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The Booster Pack Rainbow refers to the cycle of background colors on Booster Pack sleeves followed by each series of OCG and TCG Booster Packs. This cycle was introduced in the OCG with Series 2, where it consisted of nine colors: green, yellow, red, orange, blue, purple, black, white, and brown. The brown was dropped after Series 3, and was not used in the TCG. The rainbow was introduced to the TCG beginning with Series 4, marking the beginning of the OCG and TCG receiving the same packs and thus following the same pattern.

Starting with Series 9, each series corresponds with the 3-year run of the anime series (with Series 9 corresponding to the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime and Series 10 to VRAINS), instead of the previous timespan of 2 years. As a result, Series 9 had twelve main booster releases instead of only eight; the first eight followed the established rainbow pattern, but the last four were respectively darker shades of blue, green, red, and yellow. On Series 10 there was a change: the Black set was released after the White one instead of prior to it. It could be possibly to match the Monster Card type of the cover card (the Savage Strike cover card is a Synchro Monster and the Dark Neostorm cover card is an Xyz Monster).

So far, every Green set has had the word "Duelist" in its name since Series 4 (the Series 2 and 3 boosters instead had "Ruler" in their names), and has either introduced a new gameplay dynamic, or elevated a previous mechanic (Magic Ruler introduced Quick-Play Spell Cards, The New Ruler introduced the first archetype, Soul of the Duelist introduced "LV" monsters, Power of the Duelist introduced fast-paced Fusion strategies with "Future Fusion" and "Overload Fusion", The Duelist Genesis introduced Synchro Monsters, Duelist Revolution augmented Synchro Monsters by introducing Synchro Fusion Monsters like "Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste", Return of the Duelist introduced an attribute-based series of boosters—this one being an EARTH-based booster pack, Duelist Alliance introduced Pendulum Monsters, and Code of the Duelist introduced Link Monsters).

Likewise, a trend has been seen with the Black and White sets. Like their name, the Black sets introduce predominantly DARK monsters that alter the metagame at the time of that set's release (Shadow of Infinity released the Sacred Beasts and "Demise, King of Armageddon", Phantom Darkness released "Dark Armed Dragon", Absolute Powerforce released "Battle Fader", Order of Chaos released the "Inzektor" archetype, and Legacy of the Valiant released "Gravekeeper's" support). Conversely, the White sets introduce predominantly LIGHT monsters designed to counter what was introduced in the prior Black set (Enemy of Justice released numerous monsters used in Counter Fairy Decks, Light of Destruction released "Honest" and the "Lightsworn" archetype, The Shining Darkness released "Herald of Perfection", Galactic Overlord introduced the "Lightray" series, and Primal Origin introduced the "Artifact" archetype).

Other apparent patterns are:

  • Brown packs feature a singular, powerful juggernaut-like monster.
  • Every Blue pack features a Dragon-Type (or Dragon-like) cover card (with the exception of Judgment of the Light and recently Cybernetic Horizon) that was owned by a major character in the anime.
  • Purple packs feature upgraded versions of past monsters (with the exception of Photon Shockwave, though its cover card shares many similarities with "Blue-Eyes White Dragon").
  • Orange packs feature the ace cards of the non-main characters (with the exception of Extreme Victory).
  • Every Cover Card on the Yellow packs after Rise of Destiny feature the ace monsters of several main characters of the series, of which all of them are either upgraded versions or counterparts of monsters that each respective character also owns and uses. Due to Series 11 not being co-related to an OCG anime spin-off series, the monster on the art cover of Phantom Rage is related to a character of Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V.
  • Red packs feature a Dragon-Type or red-colored monsters, with the exception of Flaming Eternity and Extreme Force.

Japanese only[]

Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple Black White Brown
2 Magic Ruler
Magic Ruler
Pharaoh's Servant
Pharaoh's Servant
Curse of Anubis
Curse of Anubis
Thousand Eyes Bible
Thousand Eyes Bible
Spell of Mask
Spell of Mask
Labyrinth of Nightmare
Labyrinth of Nightmare
Struggle of Chaos
Struggle of Chaos
Mythological Age
Mythological Age
Pharaonic Guardian
Pharaonic Guardian
3 The New Ruler
The New Ruler
Advent of Union
Advent of Union
Champion of Black Magic
Champion of Black Magic
Power of the Guardian
Power of the Guardian
Threat of the Dark Demon World
Threat of the Dark Demon World
Controller of Chaos
Controller of Chaos
Invader of Darkness
Invader of Darkness
The Sanctuary in the Sky
The Sanctuary in the Sky
Pharaoh's Inheritance
Pharaoh's Inheritance
Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple Black White Brown

