Diamond Dust (Budget Remix Girls Band Cry Series: 1)

Girls Band Cry is a very powerful Premium Booster and TD+ release that has an amazingly deep combination of experimental and powerful card effects. If sticking to non-foil cards, the entire set becomes very affordable, even to upgrade. (As of the writing of this article in January 2026, there is only one card in the Japanese main set and TD+ over 1000 yen, and it’s the 0/0 Nina due to her widespread use in decks.) While the English version of the set may have a slightly different price point due to print run size, I still feel like this set will be very easy for players to upgrade outside of some PRs that we’re not sure how they’ll be released yet exactly as of the timing of this article.

Let’s start out with our antagonist band, Diamond Dust! Almost all of these cards should be very affordable for most players, so feel free to explore the mono-band and splashing red versions of these two decks!

Deck 1 Code: 5XXB9

https://decklog-en.bushiroad.com/view/5XXB9 

Quick Pilot Guide Deck 1:

The series only has two colors, red and blue, and the design has all of the red cards going to Togenashi Togeari and the blue cards going to Diamond Dust. For the most part, the two bands have cards that work fine together to be mixed given the main Music trait of the set. This version of the deck is only focused on using the Diamond Dust cards to stay completely on theme, but in doing so sacrifices a bit of utility to do so (especially at Level 0).

Be sure to pay attention to the level of cards in your level zone throughout the game. The deck has a limited way to swap this, but it’s just easier to Level up a Level 3 at Level 1 and 2 to get your Experience requirement off. (The deck needs Experience Level 2 at Level 1, 4 at Level 2, and Experience 6 at Level 3.) At Level 0 you’ll want to use the 0/0 Hina (after you have some stock) and other utility cards to get set up for the Level 1 Nana combo. Nana has some defensive power when compared to other Level 1 combos, so sitting at 6000 power means she may be able to survive. You’ll want to loop this combo as much as possible until you’re at Level 3, with the Level 2 assist Ai to help with power levels and the Level 2 Hina or early play 3/2 Ai with some different skills to help with paying out climax triggers or healing damage. The free deck refresh counter Nana may also be helpful in paying out stuck in stock Gate (Pants) triggers and avoiding an extra point of refresh damage, just be careful to watch stock levels for Level 3. 

Level 3 is focused on the 3/2 Hina. Be sure to have something else on stage you can sacrifice to make the most of her on play ability. It does help that it recuperates a stock of your choice from the top of her deck, but keep in mind you do need a stock left over to use 3 of her finisher. If you’re short on stock, remember that the 3/2 Nana can chain out into one copy of Hina, and that you don’t have to pay Nana’s on reverse cost unless she does reverse something. It should be noted that Hina has some defensive power for your opponent’s turn, so being able to use the counter at 3 can also be worth it.

Deck 2 Code: 6J5UT

https://decklog-en.bushiroad.com/view/6J5UT 

Quick Pilot Guide Deck 2:

This version of the deck keeps the same Level 1 Nana and Level 3 Hina Diamond Dust combos, but evens out the Level 0 game with some additional utility from the red Togenashi Togeari cards. We also gain access to some nice Level 1/0 Rupa counters that, if you have full board, are 1/0 +2500 counters and can keep either the 1/0 Nana or 3/2 Hina around for additional turns.

Piloting this deck is almost identical to the above deck. Just make sure you meet your Experience requirements at the right levels and build enough stock resources for your end game. The Level 0s give you some access to salvage in the deck, which can help with looping the 1/0 Nana combo, as well as some additional hand filter to avoid Gate (Pants) trigger climaxes from getting stuck in hand. Use the 1/0 Rupa counters to preserve stock and help to keep the Level 1 Nana or Level 3 Hina around for another turn to reuse their abilities.

