For over two decades, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) has captured the hearts and imaginations of fans worldwide. At the heart of this beloved game lies its stunning artwork, bringing Pokémon to life in ways that continue to inspire.
At We Love Collectibles (WLC), we’re huge fans of celebrating unique and interesting card artwork, if you’re interested in picking up some singles – especially some of the illustration rares from modern sets – then take a look at our singles store!
With the recent announcement of the top 100 entrants for The Pokémon TCG Illustration Contest 2024, we thought we’d take a brief look back at the history of the context, and, show of the artists that have made it to round two of the competition.
From Humble Beginnings to Global Phenomenon
The roots of this contest trace back to November 1997, when CoroCoro Comic first invited readers in Japan to submit drawings of their favorite Pokémon.
Three entrants were honoured with the Best Award, each receiving 20 copies of a Pokémon trading card showcasing their illustration, along with a special Pokémon Illustrator promotional card. These cards were later included in Expansion Sheet 1 (or, the vending machine series as it’s known to collectors more often) and made available through special vending machines starting on March 23, 1998.
This modest beginning laid the foundation for what would become a highly anticipated event in the Pokémon community.
The contest has since evolved, expanding its reach beyond Japan to include participants from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The Pikachu Illustration Card
The promotional cards featuring winning illustrations often become prized collectibles. This added an extra layer of excitement to the contest, as fans eagerly anticipate not just the artwork itself, but also the chance to add these unique cards to their collections.
The Pokémon Illustrator card, often referred to as “Pikachu Illustrator,” holds a legendary status in the world of Pokémon card collecting. Its origin dates back to the very first illustration contest held by CoroCoro Comic in 1997, with winners announced in January 1998.
Three lucky entrants received the “Best Award” for their submissions. As part of their prize, each winner was given 20 copies of a trading card featuring their own illustration. However, the truly special part of the prize was a promotional card known as the Pokémon Illustrator.
The text on the card reads – “This is to certify that your illustration is an excellent entry in the Pokémon Card Game Illustration Contest. Therefore, we recognise you as an official Pokémon card illustrator and commemorate this Honour with this card”
Over the years, the Pokémon Illustrator card has gained almost mythical status among collectors. Its rarity – with only a handful known to exist – combined with its unique origin story has driven its value to astronomical heights. In fact, it holds the record for the highest sale price of any individual Pokémon card. We don’t think we’ll be getting one of these in our store anytime soon!
In 2021, a near-mint condition Pokémon Illustrator card sold for $375,000. This record was shattered in 2022 when another copy of the card, graded in perfect condition, sold for a staggering $5.275 million. These sales have cemented the Pokémon Illustrator’s position as not just the most valuable Pokémon card, but one of the most valuable trading cards of any kind in the world.
The Previous Illustration Contest 2022
With the illustration contest, there is always a theme. The last competitions theme, in 2022, was “The Daily Life of Pokémon”
A total of 10,830 entries were submitted to the contest. The top 300 quarter-finalists were announced on April 11, 2022, followed by the top 100 semi-finalists on May 12, 2022. The final 20 finalists were revealed on June 10, 2022.
Prizes:
- Grand Prize: $5,000/¥550,000 and a promotional card (awarded to one winner from Japan or the United States).
- First Runners-Up: $3,000/¥330,000 and a promotional card (one winner each from Japan and the United States).
- Second Runners-Up: $1,000/¥110,000 (two winners from Japan or the United States).
- Judges’ Award: $500/¥55,000 (fifteen winners from Japan or the United States).
You may recognise these cards as SWSH Black Star Promos:
The 2024 Pokémon Illustration Competition
Each iteration of the contest brings a fresh theme, challenging artists to explore new dimensions of the Pokémon world. The 2024 contest, for instance, invites participants to capture “Magical Pokémon Moments,” encouraging artists to depict the wonder and enchantment that Pokémon bring to our lives.
Unfortunately, there was some drama relating to the top 300 entrants. It was determined that some entrants among the top 300 finalists violated official contest rules, reportedly using AI-generated images. They were disqualified, and replaced.
Here are some of our favourites from the top 100
Shiho So
Emma Bieber
mosu
Kujira
rena nakajima
gotch
Spareribs
SAKANAGI
Acorviart
Kae
HIDEMARU ATSUTA
Nathan Collins
You can, of course, take a look at the full gallery here – ROUND TWO: TOP 100 – Result – Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2024 – What’s your favourite, and what would you like to see printed as a card?
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Visit Our Store
If you’re in Margate, Thanet, swing by our store and explore our extensive collection.
Of course, with our brand new website you can purchase any of our products that we have in store with ease. Use the search tool to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Our customers can search by name, card artists, brands, sets and more!
At We Love Collectibles, we’re passionate about Pokémon & the community we’ve fostered! Here’s what we offer:
- Booster Cases, Boxes, and Packs: Whether you’re a collector or a player, we’ve got you covered.
- Singles: Find that elusive card to complete your collection.
- Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs): Enhance your gameplay with these premium sets.
- Collection Boxes and Tins: Perfect for gift-giving or expanding your collection.
- Trading Card Accessories: Sleeves, binders, and more!
- Japanese Pokémon Products: Discover rare and unique items from Japan.
We’re also getting new products in-store, or filling up our binders with a wide variety of singles everyday. We buy, trade and sell. So come see either Tom Snr or Tom Jnr – a father and son team at our Margate store – for all your Pokémon needs. Thank you for being part of the We Love Collectibles community. Check us out on Instagram – where we often showcase what we have in store.
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Unit 101, Westwood Business Park, Margate CT9 4JJ
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