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Magic: The Gathering is a costly hobby, but Beadle & Grimm’s collection protects cards while also being very aesthetically pleasing. Players need to know their cards will be protected, secure, and easy to access. This is where Beadle & Grimm’s Neon Kamigawa Platinum Edition comes in.
I also recently had the opportunity to speak to Beadle & Grimm’s own Mathew Lillard about what went into the collection, his own experience in MTG, and so much more.
Beadle & Grimm’s Neon Kamigawa Platinum Edition review
I’ve played Magic: The Gathering for 20+ years, so I’ve seen a wide variety of companies come and go with MTG-themed gear. However, I say this without a hint of exaggeration: Beadle & Grimm’s Neon Kamigawa gear is the best thing I’ve ever owned for Magic: The Gathering.
It’s themed around the Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, and it’s clear they did their research and homework. The gear collection came in a luxury backpack, which features the neon pink I was expecting on waterproof fabric.
It also has an external USB port, adjustable padded dividers, and space for everything an MTG player needs.
It comes with so many gorgeous pieces of swag. An adorable plushie, a card binder, two sets of 100 sleeves, and a pair of magnetic card boxes to go with them are among the coolest.
The oni-skull life counter is probably my favorite piece. That or the LED playmat. Gamers can plug in the playmat and get awesome lighting while playing Magic: The Gathering.
This is incredibly high-quality stuff too, and it’s not cheap. The set itself is expensive ($500), but there is also the stripped-down Silver package for $150.
As a long-time MTG user, I’ve been genuinely enamored by this set, and I can imagine other hardcore fans would love it. It came with beautiful coins to use as counters, a notebook, a card vault, a Kamigawa world map, and the “In-World Guide to Kamigawa.”
The attention to detail is incredible, and Beadle & Grimm is not new to making products like this. Is it worth the money? For the hardcore Magic: The Gathering fan? Absolutely.
Casual or new MTG fans may want to settle on the Silver package, as it also comes with an incredible amount of useful, gorgeous swag.
But what makes this all so special? Matthew Lillard goes into that himself.
Q. First of all, Matthew, it’s a pleasure to be able to interview you today! What led you to get into creating bespoke items for a franchise like Magic: The Gathering?
Matthew: Thank you for having me! We had been working with WOTC for the last four years on the D&D side, and at some point in early 2021, they came to us and asked us if we would consider bringing our brand POV over to the Magic side.
We jumped at the opportunity for obvious reasons (the card art/lore are amazing, and Magic is so popular).
Q. The Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty collection is gorgeous, and it shows a lot of attention to detail. How much research was done when it came to Kamigawa to create this collection?
Matthew: We spent a lot of time with the world guide that the Magic team put in place. I’m not sure how much the fans realize that the storytelling work that goes into these drops is incredibly detailed.
I, personally, must have read that thing over 100 times. It was that kind of engagement that led to things like the “selected field reports on Kami” and our unique counter sets.
Q. Why get started with Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty? Were there other sets you considered beginning with instead?
Matthew: We found the world to be electric and full of unique characters. We loved the way the design team wove together the magic of the old world and the tech of the next.
We found ourselves inspired by how unique this release was, and once we made up our minds, it was full steam ahead.
Q. Were there any particular challenges when it came to creating this collection of Magic gear or any issues in dealing with Wizards of the Coast?
Matthew: Wizards of the Coast has been an incredible partner right from the start — nothing but a joy to work with. We did have tragic issues with the worldwide shipping crisis that crippled the supply chain.
Until mid-January, we were on target to deliver our boxes as planned for mid-March, but then Omicron started to push everything out, and our best-laid plans went out the window. It’s really, really, really disappointing to plan a massive product launch and have the release date crash.
Q. The Beadle & Grimm card sleeves in this set were excellent. Were they a particular brand, or were they developed in-house?
Matthew: They were manufactured by Dragon Shield, and we couldn’t be happier with them. Both sets are super cool.
Q. Do you have favorite parts of the collection gear? My personal favorite is probably the life counter or the light-up mat.
Matthew: Nice! I don’t know if I do. I’m the product lead on this project, so everything has a special place in my heart! I love the backpack — really proud of the design. I think our counters/buffs are epic.
The World map, done by the artist Jue Li, is pretty sick. If you made me pick one thing, I would say our light-up play mat. We were the first in the space to add the LED to Magic playmats, and we’re pretty proud of that.
Q. What makes Beadle & Grimm’s Kamigawa bundle stand out from any other Magic: The Gathering gear someone might find on the market? What makes this collection stand out, in your estimation?
Matthew: The sheer scope. They get everything-in-one-killer backpacks that you can wear to a tourney aspect. The design coordination of all elements. Our attention to lore and immersive world elements.
It’s so exhaustive we’ve struggled to adequately explain it, quite honestly.
Q. What about your personal experience with Magic: the Gathering? What draws you to the card game?
Matthew: I started playing when my kid was younger. It was something we’d play during downtime in-between baseball games or soccer tournaments. As he got older, he phased out of playing, and so did I.
When we picked up the MTG business, I started playing like a fiend on Arena. Now, Paul and I play when Beadle & Grimm’s gets together for offsites or conventions.
Q. When did you first pick up Magic and D&D? Did that come from an early age?
Matthew: Geez. Really calling out my age with this one. I started playing the “Red Box” in Tustin, CA, when I was 10. Around then. I played until I mistakenly thought it wasn’t “cool” anymore.
I picked it back up with my Beadle & Grimm buddies when we were 21 in NYC. We’ve been playing together since. For the record, I’m 52.
Q. When it comes to Magic: The Gathering, do you play Standard, Commander, or another format the most?
Matthew: I play Standard. I know people love Commander, but I’m not a huge fan because I’m super trained on the quick pace of Arena, so Commander is a bit of a heavy lift for me.
Q. Are there deck archetypes that stand out the most to you when it comes to the game?
Matthew: Not really. I love white decks. I hardly ever play black. In fact, I wouldn’t let my son play any black until he was a teenager. Lame, I know, but that’s where I drew the line; such a disciplinarian.
Q. What does the future hold for Beadle & Grimm? Can we expect more collections like this going forward?
Matthew: We have an exciting announcement coming up very soon. We’re very hopeful about what the future holds for our MTG business. Hopefully, next time, the shipping gods will be with us!
Beadle & Grimm’s Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty set was released in April, and they are sure to have more bespoke collections of themed gear as the year rolls on. They already had experience in the field, creating bespoke Dungeons & Dragons collections, and have created something special with this particular collection.
