Kawaii Tarot is, no surprise, absolutely adorable. I remember when I was first learning tarot, there was pressure on a forum I frequented to eschew the cute and go for the dark, serious, masculine. I ended up buying a lot of decks I never liked and no longer own. Nowadays I buy what I like and cute is what I like.
Kawaii Tarot comes in a sturdy box which does not have magnets but which opens from the side like a book, similar to the way magnetic boxes open. It’s one of the thicker, sturdier boxes I’ve seen. There’s a full color little white book with some brief information about each card and about tarot in general.
The backs are supposed to be reversible but they are cut ever so slightly off so if you pay close enough attention you could tell upright from reversed, at least in my copy. The major arcana is not numbered. The card stock is my biggest complaint: it’s fairly thick and sturdy but in a way that feels more like cardboard than a tarot deck.
This is not a deck that depicts humans, so issues of nudity and diversity don’t really come into play. The minor arcana is fully illustrated and follows the Rider Waite Smith tradition.
You might think that in a deck so sweet the symbolism would be missing, but it’s actually amazing how much of it was packed into these cards.
Who might like this deck? Young people or young at heart people or people like me who are old enough to not be afraid of looking childish. People who are drawn to the colors or art style won’t be disappointed, as there are no ugly or off-putting cards in this deck.
Who might not like this deck? Anyone who cares about being considered a Serious Occultist. Also, anyone who got a cavity just looking at the sugary sweetness.
Personally, I love this deck. I give the artwork 5 stars but the cards 4.5 stars. Why? I would have preferred nicer card stock and to see the art borderless.
Kawaii Tarot
Illustrations by Lulu Mayo
Rock Point, 2022
Deana Reads 
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