Budget Swap-Ins for both decks:

Note: There are very few Blue Diamond Dust cards in the set as a whole. Any Budget Swap-Ins are going to have you splashing Red into the deck. More than likely, the most helpful cards are going to be Level 0 or Level 2 counters for these decks. I’ve included some of the other higher level cards in case you decide to swing the deck more into Red for various playstyle or local meta needs, but keep in mind you do need to be at Experience Level 4 at Level 2 and 6 at Level 3 to activate some of the Diamond Dust members’ effects.

This 0/0 Momoka doubles as a way to deal with some power level hitting Level 0s as well as a way to dig for a climax or an event to grab a climax. She can also, in a pinch, keep you from getting stuck at Level 2 with 6 damage when you’re ready to go to Level 3 and push for the end game.

Tomo is a repeatable brainstormer that can hand filter on climax hit of her ability to check the top 3 cards of your deck for anything. She also can help with an extra bit of mill on play to get you closer to potentially hitting a climax for her brainstorm effect. She is a valuable tech one card that can also attack, if necessary.

This Momoka is an exact clone to an Akane Oshi no Ko set 1 card. She is continuously at 3500 power if you have 5 or more cards in hand, and, so long as you have 4 or less stock, she can send reversed battle opponents to the bottom of your opponent’s deck. This can help put more damage back in your opponent’s deck, deny on reverse effects on your turn, and/or deny some on stage to waiting room effects your opponent may wish to use.

This Subaru can help power up a Music character and can pay a stock/hand filter to search your deck for a Music character to further your game.

This Rupa can bounce an opponent’s Level 0 character back to hand (useful for denying on reverse or on stage to waiting room effects), as well as pay a stock and discard a card either on play or on stage to waiting room to salvage a character. This means, if you’re short stock, you can use her to attack with and then still get her salvage filter ability when she goes to waiting room.

This Rupa global +500 Assist on climax placement can give a character on attack, look at up to 2 cards, choose 1, leave it on top, and discard the rest to the waiting room. This set up can be helpful for attempting to trigger (or not trigger!) Comeback (Door) triggers.

This Nina is a very strong going first, first turn, attacker that has great defensive power and a level if you have 1 or less other characters. If you feel like you need a powerhouse at Level 0 this maybe it!

This 1/0 Subaru has a very interesting ability. She allows you, for discarding a card from hand and having a full field, manipulate your opponent’s stage. She also is a  Level Reverser, so even if her first ability is unnecessary, the second may prove helpful.

This Tomo is a 1/0 6000 power attacker, that when she goes from stage to waiting room you may discard a card from hand to look at up to top 4 for a Level 1 or higher card. With a climax out she’s a 1/0 7000 power attacker, and when she loses her battle she can provide us with some strategic discard and deck mill.

This 1/0 Rupa is a great answer if you have a lot of standby in decks you keep encountering. The 11500 power against a Level 2 may be enough to get around or challenge some early play or standby targets.

This 1/1 Nina enjoyed some popularity in deck variants over in Japan as a tech card that can possibly recoup its stock cost and challenge the power levels of cost 2 cards. Downside is she’s pretty weak on defense, so unlikely to stick around an additional turn to recoup an additional stock.

Momoka is a solid set staple: a 3000 power back-up that can give the defending character in battle the option to send a reversed battle opponent to memory.

Subaru is an atypical early play anti-change counter. For a bit less cost (1 additional stock and a card from hand), she bounces an early-play battle opponent back to hand.

Momoka can level down one of your opponent’s characters for playing this and a card in hand, as well as double as an early play level reverser that doesn’t zone change. Worth adding in as a one of in some instances to get rid of anti-burn lanes for your Level 3 game.

Tomo is a 13000 power attacker that, when she reverses her battle opponent, you can choose a Music character to get bounce back to hand when front attacked. Note: This Tomo doesn’t have a soul trigger.

Subaru is a powerful 12500 attacker that, for an additional stock on play, can send all of your opponent’s stock to the waiting room and put the same number of cards from the top of their deck into stock. This is a good solution in niche gameplay scenarios to deal with stacked or super compressed deck states your opponent may present.

