Having played this set since it’s release, trying out multiple builds and trying to fine tune each one, I am here to give you the insights on how to build your own Saekano Deck. I will be going step by step on what you are looking to include, recommend ratios and my own explanation on what makes them good. In the end the final build will be up to your preferences and the meta in your locals/regionals.

Step 1: Choose your Level 3 Core

There are two main level 3 that most Saekano players will build their deck around.

The first is “Megumi, Ideal Girl”, which revolves around sending this level 3 into your memory in order to bring it out at level 3, giving you a hexproof early play level 3 that can get pretty hard to deal with.

The second level 3 to build around is “Michiru of Icy Tail” a standard build that involves searching your Michiru to heal and tri-field three copies of them at level 3 in hopes to finish of your opponent in one fell swoop.

Megumi, Ideal Girl Core

SHS/W56-032 Megumi, Ideal Girl (Recommended x4 Copies)

[C] If there are 1 or more Markers under this, this cannot be chosen as target of Opponent’s effects. If there are 2 or more Markers under this, this gains +1000 Power. If there are 3 or more Markers under this, all your other Characters gain +1000 Power.
[A] When this attacks, you may look at the top card of your Library. If so, put that card face-down under this as Marker.
[A] CX COMBO When the Battle Opponent of this becomes Reversed, if “How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend” is in your Climax Zone, you may put that Character in Clock.
[A] At the start of your Opponent’s Draw Phase, if this is in the Front Row, choose 1 of your Characters, and that Character gains +4000 Power for the turn.

The Climax that she combos with is a gold bar, which means that it is easier to go for the combo turn after turn. The marker effect is mainly good to Hex Proof, dodging your opponent’s Anti-change backups and Wind Triggers. If your opponent does not have an anti-change suicider, it is hard to get over her 13000 Power at level 0. After getting the Hex-Proof marker, getting more markers are not necessary unless you need the additional power or have knowledge that you are out of climaxes in your deck and could use the compression.

SHS/W56-P06 Megumi Flat Position (Recommended x3-4 Copies)

[A] When this becomes Reversed in battle, you may reveal up to 3 cards from top of your Library. If you reveal at least 1 card this way, choose up to 1 ::Game:: Character among them, put it in your hand, put the rest in the Waiting Room, and discard a card from your hand to the Waiting Room.
[A] When this is placed from the Stage to the Waiting Room, you may choose a “Megumi, Ideal Girl” in your Waiting Room and send it to Memory.

This card will be your main set-up for this core, giving you mills and handfixing for free, while sending copies of your Level 3 to the memory to set up an early play combo which I will describe later. She is a Promo, and not a cheap one as well, so instead you can add the card below for a more budget friendlier build.

SHS/W56-037 Megumi of Blessing Software (Recommended x0-1 Copies, x3 if you don’t run the above card)

[A] This ability activates up to once per turn. When you use an [S] ability, choose 1 of your Characters, and that Character gains +1500 Power for the turn.
[S] [Rest this] Choose a “Megumi, Ideal Girl” in your Waiting Room and Send it to Memory.

Simply sets up your level 3, but the 1500 power can be relevent in beating over other characters. Reminder that Character Backups will trigger her buffing effect. giving an additional 1500 power on top of your backup.

SHS/W56-038 Megumi, Too Hard to Notice (Recommended x3-4 Copies)

[A] CX COMBO [Discard a card from your hand to the Waiting Room, Send this to Memory] When “How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend” is placed in your Climax Zone, you may pay cost. It so, choose a “Megumi, Ideal Girl” in your Memory and put it in the Slot this was in.
[A] When this attacks, if the Level of the Character Opposite this is 3 or higher, this gains +4000 Power and +1 Soul for the turn.

This card is what makes this core work, comboing with your climax to bring out your level 3 for price of her one cost and another card in hand. This is the same Climax that combos with the level 3, allowing you to get a Clock Kick as well. Her second effect is really good at letting you get those last few soul damage near the end of the game, especially when you are low on stock.

