A magazine in Japan has recently revealed some of the winning entries for one of the the CoroCoro (and other subsequent magazines which held the promotion) movie card competition designs. At the moment it is not known if all the place-winning cards will be published, or only the top-rank card, nor how they will be distributed. More on these as we get it! A big thank-you to heerosferret for scanning the page.

(I don't know about you guys but I want to see hurdle-jumping Arceus printed. It's just classic.)


(Click for large version)

Resource(s):
http://sunyshore.com

Set Name: Starter Pack
Set Logo: N/A
Number of Cards: 29
Checklist: Download (PDF)


Notes: It was out of pure luck that I was linked to an auction containing the full set of these cards from a very thoughtful anonymous commenter on the site here. Originally released at the end of 2001, this set is a very little known treasure of the e-Card era. In Japan, this was the only way to get the cards showcased in this deck, and most of this deck was broken down into the english sets when Wizard of the Coast were jamming every card they could into the series before the end of their license.

The cards were issued with the purchase of a e-Series Starter Pack, featuring 4 cards of one evolutionary family and all 5 trainer cards. It could take anywhere up to 6-9 decks to finish the set of all 29 cards given this random chance which makes the set elusive and hard to piece together. The final evolution of the starters in this set have holographic variations which are part of the 2002 promotional card run, and were obtained by filling out and sending in the form issued in the deck with the token from the box.

( Scans: Starter Pack )

Last Updated: 02/07/09 Set Complete

In the final weeks counting down to DPt4 Dawn of Arceus, more and more cards are being revealed in different ways. On todays airing of Pokemon Sunday, the in-set version of the Ultimate Zone trainer was shown, offering alternate artwork on the promo version of the card.

Given that Ultimate Zone is going to be a pivotol card for any player using the Arceus cards, it's good to see they put a version of it in the actual set. We'll keep you updated as more images are slowly revealed during the count-down to Dawn of Arceus!



A big thank-you to norkia for sending us this screencap. I've been quite sick lately and slept right through Pokesun this week!

Resource(s):
Pokemon Sunday (28/06 Airdate)

Fresh from Pokemon-Card.com, a new CM has been released today for the decks due out in the next two weeks. For your convenience, we've uploaded the CM and included some choice screencaps.

It appears that cards and evolutionary families present in the main set will be present in the decks as well, whether as straight out alternate-art cards or different cards we're unsure. It also appears you get multiples of the Arceus element cards given out in the decks, if the final shot is anything to go by.

Confirmed new cards for the decks are:
Treecko, Grovyle, Tangela, Pontya, Rapidash, Electrike, Manectric, Gastly, Haunter, Gulpin, Wingull, and Bronzong

Which means assumed cards could also include:
Tangrowth, Swallot, Bronzor, Pelipper












Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

In addition to all the news from Pokemon-Card.com last night, it has been announced that the new Wiiware game Melee! Pokemon Scramble is due to get a promotional TCG expansion.

The expansion, a small set of 16 cards featuring 3D artwork from the game, comes with a large amount of damage counters, player counters, dice, and a heptagonal board designed to mimic the battle action of the Scramble game. The cards are also allowed for use in traditional play. The set will be out on July 10th in Japan.

From what we can see of the small card images supplied for the whole set, cards included are:
Venusaur, Cherrim, Ninetails, Heatran, Starmie, Gyarados, Pikachu, Zapdos, Mewtwo, Mew, Diglett, Lucario, Skuntank, Bastiodon, Ratatta, and Bibarel.

Check out the images below!





Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

In a surprising update (not really, more-so late), Pokemon-Card.com have updated on the DPt4 situation presenting us with new cards not seen before, including the last three Arceus cards originally left unrevealed. They also unveiled some of the cards due out in the Random Packs this August. Confirmed now is that the Random Pack series will have 22 cards. Two new victory medals were unveiled along with a Mewtwo and Heatran promo (amongst many others). All in all, a huge update, all broken up into sections for your convenience.



