Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Scarlet & Violet, Squawkabilly

Pokémon TCG Japan: Scarlet & Violet Ex Preview: Squawkabilly

Squawkabilly makes its Pokémon TCG debut with its Green Plumage form in Violet ex, one of the Japanese sets Scarlet & Violet is adapting.

It's time for a new era. Pokémon TCG Japan has released two sets that kick off Generation Nine and bring Paldean Pokémon and Trainers to the Pokémon TCG for the first time. These two sister sets are Scarlet ex and Violet ex. These sets and as well as three 60-card Starter Set ex decks will be the basis of the English-language set Scarlet & Violet base coming out internationally on March 31, 2023. Starting with these sets, English-language versions of the sets will now more closely mirror Japanese expansions, using silver borders and set codes instead of set symbols. Scarlet ex and Violet ex also see the return of the original lowercase ex card type as well as the debut of the Terastal ex card type that will replace Vs and VMAX as Ultra Rares. We also now know that Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares, a card type that debuted in Crown Zenith, will return with this set, with ex cards being the mechanic we'll see depicted. Today, we take a look a final look at a new Paldean species that have arrived in the Pokémon TCG as we wrap up this long-running preview series introducing Bleeding Cool readers to their first look at this new era of the hobby.

First, to the right, we get some rare Klefki love. Klefki is a holographic rare in Violet ex with artwork by GOSSAN. The holo looks terrific on this card and we can now confirm that it has indeed made it into the English-language adaptation, Scarlet & Violet.

The new species in today's final Scarlet ex and Violet ex is Squawkabilly, a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon introduced in the Scarlet & Violet games. Squawkabilly can be found with four different appearances: Green Plumage, Blue Plumage, Yellow Plumage, and White Plumage. (Pokémon GO players should already despair, as this likely means regionals when it comes out in a few years' time.) The card here features Squawkabilly with Green Plumage with artwork by Oswaldo KATO. We will later see yet another Green Plumage Squawkabilly featured in the upcoming Japanese set Snow Hazard on a Pokémon ex, but that's for another day.

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 Scarlet & Violet cards as well as updates on everything Pokémon TCG right here at Bleeding Cool.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!