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

Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith's English Kyogre Revealed

The Pokémon TCG has revealed the English-language versions of new cards coming in the next special set. January 2023 will see the release of Crown Zenith, a special set that will only be available in branded products rather than booster boxes. The art-themed Crown Zenith closes out the Sword & Shield era as The Pokémon Company International plans to switch over to the Scarlet & Violet series block in March 2023. Crown Zenith is largely based on Japan's VSTAR Universe, which was a reprint set with a large Secret Rare section that introduced two new card types: Art Rares and Special Art Rares. Art Rares are much like Character Rares but they do not show Pokémon with Trainers, rather showing them in their environments or sometimes even interacting with other species in interesting ways. Special Art Rares are like Alternate Arts, combining the idea of Art Rares with mechanics like V, VMAX, and VSTAR. Here is a new standard Pokémon-V revealed for Crown Zenith that actually wasn't from Japan's VSTAR Universe.

Japan actually got this Kyogre card as a Gym Promo, which I reported on earlier this year. This is evidence of the biggest difference between the Japanese VSTAR Universe, and the English Crown Zenith sets, which is that the main numbered set of high-class Japanese sets are made up of reprints. English sets don't do that. Instead, English sets like Crown Zenith and previous special sets take cards that were left off of previous sets or promos that never got translated and make them into a sort of makeshift set. Such is the case with Kyogre V, which appears now here in English for the first time.

Japanese sets often give us early ideas of what the English-language sets may include, so be sure to keep an eye on our coverage. You can stay tuned for previews of VSTAR Universe cards as well as updates on everything Pokémon TCG right here at Bleeding Cool.

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