XY
Cassius. Hey remember what I said ages ago about Bebe? Goes double for Cassius. Did YOU even know that Cassius existed, or that he had a name? Bebe at least gives you an Eevee, Cassius is tucked off to the side running the servers and he’s from a game that frankly I feel a lot of people don’t tear apart that much. Anyway the art here is so charming, love a punk in a cramped space covered in “I basically live here” trash.
(side note, kind of weird Amanita didn’t get a card when all her contemporaries did)
(even more unrelated side ntoe: did you notice all the gen 6 Pokemon here have 3D Model arts? Guess they wanted to emphasize the move to 3D)
Flashfire
Metapod. It was a tie between this and the Walrein, but I went with this one for its sun-through-the-trees lighting on everything, and how it emphasizes the “material” of Metapod’s shell.
Furious Fists
Thundurus. This set is FULL of dynamic art with strong posing, colors and lighting and a bunch of “paired” arts too. It was hard to pick one, but I think this one stood out the most because of how it depicts Thundurus. Usually the clouds get a lot of “flying around” or “gathering winds” type artwork, whiel looking angry, so seeing one in a town doing a show of beefy strength and lifting a recked car over his shoulders owns. Extremely unique.
Phantom Forces
Lysandre’s Trump Card (Full Art). Him and those inexplicable, unexplained beetle tech nontheless make for a really cool pose, expression, lineart and a good use of the abstract background being reminiscent of his battle background
Primal Clash
Ludicolo. Had to pick an ancient trait card here, those were the proto-illustration rares except they were just normal cards. No clue why they decided to have this aesthetic be the gimmick of just random cards but it gave a ton of great art. I went with this one because of the sparkles, presumably from the Splash Dance attack. Ikamen Ludicolo
Double Crisis
Team Aqua’s Grimer. Another miniset but how can I ignore art this good? Every single card is incredible. I went with this one for the creepy vibe (carried through to the Muk) of Aqua’s Grimer about to get the pounce on some Magma grunts.
Roaring Skies
Shuppet. Playing on its origins here; you’d think Castform would do this type of art first but that’s okay because Shuppet is way cuter. The “crayon” coloring here is very distinct.
Gyarados (Ancient Trait). This is fine. Don’t worry about it, Fisherman.
BREAKThrough
Swoobat. This set has a lot of cards depicting the Parallel Cities (did you know all the BREAK sets have a continuous background storyline?? Alakazam goes off in one of them) offering a number of great “Pokemon in the life” arts so anyawy I threw all of those away for the cutest swoobat you’ve ever seen flying at sunset look how happy it is!!!!!
BREAKPoint
Hypno. Listen, I really wanted to pick the Deliquent full art with the adorable Mightyena but just. Look at this. I have to pick it.
Goodnight, Babies
Generations
Gulpin. This is also a reprint set but with way more regular arts. Thankfully there’s a Radiant Collection and what you thought I was going to choose the “Charmander grows up with its trainer” artwork? Of course not. Look at these two dweebs. Where’s the sequel of teen kid doing this with his Swalot
Fates Collide
Omastar. The story for this set is the two worlds have been forcibly merged, so things are a bit of a mess. I like this one for taking that concept into a “ruined” aesthetic whiel also being drawn beautifully. What a mood
Steam Siege
Mareep. Oh my goddddddddddddddddddddddddd
Evolutions
Misty’s Determination (Full Art). This was the “base set reprint” type set, where they reused like all of Base Set but with a few other cards and some new Exes and Supporters and such so...there wasn’t a lot of new art to pick from. But I enjoy Misty’s outfit and more dynamic pose, so she wins.