Pokemon Battle Tour 2009
A new battle tour is beginning July 11th and running through until September 6th. They nicely showed off Gengar Lv.X on their images, with two coins being given away at the event. They also inadvertently showcased the entire set of DPt4 in squint-o-vision but you can see what you're looking for if you look hard enough.




Commercials:
Pokemon-Card.com revealed a teaser CM for Dawn of Arceus tonight, including a special introduction video to how the Arceus cards work in the game. Take a look at them at the site here or check them out below:



DPt4 Dawn of Arceus, DPt4 ArceusLV.X Grass&Fire Deck, DPt4 ArceusLV.X Psychic&Thunder Deck:
The final four Arceus cards were unveiled tonight, to go with the fact they're fully revealed in the new CM and the Introduction video.



Movie Commemoration 2009 Random Packs:
Officially announced today on the website, Pokemon-Card showcased a few of the cards featured in the deck. As suspected, SP pokemon for the movie characters are a factor. Instead of having many confusing titles, they have used M as the SP name symbol, standing for movie. It's a stylize Pikachu tail, which is a nod to Pikachu Project. A new energy illustration has been done for this set. Contrary to the initial release date issued by many online stores for pre-orders, the packs are due out on the 8th of July also. The set features 22 cards, all of which were revealed today. Take a look at the set below:

( Preview: Commemoration Random Pack )

Promotional Cards
In terms of the promotional cards, three more Gym Challenge promos have been revealed. We start with the Victory Medal (Silver), being given away to winners of the Pokemon Battle Tour 2009. Beginning Door, Pichu and Mothim, all of which are cards which are from DPt4 with the set stamp on them.

Two Arceus promos were revealed, the first (040/DPt-P) is being given away with the Official Deck Cases if purchased, while 041/DPt-P is the movie-ticket give-away card.

PikachuM LV.X and Michiina Stadium are a part of a blister-pack featuring the two cards, one booster from Dawn of Arceus and two Random Pack boosters. The blister pack is due out on the 8th of July, with the rest of DPt4.

Ultimate Zone is a special card being given away with the purchase of two booster packs from DPt4 Dawn of Arceus (in which you then receive this card and a special book).

Mewtwo is a DP5 Deck reprint being given away at the 2009 Pokemon Battle Tour as a participation incentive, while Heatran is a special promo that comes with the new Pokemon Battle Tour Challenge Deck, which is being sold from the 11th of July. Finally, the Victory Medal (Gold) for the Battle Tour features Arceus and leaves us at DPt-P 051. Interesting to note, DPt-P 046, 047 and 048 are missing from the promo list and may be reserved as Lv.X cards to correspond to others in the Random Pack set.

( New Promotional Cards )

Finally, a new wallpaper was released, which can be downloaded here.

Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

Pokeani and Rakuten report on a premium pack due out on the 8th of August this year called the "Pokemon Movie Release Commemoration Random Pack".

Each pack is set to have 7 random cards with 1 holo and 1 energy guaranteed. Pokemon who are slotted to star in the movie will be featured in this set, with all the Pokemon appearing as SP Pokemon. Arceus and Gizamimi Pichu are confirmed to be in this set. These packs do come in a booster-box format of 20 packs, according to Rakuten who are holding pre-orders.

Taking a step back to look at the progression of the movie-related promotional cards, it might be safe to say these packs are like a nod back to the VS Decks which were in production for each movie from The Guardians of Altomare, to The Pokemon Ranger and The Prince of the Sea. Dialga vs Palkia vs Darkrai saw a special Premium Folder released to commemorate the 10th anniversary, with Giratina and the Sky's Bouquet doing much the same. It seems we might be going back to old roots, just through packs instead of pre-constructed decks? With this set will we be seeing Arceus SP with a small depiction of Michiina in the trainer window? It'll be interesting in how they'll apply the SP mechanic.

We'll keep you posted as we find out!

Edit: Pack-art thanks to #pocketmonsters!



