A Japanese television report says it may have spotted Japan’s next big thing: drinkable Street Fighter 6 trading cards. Each card holds a tiny serving of energy, 12ml to be exact, and comes printed with artwork from Capcom’s fighting game lineup.
You fold one of the cards in the middle, a move that would normally make collectors grimace, then sip the small amount of liquid from the middle. The cards are known as Energy Arts, and the segment displayed versions featuring Ryu, E. Honda, Dhalsim, Jamie, and Vega.
The broadcast placed these drinkable cards in its list of possible breakthrough products for 2027. Each one includes 12ml of an energy beverage, and the card-and-drink maker already has a collaboration tied to Capcom’s Street Fighter series.
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Energy Arts was first revealed earlier in the year. The official announcement said there are 24 cards to gather, and described the concept as a way to replace ordinary ideas about drinking with what it called smart replenishment.
The product was designed with esports players in mind, giving them a bit of fuel and energy between matches without stopping for something like a bottle of water.
“Whether you are gaming, sitting for an exam, joining a meeting, or behind the wheel—in any situation that demands focus, the reality that recharging means breaking that focus is a challenge for many people,” the release said.
Rather than using caffeine like many energy drinks, the formula relies on what the company calls fast-acting amino acids. The limited amount of liquid also helps reduce the bathroom issue, since your bladder is unlikely to notice much of it.
The cards can stay unopened for 18 months before the contents start to spoil. What remains unclear is how they are meant to be kept as collectibles if you do not want to bend them or open them at all.