SHS/W56-035 Megumi, a Girl Without a Raised Flag (Recommended x0-3 Copies)

[C] RECOLLECTION If “Megumi, Ideal Girl” is in your Memory, this gains +2500 Power and the following ability. “[C] This cannot be chosen as target of Opponent’s effects.”

A solid 6.5k wall, however I personally found that she can end up being pretty inconsistent. There will be games where you cannot set up her condition, making her a flimsy 4k character. Since there isn’t a good assist for this set, she will stay at 6.5k wall at best, which gets ran over by most level 1 Climax Combo Characters that reach a minimum of 7k power. Plus there are a better level 1 line-up that I will discuss in Step 2.

Michuru of Icy Tail Core

SHS/W56-081 Michuru of Icy Tail (Recommended x4 Copies)

[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, you may put the top card of your Clock in the Waiting Room.
[A] CX COMBO When this attacks, if “icy tail” is in the Climax Zone, put the bottom 4 cards of your Opponent’s Library in the Waiting Room, and deal X Damage to your Opponent. X = # of Climax cards among those cards. (Damage Cancel can occur)

Your main finisher. Since her climax combo is costless, it is easy to just play three copies of her and try to finish off your opponent while healing yourself in hopes you live next turn. Nothing else to say, pretty cut and dry.

SHS/W56-084 Michuru in Live Outfit (Recommended x1-3 Copies)

[A] When this becomes Reversed, if the Level of the Battle Opponent of this is higher than the Level of your Opponent, you may put that Character on the bottom of the Library.
[A] RESONANCE [Reveal a “Michiru of icy tail” from your hand] At the start of your Climax Phase, you may pay cost. If so, this gains +4000 Power for the turn.

A good card that helps you color fix. It’s a good Anti-change suicider and with the Resonance effect, it becomes a 9.5k beater that can beat over most level 2s and even some level 3s.

SHS/W56-105 Nendroid Plus Michiru (Recommended x3-4 Copies)

[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, put the top 2 cards of your Library in the Waiting Room, and this gains +X Power for the turn. X = 1000 times # of ::Game:: Characters among those cards.
[A] When this becomes Reversed in battle, put this on the bottom of your Library.

At base value this card is a 3k level 0 wall, posing a threat to any non-suiciders and non-walls at level 0. Along with providing some deck milling, this character can reach to 5k power, beating over almost every level 0 walls and some level 1 characters. Her negative can also help you into drawing her later to ensure you have a blue card in clock/level for level 2 and 3. However this card is a Promo, and one of the most expensive one at that, for a more affordable build, check the below card.

SHS/W56-088 Ranko of icy tail (Recommended x2-3 Copies, x0 if running the above card)

[C] If there are 2 or fewer Characters in your Opponent’s Front Row, this gains +1000 Power.
[A] RESONANCE [Reveal a “Michiru of icy tail” from your hand] At the start of your Opponent’s Attack Phase, you may pay cost. If so, move this to an empty Slot in your Front Row.

A respectable 3k wall during the early game. If you opened this with your level 3, this card ends up being a runner. Strong card early, but her value really falters off past level 0.

Step 2: Choose your Level 1 plussing Combo.

As with the level 3s, the level 1 plussing build have 2 distinct routes. This first one is the Stand-by build, using your standby trigger to bring out big characters that are harder to get over, allowing you to keep up your build while slowly accumulating your end game resources. The second route is the Eriri Level 1 combo, allowing you to destroy your opponent’s field, while having your materials bounce back to hand, dodging their characters, just so you can destroy them again.

Stand-by Route

This is a Vanilla Stand-by build, using the climax only for its effect and not for the card that combos with it.

SHS/W56-031 Utaha, Reliable Senpai (Recommended x3 Copies)

[A] [Return this to your hand] When your Climax is placed in the Climax Zone, you may pay cost. If so, choose 1 of your Characters, and that Character gains +1000 Power until the next end of your Opponent’s turn.
[A] [(1)] When your Climax is placed in the Climax Zone, you may pay cost. If so, look at up to 4 cards from top of your Library, search for up to 1 Character with either ::Game:: or ::Novel::, reveal it, put it in your hand, and put the rest in the Waiting Room.