Resource(s):
http://pokeani.com/news/2009_06/0906_pokenews11.html
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/projectcore/4521329084749/
http://www.pocketmonsters.net
http://ysgame.shop-pro.jp/?pid=14193795

Toys'R'Us sure have a way to break the ice with the new addition of accessories to their site for DPt4, but with some interesting tidbits. With the addition to the booster packs for pre-release on the site, Toys'R'Us gave more information out as to certain feature cards of the set. As well as new information on the pull-rates for the Arceus cards.

Of major note:

4 LV.X Cards have been confirmed:
Arceus, Salamence, Gengar, and Tangrowth

SP Cards due to appear:
Galaxy's Zapdos, Galaxy's Porygon-Z, and Galaxy's Beedrill.

Shiny Cards due to appear:
Shinx, Ponyta, Bagon

This is an interesting revelation, given that the Arceus cards looked like they were originally going to replace the ultra rares for the set (barring the LV.X cards of course), but we've got confirmed shining pokemon cards! The pull-rate for the packs explains this. A direct translation from the site states: while every booster pack usually contains only 1 holo card, there will be random packs in the DPt4 boxes which will include 1 holo and 1 Arceus card.

Onto the accessories: Toys'R'Us revealed the images for the DPt4 accessories, including the Suitcase, Folder, Sleeves and Deck boxes. All of them feature standard Arceus art, or the booster-pack art.







A big thank-you to heerosferret for assisting with translation, as I was shaking when we saw the kanji for "shiny". I am beyond excited to buy boxes of this in Japan this July!

Resource(s):
http://www.toysrus.co.jp
http://www.toysrus.co.jp/product/product_detail.aspx?ext=1&product_order=5&skn=322390&pin=600&top_id=001

Pokemon-Card.com revealed a number of new cards from DPt4 today with the site's official overhaul into "Dawn of Arceus" mode.

The site offered a glance at a number of cards due out for the set this July, along with a new wallpaper featuring the booster pack and deck artworks, and updating the promo lists to include the Ponyta and Porygon-Z promos we showcased a few weeks back.

Revealed today were two new LV.X cards for the set, along with new Arceus cards featuring different types. As of now there are only four Arceus cards left un-revealed to the public, being the Grass, Psychic and Fighting TCG element cards and the main-set Arceus LV.X. Already this set is shaping out to be something spectacular and we've only got a handful of cards to look at.

Check them out below, along with the clean shots of the packs! I'm stoked about this set!

EDIT: It's also interesting to see the 'ripple effect' from the new holo set across all the cards now. Every elemental card joins to the other through the ripple, starting from the colourless-type Arceus. Arceus can be swapped out with any of the LV.X cards from the decks (and presumably the one from the set). After fiddling in photoshop, we've set up the order for the cards. We of course don't know what way the ripples will flow on some cards, so we will see!

- With Normal Arceus at center
- With Arceus LV.X (Fire/Grass) at center
- With Arceus LV.X (Thunder/Psychic) at center



DPt4 Dawn of Arceus Main Set:








DPt4 Fire&Grass Deck Exclusives:


DPt4 Thunder&Psychic Deck Exclusives:


DPt-P Promos:


Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

Set Name: ポケモンカード★web (Pokemon Card★WEB)
Set Logo: N/A
Number of Cards: 48
Checklist: Download (PDF)


Notes: Talk about an interesting set. The WEB series was a special set of reprints, released via blind-booster packs of 10 cards through Pokemon Center Japan's then-functioning online store in 2001. While the set consists of majority reprints, there are a fair few notable cards in the set, and one original release card.

Firstly, we have Ivysaur and Wartortle who both come from the original Intro Pack from 1999. Electrode was featured as a card in Pokemon CardGB2 for the GameBoy Colour, illustrated with the original card layout from base, with a GB logo. The print in this set is the only physical version of the card released, even with it's general design change. The infamous 'University Magikarp' was reprinted for this set, and is the only reprint of the card made. Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres are holo variations of the ANA promos from 1999, featuring new artwork which was used originally used in the US Pokemon 2000 Movie promotion version of the cards. Gengar and Machamp were originally from the Masaki Evolution Campaign and are the only two of the five reprinted. The other majority of the cards are reprints from Base through to Rocket, and the Extended Sheet series.

