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Description
1840: In Kanagawa, the great bay of Tokyo, the Master Hokusai decided to open a painting school to share his art with his disciples. You are one of these disciples, and more than anything, you want to prove yourself worthy of the “crazy, old artist”. Follow his teachings to expand your studio and paint your preferred subjects (Trees, Animals, Characters, Buildings), all while paying attention to the changing of the seasons in order to make the most harmonious print… the one that will become the work of your lifetime!
Year Published
2016
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video OYjQTwYz4_0
Rhinoceros game_review at 0:09 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8829 · mention_pk 26049
Click to watch at 0:09
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gorgeous components and illustrations that reinforce the theme and immerse players in the Kanagawa mood
- Fast-paced with meaningful decisions that balance speed and strategic depth
- Flexible scoring with multiple viable pathways and diverse routes to victory
- Strong integration of aesthetic elements with mechanics, enhancing thematic coherence
Cons
- Diploma choices can be strict and punishing if timing and sequencing aren’t managed carefully
- The rules around diplomas and the pacing of rounds may present a learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- The core theme combines artistic apprenticeship, harmonious composition, and the transformation of card-driven lessons into a finished print. The emphasis on harmony, mood, and landscape composition resonates with the painterly philosophy behind Hokusai-inspired works, anchoring mechanics in aesthetic decision-making rather than pure engine-building.
- Kanagawa situates the action in the Great Bay of Tokyo against a backdrop evocative of Edo-period Japan. The theme centers on a student of the great master Hokusai learning to paint, with the landscape and seasonal motifs reflecting traditional ukiyo-e aesthetics. The setting is designed to immerse players in a painterly process where each turn contributes to a larger printed landscape, blending art education with strategic card play.
- Painterly and instructional, with a narrative flow that mirrors practice, refinement, and the gradual assembly of a single harmonious print through repeated rounds of card drafting, card collection, and diploma-driven scoring.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card drafting / row selection — On each turn, players pick one row of lesson cards to draft. The chosen row moves into the player's studio/print, setting up subsequent actions and shaping scoring opportunities for that round and beyond.
- Column grab / set collection — A player may choose a column to collect all cards in that column, trading breadth for depth. This creates a tension between building a broad set and securing a powerful combination that unlocks diploma points.
- Diploma system / category constraints — Diplomas provide milestone scoring when certain landscape combinations are achieved. The rule that only one diploma may be taken per category forces players to weigh the timing of acquisitions and potential alternative routes within the same category.
- Pattern building / print enhancement — Collected cards are used to extend the player's print in the studio. Each addition must align with landscape patterns shown on new cards, driving pattern recognition and strategic planning about which patterns to realize.
- Resource use / studio enhancements — The studio offers improvements and abilities that influence how prints are completed and scored. Managing studio resources, such as brushes, links the act of painting to the strategic sequencing of turns and card usage.
