Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Crown Zenith, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Sword & Shield

Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith Part 44: Connecting Cards Row 1

Our spotlight on Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith continues to Kouki Saitou's special set-within-a-subset of connecting Illustration Rares.

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end. Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era, was released on January 20th, 2023. It was primarily an adaptation of Japan's VSTAR Universe set and also featured a collection of cards that were cut from other English-language sets and more. Like other special sets, including Champion's Path, Shining Fates, Celebrations, and Pokémon GO, Crown Zenith packs were found in specially branded products like Premium Collections and Elite Trainer Boxes rather than booster boxes. This set featured the Galarian Gallery subset, which introduced Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares, originally called "Art Rares," to the hobby, which set the standard for the following Sword & Shield era, which used these card types as their primary Secret Rares. In today's installment of this Crown Zenith spotlight, let's take a look at more cards from the Galarian Gallery subset.

Today, we begin a breakdown of a nine-card connecting collection that closes out the standard Illustration Rare section of Crown Zenith. This connecting set is illustrated by Kouki Saitou, who has been contributing to the hobby since the early days of Aquapolis. Saitou is credited on over 600 cards, and this nine-card set-within-a-subset is a celebration of a decades-long career of his Pokémon TCG art.

The way that this connecting set works is three rows of three columns of cards. This Riolu is in the top row, all the way left, making it the very first card of the image when you display it in a binder. Or a frame, because these cards certainly deserve it. Here, Saitou depicts the scrappy Riolu hopping from the top of a tree, making it look almost as if it's trying to catch a ride on the swooping Swablu which we previewed yesterday, which appears on the card right next to this one.

Swablu is depicted by Saitou flying high over the icy mountains. The trees here are a beautiful touch as well, adding a bit of contrast to this card that lets Swablu's blue and white design, which blends with the blue sky and white mountain range, pop visually. This card does a terrific job of standing on its own, even though it is actually the centerpiece of the top row of this image, between the Riolu and the Duskull.

I love how the Duskull completely changes the tone of the illustration while also keeping the visuals consistent. The trees that Riolu is jumping off of in its card are bright and warm, while the forest around Duskull seems to seep with fog, as if this Ghost-type Pokémon has brought an eerie mist to this nine-Pokémon party. That, plus the mysterious purple glow to Duskull, makes this card work not only as a piece of the puzzle but beautifully as its own illustration.

Stay tuned for the journey through this special set as we continue to spotlight the cards and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith. Next time, the spotlight continues with the Galarian Gallery subset.

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