Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Paldean Fates, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Smoliv

Pokémon TCG Japan's Shiny Treasure Ex: Shiny Smoliv

The first time that many Pokémon fans will be exposed to Shiny Smoliv is in the new Pokémon TCG Japan set, Shiny Treasure ex.

At the end of every calendar year, the Pokémon TCG Japan releases what is called a "high class" set. These sets are characterized by featuring mostly reprinted cards in the main numbered section of the set, allowing those who may have missed important cards from previous sets that year to catch up. These sets are also known for featuring a large number of Secret Rares, which are generally all-new cards. These high-class sets are usually the most anticipated sets of the year for fans of the Japanese Pokémon TCG. English fans are often keyed in as well because these are sometimes the source material for our "special" expansions. In other cases, they are integrated into main expansions or sometimes never released in English. Examples in the past are GX Ultra Shiny, which was adapted into Hidden Fates, Tag Team GX All-Stars, which was never adapted, Shiny Star V, which was adapted into Shining Fates, VMAX Climax, which was adapted into the Trainer Gallery subsets in main-line Sword & Shield-era sets, and VSTAR Universe which was adapted into Crown Zenith. Now, the Pokémon TCG Japan has released its next high-class set: Shiny Treasure ex. This expansion is like GX Ultra Shiny and Shiny Star V, in that its expansive Secret Rare section will focus on Shiny Pokémon. Like those previous sets, it features "Baby" Shinies (a popular fan phrase for non-Full Art Shiny cards) and Full Art ex Shinies. It has already been confirmed that the English-language Pokémon TCG will adapt this high-class Japanese set into an early 2024 special expansion titled Scarlet & Violet – Paldean Fates. Today, let's take a look at some new Shiny Pokémon from Shiny Treasure ex.

And when I say "new," in this case, I mean new. There have been many classic species getting Shiny cards for the first time in the Pokémon TCG in this set, but Smoliv and its evolutionary line have only existed in the franchise since about this time last year when the main series Scarlet & Violet games debuted. This Shiny form isn't even released in Pokémon GO yet. That means that for many fans of the TCG who don't play the main series games, this will be their very first exposure to Smoliv's Shiny color palette. It's a strong Shiny, with its olive on top of its head going from yellow to black, while its body goes from green to yellow.

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.

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