Marvel Snap, the popular digital card battler, has come under fire for allegedly copying artwork from the Japanese TV series Kamen Rider Wizard.
The controversy centers around the design of the Ancient One’s magical shield, which fans say looks strikingly similar to a symbol featured in the Kamen Rider show.
The original designer of the symbol, which was used during the 2012–2013 run of Kamen Rider Wizard, expressed outrage on X (formerly Twitter). In a detailed post, they clarified that the central dragon was designed by PLEX, while the outer circle and spell text were entirely original, created with help from their in-house team. “As a designer, I find it distasteful,” they wrote. “It’s deeply disrespectful to fans of both franchises. It’s painful especially because I’m a huge MARVEL fan myself.”
The striking similarity sparked debate among fans, with side-by-side comparisons of the two designs spreading across social media. The design in Marvel Snap appears nearly identical to the one used in Kamen Rider Wizard, down to the mystical runes and circle patterns.
Marvel Snap’s community manager, Griffin, acknowledged the accusations on the game’s official Discord, stating that the issue is under investigation. However, there’s been no official follow-up or statement since then, raising questions among players and observers alike.
Earlier this year, Marvel Snap also made headlines during the U.S. TikTok controversy, since it was then published by Nuverse, a ByteDance-owned company. Although the TikTok ban was short-lived, the incident contributed to a wave of uncertainty. In January 2025, the developers at Second Dinner announced a shift to a new publisher, Skystone Games, aiming to establish a stronger U.S. presence and perhaps shake off any remaining concerns over ByteDance ties.
With fan trust hanging in the balance and no resolution yet in sight, Marvel Snap may need to move quickly to address the plagiarism accusations-especially if it wants to keep the goodwill of its passionate fanbase.