- Scoring via harmony / long sequences — Harmony points come from lesson cards and from meeting additional criteria, such as the longest sequence of identical seasons. This multi-path scoring encourages both card diversity and the maintenance of coherent sequences.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's Kanagawa
- one of the most beautiful games out there with a unique theme and gameplay
- gorgeous components and illustrations
- not just a pretty game it's fast paced and at the same time gives you very interesting decisions
- flexibility in terms of the ways of scoring
- you must be able to match the combinations of the landscape shown on the new card and use brushes for them
- the game ends when at the end of around the deck is empty or when one or more players have at least 11 cards in their print
- you should definitely give it a try
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GQthybMrgzQ
Corporate Cardboard general_discussion at 29:10 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 6947 · mention_pk 20574
Click to watch at 29:10
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- beautiful component aesthetics
- multi-use cards and timing create interesting tension
- flow is elegant and thematic
Cons
- learning curve can be a bit confusing
- gameplay may feel underwhelming to some after initial impression
Thematic elements
- artistic creation with panoramas
- Japanese landscape painting
- aesthetic, contemplative
Comparison games
- Notable Coloreto-style drafting games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting / multi-use cards — cards serve painting and prerequisites for paintings
- row/column drafting (Coloretto-like) — take cards to maximize painting options while delaying others
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- i think this game is actually a huge step up when it comes to decisions choices
- it's not the best game in the world but it's fun
- the more you upgrade the jeep track, the more movement you get in your park
- this is did it so well that replaced the game for you
- it's a race game and the more you upgrade, the more income you receive
- the q system is really clever and unique
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4Z8_t2e4MEY
Before You Play top_50_list at 28:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4734 · mention_pk 13810
Click to watch at 28:10
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful art; Beth Sobel artwork is often highlighted
- tight rules; easy to teach to players who like set collection
- strong for finishing games with compact momentum
Cons
- suits and color differentiation can be hard to read for some players
- thematic clarity can feel abstract to non-art-focused groups
Thematic elements
- set collection and tableau-building around a painting mat
- Art school; painting and studio creation
- elegant, aesthetic-driven
Comparison games
- Cascadia
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card drafting / grid selection — Choose columns of cards to stay in or drop out of the round.
- Mural building and scoring — End-of-round scoring based on patterns and combinations on your painting mat.
- set collection — Collect cards to assemble a painting with various thematic motifs.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we are embarking on our top 50 journey
- the games for the most part are going to be shipped directly from the publishers
- we have excluded games that we've only played one time
- crossovers obviously because we share a collection a lot
- please keep in mind we are not here to sway you one way or the other but we do have to disclose
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video r7dkzLc1c1Q
Brothers Murf top_10_list at 8:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 3268 · mention_pk 9664
Click to watch at 8:18
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Relaxing in both theme and gameplay
- Beautiful art and thematic cohesion
Cons
- Some players may find the drafting decisions slow
- Requires planning ahead to maximize painting sets
Thematic elements
- Artistic growth and landscape depiction
- School for landscape painting, panoramic art
- Calm, contemplative, painterly
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting / puzzle-painting — Draft cards to add to a panorama while developing painting skills and achieving scoring objectives.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not going to bog you down
- it's a game that's relaxing
- the art is really appealing and just really kind of comforting
- this is one of those games that feels so calm and open
- Cribage is the best
- Cascadia works
- the game is lovely
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BSERix8dSUg
Our Family Plays Games top_10_list at 19:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 969 · mention_pk 2727
Click to watch at 19:45
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Beautiful components and art
- Calm, contemplative two-player experience
Cons
- Can be slow for impatient players
Thematic elements
- artistic construction of prints
- Japan-inspired woodblock painting aesthetic
- peaceful, aesthetic-focused
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Pattern Building — Arrange cards to meet criteria and score points.
- set collection — Collect cards to form a cohesive art mural.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a really cool it doesn't get enough love because it's a really cool game
- I win at it all the time and I don't even know why
- the market manipulates you
- I do love some space cowboys
- stab you in the back everybody yes
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tkLngQG4t-U
OSPG Voices general_discussion at 24:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 372 · mention_pk 1131
Click to watch at 24:42
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful components
- calming, elegant design
- solid two-to-four player experience
Cons
- can feel weighty for casual players
- timing can be tight for beginners
Thematic elements
- Japanese-style art and wall paintings
- Historical Japan; artful wall/panel building
- Calm, design-focused
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Pattern Building — assemble patterns on a wall using tiles
- tile drafting / placement — draft and place tiles to form a cohesive display
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a filler card game
- it's a fun game
- you cannot cut corners publishers
- this is big news
- unbox now is gonna feature digital guides and tutorials
- it's a really cool set collection game
- overshadowed by Splendor
- the money and the product are the same card
- we wore out the cards
- it's a unique sphere game
- it's calming
- check out the little paintbrush components
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–6 of 6