UNION ARENA, Bandai's anime-crossover card game, has entered TCGplayer's quarterly top 10 for the first time. It moved up two places to 9th in the Q3 2026 ranking.
Where did UNION ARENA rank on TCGplayer in Q3 2026?
UNION ARENA ranked 9th by gross merchandise value (GMV) in TCGplayer's "Best-Selling Trading Card Games, Q3 2026" report. In the previous quarter it was 11th . Peter Day wrote the report, and it ran on the TCGplayer seller blog on October 14, 2026 .
Quick Answer: TCGplayer's Q3 2026 report ranks UNION ARENA 9th among trading card games by GMV on its marketplace, up from 11th in Q2 2026. The data covers sales from July 1 to September 30, 2026. TCGplayer links the gain to a strong August after the Chainsaw Man set released.
GMV (gross merchandise value) is the total dollar value of goods sold through a marketplace. The report counts TCGplayer Marketplace sales from July 1 to September 30, 2026 .
TCGplayer gave this reason for the move:
"Union Arena also saw significant growth, jumping into the Top 10 off the back of a strong August after the release of Chainsaw Man," — Peter Day, TCGplayer (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10)
That is TCGplayer's own explanation. The report gives no other reason for the climb.
Limits of the ranking:
- Platform: Only sales on the TCGplayer Marketplace count. It is mostly a US secondary market.
- Metric: GMV across singles and sealed product. It does not measure player counts or market share.
- Not included: Global sales and Bandai's own revenue figures.
What does the full Q3 2026 TCGplayer top 10 look like?
TCGplayer's Q3 2026 top 10 by GMV has Magic: The Gathering first and Dragon Ball Super Fusion World tenth. UNION ARENA is ninth, up from 11th the quarter before . The table below shows each game's current rank and its rank in Q2, as listed in the report (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10).
| Q3 2026 rank | Game | Q2 2026 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic: The Gathering | 1 | No change |
| 2 | Pokémon | 2 | No change |
| 3 | One Piece Card Game | 3 | No change |
| 4 | Yu-Gi-Oh! | 4 | No change |
| 5 | Riftbound | 6 | Up 1 |
| 6 | Disney Lorcana | 5 | Down 1 |
| 7 | Gundam Card Game | 8 | Up 1 |
| 8 | Pokémon Japan | 7 | Down 1 |
| 9 | Union Arena | 11 | Up 2 |
| 10 | Dragon Ball Super Fusion World | 9 | Down 1 |
The top of the table did not move. TCGplayer lists Magic, Pokémon, One Piece Card Game and Yu-Gi-Oh! in the same four places as in Q2 .
The changes came below fourth place, mostly as one-place swaps:
- Riftbound and Disney Lorcana: Riftbound rose to 5th and Lorcana fell to 6th .
- Gundam Card Game and Pokémon Japan: Gundam rose to 7th and Pokémon Japan fell to 8th .
- Union Arena and Dragon Ball Super Fusion World: Union Arena climbed from 11th to 9th, which moved Fusion World down from 9th to 10th .
Every other game that changed position moved by one place. UNION ARENA's two-place climb is the largest move by any game in the table. It is also the only game in the Q3 top 10 that was not in the Q2 top 10.
The list also shows how many of these games come from one publisher. Bandai publishes One Piece Card Game, Gundam Card Game, Union Arena and Dragon Ball Super Fusion World, so four of the ten spots belong to Bandai. The trade between 9th and 10th took place between two of Bandai's own games.
What changed from the Q2 2026 ranking?
Between Q2 and Q3 2026, the change at the bottom of the list was one game in and one game out. UNION ARENA entered at 9th and Digimon Card Game dropped out of the top 10. TCGplayer's Q2 2026 report covers April 1 to June 30, 2026 and was published on July 22, 2026 . It ranked Digimon 10th, and UNION ARENA does not appear in that top 10 (source: TCGplayer, 2026-07).
