Build Divide - What We Know So Far

In the early 2000s, trading card game anime and their resulting card games became the rage for fans worldwide. The era provided some notable series, but one of the most beloved by card duelists is "Yu-Gi-Oh!" There's no doubt that the anime, as well as its actual card game, holds a special place in the hearts of a generation of fans. It's arguable that "Yu-Gi-Oh!" set the bar when it comes to the trading card game genre of anime, but it looks like studio Aniplex is aiming to raise it.

According to Crunchyroll, earlier this year Aniplex unveiled "Build Divide," a project that involves an original trading card game and anime series. The anime, titled "Build Divide – #000000 (Code Black)," is being developed by Liden Films and also features "Kakegurui" manga and novel authors Homura Kawamoto and Hikaru Muno as the story writers. "Kakegurui" is the intense gambling anime that heated up Netflix, so having the two writers on "Build Divide" shows that Aniplex wants the anime series to have a massive cultural impact. And we'll get to see if the studio accomplishes this feat sooner than later.

Here's everything we know about "Build Divide" so far.

While there isn't much of a wait for the release of "Build Divide," we won't get the entire series when it premieres as it'll be split into two parts. According to Anime News Network, the first part of "Build Divide" will premiere in Japan on October 10, 2021. The anime premiere is part of a two-hit combo, as the actual card game is also scheduled to debut in the same month. The other half of "Build Divide" is set to premiere in April 2022.

Western audiences need not worry about trying to catch "Build Divide," as Crunchyroll confirmed that it will simulcast "Build Divide" episodes as it runs in Japan. The streaming service noted that viewers could expect each episode to stream Saturdays at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. It's currently unclear how many episodes the first part, or cour, of "Build Divide" will run. As per Live About, a cour of anime episodes could run anywhere from 10 to 14. So we could probably expect something in that range before the series continues in April with a similar number of episodes.

The teaser trailer for "Build Divide" not only shows off some of the anime's slick animation, but we also get some proper character introductions. The main character shown in the trailer and key visuals released so far is a boy named Teruto Karabe, who the trailer describes as an amnesiac. However, it appears that he hasn't lost any of his abilities with the cards. Teruto isn't alone in his battles, as he's joined by a mysterious girl named Sakura Banka. Sakura seems filled with the knowledge of how the card game works and generally what it takes for anyone to survive in Neo Kyoto.

Besides Teruto and Sakura, very little else is revealed of the anime's other characters. The trailer also shows an older man beckoning any worthy challengers. This is probably the king that everyone has to beat to get their wish granted. Besides him, there are also flashes of a few other characters who may become other challengers Teruto will have to face.

Per Crunchyroll, there is an official synopsis of "Build Divide," and it does provide some proper insight into the setting of this card game anime. "Build Divide" is set in Neo Kyoto, a uniquely futuristic take on the famous Japanese city. In this version of Kyoto, one's worth is related to just how good they are in the game "Build Divide." Within Neo Kyoto, there's a king of this game, and anyone who can beat him will have any wish granted. It looks like "Build Divide" will follow Teruto and Sakura on their quest to challenge this king.

With the trailer revealing Teruto as someone who lost his memories, perhaps the plot of "Build Divide" will give some tidbits into his origin. It's likely that Teruto's driving force for even getting involved in "Build Divide" is to restore his memories. The anime could also delve into Sakura's origins and explain why she wants to help Teruto. Yet, besides Teruto and Sakura, there are bigger questions to address. Why did "Build Divide" become so crucial for Neo Kyoto? And just how did the king of the game reach the top spot? Hopefully, we'll get some answers soon when the first part of the series premieres.