Samurai Kobo operates the esports team Crazy Raccoon and is a joint partner with Game & Co. on the trading card game Xross Stars, which has ranked in the top 10 for share of Japan's domestic TCG market. The company is tied to the game's first terrestrial TV commercial, airing from October 20, 2026, and the October 30 release of Booster Pack Vol. 5 Ignition Vortex.
Samurai Kobo, which operates the esports team Crazy Raccoon, is part of the joint project behind the trading card game Xross Stars with Game & Co., a subsidiary of Brave group. The game launched on August 22, 2025, and now sits in the top 10 for share of Japan's domestic TCG market, according to a Media Create survey covering August 2025 to July 2026. The specific ranking and share percentages were not disclosed.
Xross Stars turns VTubers, streamers, and esports players into cards across agency lines. The first set featured 24 people, mainly from VSPO!, Crazy Raccoon, and Neo-Porte, and the roster has since grown to 72 talents through the fourth booster pack, Grand Resonance. Production is led by producer Atsutoshi Kubo of Game & Co. and chairman Daichi Takano of Crazy Raccoon, with Shota Yasooka as lead game designer and Sekappy as development partner.
The next piece of promotion is a first for the game at this level: the first terrestrial TV commercial for Xross Stars, airing from October 20, 2026, nationwide except in some regions. The 15-second spot features Ryosuke Yamada in two personas, the artist Yamada and the streamer LEO, who is affiliated with Crazy Raccoon. The two appear together on screen for the first time. Yamada took the stage as LEO at an announcement event on October 19 and described the costume as settled through discussion with his own input.
LEO joins Xross Stars as a leader card in Booster Pack Vol. 5 Ignition Vortex, due October 30 at 475 yen per pack of eight cards or 5,700 yen per box of 12 packs. The fifth booster pack has 16 leaders. The commercial will also go up on YouTube on October 20, with a making-of plus interview video planned for later release.
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Oct 19
Game & Co. and Samurai Kobo will air the first terrestrial TV commercial for the trading card game Xross Stars from October 20, 2026, nationwide except in some regions. The 15-second spot is titled "[Xross Stars] Appearing as a card! LEO joins Cross" and features Ryosuke Yamada in two personas: the artist Yamada and the streamer LEO, who is affiliated with the professional gaming team Crazy Raccoon. The two appear together on screen for the first time. Yamada also took the stage as LEO at an announcement event on October 19. He said the costume was settled through discussion with his own input, and on seeing the finished card he said, "It's super cool! Maybe a little too cool." He described LEO as his off-duty state. The commercial will also go up on YouTube on October 20, and a making-of plus interview video is planned for later release. LEO joins Xross Stars as a leader card in Booster Pack Vol. 5 "Ignition Vortex," due October 30 at 475 yen per pack of eight cards or 5,700 yen per box of 12 packs.
Sep 18
The trading card game Xross Stars has ranked in the top 10 for share of Japan's domestic TCG market, according to a Media Create survey covering August 2025 to July 2026. The specific ranking and share percentages were not disclosed. Xross Stars launched on August 22, 2025 as a joint project between Game & Co., a subsidiary of Brave group, and Samurai Kobo, which operates the esports team Crazy Raccoon. The game turns VTubers, streamers, and esports players into cards across agency lines. The first set featured 24 people, mainly from VSPO!, Crazy Raccoon, and Neo-Porte, and the roster has since grown to 72 talents through the fourth booster pack Grand Resonance. Production is led by producer Atsutoshi Kubo of Game & Co. and chairman Daichi Takano of Crazy Raccoon, with Shota Yasooka as lead game designer and Sekappy as development partner. The fifth booster pack, Ignition Vortex, is scheduled for October 30 with 16 leaders, including Ryosuke Yamada of Hey! Say! JUMP under the streamer name LEO.