Here is the Q2 2026 top 10 by GMV, in TCGplayer's order :
- 1. Magic: The Gathering
- 2. Pokémon
- 3. One Piece Card Game
- 4. Yu-Gi-Oh!
- 5. Disney Lorcana
- 6. Riftbound
- 7. Pokémon Japan
- 8. Gundam Card Game
- 9. Dragon Ball Super Fusion World
- 10. Digimon Card Game
The Q3 report lists UNION ARENA's previous-quarter rank as 11, so it sat just outside the Q2 list . Digimon Card Game is not named in the Q3 top 10 (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10). The Q3 report does not say where Digimon finished.
The rest of the list moved only slightly. The top four held their places. Disney Lorcana and Riftbound swapped 5th and 6th, Pokémon Japan and Gundam Card Game swapped 7th and 8th, and Dragon Ball Super Fusion World fell from 9th to 10th .
A year-on-year view shows more change than the quarter-to-quarter one. TCGplayer's Q3 2025 top 10 included Digimon, Star Wars: Unlimited and Flesh and Blood . None of those three is in the Q3 2026 top 10 (source: TCGplayer Q3 2025 report). In twelve months, three spots in the lower half of the list went to different games.
All of these rankings cover only GMV on the TCGplayer Marketplace, which includes singles and sealed product. They do not measure global sales or publisher revenue.
What is the CHAINSAW MAN [UE22BT] booster set?
CHAINSAW MAN [UE22BT] is an English-language UNION ARENA booster set from Bandai. Its retail release date was July 31, 2026. ICv2 announced that date on December 10, 2025 . The official UNION ARENA English account on X later gave the same date (source: UNION ARENA English on X).
ICv2's set details are listed below (source: ICv2, 2025-12).
| Spec | CHAINSAW MAN [UE22BT] |
|---|---|
| English release date | July 31, 2026 |
| Card count | 80 cards plus 6 Action Point card types |
| Rarity breakdown | 30 commons, 28 uncommons, 12 rares, 10 super rares, 12 Action Point cards |
| Pack size | 12 cards per pack |
| Display size | 16 packs per display |
| MSRP | Not given by ICv2 |
According to ICv2, these characters appear in the set :
- Denji
- Chainsaw Man
- Makima
- Aki Hayakawa
- Power
- Reze
The set's high-end cards come in two kinds. Some carry foil-stamped autographs from the Japanese voice cast. Others are serialized Action Point cards . ICv2 did not give pull rates for either kind, and it did not give a suggested retail price.
The release timing matches TCGplayer's explanation of the ranking. TCGplayer's Q3 2026 report says Union Arena moved into the top 10 "off the back of a strong August after the release of Chainsaw Man" (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10). A July 31 release puts the set's first full month on sale in August.
TCGplayer gives no set-level GMV, unit or price figures for Union Arena. CHAINSAW MAN is also not among the report's top 5 sets of the quarter. The link between this set and the rise from 11th to 9th is TCGplayer's own explanation. The report does not show any sales figures for the set.
What does outside commentary add, and what can't be confirmed?
Outside commentary offers one writer's interpretation of the ranking. It does not add new sales data. Joseph Writer Anderson discussed the result in a blog post published on October 15, 2026 (source: Joseph Writer Anderson, 2026-10). Everything below comes from that single post and should be read as his commentary, not as TCGplayer findings.
Anderson's main point concerns how the list is built. TCGplayer counts Pokémon and Pokémon Japan as separate product lines. Anderson argues that if they were counted as one game, UNION ARENA would rank 8th instead of 9th . That is his own recalculation. TCGplayer's published ranking still lists Union Arena at 9th (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10).
The post also makes several claims that we could not confirm independently. All of them are Anderson's:
- Inuyasha: he says the Inuyasha set was also popular in August .
- Re:ZERO: he says it drew attention for its card designs and deck mechanics.
- BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Vol. 3: he says it is coming "later this year." No release date is given.
- Early doubts: he says many people predicted in 2024 that the game would last about a year and then be dropped. The 2024 launch year is his date and most likely refers to the English release.
