Well well well, one of the biggest gambles in Magic's history has been fully spoiled.
I think Neon Dynasty is a gamble for two reasons: First, it's echoing a set that was widely, and rightfully, panned. There's a lot of reason why the first Kamigawa set was disliked but all of them are valid.
Going back is not something you just DO, right? However, the rich lore, art, and fervor from people who loved Kamigawa brought WotC back, which I think is a good thing.
So they brought it back to the future. (Sorry, I had to but I can't possibly be the first one to say it.)
Setting Kamigawa 1,000 years after the original means that we are getting a very different set, one that breaks hard from Magic's traditional naming and aesthetic. Fans might react badly to this direction.
Personally, I think it's really, really cool. The proof will be in the pudding though and the criticisms of original Kamigawa-notably that it was an underpowered set which not only didn't stand up to the sets around it, wasn't fun to play on it's own-linger around the corner of Neon Dynasty, waiting to jump on it.
Let's take a look.
One big picture note; the art direction in Neon Dynasty is outstanding. They really tried to blend the fantastical and the modern in interesting ways and the set is all the better for it.
White
Huh. So there are ninjas in the other colors now.
That aside, the push into making White a Vehicle friendly color is a good decision and a way to make it distinct from Blue's affinity for artifacts. I've said it before but they keep finding new inroads. Plus, it gives White a new direction to go into, and with Neon Dynasty there might just be a critical mass of vehicles to utilize to make a new kind of deck. Tapping a card like Hotshot Mechanic to make Parhelion II go seems like a great value proposition.
I appreciate the flavor direction of giving Samurai a boost when they attack alone, but I wonder if it'll turn Limited games into a real grind. There's also the first of cards like When We Were Young that give a bonus if you have an artifact and an enchantment. That seems like a higher bar to meet than most people are going to get.
The Aura subtheme is interesting; seems to be a pretty strong undercurrent for White for years but the drawbacks to Auras means that it never goes anywhere. I do like the return of enchantment creatures-a little bit of a surprise to see in Neon Dynasty but they do fit thematically and didn't exist in OG Kamigawa. Reconfigure is a nice workaround to make Equipment creatures, and having the Bestow mechanic to work off means that players should take to this idea pretty easily.
(I really like that there is an Equipment Monkey in the set).
Maybe the barrier to get an artifact and enchantment isn't as high as I think.
Blue
The first instance I note of having something be "modified" with Guardians of Oboro. This occupies a similar space for me as Dominaria's "historic" notation. The qualifications for modification are easier to reach-WotC wisely uses "a counter" to qualify, instead of specifying a type of counter. That gives the quality more flexibility and reach into other sets, which I appreciate.
There are also more instances of Channel and I think they've improved upon the mechanic. It seems more playable and diverse than the Saviors of Kamigawa cards and I think that the value of Stifle has just gone up a bit. (In this respect, I'm hoping there is some kind of Stifle reprint/effect in the near future).
Otherwise, the color seems to be in a strange place. Ninjutsu is there, artifact interactions, all expected but it feels a little thin. I started to notice this with White; there are multiple themes, but shallow and so it's hard for me to get a grip on the color.
On the other hand, it probably makes for a lot of interesting options in Limited so I'm not complaining.
Black
The Reconfigure creatures in Black look wild, don't they? Heavy purples and blacks making them pop. That actually seems to be a motif for the weapons in Black overall; looking at Enormous Energy Blade.
Also, the art for Return To Action isn't like anything I'm seeing in the set and that's wild.
The art in Black overall has a lot more dynamic impact to me, than usual. The introduction of all those purple shades is a definite plus.
As with the other colors, the power level seems a bit the same; broad but shallow. I appreciate the possibility of many interlocking pieces I just hope that this set will mesh with those around it more than the original.
Red
Ah, there's Akki War Paint and that looks like Return To Action. Jeremy Wilson (the artist) has got my attention and I'm interested to see if he does other art for Magic. Doesn't look like he's done much other art but this stuff is striking to me.
I am seeing a sacrifice theme run through Red and Black. I presume it's supported well enough but that kind of theme always seems risky to me-not enough payout for the reward.
Time will tell.
I do have a place in my heart for Tempered in Solitude. I know it's an add-on for the Samurai decks but it makes me think of the very tiny theme in Black where if you have only one creature, you get a bonus-Homicidal Seclusion is an example of that.
A chance to play an extra card each turn? That might be worth a build.
Green
I feel like the art in Green is in the oddest place in this set because Neon Dynasty is so clearly centered around a city. This problem appears in Ravnica too, but because of the fantasy rooting of the City of Guilds, plus a continual partnership with the other colors, it doesn't stand out quite as much. Boon of Boseiju is a great example: neon lights and tree trunk armor in the same image is strange. I suppose your mileage may vary when it comes to whether or not that is offputting. I think it clashes a bit but it also offers some very interesting contrasts.
Or opportunities, as with Fade into Antiquity, using the setting as a way to illustrate the card's mechanical bent. Very cool.
Tamiyo's Safekeeping is a real standout and might be one of if not the best common of the set. One mana to make a permanent indestructible, untargetable, and gain 2 life? How is that not the best deal ever?
Multicolor
While there's nothing that seems overly interesting, they are good support cards for the themes of the set.
I am bummed about what happens to Tamiyo, though. The Praetors are not messing about.
Artifacts & Lands
It is cards like Runaway Trash-Bot that give me hope that Magic can still be fun, since the designers are clearly having a good time. Again; lots of solid support for the themes of vehicles and modified, with role players for Limited.
The common lands are fine-good for you if you haven't picked those up and if you have; the new art is pretty awesome.
The Channel lands are all pretty solid. Themed well, nice utility if you draw multiples, I like them. The green one is certainly a step above the others but I fail to see how any of them are bad; they are virtually uncounterable effects that get cheaper if you have a legendary creature. Well, as of writing there are 423 Legendary creatures at 3 mana or less. I think you'll have options.
Final impressions: I don't think Neon Dynasty does much to reinvent the wheel. This set feels pretty safe, at least from a mechanical perspective. That's OK: there is plenty to dive into regarding art and lore and that's something that definitely holds over from the original Kamigawa.
At the very least, I believe that there's enough playability here that people can have a better time with this set than before. Neon Dynasty doesn't look to have any obvious clunkers, and that suggests a pretty good limited environment, with the strong possibility of playing well in the larger Magic ecosystem.
I don't know that this is a home run, but it's a pretty solid double, for now and that could be all we need to get a third Kamigawa set.
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