Sword & Shield Archives

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era,[...]

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era,[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era,[...]

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era,[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era,[...]

The Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG has come to an end Three years of expansions dedicated to the region of Galar, with some love for Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's revitalization of Sinnoh and Pokémon Legends: Arceus's introduction of the ancient region of Hisui, have led to this moment. Crown Zenith, a special set celebrating the Sword & Shield era,[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

Credit: Pokémon TCG Saki Hayashiro's first credit in the Pokémon TCG came in Sword & Shield – Rebel Clash, the second expansion of the Galar era Hayashiro illustrated both the standard and Full Art versions of the Ninetails V Ninetails V Full Art is one of the most sought-after cards in that set. Saki Hayashiro cards[...]

These cards, like Full Arts, were textured. Anesaki Dynamic continued as a major Pokémon TCG contributor during the Sun & Moon era, contributing notable cards, including the Kyogre Amazing Rare from Shining Fates, the expensive and highly sought-after Rayquaza VMAX Alternate Art from Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies, and the Blanch Full Art Trainer promo card from the Pokémon GO[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

Their first contributions were Taruos and Magmortar in Sun & Moon – Unified Minds, which showed that this artist plays on the anime style while making it a bit darker and more stylized. ITO skyrocketed into legendary status during the Sword & Shield era of the Pokémon TCG After nothing but standard cards (commons, uncommons, rares), we finally see KEIICHIRO[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

We have already seen the Cyrus Full Art meant for that box, but it was not yet revealed if we'd be getting a new Klara Full Art or if it'd be a reprint from Sword & Shield – Chilling Reign, especially because there was no Klara Full Art from Japan that we had seen Well,[...]

HYOGONOSUKE carries over that talent for illustrative cards painting unique scenes into the current Sword & Shield era, where their Tyranitar V Alternate Art became the very first Alt Art chase card of the Galar era. HYOGONOSUKE cards Credit: Pokémon TCG Other notable Sword & Shield contributions by HYOGONOSUKE include Leafeon VMAX Alternate Art from Sword & Shield – Evolving[...]

Later, Alternate Arts and Character Rares would take prominence, with Saito delivering some of the best examples, including the Mew V Alternate Art from Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike as well as my favorite card from the entire Sword & Shield era, the Mimikyu VMAX Character Super Rare from Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. Naoki Saito cards[...]

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[...]

Credit: Pokémon TCG Ryuta Fuse continues to work for the Pokémon TCG in the Sword & Shield era Somme of Fuse's most memorable cards are the Nessa Full Art from Sword & Shield – Vivid Voltage, Rayquaza V Alternate Art from Sword & Shield – Evolving Skies, and Elesa's Sparkle from Sword & Shield – Fusion Strike[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

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[...]

Credit: Pokémon TCG Whenever I do these spotlights, I am always surprised when I see how some artists who have come to feel like staples of the hobby have only been contributing for a few years. Atsushi Furusawa was first credited in 2021's Sword & Shield – Chilling Reign This was the second expansion of the Sword & Shield[...]

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[...]

The art-themed Crown Zenith closes out the Sword & Shield era with a bang, as the Scarlet & Violet series block will launch in March 2023 Crown Zenith introduces two new card types: Illustrator Rares and Special Illustrator Rares, called Art Rares and Special Art Rares in Japan Illustrator Rares are much like Illustrator Rares,[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

Teeziro's first official credit was in Sword & Shield – Chilling Reign, but it is actually the above Charizard art that initially got this artist noticed Teeziro submitted this Charizard illustration, depicting the iconic Fire-type Pokémon flying over a wintry village, as part of the 2019 Pokémon TCG Illustration Grand Prix[...]

Over the past two years, we've seen renewed interest in the hobby due to a number of factors, including the 25th Anniversary, strong Sword & Shield-era sets featuring stunning Alternate Arts, influencers, box breaks, COVID-19 lockdown pushing people to find hobbies, and more For a time, sets and cards that were readily available quickly became[...]

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[...]

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[...]