"2026 could one day come to be known as the year UNION ARENA came into its own," — Joseph Writer Anderson, blogger (source: Joseph Writer Anderson)
Anderson has written about UNION ARENA's TCGplayer position before. In an earlier post on TCGplayer's 2025 results, he said UNION ARENA was the game he was most surprised not to see in that top 10 (source: Joseph Writer Anderson).
TCGplayer's report does not mention Inuyasha, Re:ZERO or BLEACH. Its only stated reason for the rise is a strong August after the Chainsaw Man release . Until Bandai or TCGplayer confirms them, the launch-year and release-timing claims above remain unverified.
Which Q3 2026 sets sold best, and where does UNION ARENA fit?
None of the top-selling new sets of Q3 2026 was a UNION ARENA set. TCGplayer ranked the five best-selling sets released from July 1 to September 30, 2026 by gross merchandise value (GMV), and UNION ARENA did not make that list . The game reached 9th place as a whole product line, not through one leading set (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10).
TCGplayer's top 5 sets released in Q3 2026, ranked by GMV :
- 30th Celebration (Pokémon)
- The Hobbit (Magic: The Gathering)
- Pitch Black (Pokémon)
- The World's Strongest Warriors (One Piece Card Game)
- Freedom Ascension (Gundam Card Game)
Pokémon has two sets on the list, while Magic, One Piece and Gundam have one each. The CHAINSAW MAN [UE22BT] booster set, which went on sale July 31, 2026, does not appear . TCGplayer's report does not say how far below 5th place it finished.
The ranking change also involves games from a single publisher. Bandai publishes UNION ARENA , and it also publishes One Piece Card Game, Gundam Card Game, Dragon Ball Super Fusion World and Digimon Card Game. In Q3, UNION ARENA moved into 9th, Dragon Ball Super Fusion World fell from 9th to 10th, and Digimon dropped out of the top 10 .
These figures cover only TCGplayer Marketplace sales, including singles and sealed product. They do not show player counts, market share or Bandai's own revenue. The only reason TCGplayer gives for UNION ARENA's rise is a strong August after the Chainsaw Man release (source: TCGplayer).
What to watch next for UNION ARENA and the TCGplayer rankings
TCGplayer's Q4 2026 report is the next test for UNION ARENA's 9th place. It should show whether the game holds a top 10 spot once the August boost from Chainsaw Man has passed. TCGplayer published its Q2 report on July 22, 2026 and its Q3 report on October 14, 2026 (source: TCGplayer, 2026-10). TCGplayer has not announced a date for the Q4 report.
Points to track:
- The Q4 2026 rank. Look at whether UNION ARENA stays in the top 10 and at the order of the Bandai games around it. In Q3, those were Gundam Card Game at 7th and Dragon Ball Super Fusion World at 10th .
- Upcoming sets. Joseph Anderson writes that bigger sets, such as BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Vol. 3, are due later this year (source: Joseph Writer Anderson, 2026-10). We could not confirm this set or its release timing on our own. Treat it as unconfirmed until Bandai announces it.
- Where Digimon goes next. Digimon was 10th in Q2 and left the top 10 in Q3 . It is worth watching whether it comes back.
Keep the method in mind when reading any ranking. The list measures only gross merchandise value on the TCGplayer Marketplace, and Q3 covers July 1 to September 30, 2026 . One quarter is a snapshot, not a trend. Two reports in a row would be stronger evidence.
In short, UNION ARENA reached the top 10 on TCGplayer in Q3 2026. Whether that was a one-quarter spike tied to the Chainsaw Man release will only be clear when the Q4 data comes out.
Last updated: 2026-10-16. We checked this article against TCGplayer's Q2 and Q3 2026 seller-blog reports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rank is UNION ARENA on TCGplayer for Q3 2026?
UNION ARENA ranked 9th by gross merchandise value (GMV) in TCGplayer's "Best-Selling Trading Card Games, Q3 2026" report. The report covers TCGplayer Marketplace sales from July 1 to September 30, 2026 . The same report lists its previous-quarter rank as 11th. In the Q2 2026 report, Digimon Card Game held 10th place and UNION ARENA was not in the top 10 .
