The day has come for a new collection update! After almost two years of progress, I have finally completed my binder of Expedition, Aquapolis and Skyridge!
Growing up, I never had or even saw any of these cards on the playground and when I got back into Pokémon in 2019, I just briefly skimmed over them. I didn’t really like the uneven borders and I didn’t even consider them to be vintage at that time. Little did I know…
As I continued my collecting journey, I was gradually introduced to these sets by some of the amazing members on this fourum. At first, I was unsure which direction to take. Should I go for English or Japanese? Holos or just rares? Crystals, reverses or everything?
After some reflection and a better understanding of what I truly enjoy, I decided to go for 1) English, since I like being able to understand what the cards say and 2) Non-holos only, since I enjoy seeing the background artwork, which often gets overshadowed in holo cards.
The last puzzle piece I needed to complete the sets was Skyridge Alakazam which I picked earlier this year. Rather than uploading each page individually, I created a collage of the whole binder.
Among the cards I cracked from slabs are Expedition #40 Charizard (PSA 7), Aquapolis #40 Tyranitar (CGC 7) and Skyridge #84 Pikachu (CardMarketGrading 7.5).
The three PSA 8 cards I’m holding in the picture were also supposed to be cracked but I decided to keep them as they are for now. They are currently displayed outside of the binder and happen to be some of my favorite e-series artworks.
My Feline Friends
To celebrate this milestone, I invited my three feline companions to join me for a photoshoot, each together with one of the three PSA cards.
On the left is Fido, the Charizard of the crew. His personality is a perfect match for Ash’s Charizard specifically - independent, stubborn and immune to bribery. No amount of treats will convince him to do something he doesn’t want to do. However, when he’s in the mood, he becomes the most loyal and affectionate buddy, always by your side and ready to show an unlimited amount of love.
In the middle is Bianca, a fierce warrior much like Skyridge Gyarados. She is the queen of the garden, born and raised in the wilderness around the house. If anyone deserves a Mega Battle award, it’s her. Despite her fearless personality, Bianca loves cuddles and is the only true lap cat of the three.
Lastly, there is Amy, the youngest and shyest of the bunch. Even though she is rather reserved, she knows exactly how to get what she wants, much like Gengar’s Manipulate Poké-Power. Her favourite spot is on the sofa, and going outdoors is not really her thing. In fact, I had to wait two days to take that photo of her in the garden.
Artists of E-Series
Flipping through this binder is always a special moment of art appreciation. The variety of styles, colors, and techniques is incredible, and it’s remarkable how many different illustrators contributed to the e-series. In total, I counted 45 artists, some of whom illustrated only one or two cards in their entire Pokémon TCG career.
Below, I have listed my top five favorites by each artist and tried to put into words what makes each illustration style appealing to me. On my first run through the binder, I also did a little fun exercise. I simply picked all the cards that somehow stood out to me and to my surprise, there was one clear winner in terms of volume!
1) Artists with at least five cards
(Sorted alphabetically by surname)
Toshinao Aoki
Aoki has one of the more distinct styles, with bright colors and high contrast. My favourites are Kadabra and Kangaskhan for their simplicity. I also love his cards from Neo and even some modern, especially Slowpoke and Raichu.
Mitsuhiro Arita
The undisputed OG of Pokémon, alongside Sugimori. His early Base-Rocket artworks are deeply tied to my childhood memories. I particularly enjoy the realism and dynamic camera angles in his illustrations. Flaaffy is perhaps the most unique one, referencing Christmas.
Yukiko Baba
Looking at the full list of her illustrations, you can see how her style has become consistently predictable (in a good way!). Her art usually puts the Pokémon in the centre and surrounds them with colourful natural elements. I used to confuse her cards with Tanaka’s, but over time, I’ve learned to tell them apart. Baba’s best work is without a doubt Raichu from Bulbasaur Deck.
Keiko Fukuyama
Fukuyama’s cards have so much warmth and charm. Looking at the Psyduck always makes me smile. Her postcards especially are a true gem in the hobby. All the Pokémon are just chilling, everyone friendly, enjoying the moment together.
Midori Harada
Harada’s stadium cards like Undersea Ruins, Apricorn Forest are just unmatched. As for Japanese exclusives, the JRs stand out too. Connected artworks are always fun! And of course, Harada’s legacy is cemented with the e-series booster pack landscapes.
Kagemaru Himeno
One of the original artists, and probably my personal favorite overall alongside Kinebuchi. Her use of unusual colors and brushing techniques, especially in the early sets, is unforgettable. Her best e-series cards are probably Marowak and Ninetales for the colors.
