Happy Tarot by Lo Scarabeo

Le Fanu

GlitterNova said:
I hope you're right, Le Fanu. I love things done in this cute chibi style. The more adorable, happy decks, the better! Of course I'm sure this makes many people cringe, too

I love how it is cute but hasn't watered down the Death card or 10 of Swords etc. It is still very much a proper RWS clone. No Transformation or Materialism. There is a Devil and there is Death.

I don't see it as a deck to read for younger querents or teenage girls with. I think the right adults would get the "fun" element. It is a tarot for the Candy Crush generation (which we all know is 25-45 year old females). It would be misleading to think of it as merely a children's tarot.

Slight wish (not criticism) - I wish the colours were more saturated. It isn't pale but for this level of sugariness, I think it should be richer and pinker and more saturated. Sort of Candy Crush colours. In fact, I think Candy Tarot would be a more fitting name than Happy Tarot.

But such a sweet deck and I was never looking for a *sweet* deck.

GlitterNova

Le Fanu said:
I love how it is cute but hasn't watered down the Death card or 10 of Swords etc. It is still very much a proper RWS clone. No Transformation or Materialism. There is a Devil and there is Death.

That's a very good point. Perhaps 'exuberant' is a better word than just 'happy' for this deck. It's a nice change from the serene/calm/meditative/introspective-type decks for which there are so many (think DV-type decks, you know what I mean). I get the feeling that this will be a very readable deck because of the expressive faces and the strong, obvious emotions being shown. (I don't actually own this deck, I'm just going by the images I've seen online of it)

Le Fanu

GlitterNova said:
I get the feeling that this will be a very readable deck because of the expressive faces and the strong, obvious emotions being shown.

Actually, now that you've said it, I have to say I don't think the faces are massively expressive. Something I noticed at the outset. The cards are all very lovely and readable with so much going on - so much pinkness and clouds and candy decoration and amusing cutesiness - but the faces are not expressive for me. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful, engaging deck.

The feeling when looking at it is similar to the feeling I had when looking at the Hello Kitty deck for the first time. Something cute and funny but slightly inappropriate for a tarot deck. Like you don't expect such fluffiness - and yet it works. I can't help thinking that the concept of this deck has been influenced by the existence of the Hello Kitty deck which could never be commercialised. It provokes the same sensation. They must have sensed that there was a public for a deck such as this.

It's also connected I suspect to the infantilisation (?) of people in general (can I say that?) I mean, adults like pink candiness and cutesiness and are proud of it, meaning the deck is not really aimed at children. We are growing ever-more childlike as consumers.

Tibor

I just received it in the post today and I love it. I do not have a deck quite like this so I am glad I bought it. I think it is a very readable deck on many levels. IMO the colours are bold enough and there is a lot of detail on the cards. Just like Le Fanu pointed out: even though it is literally coated with a lot of sugar but they still portrayed the darker or more negative cards just like they should be (e.g. 10 of Swords).

Farzon

Le Fanu said:
I love how it is cute but hasn't watered down the Death card or 10 of Swords etc. It is still very much a proper RWS clone. No Transformation or Materialism. There is a Devil and there is Death.

I don't see it as a deck to read for younger querents or teenage girls with. I think the right adults would get the "fun" element. It is a tarot for the Candy Crush generation (which we all know is 25-45 year old females). It would be misleading to think of it as merely a children's tarot.

Slight wish (not criticism) - I wish the colours were more saturated. It isn't pale but for this level of sugariness, I think it should be richer and pinker and more saturated. Sort of Candy Crush colours. In fact, I think Candy Tarot would be a more fitting name than Happy Tarot.

But such a sweet deck and I was never looking for a *sweet* deck.

All my (male) friends play Candy Crush....

Le Fanu said:
Actually, now that you've said it, I have to say I don't think the faces are massively expressive. Something I noticed at the outset. The cards are all very lovely and readable with so much going on - so much pinkness and clouds and candy decoration and amusing cutesiness - but the faces are not expressive for me. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful, engaging deck.

