Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: espurr, pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, Silver Tempest

The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Silver Tempest Part 19: Espurr & Swirlix

In November 2022, Pokémon TCG released the final main series set of the Sword & Shield era. The expansion, Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest, came out on September 9th, 2022. It is the twelfth set under the Sword & Shield banner and it adapts the Japanese sets Incandescent Arcana and Paradigm Trigger, with its Trainer Gallery subset adapting cards from VMAX Climax. The Lugia-themed Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest also continues both Radiant Pokémon as well as the Trainer Gallery, a special subset of Character Rares, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainers, and Black & Gold VMAXes that began in the first set of the year, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. Follow me on a journey through this latest set as we appreciate the artwork, discuss the card's place in the set, and theorize as to what certain elements of the expansion may imply for the future of the Pokémon TCG. Today, we continue with three more Psychic-type cards of Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest.

I love artists who used mixed media to create their cards, as these tend to stand out from the crowd in ways beyond style of illustration. Today's previews show use of crochet and photography from two artists on the Espurr card and the Swirlix card from Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest. Both of these cards are created by Asako Ito who creates not only the Pokémon but actually their environment as well from special crafts. Ito first began contributing to the hobby during the Sun & Moon base set, with memorable cards being Drifloon from Sun & Moon – Ultra Prism, Chimecho from Sword & Shield – Vivid Voltage, and the upcoming Altaria Art Rare from Crown Zenith.

Artist Taira Akitsu uses a traditionally drawn style in the Meowstic card, showing how far a hand-drawn style can go to convey mood beautifully. This card shows why Akitsu's clear and emotive style has been used so much on both Trainer and Pokémon cards since their debut in Sword & Shield base. Akitsu is one of my top five illustrators working for the TCG today.

Stay tuned for the continuing journey through this Lugia and Alolan Vulpix-themed set as we continue to spotlight the cards and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Silver Tempest. Next time, the spotlight continues with the main set of this expansion.

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