History Anime / HighCard

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''High Card'' is a multimedia project created by Homura Kawamoto (the creator of the ''Anime/{{Kakegurui}}'' franchise), Hikaru Muno (writer of multiple ''Kakegurui'' light novel spinoffs), and Creator/TMSEntertainment, assisted by Creator/StudioHibari. The anime premiered January 9, 2023, around the same time as multiple spinoffs including a manga (''High Card -♢9 No Mercy''), a light novel, and a drama CD set that fill out the background of multiple characters.

* ContinuityLockOut: A {{downplayed|Trope}} example. Anime only watchers would likly be confused on how [[spoiler:Chris managed to get the 5 of Spades, something that happend in the ''♢9 No Mercy'' manga]].
* ColorCodedCharacters: The Old Maid branch characters are color coded by the color of their suits; not unlike a sentai show (and even having a similar color palette save for exchanging pink for grey).

* FictionalCountry: Fourland is a European-based country, while the design of its cities are influenced by London and Las Vegas.

** The car company that High Card uses as a front for their operations is named Pinochle. The branch the main characters work out of is named Old Maid. The pub the frequent is called Crazy 8. All are names for classic card games.

** The playing cards themselves seem to work under Poker rules for the order of strength in their numbers, with the Deuce being the lower powered cards while the Aces are incredibly powerful.
* RequiredSecondaryPowers: Using any X-Card will give the player enhanced physical abilities and resistance, regardless of the power of the actual card. Considering how wild a battle between cards are and the kind of thing that each card does or asks of the user, it's likely a bare minimum to be able to use it to any reasonable degree.

* TrickedOutGloves: Using an X-Card turns it into gloves that allow the wearer to use their powers. Taking the gloves off turns them back into cards, but on the other side, so does losing your arms or hands.

%%* BreatherEpisode: Episode 7, "Love & Fake"

* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: The X-Playing cards come in four colors. While the Spade and Heart cards are the traditional black and red, the Diamond and Club cards are blue and green.

** The car company that High Card uses as a front for their operations is named Pinochle. The branch the main characters work out of is named Old Maid. Both are names for classic card games.

** The playing cards themselves seem to be working under Poker rules for the order of strength in their numbers, with the Deuce being the lower powered cards while the Aces are incredibly powerful.

''High Card'' is a multimedia project consisting of a manga series, a novel series, drama CDs, and an anime created by Homura Kawamoto (the creator of the ''Anime/{{Kakegurui}}'' franchise), Hikaru Muno (writer of multiple ''Kakegurui'' light novel spinoffs), and Creator/TMSEntertainment, assisted by Creator/StudioHibari. The anime premiered January 9, 2023, around the same time as multiple spinoffs including a manga, a light novel, and a drama CD set that fill out the background of multiple characters.

''High Card'' is a multimedia project created by Homura Kawamoto (the creator of the ''Anime/{{Kakegurui}}'' franchise), Hikaru Muno (writer of multiple ''Kakegurui'' light novel spinoffs), and Creator/TMSEntertainment, assisted by Creator/StudioHibari. The anime premiered January 9, 2023, around the same time as multiple spinoffs including a manga, a light novel, and a drama CD set that fill out the background of multiple characters.

* SequelHook: [[spoiler:In TheStinger of the first season, Nhat is impaled by the BlackKnight of Finn's memories, asking him whose side are they on. This, combined with the Black Knight being used in the poster for the season 2 announcement indicates that they will play a big role up next.]]
* ShoutOut: There's the [[Film/{{Kingsman}} Wizardsman]] tailor shops in Fourland.

* BreatherEpisode: Episode 7, "Love & Fake".

* WhamShot: At the end of "To Be Apart", [[spoiler:Chris pulling a gun on Finn and shooting him.]]

* AmbiguouslyGay: Mr. Apple, Finn's client, is hinted to have a crush on him when he reacts very negatively to Chris after mistaking them for a couple, implying he is jealous of Chris for being with Finn.

* TrueCompanions: Theodore, on paper the BigGood of the series, discourages this, advocating for his employees to see each other as work colleagues and nothing more. Nonetheless, the High Card team develop into real friends over the course of the season, with even Leo disobeying his father's orders so that he, Vijay, Wendy, and Bernard can help Finn save Chris from [[spoiler: sacrificing himself to save his sister via X-Hand]].

* WhamShot: At the end of episode 10, [[spoiler:Chris pulling a gun on Finn and shooting him.]]

* IllGirl: Chris has a sister named Michel who is suffering from a genetic disorder.

* AmbiugouslyGay: Mr. Apple, Finn's client, is hinted to have a crush on him when he reacts very negatively to Chris after mistaking them for a couple, implying he is jealous of Chris for being with Finn.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: Bobby Ball's card allows him to turn anything he touches into marble balls. While this is violent enough alone, capable of dismembering people, he is also capable of using the marble balls as something similar to very strong rubber bullets, enough to leave metal desks bent when hit and kill people at close range.