Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring 

Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring continues the line of recent hand traps that makes me wonder what the “C” series could have been had they been better designed. And while Ghost Ogre and Ghost Reaper have had meaningful impacts on the game, Ash Blossom holds her own, even after the recent emergency restriction of Grass. 

I really like cards like these that pose dilemmas to the player as a tech play. I’ve seen decks use Ash or Ogre, but rarely both, and that’s because the player has to decide which will be more useful based on the tournament at stake and the ebbs and flows of the meta at any given time. Future releases of this series (a water type next perhaps?) will only further complicate the matter. Even Winter Cherries could be inserted into the main deck depending on how strong a certain deck is. It was only recently when Blue-Eyes variants were making up 70% of total deck entries in certain Japanese tournaments. 

I especially like Ash Blossom though, more than Ogre and Cherries, for a number of reasons. First off, she’s a fire type which has some harmony with her fellow zombies. She might have a future that outlasts her sisters because of that. Second, she has three separate triggers for her effect, which is more versatile than Ogre and Cherries. If only she could have used her effect on the field like Ogre. But I can’t complain. 

I’d like to see the entire line of these monsters before declaring which will be the best. It’s almost a guarantee we will get a water, wind, and earth type before all is said and done. But since they should have just as much ability post-link format as they do now, I think these girls will have a long and successful career. For my money, Ash is the best of them so far, but as I said before, it all depends on the tournament at stake at any given time. And that’s the key for a really good tech card. 

Advanced: 4/5
Future Potential: 4/5

Hello Pojo Fans,
 
Ash Blossom is arguably the most hyped card in the set, and most useful. I recently saw this little one get pulled out of a pack, which told me not to buy from that box anymore.
 
Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring continues the family of related hand traps, this one being the most versatile.
 
As a hand trap, ABJS gets play during either players turn, always a nice effect for a monster to have. Ditch her to negate pretty much anything. Special Summon from the deck? Nope. Search a card from the deck? Nope. Send a card to the grave from the deck? Nope. Wow, that is power. No seracher cards at all, no Foolish-like effect, no Special Summon from the deck. Doesn't matter if you can only use one Ash Blossom per turn, you can use her during either turn. She has made quite the impact on decks, being run in 3's in several decks, no matter the archetype. She can sit in the hand and wait until the time is right and interrupt the opponents key play and stop their momentum in their tracks. Late game situation she is lethal. Ditch her to stop any chance of a comeback or defense of an opponent.
 
If you pull one, use it. If you somehow get 3, use them all. Make room for her, she's too good.
 
Advanced-5/5- Hesitant to give a perfect here, but she is really that good and has made such an impact
Art-5/5
 
Until Next Time
KingofLullaby