The feeling when looking at it is similar to the feeling I had when looking at the Hello Kitty deck for the first time. Something cute and funny but slightly inappropriate for a tarot deck. Like you don't expect such fluffiness - and yet it works. I can't help thinking that the concept of this deck has been influenced by the existence of the Hello Kitty deck which could never be commercialised. It provokes the same sensation. They must have sensed that there was a public for a deck such as this.

It's also connected I suspect to the infantilisation (?) of people in general (can I say that?) I mean, adults like pink candiness and cutesiness and are proud of it, meaning the deck is not really aimed at children. We are growing ever-more childlike as consumers.

You might be right about the infantile customers. Reading your posts has definetly enabled me.... I wouldn't order it but as an occasional buy [emoji28]. Wouldn't bemy to go deck perhaps, but I can definetly see me using this deck for online readings.

Shade

Le Fanu said:
I love how it is cute but hasn't watered down the Death card or 10 of Swords etc. It is still very much a proper RWS clone. No Transformation or Materialism. There is a Devil and there is Death.

I was totally taken aback when I saw the teeny tiny preview of the Death card in the catalog and their looked to be a figure in the card who had gone ker-PLUNK in front of the Death figure. I was not expecting this from a deck that was mostly candy and marshmallows. I never got the Whimsical or Inner Child or Fairy Tale decks but I find myself feeling very desirous of a copy of this one.

Le Fanu

Shade said:
I was totally taken aback when I saw the teeny tiny preview of the Death card in the catalog and their looked to be a figure in the card who had gone ker-PLUNK in front of the Death figure. I was not expecting this from a deck that was mostly candy and marshmallows. I never got the Whimsical or Inner Child or Fairy Tale decks but I find myself feeling very desirous of a copy of this one.

Oh yes, there's a candy corpse face down, a bishop mid-howl and Death grinning. Love it.

And the 10 of Swords has some of the swords stabbed in the head and a forlorn kitty looking on. Not for the faint hearted perhaps.

I personally hate those watered down decks for children's parties, like the Inner Child or Whimsical. Yuk.

feynrir

Definitely an Adventure Time vibe. Do love!!

I just saw this today.

Someday it will rise higher up on my priority list, and I will be so glad to read with it

For now it's being added to the wish list.

Little_Bear

Happy Tarot

Le Fanu said:
Oh yes, there's a candy corpse face down, a bishop mid-howl and Death grinning. Love it.

And the 10 of Swords has some of the swords stabbed in the head and a forlorn kitty looking on. Not for the faint hearted perhaps.

I personally hate those watered down decks for children's parties, like the Inner Child or Whimsical. Yuk.

Dammit! I had been wavering about buying this deck because I wasn't sure if it would just be too cutesy for me and not enough edge but now I've been enabled.

I own and love the Tarot of the Magical Forest, which I know some say is too cute for them too but I also find it a little creepy and dark. Sounds like the Happy Tarot is in the same vein.

*pootles off to add deck to wish list*

Nina*

Le Fanu said:
The feeling when looking at it is similar to the feeling I had when looking at the Hello Kitty deck for the first time. Something cute and funny but slightly inappropriate for a tarot deck. Like you don't expect such fluffiness - and yet it works. I can't help thinking that the concept of this deck has been influenced by the existence of the Hello Kitty deck which could never be commercialised. It provokes the same sensation. They must have sensed that there was a public for a deck such as this.

It's also connected I suspect to the infantilisation (?) of people in general (can I say that?) I mean, adults like pink candiness and cutesiness and are proud of it, meaning the deck is not really aimed at children. We are growing ever-more childlike as consumers.

I think you're right about this, LF.
I just received this deck from Alidastore today and even as a very grown up woman I adore it. But then, I also love both pink and candy and being more of a dogs person, I'd also prefer this one to the Hello Kitty.

Happy Tarot by Lo Scarabeo

Le Fanu

GlitterNova

Le Fanu

Tibor

Farzon

Shade

Le Fanu

feynrir

Little_Bear

Nina*