Hikaru Koike
Koike’s work never resonated with me as much, but I respect him for trying something different. I feel like his style is darker and less vibrant compared to other illustrators. He also made a lot of ex Pokémon from the sets that followed.
Naoyo Kimura
Already since Southern Islands, Kimura’s specialty is featuring other Pokémon in the artwork. I really like Light Jolteon and Light Wigglytuff from Neo, and then Poliwrath and Sandshrew from the e-series. Also, I noticed many of his Pokémon are gazing up at the night sky, almost as if they were thinking about something from the past or wishing for something.
Keiji Kinebuchi
There is just a handful of artists as impactful to me as Kinebuchi. His 3D art instantly takes me back to 1999. These days, everything is computer generated and rarely hand drawn but back then (yes, I feel old ツ), it was quite the opposite. I could stare at his cards all day long. Sadly, he only illustrated two species cards for e-series, along with a couple of trainer cards.
Sumiyoshi Kizuki
Finding my way to Kizuki’s art was definitely a journey, as I originally found her Team Rocket illustrations too goofy. But fast forward 25 years, I now fully appreciate the thick lines, vibrant colors, and flat style. Her Tropical Winds are iconic too.
Tomokazu Komiya
The recent surge in Komiya’s popularity is fully justified. While it’s not exactly my cup of tea, I appreciate seeing a truly unique style in the TCG. Surreal and refreshing. That Cubone is just too adorable. Other favorites are Neo Discovery Politoed and Masaki Machamp.
Hajime Kusajima
This is the artist I referred to earlier in the intro when I first flipped through my binder and picked out cards purely based on what I liked. I was surprised by how many were illustrated by Kusajima. His mastery of lighting and reflection is on another level. Starmie, Magneton, Tentacool, Onix, Houndoom… I love all of them. If I were to start an artist binder, it would be for Kusajima.
Aya Kusube
I have always felt that Kusube is special for her use of thin lines to highlight shadows. I have not seen any other artist use that technique so prominently. The Geodude evolution line is a great example. I also love the composition in the Golem art. Beyond the e-series, her VS and Vending Series cards (Caterpie and Abra especially) also deserve a shoutout.
Kimiya Masago
I think that Masago’s realistic art style is only ever matched by Arita. I feel like his use of fierce expressions and intimidating poses brings the kind of intensity that’s often missing from the overall family friendly vibe. Blastoise, Gyarados (hello, Bianca), and especially Mewtwo look like they have stepped straight out of an action movie.
Yuka Morii
It’s impossible not to recognize Morii’s clay models. Her style is iconic, every card looks like a diorama. I also think it’s great when one artist illustrates a full evolution line, like she did here with Poliwag and Swinub.
Hisao Nakamura
Nakamura’s cards are nice, but I often find them hard to recognise without checking the illustrator credits. For example, Drowzee resembles Baba’s Growlithe, Horsea looks like Kizuki’s work, and Zubat reminds me of Arita’s. It’s a bit of a pity he never developed a more distinct signature style.
Atsuko Nishida
Blurred background? Most likely Nishida! It took me a while to connect with her style though. I feel her best work began in Neo Destiny and continued through the e-series. Now that I’m looking at the cards again, Umbreon and Noctowl might actually be hiding on the same field!
Kouki Saitou
Saitou started in Aquapolis and went full beast mode in the early ex-sets. He has done some great cards for modern too. His most iconic one is probably the (neckless) Skyridge Charizard, but my personal favorite is the Miltank.
Ken Sugimori
Pokémon wouldn’t be what it is today without Sugimori. He is the undisputed master of character design and his hand drawn watercolor style is something I’ll cherish forever. While many don’t like his early artwork for the static poses and stock backgrounds, I really love them. They are a timestamp of the 90s. Fun fact is that in the e-series, he only illustrated trainer cards (with the exception of P-Promo Kecleon but it’s not a regular set card so it doesn’t reeeally count here =).
Hiromichi Sugiyama
The highlights of Sugiyama’s work here are probably the Mystery Plates and Miracle Spheres. Such cool little mini sets with beautiful sunrays. Although I think his peak card overall is Sprout Tower from Neo Genesis.
“Big Mama” Tagawa
I always had the feeling that Tagawa was the 5ban of the early 2000s. I was never a big fan of their style, especially the repetitive energy cubes. However, their Neo cards and Black Star promos are really awesome. I think their Lucky Stadium was for the longest time the only card with Pikachu and Charizard in the same art.
Katsura Tabata
Tabata’s style feels quite similar to Tagawa’s, or at least I always have a hard time telling their artworks apart. That said, their various gadget themed cards, like PokéGear, are definitely memorable.