This card synergies with Stand-by so well. With the cost of one, she can generate a plus, mill cards to dig for a Stand-by Target, then bounce herself to your hand to give room on your field for your stand-by effect. Run at 3 since you only need to get one copy to use her the whole match.

SHS/W56-104 Nendroid Plus Utaha (Recommended x3-4 Copies)

[C] For each of your other Characters with either ::Game:: or ::Novel::, this gains +500 Power.
[A] This ability activates up to once per turn. When this becomes Reversed in battle, reveal the top card of your Library. If it’s Level 2 or higher, you may Rest this. (Climax cards are considered Level 0 for this effect. Put the revealed card back where it was)

While boasting a respectable 6k power, her real value relies on her second effect. She could potentially live through multiple battles for free thanks to it. A red character to go with the red event, makes her the most suitable card at level 1, while being a decent Stand-by target herself.

SHS/W56-103 Nendroid Plus Megumi (Recommended x2-3 Copies)

[C] For each of your other ::Game:: Characters, this gains +1000 Power.
[A] [(1)] At the start of Encore Step, if there are no other Rested Characters in your Front Row, you may pay cost. If so, Rest this.

One of your best Stand-by target. Being able to reach 10.5k power for a level 2 is really respectable, but the fact that you can do this at level 1 makes it near impossible to remove for most other decks. The second effect doesn’t come up too often but it does help. For a cheaper option but less effective option: SHS/W56-023 Izumi, Special Middle School Student.

SHS/W56-015 Tomoya, Price of Otaku (Recommended x0-2 Copies)

[C] ASSIST All your ::Game:: Characters in front of this gain +500 Power and +1 Soul.
[A] BOND/”Eriri, Tsundere-Type Childhood Friend” [(1)]

Solely used for the +1 soul effect, this card allows you to have high soul damage reach. The second effect is near useless since the bond target is rarely ever played. This card is mainly based on a user preference. However I am not a fan of it.

Eriri Route

Recommended in a meta where reversing level 1 combos are highly prevelant

SHS/W56-001 Eriri, Truth of Maiden (Recommended x4 Copies)

[C] During your turn, for each of your other ::Game:: Characters, this gains +500 Power.
[A] CX COMBO When the Battle Opponent of this becomes Reversed, if “Individual Route After 8 Years” is in your Climax Zone, this gains the following ability until the next end of your Opponent’s turn. “[A] When this is Front Attacked, you may choose 1 of your other Characters and this and return them to your hand.”

The very card in question, boasting a 6.5k Power, 7.5k with your climax, she can beat over a lot of other level 1s. Her climax effect allows you dodge other climax effects that requires reversing, filling up your hand, and allowing her to come back out to destroy the next field your opponent sets up.

SHS/W56-060 Utaha, Victory Wanted (Recommended x2-3 if not running the card below)

[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, choose a Character in your Opponent’s Front Row, and that Character gets -1000 Power for the turn.
[A] When this becomes Reversed, if the Level of the Battle Opponent of this is 1 or lower, you may Reverse that Character.

Debuffing your opponent’s wall to ensure Eriri can reverse, while being a bomb to disrupt any level 1 wall that Eriri can’t beat over. Just a straight good tech, her only problem is that she most likely won’t be available to bounce back with Eriri’s effect.

SHS/W56-P04 Megumi, Experience 2D (Recommended x2 if not running the card above)

[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, choose 1 of your other ::Game:: Characters, and that Character gains +X Power for the turn. X = 500 times # of your other ::Game:: Characters.

Instead of debuffing your opponent, you buff your Eriri for even more. Being a 5k card herself, she can pray on some weaker level 1 and most level 0 to get bounced back by Eriri, just so she can be played again next turn.

