Shorikai, Genesis EngineShorikai, Genesis Engine | Art by Wisnu Tan

Hey, everyone! After last week's article on the most played amass cards in honor of the mechanic returning in The Hobbit, today it feels like Christmas in August. That's because I get to write about what is probably my favorite set of all time, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)! Everything about it screams home run to me: the flavor, the mechanics, and the individual card designs that have hacked into various Constructed formats over the years. In fact, I'm tired of waiting; let's just dive right in so you see what I mean!

10. Junji, the Midnight SkyJunji, the Midnight Sky - 122,971 decks

Whenever I play with cards considered to be among the best in their respective Limited formats, I wonder what kind of impact they'll make in Commander. I'd call Junji a solid role player in both Reanimator theme decks and Sacrifice builds looking to use bigger threats as fodder. In Henzie "Toolbox" TorreHenzie "Toolbox" Torre, the 5/5 is basically a ReanimateReanimate that draws a card and Lava AxeLava Axes the opponent. Meanwhile, Eddie BrockEddie Brock and Ziatora, the IncineratorZiatora, the Incinerator would probably rather sacrifice this to their abilities than a random 1/1 token.

Speaking of tokens, Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov doubles Junji's death trigger. And, because Saw in HalfSaw in Half exists, also allowing you to double dip on death, I wouldn't count out the discard mode, even as recursion will likely look more attractive most of the time.

9. The Reality ChipThe Reality Chip - 140,566 decks

It's so cool how slapping the legendary supertype on a card with the NEO mechanic reconfigure lets you make an Equipment your commander. But, since we're sticking to its utility in the 99, I'll just keep it real and recommend you play it like an installment plan Future SightFuture Sight in your artifact decks. It also chips in as an enabler for Kellan, the KidKellan, the Kid. Bennie Smith features this and other powerful colored artifacts here.

8. Cyberdrive AwakenerCyberdrive Awakener - 145,055 decks

There are several cards that turn noncreature artifacts into combat brawlers: Rise and ShineRise and Shine, March of the MachinesMarch of the Machines, and The Antiquities WarThe Antiquities War. Yet, none of them see nearly as much Commander play as Awakener. I'm not sleeping on the fact that this providing evasion probably contributes a lot, but it also threatens to deal infinite damage and gain infinite life alongside an animated, lifelinking Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir:

This is far from the only combo you can assemble, which makes this an even more attractive option in decks like Shorikai, Genesis EngineShorikai, Genesis Engine, Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind, and Inspirit, Flagship VesselInspirit, Flagship Vessel.

7. Kappa CannoneerKappa Cannoneer - 153,130 decks

Here's an artifact that doesn't actually cost a lot of mana, comes with protection and evasion, and even gets +1/+1 counters that you can proliferate and otherwise augment. What more could you ask for from a finisher? Surely not much, considering how much play this sees in various artifact decks. The play rates are impressive: 66% in Mendicant Core, GuidelightMendicant Core, Guidelight, 80% in Aloy, Savior of MeridianAloy, Savior of Meridian, and 53% in Kilo.

6. Spirited CompanionSpirited Companion - 159,133 decks

I just watched The Odyssey, so I need a moment.

Okay, this 1/1 is the absolute goodest boy in Blink decks that abuse enters triggers, like those led by Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal and Elesh Norn, Mother of MachinesElesh Norn, Mother of Machines. There may be more exciting abilities to stuff into your Conjurer's ClosetConjurer's Closet, but a lot of the time you just need to keep your hand filled or your answers found. Cantrips like Wall of OmensWall of Omens and Inspiring OverseerInspiring Overseer are the glue that keeps those decks firing on all cylinders.

There are also several options for Dog decks that bring together Magic: The Gathering's many canines, including Rin and Seri, InseparableRin and Seri, Inseparable and Sophia, Dogged DetectiveSophia, Dogged Detective.

