UNION ARENA’s English (Asia) rules page now applies three new copy limits from 1 October 2026. Two cards are restricted to one copy and one card to two copies. The change affects authorised and official tournaments using the Asia-region rules; it should not be assumed to apply automatically to the separate U.S./Canada environment.
The three new limits
- IMS-3-040 Black Comet — maximum 1 copy. In the purple CoMETIK deck from THE IDOLM@STER SHINY COLORS, Bandai says the card can be sent to the Outside Area to draw and increase hand size early without paying AP. The publisher states that both usage and win rates exceeded its thresholds.
- MST-1-051 Roxy — maximum 1 copy. In green Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation decks, Roxy can place a chosen card in the Outside Area, provide two Activation Energy and serve as a Raid base. Bandai identifies that concentration of roles as a major source of consistency.
- EVA-1-105 Evangelion Unit-00 — maximum 2 copies. In the red Pseudo-Evolution deck, the card can convert leaving the field into card selection and access to a low-energy Rei Ayanami, while also contributing defensive value. Bandai again cites usage and win rates above its internal thresholds.
What players must change
The normal UNION ARENA deckbuilding limit is four cards with the same card number. Different illustrations do not create separate copy allowances: if the card number is identical, all versions count together. For a tournament governed by the English (Asia) rules, deck checks therefore need to count every printing of these three numbers before registration.
This update does not replace the rest of the restricted list. Existing limits shown on the official page remain in force, so checking only the three newcomers is not enough when preparing for an event.
Region matters
Bandai maintains separate English sites for Asia and U.S./Canada. The 1 October additions appear on the English (Asia) restriction page. At the time of verification on 4 October 2026, the U.S./Canada page still displayed its own list, headed by restrictions effective 17 April 2026, and did not mirror these three additions. Players in Europe or at cross-regional events should use the rules link supplied by their organiser rather than importing a list from another region.
Why Bandai made the change
Producer Kiyoshi Miyagawa’s message says the team reviewed official and sanctioned tournament results and usage rates from April 2026 onward. The stated objective is to prevent a fixed metagame while preserving the variety of titles that defines UNION ARENA. The rules page also says restrictions are reviewed roughly every six months, although a review does not guarantee a change.
For competitive players, the practical takeaway is simple: verify the event region, update the three affected counts where applicable, and recheck the complete official list before submitting a deck.
Official sources
- UNION ARENA English (Asia): Restrictions on Card Usage
- Producer’s Message vol.10 — 1 October 2026
- UNION ARENA U.S./Canada: About Banned/Restricted Cards
Sources checked on 4 October 2026. Tournament rules can change; always consult the page for your event region.