SHS/W56-013 Izumi, Outpouring of Talent (Recommended x1-2)

[A] When the Battle Opponent of this becomes Reversed, you may Send this to Memory. If so, at the start of your next Draw Phase, choose an “Izumi, Outpouring of Talent” in your Memory and put it in any Slot on the Stage.

Following the same strategy as Eriri to dodge reversing effects of your opponent, she is the back-up case for when you do not draw the Eriri Combo, but have the above two buffer/debuffer. She comes back the turn after she reverses a character so that you don’t have to play another character from hand.

Step 3: Adding in the “Must Run” Cards

The followings aren’t always required running, but are cards that are so good, that you should require a good reasoning to not run them.

SHS/W56-004 Eriri, Fond Memory (Recommended x2-4 Copies)

[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, choose 1 of your other ::Game:: Characters, and that Character gains +2000 Power for the turn.
[A] [(1) Discard a card from your hand to the Waiting Room, Send this to Memory] When this becomes Reversed in battle, you may pay cost. If so, search your Library for up to 1 ::Game:: Character, reveal it, put it in your hand, and shuffle your Library.

Giving 2k Power on play is already quite rare for a level 0, but adding to the fact that she also drops search and sends herself to memory to help with compression, it’s a lot of value. She can give you the necessary power to beat over characters at all point of the game. This card really helps the Eriri Level 1 to get a reach of 9.5k power.

SHS/W56-005 Izumi, Surprise Present (Recommended x3-4 Copies)

[A] At the start of your Opponent’s Attack Phase, you may put the top card of your Library in the Waiting Room. If it’s a ::Game:: Character, you may move this to an empty Slot in the Front Row.
[S] [(1) Send this to Memory] Look at up to 4 cards from top of your Library, search for up to 1 ::Game:: Character, reveal it, put it in your hand, and put the rest in the Waiting Room.

First of is her value as a mill runner. This alone warrants her to be ran at 3-4 copies, but adding to that, she doubles as compression and a hand fix for the cost of one. The second effect also isn’t a card in play effect, allowing you to use it to dig for cards at level 0 after she got her value off for running and surviving.

SHS/W56-057 Megumi, Story Until Dreams Fulfilled (Recommended x2-3 Copies)

[A] This ability activates up to once per turn. When you use an [S] ability, choose 1 of your Characters, and that Character gains +500 Power for the turn.
[S] BRAINSTORM [(1) Rest this] Flip over the top 4 cards of your Library and put them in the Waiting Room. For each Climax card revealed this way, choose up to 1 Character in your Waiting Room and return it to your hand.

Your generic plussing tap-self brainstormer, a must in most decks.

SHS/W56-058 Megumi, Colorful Outfits (Recommended x2-3 Copies)

[C] If there are 2 or fewer Climax cards in your Waiting Room, this gets -1 Level while in your hand.
[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, you may put the top card of your Clock in the Waiting Room.
[A] When this attacks, choose 1 of your other ::Game:: Characters, and that Character gains +X Power for the turn. X = 500 times # of your other ::Game:: Characters.

An Early Play healer, to do early play healer things. Her Power bonus is relevant to allow your other level 3s reverse cards, most noticeably your Ideal Girl Megumi and the card below.

SHS/W56-059 Utaha, Creator’s Pride (Recommended x1-2 Copies)

[A] When this attacks, if you have another Character with either ::Game:: or ::Novel::, this gains +1500 Power for the turn.
[A] [(2) Discard a card from your hand to the Waiting Room, put 1 of your other Characters from the Stage in the Waiting Room] During the turn this is placed from hand to the Stage, when the Battle Opponent of this becomes Reversed, you may pay cost. If so, Stand this.

Your back-up finisher in any Saekano deck. She can give you that extra final reach to win the game. Not requiring a climax gives her so much value to have in your deck.