5. Kodama of the West TreeKodama of the West Tree - 164,742 decks

This 3/3 essentially gives your team evasion when you run it in the 99 of Cloud, Ex-SOLDIERCloud, Ex-SOLDIER, The Wise MothmanThe Wise Mothman, Zaxara, the ExemplaryZaxara, the Exemplary, and many more. Those decks will also appreciate the mana ramp and the opportunity to filter basics out of your deck. It's especially powerful because it doesn't trigger when "one or more" creatures hit an opponent, which can be the case sometimes; you can just fetch up a land for each modified brawler that connects. It's also a 3/3, which rounds out an awesome package of abilities for just three mana.

You can look forward to squeezing even more juice out of it by playing it on curve after a one-or-two-drop that modifies itself, like Bristly Bill, Spine SowerBristly Bill, Spine Sower, and immediately letting Kodama reach into your library.

4. Tamiyo's SafekeepingTamiyo's Safekeeping - 260,565 decks

This family of protection effects — think Tyvar's StandTyvar's Stand, Blossoming DefenseBlossoming Defense, and Snakeskin VeilSnakeskin Veil — can win games in decks where you really want to have your creatures survive. Commander certainly fits the bill, but what sets Safekeeping apart from its stat-buffing siblings is that it cherishes all permanents equally.

No, ma'am, you may not Field of RuinField of Ruin my Urza's SagaUrza's Saga. Hey, sir, you're gonna wanna avoid targeting my The Great HengeThe Great Henge with your Collective ResistanceCollective Resistance, thanks! It even gives you a life total bump, which is so much better than it looks, because whole decks built around that mechanic exist! That's unreal versatility.

3. Secluded CourtyardSecluded Courtyard - 437,930 decks

In decks that care about a certain creature type, you're probably going to want Courtyard — and potentially every other decent variant, from the almost-identical Unclaimed TerritoryUnclaimed Territory to an upside-heavy Cavern of SoulsCavern of Souls, and even the restrictive Ancient ZigguratAncient Ziggurat!

Such is the potency of the confluence between mana fixing, redundancy, and utility lands, especially for decks that both lean into typal synergies and play a bunch of colors.

2. FarewellFarewell - 513,143 decks

This made one of my first lists on most played mono-white cards in Commander. Back then, I lumped FarewellFarewell together with other sweepers like Austere CommandAustere Command and Wrath of GodWrath of God. Today, this would rank 10th among individual cards on that list, right behind Command. Costing six is barely a drawback for such a powerful and flexible card.

Not only does it deal with pretty much anything on the board or in the graveyard that may trouble you, with the notable exception of planeswalkers, you can also maneuver this into a pseudo-Plague WindPlague Wind against, say, artifact or enchantment decks that play creatures with those types. It's quite simply one of the premium answer spells in the format.

1. The Channel Lands

Boseiju and Otawara alone are played in around 1.6 million EDHREC decks. Both are also among the top ten most-played nonbasic lands that don't just produce mana or fetch lands, based on my research. (Can you name the others?) So this cycle of spell-lands reigns supreme over this dynasty, even if there is a clear gulf in quality between some members of the quintet.

There are so many reasons why these exist in a class all their own: most of them are virtually guaranteed to give you a card's worth of value; their activation costs will naturally get discounts given the nature of the format; and they're often better than utility lands that activate in play because they can be recurred with cards like Life from the LoamLife from the Loam. It also helps that at least three of the five of them boast abilities you would just run on spells: NaturalizeNaturalize, bouncing things to protect from removal or disrupt auras, and Raise DeadRaise Dead. But they're on lands instead, meaning you can just play them as mana sources when you need to. They're busted!

Let's Just Turn That Off, Shall We?Let's Just Turn That Off, Shall We?

Interacting with Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty in any capacity puts a smile on my face — whether it's writing about cards from the set, playing flashback drafts on MTG Arena, or remembering that we're in for a return trip to the plane in 2027 with Kamigawa: Titan Breach. If you feel even slightly the same way as I do, then you might be interested in checking out my coverage of the original Kamigawa Block's most valuable cards over on Cardsphere, starting with Champions of Kamigawa. Or, you could let us know what your favorite NEO card is that didn't make this list!