre's Trump Card, and Maxie's Hidden Ball Trick are the only cards currently banned in Japan’s Expanded format.

TPCi has also banned Ghetsis, Hex Maniac, Wally, and Puzzle of Time from our Expanded format. TPCi sometimes chooses to ban additional cards, but if Japan bans a card, the card always gets banned here too.

Why ban Unown DAMAGE? Well, our writer, Stephane Ivanoff, just posted an article here two weeks ago called “DAMAGE Control — How to Win a Game in Two Turns.” The title of his article should tell you why!

Like America, Japan’s Expanded format is Black & White-on.

Clarification (9:30 PM): I mentioned that Maxie’s Hidden Ball Trick is banned in Japan and TPCi always bans the same cards Japan does. Maxie was only banned in Japan last month, so a ban for it has not had time to reach the U.S. yet.

We should be getting our next ban announcement from TPCi tomorrow for the upcoming release of Team Up.

Since Maxie was banned in Japan for their December Tag Bolt set, it will likely be banned with our Team Up set. Then, since Unown’s ban in Japan corresponds with their Full Metal Wall release on February 1st, its ban may come with our English Unbroken Bonds set in May.