SHS/W56-061 Utaha, Crude Instigation (Recommended x1 Copies)

[A] [(2)] When you use the BACKUP of this, if you have 4 or more Characters with either ::Game:: or ::Novel::, you may pay cost. If so, choose 1 of your Opponent’s Characters whose Level is higher than the Level of your Opponent and put it in the Waiting Room.
[S] [Counter] BACKUP 2500, Level 2 [(1) Discard this card from your hand to the Waiting Room]

Generic Anti-change back-up, always needed for some matchups and to potentially remove an entire attack that you would’ve otherwise have taken.

Step 4: Rounding Out the Rest of Your Deck.

Some decks techs to add for your preferences and needs.

SHS/W56-006 Eriri, Somebody to Separate the Two (Recommended x0-2 Copies)

[C] ASSIST All your Level 0 or lower Characters in front of this gain +1000 Power.
[A] During Attack Phase, when your or your Opponent’s Character is returned from the Waiting Room to hand, all of that player’s Characters get -3 Soul for the turn.

A good old Anti-salvage. As the only relevent card that salvage during battle phase is your on-reversed Riki, this card will rarely ever disrupt you. So play this is you notice the meta in your locals/regionals revolves around a lot of 4+ Gates decks and Salvage Climax Combos.

SHS/W56-007 Eriri of blessing software (Recommended x0-2 Copies)

[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, look at up to 2 cards from top of your Library and put them back in the same order.
[S] BRAINSTORM [(1) Rest 2 of your Characters] Flip over the top 4 cards of your Library and put them in the Waiting Room. For each Climax card revealed this way, search your Library for up to 1 ::Game:: Character, reveal it, put it in your hand, and shuffle your Library.

A search brainstorm comparative to your Salvage Brainstorm, this also works just as a scry to see your next two cards. This card is not as good as the salvage brainstorm since it requires a tap two.

SHS/W56-026 Eri Kashiwagi’s Little Love Message Board (Recommended x0-3 Copies)

If you have no ::Game:: Characters, you cannot play this from hand.
Search your Library for up to 1 ::Game:: Character, reveal it, put it in our hand, shuffle your Library, and Send this to Memory.
[A] RECOLLECTION [Discard a Climax card from your hand to the Waiting Room] At the start of your Main Phase, if this is in Memory, you may pay cost. If so, return this to your hand.

A simple 1/1 that searches, but also plays as a compression, sending itself to memory, and as a Climax discard outlet right before refresh. Playing this myself, the discard outlet has worked wonders for me during bad games. Late game it turns itself into a discard 1 climax and pay 1 stock to search for a needed finisher or healer.

SHS/W56-033 Eriri, Arriving at Mayhem (Recommended x0 or x2 copies)

[A] When this attacks, if you have 1 or fewer other Character, you may put the top card of your Library in the Waiting Room. If it’s a Level 0 or lower Character, put that Character in any Slot in the Back Row.
[A] When this becomes Reversed in battle, reveal the top card of your Library. If it’s Level 1 or higher, you may put this in your Stock. (Climax cards are considered Level 0 for this effect. Put the revealed card back where it was)

A big High Rolling card, getting both effects off early feels great, but I feel that this card is too inconsistent. The 500 power body struggles a lot in beating anything at level 0. If you really feel the need for stock, run a few copies.

Your Choice between two Riki (Recommended x2-3 copies)

SHS/W56-040 Megumi, Image Change

[A] [Put a ::Game:: Character card from your hand in Clock] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, you may pay cost. If so, look at up to 3 cards from top of your Library, choose up to 1 of them and put it in your hand, and put the rest in the Waiting Room.

SHS/W56-056 Utaha, Night for Two

[A] [(1) Put the top card of your Library in your Clock, Send this to Memory] When this becomes Reversed in battle, you may pay cost. If so, choose a Character in your Waiting Room with either ::Game:: or ::Novel:: and return it to your hand.

Megumi Pros: Can add Events and climaxes. Does not cost stock. Hidden Information from your opponent. Effect goes off on mainphase, so you can use the card you grab the turn you play this.

Utaha Pros: Have more variety of what you grab. not just the top 3 cards of your deck. Does not cost a card in your hand, so your hand size actually plus. Compression as this card goes to your memory as cost.

