The BEST episodes of Cardfight!! Vanguard
Every episode of Cardfight!! Vanguard ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Cardfight!! Vanguard!
This story takes place a little further in the future—There are now billions of card game players in the world, to an extent where card games have become a necessity, a part of our lives.The protagonist of this story, Aichi Sendo, is a timid boy in his third year of middle school. He had been living his life looking backward rather than forward, trying not to stand out. However, he had one thing that kept him going - the Blaster Blade, a card from a card game that was given to him when he was little. That card is the reason why he begins to engage in Cardfights, something that changes his life drastically. The name of the card game is Vanguard. The game takes place in a different planet called Cray. It is a place similar to our own planet, but unlike planet Earth, Gods and Demons, Dragons and other mythical creatures still roam the land. It is also a world where both Magic and Science have advanced hand in hand. Countries with advances in different fields and cultures rule over different parts of the planet Cray. And due to a never before seen play system, it becomes popular throughout the world. Aichi, immediately attracted by Vanguard, meets friends such as Misaki Togura and Kamui Katsuragi, along with other rivals. Through friendly rivalry with them, Aichi begins to enjoy a fulfilling life. Aichi, however, has a goal: to once again battle with a Vanguard Fighter by the name of Toshiki Kai. Toshiki Kai is an aloof and cold-hearted high schooler who has outstanding abilities in the world of Vanguard. He is also the reason why Aichi started playing the game. For him, Kai is the person who saved him from his boring life and introduced him to Vanguard. In order to get better at Vanguard, Aichi puts his soul into it every day. He wishes that someday, he'll be able to battle Kai and have him recognize his worth.
#1 - Who's the Vice-Captain!?
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/10/2013
Now that the Cardfight Club has become official, the new faculty advisor Nakamurabashi makes the club decide on a captain and vice-captain for the club by order of the student council president. Since Aichi was the person who started the club, he reluctantly accepts the position of captain. As for who should be the vice-captain, Shingo is the only person who honestly wants the job while the others are apathetic on the matter. Not wanting to make a hasty decision, Nakamurabashi recommends to hold off until tomorrow on who to elect for vice-captain. After school, Misaki is convinced by her friend Akari to try out for vice-captain. The same happens with Kourin being persuaded by Takuto. The club meets the next day, and when Nakamurabashi asks again for who wants to be the vice-captain, Shingo, Naoki, Misaki, and Kourin all raise their hands. To finally settle things, the four cardfight each other with the overall winner becoming the vice-captain. Misaki defeats Shingo, but Naoki suffers a terrible loss against Kourin. Before the final faceoff between the two girls, Naoki expresses his frustration by saying how bad he feels after finding a passion in Vanguard and yet not initially caring for becoming vice-captain of the Cardfight Club. However, he soon gets over his mortification with a smile. Noticing Naoki's enthusiasm, Misaki, Kourin, and Shingo (much to his chagrin) agree to have Naoki be the vice-captain. As the club walks home from school, Naoki impulsively runs towards a riverside, followed by Aichi and Shingo, where Naoki and Shingo scuffle a bit in the river before all the boys let out one big yell at the sunset.
#2 - Trinity Dragon's Fierce Battle
Season 7 - Episode 14 - Aired 7/17/2016
Team Trinity Dragon stumbles upon a secret facility run by Wakamizu, and they challenge him. If any members of Trinity Dragon beat Wakamizu, then he will tell them his scheme. However, if Wakamizu defeats all of Trinity Dragon, then they will become guinea pigs for his experiments. Both Karl and Tsuneto lose, but Kei gathers information from their fights to finally defeat Wakamizu. As promised, he tells them that he has been using this facility to gather Stride Force to summon the last Zodiac Time Beast and open the Stride Gate. Wakamizu escapes by activating the facility's self-destruct mechanism. Team Trinity Dragon also escapes before the facility is destroyed, and the group tells Kamui what they have learned. After praising them, Kamui informs them about everything that has happened.