Worldwide[]

Series 4-8[]

Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple Black White
4 Soul of the Duelist
Soul of the Duelist
Rise of Destiny
Rise of Destiny
Flaming Eternity
Flaming Eternity
The Lost Millennium
The Lost Millennium
Cybernetic Revolution
Cybernetic Revolution
Elemental Energy
Elemental Energy
Shadow of Infinity
Shadow of Infinity
Enemy of Justice
Enemy of Justice
5 Power of the Duelist
Power of the Duelist
Cyberdark Impact
Cyberdark Impact
Strike of Neos
Strike of Neos
Force of the Breaker
Force of the Breaker
Tactical Evolution
Tactical Evolution
Gladiator's Assault
Gladiator's Assault
Phantom Darkness
Phantom Darkness
Light of Destruction
Light of Destruction
6 The Duelist Genesis
The Duelist Genesis
Crossroads of Chaos
Crossroads of Chaos
Crimson Crisis
Crimson Crisis
Raging Battle
Raging Battle
Ancient Prophecy
Ancient Prophecy
Stardust Overdrive
Stardust Overdrive
Absolute Powerforce
Absolute Powerforce
The Shining Darkness
The Shining Darkness
7 Duelist Revolution
Duelist Revolution
Starstrike Blast
Starstrike Blast
Storm of Ragnarok
Storm of Ragnarok
Extreme Victory
Extreme Victory
Generation Force
Generation Force
Photon Shockwave
Photon Shockwave
Order of Chaos
Order of Chaos
Galactic Overlord
Galactic Overlord
8 Return of the Duelist
Return of the Duelist
Abyss Rising
Abyss Rising
Cosmo Blazer
Cosmo Blazer
Lord of the Tachyon Galaxy
Lord of the Tachyon Galaxy
Judgment of the Light
Judgment of the Light
Shadow Specters
Shadow Specters
Legacy of the Valiant
Legacy of the Valiant
Primal Origin
Primal Origin
Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple Black White

Series 9 onward[]

Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple Black White Dark blue Dark green Dark red Dark yellow
9 Duelist Alliance
Duelist Alliance
The New Challengers
The New Challengers
Secrets of Eternity
Secrets of Eternity
Crossed Souls
Crossed Souls
Clash of Rebellions
Clash of Rebellions
Dimension of Chaos
Dimension of Chaos
Breakers of Shadow
Breakers of Shadow
Shining Victories
Shining Victories
The Dark Illusion
The Dark Illusion
Invasion: Vengeance
Invasion: Vengeance
Raging Tempest
Raging Tempest
Maximum Crisis
Maximum Crisis
Black and white swapped
Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple White Black Dark blue Dark green Dark red Dark yellow
10 Code of the Duelist
Code of the Duelist
Circuit Break
Circuit Break
Extreme Force
Extreme Force
Flames of Destruction
Flames of Destruction
Cybernetic Horizon
Cybernetic Horizon
Soul Fusion
Soul Fusion
Savage Strike
Savage Strike
Dark Neostorm
Dark Neostorm
Rising Rampage
Rising Rampage
Chaos Impact
Chaos Impact
Ignition Assault
Ignition Assault
Eternity Code
Eternity Code
White and black swapped
Series Green Yellow Red Orange Blue Purple Black White Dark blue Dark green Dark red Dark yellow
11 Rise of the Duelist
Rise of the Duelist
Phantom Rage
Phantom Rage
Blazing Vortex
Blazing Vortex
Lightning Overdrive
Lightning Overdrive
Dawn of Majesty
Dawn of Majesty
Burst of Destiny
Burst of Destiny
Battle of Chaos
Battle of Chaos
Dimension Force
Dimension Force
Power of the Elements
Power of the Elements
Darkwing Blast
Darkwing Blast
Photon Hypernova
Photon Hypernova
Cyberstorm Access
Cyberstorm Access
12 Duelist Nexus
Duelist Nexus
Age of Overlord
Age of Overlord
Phantom Nightmare
Phantom Nightmare
Legacy of Destruction
Legacy of Destruction
The Infinite Forbidden
The Infinite Forbidden
TBA
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