Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Battle Region, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, virizion

Pokémon TCG Japan's Battle Region Preview: Virizion Full Art

This week, the Pokémon TCG will release a special Japanese set titled Battle Region which is named after the Hisui region and its dangerous Pokémon. This is likely to be the basis, at least in part, for the next English-language set, Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance, coming in May 2022. Battle Region has been confirmed to feature the return of Shinies with a new card type: Sparkling Pokémon. It will also continue the VSTAR mechanic that debuted in January's Star Birth and will continue to feature Character Cards and Character Super Rares. Today, let's take a look at some of the set's Full Arts.

Man, don't you just love Sword & Shield-era Full Arts? I'm currently doing a spotlight retrospective series going through the Sun & Moon sets, and while I enjoy many of those sets quite a bit, the Full Art GXs which use a flat, type-based background color pale in comparison to what we're getting now. While Alternate Arts are all the rage with modern Pokémon TCG collectors, we should appreciate these elegant Full Arts as well. The Virizion here is particularly stunning with a color palette that looks like candy, but the Starmie is no slouch either with a sort of algae-water vibe.

It's a good thing, too, that the Full Arts in Battle Region are so strong, because the set has no Alternate Arts. While it is possible that Alternate Arts have been discontinued and we will only get Character Rares and Character Super Rares in their place rather than with them, I don't think we can take this set as confirmation considering it's a special set to Japan rather than a main series set.

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 Battle Region cards as well as updates on everything Pokémon TCG right here at Bleeding Cool.

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