Takenoko New ECO Chibis
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The Imperial garden just got even cuter — and more chaotic. The baby pandas are hungry.
What it's about
Miss Panda arrives — and brings the cubs
In the imperial Japanese garden, already populated by a hungry panda and a patient gardener, a new arrival makes an entrance: Miss Panda, with all the resulting bamboo and panda cubs that come with her. Takenoko: Chibis is the official expansion to Antoine Bauza's classic, published by Bombyx and Matagot.
The expansion introduces a new pawn — Miss Panda — who moves on the board according to her own rules, six new special-symbol terrain tiles, eighteen new objective cards, and nine panda cub tokens with hidden bonuses. There's no need to learn anything new from scratch: Chibis integrates into the flow of the base game and enriches it without making it heavier.
The result is a game that retains Takenoko's relaxing pace and enchanting aesthetic, while adding a new tactical variable: when and how to get the two pandas to meet to produce cubs.
Two pandas in the same garden change everything — not the rules, but the priorities. Each turn becomes a small negotiation between beauty and chaos.
The secret of Chibis in one line
You open the box, add Miss Panda and nine cubs to the table — and discover that the game you thought you knew still had something to show.
From the game experience
Takenoko: Chibis
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsWhat it adds to the experience
Four new features, a renewed game
Miss Panda
The new female pawn that enters play when special tiles are placed. She moves like the male panda but doesn't eat bamboo — she creates cubs.
6 New Terrain Tiles
Marked with the Chibis symbol, they make Miss Panda appear on the board. They mix with the base game tiles to vary each game.
18 New Objective Cards
New challenges related to cubs and Chibis tiles. They add to the base deck without replacing it — more options, more paths to victory.
9 Cub Tokens with Bonuses
Each cub earned grants a secret bonus: an extra action, free bamboo, an additional card. The face-up side is the tactical version, the random one is the chaotic version.
Takenoko: Chibis doesn't revolutionize the game — it makes it flourish anew. And the garden you thought you knew still surprises you.
🃏Recommended Sleeves1 size · 18 cards
🧤 BUSTINE
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The garden prepares — with a new addition
Tiles distributed, objectives shuffled, pond prepared. But this time there's a new addition in the bag: Miss Panda, waiting to make her appearance. The male panda is already chewing bamboo. Someone is looking at the Chibis tiles in their hand with a sly smile.
Miss Panda arrives
Someone places the first Chibis tile. Miss Panda enters the scene — and everything quietly changes. She doesn't eat bamboo, she doesn't obey others' plans. She moves on her own, following the tiles. The garden now has two souls.
The cubs — and the bamboo dilemma
The two pandas are on the same tile. Now you can spend bamboo to have a cub. But that bamboo was needed to complete an objective. The decision is made in silence, then the token is flipped. Hidden bonus revealed: an extra action. The table applauds.
The garden explodes with color
Tiles cover the table. Green, yellow, and pink bamboo grows in every direction. Miss Panda and the male panda move like two actors on the same stage. Someone has already completed four objectives. The others accelerate.
Count, admire, put away
The game ends. Points are counted, but first of all, the garden built together is admired — each tile a color, each bamboo section a choice. Someone photographs the table. Everything is put back in the box, already thinking about the next game.
How to play
The flow of each turn with Chibis
Four phases identical to the base game, with one more variable: Miss Panda.
As in the base game: roll the weather die and apply the condition — sun (extra action), rain (free bamboo), wind, clouds, or storm. The weather changes priorities from turn to turn.
Place a terrain tile, move the gardener or the panda, take an irrigation channel, draw an objective card. Each Chibis tile you place moves Miss Panda to new positions.
If the male panda and Miss Panda are on the same tile, you can spend bamboo to get a cub token. Each cub brings a secret or visible bonus, depending on how you play.
At any time during the turn: if the conditions of an objective card are met, reveal it and score the points. Whoever reaches the established number of objectives triggers the final count.
Why it's worth it
Six reasons to add Chibis to your Takenoko
Miss Panda changes how you read the board
She's not just an extra pawn. Miss Panda creates a second trajectory on the board that forces you to consider where both pandas will go — not just where you want them to.
Cubs with secret bonuses
Each cub token hides an advantage: an extra action, free bamboo, an additional card. Flipping it is a small moment of tension — and often changes the order of priorities.
New objectives without disrupting the deck
The 18 new cards integrate into the existing deck. They don't replace anything — they broaden the paths to victory without weighing down the choices.
Everything fits in the base box
Chibis components are designed to fit into the Takenoko box. One box, two experiences — no storage problems.
No learning curve
Those who know the base game understand Chibis in one trial turn. Miss Panda's rules are immediate. The expansion can even be introduced to those who have never played Takenoko before.
The most beautiful garden on the table
With the new tiles and the two panda pawns in play, the final board achieves even greater visual density. A game of Takenoko with Chibis is photographed before putting everything back in the box.
How it ends
How to win with Chibis
The objective is the same as the base game — accumulate the most points by completing objective cards — but now you have an extra way to do it.
Victory
- Complete the established number of objectives to trigger the final count (7 with 4 players, 8 with 3, 9 with 2)
- Or accumulate the highest score by summing completed objectives and cub bonuses
- Whoever first completed the required number receives an Emperor card worth 2 bonus points
The cub path
- Each cub obtained is worth extra points or gives an immediate bonus
- Ignoring cubs is a legitimate choice — but those who use them well gain cumulative advantages
- The balance between normal objectives and cub scoring is the tactical heart of Chibis
Takenoko: Chibis is the kind of expansion you want: it adds without being cumbersome, surprises without disrupting. The imperial garden has never been so alive.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Takenoko: Chibis
Is it worth buying Chibis if I already own Takenoko?
It depends on how many games you've already played with the base game. If Takenoko is still fresh, it's not necessary — the base game already has good replayability. However, if you've already gone through the deck many times and know the dynamics well, Chibis offers exactly the right novelty without disrupting what works.
Can you play Chibis without ever having played Takenoko?
Yes. The rules of Chibis are learned along with those of the base game — no prior experience is necessary. Someone learning Takenoko from scratch with the expansion already included will not have more difficulty than someone starting with just the base game.
Do the components fit in the Takenoko box?
Yes. It was designed exactly for this. All Chibis components — Miss Panda pawn, tiles, cards, cub tokens — fit into the original box without space issues. One box for both experiences.
Does it increase game duration?
Not significantly. The game pace remains the same — about 45 minutes. The addition of Miss Panda and the cubs adds choices without slowing down the flow. An evening with Chibis takes the same amount of time as one without.
Is it compatible with the Takenoko Collector's Edition?
No. Chibis is only compatible with the standard edition of Takenoko, not the Collector's Edition. If you own the Collector's version, please check which edition is supported before purchasing.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. The rules of Chibis are simple and the number of texts on the cards is limited — an advanced level of English is not necessary to play, but texts and cards are in English.
Takenoko: Chibis is the official expansion for the Takenoko board game, compatible with the standard edition for 2–4 players (ages 8+, duration 45 min). Designed by Antoine Bauza, published by Bombyx and Matagot. Mechanics: tile placement, action point management, set collection, modular hexagonal board. Adds Miss Panda (new pawn), 6 Chibis terrain tiles, 18 new objective cards, and 9 cub tokens with special bonuses. Requires the Takenoko base game to play. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
Takenoko New ECO Chibis
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