Your Choice of two Anti Change Suiciders (Recommended x1-2 copies)

SHS/W56-044 Utaha, Advice From Senpai

[A] When this becomes Reversed, if the Level of the Battle Opponent of this is higher than the Level of your Opponent, you may put the top card of your Opponent’s Clock in the Waiting Room. If so, put that Character in Clock.

SHS/W56-075 Megumi, Distance Closed

[A] When this becomes Reversed, if the Level of the Battle Opponent of this is higher than the Level of your Opponent, you may Reverse that Character.
[A] ENCORE [Discard a ::Game:: Character card from your hand to the Waiting Room]

The Utaha anti-change is overall better, decompressing your opponent while preventing encore. However the color does not work if you go for the Wind Pants Saekano build. The Megumi also works as a decent stand-by target, with the hand encore, you can keep it alive and use it on multiple early plays, even if it’s not as effective for getting rid of early play characters.

SHS/W56-066 Utaha, Acrimony-Type Senpai (Recommended x0-2)

[A] [Discard a Climax card from your hand to the Waiting Room] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, you may pay cost. If so, choose a Character in your Waiting Room with either ::Game:: or ::Novel:: and return it to your hand.

Just a generic Climax Discard outlet. Can help you unbrick, good tech.

SHS/W56-T13 Megumi, Encounter With Destiny? (Recommend 0-3 Copies)

[A] When this becomes Reversed in battle, reveal the top card of your Library. If it’s Level 2 or higher, you may return this to your hand. (Climax cards are considered Level 0 for this effect. Put the revealed card back where it was)
[A] When this becomes Reversed, if the Level of the Battle Opponent of this is 0 or lower, you may Reverse that Character.

Helps you remove Level 0 walls. The first effect allows you to keep reusing this card, really good value during the first few turns, however level 0 line-up can be tight.

SHS/W56-T09 Eriri, Illustrator Role (Recommended x0-1 copies)

[C] During battles involving this, your Opponent cannot play BACKUP from hand.
[A] When this is placed from hand to the Stage, look at up to X cards from top of your Library, choose up to 1 of them and put it in your hand, and put the rest in the Waiting Room. X = # of your ::Game:: Characters.

Mainly used to help you dig through your deck for cards, as all other Level 3 mentioned so far does not replace itself in your hand.

SHS/W56-P07 Stealth Classmate Megumi (Recommended x0-1 Copies)

[A] [(2)] When you use the BACKUP of this, you may pay cost. If so, return all cards in your Waiting Room to your Library. Shuffle your Library.
[S] [Counter] BACKUP 2500, Level 2 [(1) Discard this card from your hand to the Waiting Room]

A refresh back-up. Always helpful in situations where your out of climaxes in your deck, preventing one and possibly more damage you would have otherwise taken.

Personal Deck Examples:

Game Plan:
Focus on building Memory with Flat Position Megumi, Utaha, Night for Two, Eriri Fond of Memory and the Event. Sustain a field with your Nendroid Utaha and Megumi. Keeping up a big wall with Ideal Girl Megumi and Nendroid Megumi, swinging for direct damage and clock kick combos.

Game Plan:

7 Runners at level 0 to build up stock for in order to plus with your brainstormer. Level 1 combo to deny your opponent’s on-reverse effects. Ideal level 1 field is the brainstormer, 2 of the CXC Eriri, 1 Fond Memory Eriri and 1 Level 1 Suicider Utaha. Fond Memory boosting one Eriri, Suicider buffing another. Combo so that you can have one open slot and your two Eriri can bounce itself and the two backrows back to hand. Use the Pants trigger to salvage the Wind CX to cycle again. So deny your opponent and use 7 healers to keep up your advantage until you eventually finish them with Michuru Combos.

Conclusion

I have been playing Weiss for over 5 years now, but even now I had recently changed my deck building style. I hope you have learnt a thing or two about the Saekano set with this guide. Best of luck in building your own Saekano Deck. And as for final words, Kato Megumi is best girl.