Kids’ collectors’ cards: gefilte fish anime

October 24, 2021 Kids’ collectors’ cards: gefilte fish anime

Posted at 05:20h in Artifacts, Economy, Gender by Frieda Vizel

Collectible cards, as in, the kind of sets like baseball cards or Pokémon cards, are a popular part of the Hasidic toy industry. I now have cards from five very different collections, each distinct with a separate theme and style. Some cards are about the 613 commandments of the Torah, or about Rebbes, the correct blessings for food, first responder vehicles, and so on.

My favorite series is the anti-smartphone shomrim cards, which I collect. They are generally considered extremist and many shops are reluctant to sell them. On the other hand, there is Storee Town, a card set that I am told sells like hot cakes!

There are hundreds of designs of Storee Town cards. They each feature a different business, and if the business is local, the business contact information. I would assume the designer of the card is collecting a fee for advertising these businesses.

The main attraction of these cards is the “cute” girls featured on each. And yes, you saw right, they are Japanese Anime characters!

When I asked one shopkeeper if no one is making a fuss about these modern cards, he said, “Don’t give them any ideas.”

Here is to hoping the zealots stay offline and don’t read this blog!

Zevy’s Gefilte Fish and a cute but fully covered anime girl

Another fish business meets sailing manga girl

Notice how well the chic clothing styles fit with Hasidic fashions.

The Hasidic women’s headgear called “Shpitzel” looks nothing like this girl’s getup. The image here for the shop selling this pious headgear does not even try to fit.