This set was never released in English, with only a tiny handful of these being Wizards of the Coast promotional cards at the time.

( Scans: Pokemon Card★WEB )

Last Updated: 03/06/09 Set Complete

We're on to you Pokemon-Card. Stop with the funny business and give us some delicious card shots!


Booster artwork? More than likely.

Looking at the image we're going to see Cherim (Overcast Form for a change given the eclipse?), Croagunk, Buneary, and Luxio cards in the set (and most likely their evolutionary families). Hiding up near the eclipse looks like a Starly or a Staravia, and Bronzong is above Arceus' head (given this is a movie-based set and Bronzong is in the movie this is appropriate). We'll keep you up-to-date with the info as it comes in.

Stay tuned for Pokemon-Card's update due tomorrow. Maybe finally some more card images to be shown? We'll find out soon enough!

Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

Pokemon-Card.com have officially unveiled DPt4, bringing with it images and news on Gym Challenge promotional cards! No more Arceus cards have been revealed nor other main set cards bar the two being re-released promotionally via Gym Challenge.

It seems that Galaxy cards are still the in-thing. Porygon-Z G (035/DPt-P) and Ponyta (034?/DPt-P) which are being announced as prizes for the June/July Gym Challenge. Take a look below! The ponyta was small and I almost missed it when I was scouring the news. This is the most flamboyant I have seen the logo work look on the Gym Challenge cards (if you recall, the Beat of the Frontier ones had a similar trend) that appear to cater to the individual type on the card. Porygon-Z features an aurora and Ponyta features flames. Given this trend it looks like they'll only do cards from the set which feature one attack so they can cater to the embellishment (as I doubt there are other attacks hiding under there, maybe Poke Body/Poke Powers?). Given that these cards are due out before the main set explains why the date for the set is featured on the cards.



Porygon-Z G (035/DPt-P)

Translation:
(C) (C) (C) Sudden Rush 20+
Flip a coin, if heads this attack does an extra 40 damage.

Ponyta (034?/DPt-P)

Translation:
(F) (C) Blaze 20

(Yes, one of the few times I'll do a translation, even if it's a rough one. I'm just personally stoked to see Porygon-Z return to the format)

Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

Set Name: Intro Pack★neo
Set Logo: N/A
Number of Cards:41
Checklist: Download (PDF)


Notes: I believe my promotional folder has some kind of voodoo magic imbued in it. This set arrived to me a bit more than battered, but very welcome as a purchase from the very sweet norkia. She'd bought the set in order to obtain the Quilava card herself, the one card missing from this set here because of that, and only recently did she sell it (and the very watchful ladylegsdarkrai IM'ed me as soon as she found it in the sales post). Some of the cards were beyond repair, with very heavy wear damage to the edges and some with very large creases. After living in my 1997-2002 Promotional Folder for but a week the majority of the crease damage has healed it's self under the extreme weight of the other decks and promos. The set is broken into two, a Chikorita Deck and Totodile Deck. According to the official checklist on Pokemon-Card.com, they're combined to make a single set on their own.

My deepest gratitude to norkia for selling this deck. I doubt I'd of had it, Quilava-less or no, in the next few years otherwise due to it never wanting to appear on Yahoo!Japan or eBay. Thanks to prguitarman of prtcg, we've got a scan of Quilava to showcase this set in full.

( Scans: Intro Pack★neo )

Last Updated: 14/05/09

A small, but exciting update. Perusing the internet for Arceus related things (I've been translating up-and-coming merchandise lists for pkmncollectors regarding the God Pokemon) I stumbled across Toy Jumbo, who featured images of the new decks due out on July 8th. The Fire and Thunder Plate Arceus cards which were revealed officially last Friday are clearly seen with two alternate artwork LV.X cards.

The decks also feature two different coins, both featuring Arceus. Check them out!



