Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: Brilliant Stars, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Star Birth

Pokémon TCG Japan's Star Birth Preview: Arceus Alt Art

This week, the Pokémon TCG will release the next Japanese set, Star Birth, which kicks off 2022 with a Sinnoh focus. Star Birth will debut the VSTAR mechanic with cards featuring Charizard, Shaymin, Arceus, and Whimsicott. The set, the first major release of the year, will partly be the basis for the next English-language expansion, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars which will be released in February 2022. We cover both English-language and Japanese-language releases here on Bleeding Cool, as the Japanese sets will give us a peek into the future of what is coming down the line for international releases. Today, let's take a look at two of the first Secret Rares we get to see from Star Birth: the Arceus V Alternate Art and the Arceus V Full Art.

Let's be real. With five Charizards in Star Birth (V, VSTAR, Full Art V, Alt Art V, Rainbow Rare VSTAR), this is going to be known as a Charizard set. If there were two Charizards in the set, hell, that's probably how it'd go down in history. However, Arceus in fact does have an even bigger presence in the set than the good ol' 'Zard. Arceus has a standard Pokémon-V, a VSTAR, a Full art and an Alt Art V (pictured above), a Rainbow Rare VSTAR, and a Gold VSTAR. Arceus is known as the deity of the Pokémon universe, so it makes sense that it would get this heavenly depiction in its Alternate Art. Arceus hovers over the world here with bright beams of light bursting out of it on what is sure to be a sought-after chase card. Personally, with no more Alternate Art VMAXes and VSTARs not getting Alternate Arts, I'm thinking that Alternate Art Vs will be the bigger chases. Note, too, that the Alt Art and the Full Art depicted next to it are Secret Rares in Japan but in the English language Pokémon TCG, they will be part of the standard numbering of the set.

Stay tuned for more Pokémon TCG news daily right here at Bleeding Cool! You can follow our Star Birth coverage using our official tag for the set and our Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars coverage using this tag for the set.

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