Why did UNION ARENA rise in the TCGplayer rankings?
TCGplayer's only explanation is that UNION ARENA jumped "into the Top 10 off the back of a strong August after the release of Chainsaw Man" . TCGplayer does not give any other cause, sales figures for the set, or player-count data. Blogger Joseph Anderson also names the Inuyasha and Re:ZERO releases . Those are his own observations, and TCGplayer does not mention them.
When did the UNION ARENA Chainsaw Man set release in English?
The English CHAINSAW MAN [UE22BT] Booster Pack came out at retail on July 31, 2026. ICv2 reported the date , and the official UNION ARENA English X account confirmed it . According to ICv2, the set has 80 cards plus 6 Action Point card types. Packs hold 12 cards, and each display holds 16 packs . ICv2 did not list an MSRP.
Does the TCGplayer ranking measure total UNION ARENA sales?
No. The report ranks product lines by GMV on the TCGplayer Marketplace only, and that GMV includes both singles and sealed product . TCGplayer is mostly a US secondary market. The ranking does not show global sales, sales at retail stores, or Bandai's revenue. "Top 10 best-selling" here means top 10 on TCGplayer for Q3 2026.
Which games are in the TCGplayer Q3 2026 top 10?
Here is TCGplayer's Q3 2026 top 10 by GMV :
- Magic: The Gathering
- Pokémon
- One Piece Card Game
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Riftbound
- Disney Lorcana
- Gundam Card Game
- Pokémon Japan
- Union Arena
- Dragon Ball Super Fusion World
TCGplayer lists Pokémon and Pokémon Japan as separate lines. Joseph Anderson points out that UNION ARENA would be 8th if they were counted together, but that is his own reading, not TCGplayer's ranking .
SnapHolo prices for the cards and sets in this article
| Card | Edition | Rarity | SnapHolo price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mew R | English | RGB Rare | $6,000.27 |
| Mew B | English | RGB Rare | $3,746.75 |
| Mew G | English | RGB Rare | $3,738.75 |
| Mew ex 152 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $89.90 |
| Gengar ex 154 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $75.35 |
| Pikachu ex 150 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $58.32 |
| Mew ex 158 | English | Futuristic Rare | $52.32 |
| Mewtwo ex 151 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $50.27 |
| Pikachu ex 149 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $47.47 |
| Jirachi ex 155 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $43.46 |
| Sylveon ex 153 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $42.79 |
| Mewtwo ex 157 | English | Futuristic Rare | $41.44 |
| Greninja ex 148 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $21.12 |
| Salamence ex 156 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $15.71 |
| Fuecoco ex 147 | English | Special Illustration Rare | $14.97 |
| Maushold 146 | English | Illustration Rare | $10.53 |
| Meowth 144 | English | Illustration Rare | $9.92 |
| Galarian Meowth 141 | English | Illustration Rare | $7.15 |
| Alolan Meowth 139 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.68 |
| Zapdos 133 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.57 |
| Moltres 130 | English | Illustration Rare | $6.00 |
| Articuno 132 | English | Illustration Rare | $5.85 |
| Lapras 131 | English | Illustration Rare | $5.74 |
| Morpeko 135 | English | Illustration Rare | $5.21 |
| Hisuian Zorua 145 | English | Illustration Rare | $4.78 |
| Mew ex 66 | English | Double Rare | $3.07 |
| Toxtricity 134 | English | Illustration Rare | $2.63 |
| Pikachu 40 | English | Pikachu Rare | $2.48 |
| Drifloon 136 | English | Illustration Rare | $2.47 |
| Alolan Exeggutor 129 | English | Illustration Rare | $2.24 |
Ungraded card prices as of 2026-10-18 (KST).
Sources: TCGplayer · Q2 2026 report · TCGplayer Q3 2025 report · UNION ARENA English on X · ICv2 · Joseph Anderson · Joseph Writer Anderson
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