#3 - Jaime Alcaraz
Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/4/2015
Chrono takes on a quest from a foreigner who wants him to show how Vanguard is played in Japan. At the rendezvous point, Chrono meets the client, a young Spanish man named Jaime Alcaraz. Despite what the quest said, the overly-positive Jaime is more interested in sightseeing and learning about Japanese culture than playing Vanguard. After much shopping, sidetracks, and run-ins with Shion and Tokoha, Chrono and Jaime overhear two children arguing; one little boy wants to have a cardfight with the other older boy, who refuses him. Jaime persuades that boy into fighting by offering him the delicacies he bought throughout the day. So, the two boys fight, and the younger boy manages to win. Afterwards, the two kids become friends, and Jaime decides to give all of his food with both of them. Just when Jaime finally wants to play Vanguard with Chrono, Mamoru appears and reveals Jaime's real identity; he is actually a rising star fighter from the European League and has been invited to Japan to compete as part of the Euro team in an interleague match against the Tokyo team (which Mamoru is a member of). In the end, Jaime recommends for Chrono to watch the match and then takes his leave with Mamoru.
#4 - My Future In Bloom
Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/13/2016
A month has passed since Tokoha began studying abroad in France, where she is also assisting with the Vanguard Association's Paris Branch. One day, she is introduced by Jaime to a young man named Miguel Torres, a polite albeit unlucky cardfighter who aspires to be a pro in the future. Through a friendly match with him, Tokoha learns that despite Miguel's misfortune, he is indeed a strong fighter and passionate about his dream of becoming a pro. The next day, Tokoha and Miguel spend the day together when she explains how she has yet to find a goal for herself. Nonetheless, Miguel expresses how he will wholeheartedly support her. Some time later, Jaime calls Tokoha and tells her that Miguel has died.
#5 - Are you ready to FIGHT!!
Season 8 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/8/2017
Before the U20 starts, Chrono, Tokoha, and Shion have their own "send-off parties" with their respective teams. Jaime Flowers relax at a spa resort, the Fukuhara Vanguard Club has lunch on a cruise ship, and Striders engage in a curry-eating contest. At the end of the day, they are all treated to a fireworks show prepared by Shion. Then, the U20 Championship begins, where the other qualified teams are introduced and Kazuma is shocked to see Onimaru...
#6 - Dawn of Nippon
Season 8 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/22/2017
On the second day of the first stage, Kazuma faces Makoto Asada of Team New Nippon. While fighting, Makoto reminisces about the time when he first met Arata and how Team New Nippon was formed. Ultimately, Makoto defeats Kazuma. Just as Taiyou learns of this news, he comes across Tokoha.
#7 - Light's Signpost
Season 8 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/29/2017
Tokoha and Taiyou cardfight each other, with Taiyou wanting to win to get Kazuma back in the tournament. After a long and arduous battle, Taiyou manages to win, thus bringing Kazuma back into the fray and Tokoha once again knocked out.
#8 - Man and Man
Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/5/2017
Enishi cardfights Kamui, who applies an enormous amount of pressure on him. In the middle of the battle, Enishi learns that Kumi has also lost, causing him to worry even more. However, Enishi withstands Kamui's attacks and defeats him, thus allowing Tokoha and Kumi to return to the tournament.
#9 - Sorrow Skyscraper
Season 8 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/12/2017
The second day of the U20 first stage ends. As all the teams return to their homes, Chrono meets Team New Nippon and has dinner with them. Meanwhile, Rin decides that she is fed up with being on the team. She challenges Shion to a cardfight on top of a skyscraper; if she wins, then she will quit. At first frustrated by Shion's reasons for wanting to enter the U20 in the first place, Rin rekindles her own fighting spirit through this fight. Afterwards, Rin decides to stay with the team.
#10 - Unyielding Pirate
Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/19/2017
The third day of the U20 begins, where Henri gets starstruck when he faces Am Chouno. Despite the disadvantage her Granblue deck has against Henri's, Am defeats and then gives him a Rummy Labyrinth keychain. Afterwards, she, Luna, and Saya get reacquainted with Tokoha, Kumi, and Enishi.
#11 - Fascinating Magia
Season 8 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/26/2017
The third day progresses with only eight teams remaining. Kazuma finds himself playing against Luna Yumizuki, who wants to make him smile through this fight. Though initially pressured by Luna, Kazuma defeats her and becomes a fan of hers. Meanwhile, Chrono loses to Nagisa, who mentions that Kamui entered the U20 because of Kouji. Chrono tries to ask Kamui about this but is unable to get an answer from him.