Miki Tanaka
Although Tanaka’s style is similar to Baba’s, her cards are some of my favorites. While Baba often places his Pokémon in natural habitats, Tanaka’s backgrounds feel more abstract. I can’t help but wonder… does Natu even realize there’s a giant metal sphere behind it?
Kyoko Umemoto
Just as Baba and Tanaka share a similar style, I think the same can be said for Umemoto and Kizuki. Umemoto’s illustrations seem to be flatter and less distorted than Kizuki’s. As for my favorites, that Espeon always reminds me of Amy running back home after just 30 minutes in the garden.
Masako Yamashita
Yamashita started with Neo and finished with Skyridge. I was surprised by how few cards she actually illustrated. Wish she was still making them today. I really like the positive energy flowing from her cards.
Shin-ichi Yoshida
Like Yamashita, Yoshida started early and finished with Skyridge. His style tends to be quite dark, often showing Pokémon in intense poses. I’m glad he went in that direction, as cute faces were definitely not his thing (looking at you, VS Clair’s Dragonite). My favorite of the five cards below is probably Ponyta.
Shin-ichi Yoshikawa
Rounding out the list of artists with at least five English e-series set cards, Yoshikawa really nailed it with the Energy designs. I always like when they put some colors in the background. I also like his cards from Neo, especially Dark Golbat and Ecogym, which I would consider his best one overall.
2) Artists with less than five cards
(Sorted by number of illustrations)
Hizuki Misono
Misono’s art is one of those cases that grew on me over time. Compared to Morii, her models have more texture, while the backgrounds are flatter. It’s impressive that after seeing so many distinct styles already, Misono still managed to find a unique one of her own.
Yuichi Sawayama
If there is something that reminds me of mandala coloring books, it’s Sawayama’s backgrounds. His cards were actually one of the inspirations I was considering for the Art Contest 2023 recreation with paper layers. I believe these four cards are all he ever illustrated for Pokémon. Definitely wish he did more.
Jungo Suzuki
Suzuki’s Weakness Guard is one of the more memorable cards, probably thanks to the Charmander. Outside the TCG, he is also known for designing models used in early Pokémon games and movies. Plus his name is just cool.
Milky Isobe
Aside from these two, Isobe also illustrated Miracle Energy from Neo Destiny. I remember seeing a holo energy for the first time in Neo Genesis and thinking how cool it looked.
Hiroaki Ito & Sachi Matoba
Ito made only four cards in total, and for the e-series, just Electabuzz and Typhlosion. Matoba contributed only two (beautiful and unique) cards as well, both of them starters. A fun little fact is that the entire Cyndaquil evolution line from Expedition was done by artists each with less than five e-series cards.
Asuka Iwashita & K. Hoshiba & Motofumi Fujiwara
These three artists each illustrated only one English e-series card. They also contributed to a few Japanese exclusives, like P-Promos and the VS series. Of the three, I think Quilava stands out the most, and it also completes that uniquely illustrated Cyndaquil evolution line mentioned just above.
Aimi Tomita & Satoshi Ohta & Hironobu Yoshida
Both Tomita and Ohta illustrated only one English e-series card each, along with a few additional Japanese exclusives like the McDonald’s Minimum Pack and VS. Yoshida, on the other hand, has quite a few iconic TCG credits: Neo Genesis Lugia, most of the Neo Destiny Shinings, and Crystal Nidoking. That said, his only non-holo English e-series card is Meowth. My favourite of the three is Totodile, reminds me of The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
Hideyuki Nakajima & Mikio Menjo & Takumi Akabane
Nakajima illustrated only one card ever, while Menjo contributed two (the other being Crystal Kingdra). And yes, the third one is that Akabane… He actually created some really cool Energy cards throughout multiple eras. For the e-series though, this is his only entry. I grouped these three together because each of their artworks features an energy which reminds me a lot of Kinebuchi.
Atsuko Ujiie & Kazuo Yazawa & Ken Ikuji
These three last (but definitely not least!) artists each also illustrated only one English e-series card. Besides that, Ujiie created the 019/P from Tokyo. I especially like the Pokémon Park, gives me the same vibe as the Pikachu P-Promo.
Collecting these sets was such a blast! What is your favourite card from the e-series? Who is your favourite artist? What illustration style is your favourite?
Thanks for stopping by!
artin
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New PFP: Goodbye Gengar. Hello Persian 
Really enjoyed drawing this for the 2023 Art Contest. Hope to join another one soon again!
with his favourite mouse. Seeing this artwork made Fido’s day, and let’s just say I was happy the card was sleeved =)
, excellent decision my good sir. I am not nearly as prudent it seems! Love it, Martin. Welcome to the Natta club!
