BICYCLE (Baisukuru) Trump / SHADOW MASTERS (shadow master) (japan import) by ellusionist.com INC

While the Ellusionist site is mainly dedicated to the science and art of prestidigitation, I use these cards for everyday use. After years of playing with the same old, boring cards, I searched the 'net for something new and found these. I was a little skeptical about black playing cards, and initially I (and the people I play with) found them a little difficult to use, but you quickly become adapted to the reversed color, and have even come to prefer them over standard white cards. The reversed contrast somehow makes them a little easier on the eyes over time than white cards.The quality of the cards are very good, although not as high quality as other decks, but then those other decks can cost 2-3 times as much. You should expect at least a year of fairly constant play from these cards unless you're a marathon player.I'm giving the same review to both the Shadow Masters and the Second Edition Black Ghost cards as they are very similar to each other. The difference between the two decks are mainly the Jokers and and the fact that the Shadow Masters tend to darken towards the center of the card.If you are an avid, or even occasional card player and are looking for something new and unique to liven up you card playing, check these cards out. You won't be disappointed.

My family plays card games almost every weekend and these work perfect. Nice looking deck and just floppy enough not to be annoying right out of the box. I am usually a fan of broken in cards more than new ones because they are so hard to hold onto, but I had no issues with these.

well when I received these deck of cards I was just glad to get them, really the feel of them and they handle really well and the cards them selves are awesome.

I love these cards, they are extremely smooth and good quality.Also it has one of the jacks holding a cards annotation in it (mine was the the 3 of diamonds so there was a small 3 and diamond in the jacks hand) and on the ups code it says a different card.

NOT the UV 500 Air Flow finished I was hoping it was. It's just the Performance finish edition of these cards.But if you don't care much for the card finish these are still a good deck of cards to play Go Fish with and impress your friends. Just highly disappointed that it wasn't want I wanted. Giving them Two Stars only because of how fast Shipping was

All the other reviewers seem to have gone ape over this deck. I'm slightly bewildered at that.The deck is printed on thick paper and very slippery. However, it's just a standard red Bicycle deck with a standard red Bicycle back...and ONE unique card (the ace of spades). For me, it's very nice, but nothing to write home about.The finish is "UV500 AIR-FLOW FINISH", whereas all the decks I buy in stores have "AIR-CUSHION FINISH." Don't ask me what the difference is, I can't tell. Both are incredibly slippery, especially when new.My deck's printing is slightly lighter in color than the decks I've bought in stores. Bummer. Also, the illustrations on the face cards are smaller than average. Don't know if this is a new Bicycle standard, or just this deck.Overall, really very nice. But, just nice. I'm not doing cartwheels.

Beautiful looks, sumptuous feel. They were a Christmas gift for my cards-loving husband, and he loved them. We'll be buying more as gifts.

The cards are great. Some of the best looking cards I've ever owned. The Joker is a great looking card, and I wish more style would have been put into the face cards like the Joker. Thats why I gave it 4 and not 5. And if shipping would be rated it would be 1 star. The packaging was a bit rough and way too costly. Its almost as much as the cards themselves. If I could have found them locally I would have purchased them locally.