#12 - Creeping Menace
Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/5/2017
A sudden power outage occurs, which was caused by Onimaru and his team. Amidst the confusion, Onimaru tries to sneak his way into the field but is halted by Chrono and Kouji. Onimaru and Kouji have a cardfight with Chrono observing them. However, when the power comes back on, the fight is called off. Later, as the first stage resumes as normal, Onimaru returns to his original objective: a portal that Noa Hoshizaki of Team Nippon had accidentally stumbled upon. Inside the portal, Onimaru performs a Different World Ride, making Noa become possessed by Star-Vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon.
#13 - Strong, Violent, and Beautiful
Season 8 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/12/2017
Near the end of the first stage's third day, Tokoha fights and defeats her rival Rin, who has always been like a wall for her. With this victory, Tokoha's team advances to the second stage, which leaves only two spots remaining.
#14 - The Knights Swear Victory Upon Their Swords
Season 8 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/19/2017
The fourth day of the first stage ensues with Shion cardfighting Taiyou. Despite Taiyou learning about Shion's style from Chrono, Shion manages to win, thus gaining enough points for his team to advance to the second stage. Elsewhere, Chrono comes across Noa...
#15 - Chaos of the End
Season 8 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/26/2017
All eyes turn to the cardfight between Chrono and Noa; whoever wins will earn his team the last spot to the second stage. As the fight goes on, Chrono slowly realizes that Noa is not acting like his usual self and is reminded of the time when he fought Onimaru. Despite overbearing pressure from Noa, Chrono makes a comeback victory, thus allowing Team Striders to advance to the second stage.
#16 - Return of the Vanguard!
Season 8 - Episode 26 - Aired 4/2/2017
Chrono is invited to the first Card Capital shop where he is introduced to Aichi Sendou. After Aichi gets reacquainted with his old friends, he and Kamui take Chrono back to Card Capital 2 to meet with Kouji. Along the way, Chrono gets to learn more about Aichi, who later gives him a new Gear Chronicle card that has a hefty activation cost. When the trio reaches the shop, Kouji is not present. To pass the time till he arrives, Chrono and Aichi decide to have a cardfight.
#17 - Chrono vs. Aichi
Season 8 - Episode 27 - Aired 4/9/2017
Chrono and Aichi engage in a heated cardfight. Although Chrono tries his best to fulfill the conditions of the new card he got from Aichi, he is defeated before getting the chance to use it. Later, when Kouji and Kai arrive, they intend to leave with Aichi and Kamui. Chrono wants to come along, but Kouji decides to test him to see if he is worthy enough.
#18 - Ibuki's Trial
Season 8 - Episode 28 - Aired 4/16/2017
To see if Chrono is strong enough for the challenges to come, Kouji cardfights him. Chrono manages to use the card given to him by Aichi, Beyond Order Dragon, to its fullest potential and defeat Kouji with it. With Chrono proving himself, he goes with Kouji and the others to see someone who knows about Team Diffrider: Nome Tatsunagi.
#19 - Diffrider
Season 8 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/23/2017
Chrono and the others meet and consult with Nome Tatsunagi, who tells them what has been going on. According to him, there are units who come from Planet Cray and possess fighters via a method called "Different World Ride", or "Diffride" for short. However, in the case of Onimaru and Noa, they have been possessed by evil units.
#20 - The Light from Before
Season 8 - Episode 30 - Aired 4/30/2017
The U20 continues into its second stage. Dubbed the Castle Royale, fighters will battle each other in a five-tiered castle area. The first four teams to reach the top of the castle and have the highest amount of points will then advance to the final stage. Furthermore, unlike the first stage, once a fighter loses a match, they will be eliminated with no chance of returning into battle. As the Castle Royale goes underway, Taiyou fights and loses to Team Diffrider's Verno Farenheart.
#21 - Shion vs. Ace
Season 6 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/7/2016
Shion finally manages to call out Ace and challenges him to a cardfight. While battling, Shion reveals all he has learned about Ace, including that the mastermind behind everything is Ryuzu Myoujin. But before Shion could get Ace to confess (to a hidden camera), a biker rides in and escapes with Ace. During the escape, Shion sees that Ace's true identity is Am.