This Rupa TD brainstormer not only can help you draw into the cards you need, but also can help you filter unwanted cards out of hand for a card from the top of your deck when you play a climax. She’s a decent mill, draw, and filter engine if the search brainstormer isn’t working out.

This Subaru is a powerful Level 0 attacker during your turn that can help payout climax triggers from stock in the early game to prevent them from getting stuck there. While less of a concern after Level 1 in this deck with Nana’s climax combo, if you don’t have the combo in hand this is a decent attacker to help with that potential problem.

This Tomo is a strong handfilter and draw engine all on the same card. A popular tech if you need a bit more help getting climax combos or working through your deck for no stock cost. 

Momoka is a great way to, on attack, power up another Music character. Her run away from combat ability can either help send you to Level 1 first, cause your opponent to over swing into cancels, and gives her a chance to survive a turn to attack again.

Tomo is a powerful 2/1 attacker that, if you play her and have 4 or more other Music characters, you can choose a Music character in the waiting room and send it to stock. She can help clear out climax triggers for a clean stock to be used later while hitting decent power levels.

The set doesn’t have many off finishers, and while Nana is probably just the go to here, if you’re splashing enough red, then you could run 1 or 2 of this Rupa. She can help dig for a climax combo or another attacker, and her on attack ability can mill your own deck for a chance to deal some extra damage to your opponent.

If you find yourself struggling to get your climax combo in hand, this event may be worth it as a 1 or a 2 of. While the deck doesn’t give you anyway to get this consistently in hand other than drawing and hanging on to it, it can help out in niche situations from Level 1 onwards to guarantee a climax combo for the turn.

Upgrades for when there’s some extra change in the wallet after payday:

This series may be very affordable for some players to upgrade due to its premium booster format so long as you aren’t chasing foil versions of cards. You will likely be able to find even popular cards at a lower price nearer to the release period due to this. Here are some of the pricier upgrades you may consider incorporating when it makes financial sense. On top of that, because the Blue cards and Diamond Dust is a very small section of the main set with no PR support, all of the cards you need to build with are in the budget category for the most part. It’s only when you lean into the Red card color splash for better consistency and utility that you need to start saving.

Note: I’m also avoiding any PR cards in his section for now, even though there are some very powerful ones that have seen a lot of play in Japanese competitive lists (The "Avoid Note" PRs, for example). As of the publication date of this article around release week in January of 2026 we don’t know when or how they’ll be released. Depending on how the PRs are released for this set, they could be easy or difficult to obtain for players.

This 0/0 Nina on your turn is a 3500 power attacker that gives you a choice of abilities when she reverses a battle opponent. She can either rest a character in your front row and move it to an empty backrow slot -OR- you can pay a stock and put the top card of your deck into your clock to salvage a character. She’s a very versatile card that allows you to either attack with your backrow cards if you’re not using their abilities or, if she’s in your opening hand you can discard things that you would typically hold onto with the intent of salvaging them back.

If you are running 8 Comeback (Door), then this Subaru 0/0 Brainstormer is a powerful addition to the deck. She has a filter ability that pays out triggered Comeback (Door) climaxes and mills your deck a bit to add a card to hand and one to stock. She loses her secondary ability in a Diamond Dust deck, but if you still want a salvage over a search brainstormer she might fit your deck building needs.

This 0/0 Tomo can on play power up a Momoko or a Nina, then be played over for her hand filter and dig for a Music trait character when she goes from stage to the waiting room (or when she goes there on your opponent’s turn after losing a battle!). A very versatile way to mill and filter through your deck to hand sculpt. 

This 3/2 early play healer Rupa has a much more consistent early play condition than Diamond Dust’s Ai does above. She also can free up a slot on stage when played for a chance to salvage a different card in the waiting room.

Be sure to check out this and other Budget Remix Series possibilities at: https://level4weissschwarz.wixsite.com/lvl4ws