Resource(s):
http://www.toy-jumbo.co.jp/SHOP/349402/355557/list.html

A huge update was released on Pokemon-Card.com tonight, officially unveiling Arceus in the TCG. A shiny new wallpaper of Arceus was released for download as well. Pokemon-Card, however, are being sneaky and hiding the name of the set still along with the theme deck names.

A new special holo type has been introduced, and I'm personally excited about it, as it looks stunning. What looks to be the regular-set Arceus card (normal type), along with Arceus Flame-Plate and Arceus Zap-Plate from the theme decks (of which consist of 17 cards each) were unveiled.






We'll of course keep you posted as more cards are slowly revealed. In the mean time, enjoy the shiny new site banner! About time we got some Arceus love on Pokemon-Card.com!

Also a big thing in the news today has been the announcement of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver to be released on DS later this year! Like most game releases, we'll undoubtably see an accompanying card set to go with the game. Possibly Ho-Oh and Lugia LV.X cards? We'll see down the track.



Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com
http://www.pokemon.co.jp

Slowly playing catchup with the news of the past few days, so please bear with me, as I've not been the best health-wise!




A small but exciting update. Pokeani and big-web have updated and announced further information regarding the new card set due out in July. According to the blog and store:

- This set is only 90 cards in size including 1 Arceus LV.X card and 5 Arceus cards all of a different type.
From the looks of it, these cards are replacing the usual shiny cards for the set and thus are like the Rotom card run from DPt2 Limit to the Bonds of Time. Whether they'll be a holographic-print with a glossy finish and extra holo in the gloss like LV.X cards, or non-holo in print and just glossy with the special Ultra Rare holo treatment, we do not know.

- Including the decks, there will be a total of 12 Arceus cards including LV.X cards.
5, probably, Ultra Rare pulls in the main set plus the LV.X and 3 in each theme deck including the LV.X if the numbers they're giving us are correct.

Pokemon-Card.com has yet to update with the latest from the set but will probably not be doing so until late May, if any previous sets are to go by for timing. We'll keep you posted, as always!

Resource(s):
http://pokeani.com/news/2009_04/0904_pokenews40.html
http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/big-web/143175.html

Pokemon-Card.com have finally updated the 2009 Promotional Card lists with the two promo cards we reported on earlier, and a new trophy card called the "Wonder Platinum" (033/DPt-P), also featuring Giratina.

Again, in an interesting turn, the wonder platinum is a numbered promotional card unlike it's Diamond and Pearl counterparts from 2007 which were un-numbered. Check out the cards below! The cards are being distributed this month. Chatot (032/DPt-P) and Victory Medal (031/DPt-P) are prizes for the Pokemon Open Challenge battle, while the Wonder Platinum is the winning card given to the champion and participants of the Japanese World Championship Conference Battles.



Resource(s):
http://www.pokemon-card.com

Set Name: Collection Pack Regigigas LV.X
Number of Cards: 12
Checklist: Download (PDF)


Notes: I keep seeing the Heatran in this deck and I get reminded that I need to acquire the non-holo meiji version of it. Haha. Poor Regigigas, Japanese set ordering by type meant he got shafted right back to number 11 in the deck while everyone else gets to shine in the 1-9 spots in the page organizers.


( Scans: Collection Pack Regigigas LV.X )

Last Updated: 29/04/09 Set Complete

Set Name: Collection Pack Mewtwo LV.X
Number of Cards: 12
Checklist: Download (PDF)


Notes: Probably like this pack the most out of the ones released this time around :) It's just a very nice little set.


( Scans: Collection Pack Mewtwo LV.X )

Last Updated: 29/04/09 Set Complete

Set Name: Collection Pack Shaymin LV.X
Number of Cards: 12
Checklist: Download (PDF)


Notes: I really hope they keep doing these packs, personally. They're fantastic for collectors, almost essential for people building decks for Worlds given some of the reprints issued in them. They also give us nice Japanese prints of the formerly exclusive english LV.X promos. All in all, a nice small set of cards here.

( Scans: Collection Pack Shaymin LV.X )

Last Updated: 29/04/09 Set Complete