Posted in: Card Games, Games, Pokémon TCG, Tabletop | Tagged: pokemon, pokemon cards, Pokemon TCG, sun & moon, Team Up

The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Team Up Part 16: Kanto Fighting-Types

Our retrospective spotlight on the illustrators and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon - Team Up covers eight Fighting-type Kanto species.

Four years ago, Pokémon TCG released the ninth main series set of the Sun & Moon era. The expansion, Sun & Moon – Team Up, came out on September 9th, 2022. Sun & Moon – Team Up added quite a lot to the hobby, including a special card type that would later become the most sought-after style of chase card in the Sword & Shield era. I'm talking, of course, about Alternate Arts. Sun & Moon – Team Up also introduced TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX, which featured two Pokémon on a single card. These species shared at least one of their typings. TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX were available as standard TEAM TEAM GX cards, Full Arts, Alternate Arts, and Rainbow Rares. Sun & Moon – Team Up was also the last set to include Prism Stars. This English-language expansion was based on the Japanese set Tag Bolt and took inspiration from the Kanto-themed games Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! Let's look back on this influential set and appreciate the artwork that would lay the groundwork for the current Alternate Art-themed era of Sword & Shield and beyond. Today, we continue with the Fighting-types of Sun & Moon – Team Up.

Sun & Moon – Team Up includes eight Fighting-type Pokémon (encompassing, Rock-type, Ground-type, and Fighting-type) from the Kanto region, including Mankey, Primeape, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, and Kabutops. Standouts include the Tomokazo Komiya-drawn duo of Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, both of which are drawn in this artist's distinctive, surreal art style that has enriched the hobby for many years now. Illustrator sui brings a softer touch with Kabuto, who looks both creepy and cute as it looks up at us, its gaze unknowable. Finally, Shin Nagasawa evolves Kabuto up into Kaputops with a sharp illustration that makes this Fossil Pokémon appear quite intimidating.

Stay tuned for the journey through this teamwork-themed set as we continue to spotlight the cards and artwork of Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon – Team Up. Next time, the spotlight continues with the main section of this set.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

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