Chaos and Kanji is the blog where I write about my adventures through Japan!

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Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Surreal Serial Cereal Sir Yell

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I've decided to collect Japanese card sets. Not just regular Japanese card sets, though, but also oddball sets packaged in cereal. You know, the kind that are rarely found in stores.
 Kellogg's issued several annual sets in Japan which feature MLB players. Through 2009, they were licensed through Upper Deck, but after Upper Deck lost their MLB license, Topps stepped in for one final year.
The Matsui is from 2008, with the Iwamura from 2010. I feel like the '08s are the worst design - the card feels cramped with that squeezing border. The '10s might be the best, as the design is clean and simple. But you can't see the other years to compare.

While the sets featured stars from several nationalities, big Japanese names were always in the sets: Matsui, Ichiro, etc. Once all my sets are complete, I'll be able to do a proper write-up on all of them!

I'm still slowly poking away at these two sets. Maybe I'll finish them before I leave Japan, maybe I won't. Time will, tell, eh?

8 comments:

  1. Very cool. I love Kellogg's sets. Had no idea they had Japanese issues as well. Best of luck building these two sets.

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  2. You are asking for pain! Good luck!

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    1. I've finished the other years, and '08 is almost done. But '10 is very difficult.

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  3. Hey, Didn't know about these either. I'd be interested in all of the sets too. So, if you find yourself grabbing a two'fer, lol.

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    1. I doubt I'll ever come across full sets, but I do have some extras already, mainly of the '08s. If you're okay with just singles I could push some your way.

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  4. Had no idea Kellogg's released them in Japan. The first picture is a version of Upper Deck Trilogy, which sold for probably $6-$8 for a five-card pack (not that I ever saw a pack in person!). Very jealous!

    Gabriel (Lead Writer @ExtraInningsUK)

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    1. Yeah, Upper Deck used its US designs for its Kellogg's sets for a few years, and then Topps had the license just for that one year. They were included with cereal, just like they used to be distributed in America.

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