Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played Boundaries Crossed/Twilight Masquerade

Those set names were a mouthful! Oddly appropriate for a Pokemon that’s mostly comprised of mouth, by volume. But look, look! It’s OKUBO!

I never knew it depicted an orange spill until I heard them explain it. ZZ Gundam hehe

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
BW Promo/Shrouded Fable

What a shnasty creature. Like a living weapon. HUGE tail! I think I might actually like Nagano’s more in this case. The background just looks super interesting, my eyes get lost in it.

Also just a good card! Hits hard, punishes special.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Boundaries Crossed/151

Gosh, this is some of my favorite stuff that my favorite artist does. I love the light, the blades of grass, the kinetic energy, the stance… I think I got a new appreciation for Scyther today.

And the 151 one! It’s rare to see grass energy.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Dragon Vault/Journey Together

AWW YEAAAAHH that’s right, we’ve got a DOUBLE! Just like Cofagrigus, they did another one ~13 years later and I love it so much. Druddigon is one of my all-time favorite Pokemon, and the understanding of its appeal on display is lovely.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Dragons Exalted/Paldea Evolved

Is that DE one running around in Black City? That’s so cool, I love seeing Pokemon in not-so-natural settings.

Meanwhile, in 2023… Nom. I definitely enjoy the textures on display here, it’s like colored pencils. I bet the root’s tasty

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Dragons Exalted/White Flare

Oh my goodness, what a monumental ability! You can see the noxious nullification already coming out of their mouth, ready to affect the entire battlefield…!

I got to see a panel featuring OKUBO at Worlds, I have a soft spot for them now.

#7: Elevated Paragons

You still cannot pick cards up off of a store shelf. And, even if you could, literally half of the cards in this set are reprints. It is a disgrace.

Reprinting the Damp Duck promos (as well as several other promos) as in-set cards is the only good thing.

It’s a Depression/10

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Arceus/Temporal Forces

How curious, a repeat of the last pair of sets! I positively adore both of these for very different reasons, the one on the left carries a visual intensity that you don’t often see with a “little guy” like Gastly. And the second is spookute!

#6: Rat Race

It‘s a comedy from 2001, there are just as many moments that make me recoil and grimace as there that make me giggle and point!

Honestly, the hardest part to get through might be the intro sequence that goes on entirely too long. But the song for it is very catchy!

It’s a Cow/10!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Arceus/Temporal Forces

We’re finally out of Supreme Victors! Bronzor and their ilk have a penchant for curiously specific attack requisites, as you can see here. Because of this, I have something of a fondness for them! Such interesting effects to be brought forth.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Supreme Victors/Obsidian Flame

Oh my goodness, they are here! Look at them! Some of the most precious creatures.

Precious like their gift! I have really been meaning to build a deck with those hand-empty types, this would be an excellent companion for them.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Supreme Victors/Scarlet & Violet

Oh hey, look! SV/SV ! That should equal one.

Yes, this Spiritomb is quite silly. But just imagine how fantastic it feels to land that double-heads knockout! Not to mention the utility of that first attack.

Mischief moment…

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Exalted Dragons/Destined Rivals

Oh my goodness it’s the fastest little green canine in all the seven realms. Nine? Either way, I have to say that I am way more fascinated by Narano’s depiction, the speed and the perspective leaves you squinting against the wind!

Favorite Card/Card I’ve played

Dragons Exalted/Obsidian Flame

Oh My Gosh look at them. Precious vibe-based creatures. I love both of these images to death, and this Pokemon along with them. It’s crazy that you can see how their ecosystems shaped their power levels, OBF one has to fight ex guys.

#5: Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack

So many things happen in this story are allowed to happen by that wretched, silent, perfect magic-

People, if they are given the space to do so, see what they want to see.

Also, Char Aznable is the most cooked unc of all time. S-Tier Animation!

Nu/10

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Dark Explorers/Temporal Forces

Explorers of Time and Darkness again, huh. Crazy how this keeps happening!

I never really thought about the implications of a Sableye in Chargestone Cave until just now. Would the eponymous stones taste good? Who’s to say!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve played
Supreme Victors/Obsidian Flame

Altaria is just delightful. Sleep can be a very powerful effect, and water/metal is a lovely combination.

I promise that someday we will be done with Supreme Victors, it boggles my mind that my favorite artist had so many in one set!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Supreme Victors/Temporal Forces

It feels so strange looking at grass cards that I played alongside Astral Radiance Kricketune. It’s like… “Wait, where did the rest of their health go?”

I experimented a little pairing this thorny madame with Paradox Rift Golisopod.

#4: ZZ Gundam

Or however you’re supposed to write that.

I might have a new favorite Gundam show after watching this. The cast hadn’t felt this vibrant since the original. If there was ever a Gundam series for the modern day, it would be this one.

It’s too late for Turn A now.

It’s a Newtype/10!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Dark Explorers/Paradox Rift

What an occasion! That’s right, Cofagrigus has been done by my favorite artist TWICE! And the more recent one was a card I actually played! Or well, ah… *Tried* to play. The TCG ecosystem does not promote diversity, as it stands.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Dark Explorers/Obsidian Flame

Oh my goodness look at them, they are both Switchy Slurpers. For 60 damage! Sure, there are a few other things that may have changed since then… But goodness gracious, what a cool cool creature.

Dark Explorers… Curious Catacomb?

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve played/Card I *really* wanna make work

Supreme Victors/Destined Rivals/Paradox Rift

Milotic is easily one of the coolest Pokemon. Such perfect colors! I’ve paired the DRI one with MEW Dewgong (Mewgong) and the right might fit with… MEW Jynx ex? She’s Basic! Lovely cards.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Next Destinies/BLK

Beartic have never looked more powerful, more in their element than they do here. This ”polar bear underwater” type of shot is the sort of thing you would see in National Geographic!

Meanwhile, the other card is Shenanigans of the highest degree.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Next Destinies/Paradox Rift

It is my understanding that there are a significant number who vehemently despise these elemental monkeys.

If there’s anything I wish my favorite artist hadn’t stopped doing, it’s these inclusions of city trappings. Conk Kreet, baby!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Noble Victories/BLK

Would you believe me if I told you that this is both the oldest and most recent printing of this pillar-swinger? It’s true!

I love how vivid the nose is in the older one, it’s like a big red tomato on their face! And that bit on their chin too.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Emerging Powers/Temporal Forces

Bird up!! Gosh, just look at the foliage here. I love the little blades of grass. It’s also kind of rare to see the female variant, it’s a welcome surprise to see them here.

TEF Pidove has a neat ability, you should check it out!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve played
Supreme Victors/ Scarlet & Violet (Base Set)

Lately I’ve been a little fascinated with these “revenge” types of cards. They feel better to get mileage out of when you’re mostly running single-prize cards!

I just wish I liked Lucario more… Shhh, don’t tell anyone!

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve played
Supreme Victors/Temporal Forces

Lickilicky has a pretty weird and wild history of effects, but those all happened between these two. TEF Lickilicky has a special place in my heart for being A) a Common, fully evolved poke, and B) being Heavy Baton Compatible.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Emerging Powers/BLK

I have a soft rule of not using full-art variants for these (for now), but I just had to break it here if for no other reason than the WOOD! It reminds me of my childhood, seeing formations like this.

Scolipede is just so cool. Always a hit.

Favorite Artist/Card I’ve Played
Triumphant (both)/Stellar Crown

These bone-keepers have never looked more menacing than they do here! Looks like you‘ve just shuffled into the wrong neighborhood, twin…

The interplay between Marowak and Cubone, whether it is implied or explicit, always interests me