#22 - Storm Ryuzu's Lab!
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/17/2016
Kouji leads an elite team, including TRY3, on a mission to infiltrate Ryuzu's lab to retrieve both his Depend Cards and the units that he had summoned from Cray. There, the group is separated due to the efforts of Ryuzu's security robots led by a young boy named Hiroki Moriyama, a member of the "Company". Chrono and Kouji are furthered separated from Kamui, Tokoha, and Shion; those three wind up in battles against the other Company members, which consists of the enigmatic Sousuke Wakamizu, the Dark Zone branch chief Satoru Enishi, and Shouma. Meanwhile, Chrono and Kouji come face-to-face with Ryuzu. He reveals his ambition to gather specific units called the Zodiac Time Beasts to open the Stride Gate, which he believes will perfect the world. Ultimately, the Company successfully stalls for enough time to transport the Time Beasts to another location and escape. However, due to the accumulative side effects from summoning the Time Beasts, Ryuzu dies but not before giving his last words: "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again."
#23 - Shin Nitta
Season 5 - Episode 35 - Aired 6/28/2015
After learning from Mikuru that his father was a cardfighter and died while on Vanguard business, Chrono feels lost on what he should do. He tries to talk to Shin about it but decides not to. Sensing Chrono is troubled over something, Shin proposes to have a fight with him as a way to find the answer for himself. Shin shows that despite his appearance, he is a highly skilled fighter as he counters Chrono's tactics with his Murakumo deck. At the end of this fierce battle, Chrono manages to win on a gamble. Afterwards, Shin deduces that Chrono was asked by a family member to stop playing Vanguard, and Chrono realizes that he loves the game so much that he cannot quit. So, Chrono eventually confronts Mikuru and tells her his true feelings about Vanguard. Revealed to be acquainted with Shin and hearing from him about how much Vanguard changed Chrono's life, Mikuru now understands Chrono's feelings and allows him to continue playing the game.
#24 - United Sanctuary
Season 5 - Episode 36 - Aired 7/5/2015
Team TRY3 participates in a tournament held at the United Sanctuary branch. The top three fighters will earn not only the right to be part of the branch's special selection but also the chance to fight against Team Demise. As the tournament progresses, TRY3 notices the peculiar behavior and "winning is everything" mentality of the United Sanctuary branch's fighters. In the final round, Chrono faces a familiar friend: Taiyou Asukawa, who has drastically changed from his former timid soft-spoken self. Unbeknownst to Chrono, Taiyou was subjected to a special strengthening program in which he fought against Chrono's Gear Chronicle deck in simulations, thus turning him into a cold calculating fighter. In spite of Taiyou predicting and countering Chrono's every move, Chrono turns the fight around in his favor and wins. After Taiyou is taken away by a security guard who suspiciously looks like Yuya Karasumori, TRY3 is appointed the winner of the tournament. However, the team feels that something is amiss...
#25 - Dog Trainer
Season 5 - Episode 37 - Aired 7/12/2015
Using the special bracelets awarded to them for winning the tournament, TRY3 infiltrates the United Sanctuary branch. However, a security guard mistakes them as native fighters and separates the trio. Tokoha is horrified by the harsh training programs of the branch and decides to confront Rin about it. Elsewhere, Shion is taken to a GIRS arena where he is challenged to a cardfight by that guard who is in fact Yuya as Shion had suspected. While battling against Yuya's new Shadow Paladin deck, Shion is forced to wear the bracelet which delivers physical pain to him whenever he takes damage. When Shouma appears to spectate the match, Yuya reveals how it was Shouma who invited him to the branch. Yuya eventually rose up the ranks and gained the position of Dog Trainer, a security personnel/disciplinary teacher who punishes losers and enforces the branch's mottoes of "winning is everything" and "weakness is a sin" to others. Offended and outraged upon hearing of the branch's morals, Shion swiftly defeats Yuya and then confronts Shouma. Meanwhile, Chrono meets with Taiyou again and tries to convince him that his current mentality of wanting to become strong is not right. As Chrono attempts to flee from the facility with Taiyou, Kouji stands before him.