1997 Ani-Mayhem Set 2: The First Playable Dragon Ball TCG In The West
Before the 2000 Bandai Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game redefined anime TCGs in the West, and well after the 1995 Artbox sticker and non-game card sets captured collectors' eyes, a long-forgotten pioneer made history. In 1997, Upper Deck's anime crossover game Ani-Mayhem (Set 2) introduced American players to the very first playable Dragon Ball card game mechanics.
While Set 1 established the core rules using properties like Tenchi Muyo! and Ranma ½, Set 2 expanded the universe by introducing Dragon Ball characters, items, and locations—giving fans their first opportunity to actually battle with Goku and his allies on tabletop mats.
At the absolute peak of this historic expansion sit the 5 Ultra-Rare Foil cards. These holy grails defined the high-chase tier of late-'90s anime TCG history.
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Origins & Distribution: Upper Deck’s Forgotten DBZ Pioneer
Published by Upper Deck in 1997, Ani-Mayhem Set 2—officially titled the Dragon Ball Z Expansion—stood as the fourth and final instalment of the short-lived crossover system. Comprising a total master set of 243 unnumbered cards, it officially introduced the Foil Ultra-Rare chase tier to North America's first playable Dragon Ball TCG. Distribution was tied directly to Pioneer Entertainment's early licensing agreements, pushing 9-card booster packs and sealed booster boxes into local comic shops, specialty anime stores, and early hobby conventions across North America rather than big-box retail aisles.
Because Upper Deck never published official print run metrics or printed pull odds on booster wrappers, exact production totals remain unconfirmed. However, historical opening data from vintage collectors confirms that Ultra-Rare Foils were seeded at roughly 1 per booster box—making targeted pulls for specific grails like Super Saiyan Goku exceptionally difficult to hit raw, and explaining why pristine among 538 total graded population at PSA for the entire set, there is not a single PSA10 as of writing today.
The 5 Ultra-Rare Foils: Card Breakdown
Before Bandai took the reins in 2000, Upper Deck’s Ani-Mayhem Set 2 gave North America its very first playable Dragon Ball cardboard. Sourced straight from Pioneer's early English dub (the ocean dub era) and Toei Animation’s original promotional frames, these 5 Ultra-Rare Foils represent the absolute peak of late-’90s vintage anime cards.
1. Shen Lon (Flash Effect - Foil Ultra-Rare)
Sourced directly from Toei’s Saiyan Saga art, Shen Lon (Flash Effect - Foil Ultra-Rare) stands alone as the only Flash Effect spell card among the set's 5 Foil Ultra-Rares, while the other four (SS Goku, SS Goten, SS Trunks, and Future Trunks) are permanent Character units. Unlike standard fighters bound to board spaces, Flash cards act as high-speed instant utility spells. As a slab hold, it’s a total powerhouse—dropping a foil Shen Lon in 1997 was the ultimate field flex. As of writing, there is still no PSA 10 Gem Mint recorded in the PSA population report. The hunt for a pristine copy is still open for vintage Dragon Ball TCG collectors.
2. Super Saiyan Goku (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare)
Featuring key art pulled directly from Toei Animation’s Buu Saga production sheets, Super Saiyan - Goku (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare) captures Goku in his sleek, kanji-less orange gi and sharp mid-'90s Super Saiyan linework. Just like the Goten and Trunks foils in the set, Upper Deck leveraged late-era Japanese anime assets long before those story arcs aired in North America. Serving as the undisputed grail of the entire 1997 Ani-Mayhem Set 2 expansion, this stands as the original playable SSJ Goku chase in Western TCG history. Just like the Shen Lon foil, there is still no PSA 10 Gem Mint recorded in the PSA population report—keeping this grail at the very apex of the vintage Dragon Ball TCG market.
3. Super Saiyan Goten (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare)
Pulled from Toei’s Majin Buu Saga anime character design sheets, Super Saiyan Goten (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare) showcases young Goten powering up in his Super Saiyan state, reflecting the lighter, mid-'90s animation cel line work used for the Buu era. It’s a fascinating historical crossover piece—even though English TV audiences in 1997 were still stuck in the Saiyan Saga Ocean Dub, Upper Deck sourced Japanese anime assets from much later in the timeline for this 1997 Ani-Mayhem Set 2 grail. Because raw copies were aggressively shuffled into elementary school play decks without sleeves, catching this unnumbered foil in high grade is near-impossible, with zero PSA 10 Gem Mint copies recorded to date.
4. Super Saiyan - Trunks (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare)
Sourced directly from Toei Animation’s Majin Buu Saga production design sheets, Super Saiyan Trunks (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare) captures Kid Trunks in his dark green gi and orange sash powering up into his Super Saiyan state. Just like Goten and Goku, Upper Deck tapped mid-'90s Japanese anime character models years before the Buu Saga aired on Western television. As with the other Ultra-Rares in 1997 Ani-Mayhem Set 2, condition sensitivity is a major factor—Upper Deck’s heavy full-bleed borders made edge chipping exceptionally common. To date, there is still zero PSA 10 Gem Mint copies recorded in the PSA population report.
5. Future Trunks (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare)
Sourced directly from Toei Animation’s Android Saga character model sheets, Future Trunks (Character - Foil Ultra-Rare) captures the enigmatic swordsman powering up into a Super Saiyan in his iconic purple Capsule Corp jacket and sword strap. Upper Deck’s vibrant purple and silver foil background treatment makes this one of the most visually striking cards in the entire set. Just like the other four Ultra-Rares in 1997 Ani-Mayhem Set 2, finding a flawless copy is virtually impossible due to the fragile full-bleed edges. As of today, there is still zero PSA 10 Gem Mint copies.
Why Ani-Mayhem Set 2 Matters to DBZ Historians
While non-game Artbox releases captured eyes in 1995, Ani-Mayhem Set 2 stands as the true blueprint for Western anime card games, giving fans their first opportunity to construct decks, manage energy, and battle with Dragon Ball Z characters three full years before Bandai's 2000 CCG takeover. Its signature Foil Ultra-Rares feature a distinct, heavy-grained '90s foil pattern that possesses a raw visual character modern printing processes simply cannot replicate. Cut short by a brief distribution run and low market adoption relative to giants like Pokémon or Magic: The Gathering, surviving inventory was heavily played on raw playground concrete without sleeves. Today, navigating condition sensitivity to secure PSA 10 or BGS 9.5 copies of these unnumbered foils represents the ultimate challenge—and the ultimate flex—for vintage vintage DBZ TCG completionists. As always for our discovery articles and guides, raw and graded prices remain very low and accessible at time of writing - so don't miss out on the many listings and auctions going on eBay right before knowledge hits the market.
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