Thanks Brendan! Impossibilities aside, if you were to pick your current favorite right now, rainy weather and all, what would it be?
1 Like
Huh, geeeez. Okay, okay, @pulpyfan. Kimura Aquapolis Tryan. Has to be it, but only because you put a gun to my head! It’s just the atmosphere of it. And that color! What’s yours, my man?
2 Likes
@brendantheclayboy When I started to put my Gen II binder together, I was right there with you. Kimura produced a gem. Tyranitar trekking through the jungle, not dissuaded by the storm. The hand drawn foliage in the foreground, the sharpness of Tyranitar’s claws and armor, and the distant lightning in the sky all capture that Aquapolis aesthetic. Great pick!
My current favorite is Arita’s delta species from the Ex Delta Species set in 2005. A fire type Tyranitar is fitting and quite menacing. The laboratory setting provides a narrative that Tyranitar may have been captured or experimented on. Very reminiscent of King Kong or Jurassic Park. There are even cables seemingly bound to his arms. The flared tail suggests aggression, ready to break free from his captivity.
9 Likes
Beautiful collection and presentation! The arrangement on the legendary beasts section is especially striking.
I’ll second Aquapolis as my favorite Tyranitar, but there are a lot of close contenders there.
1 Like
Thanks @kevinertia! It was a joy scanning the Legendary Beasts. The vibrant reds, yellows and blues of the Pokémon trios are some of my favorite to organize. Eeveelutions are also a strong candidate for striking color combinations.
1 Like
Heck yeah, this thread is so sick. You really do have some of the best thread presentation out of all of the collection threads on this site!
5 Likes
I have a new appreciation for the Aquapolis Tyranitar that I didn’t have before. One of my old school favorites. Love the newest pages.
3 Likes
Hell yes man! Excellent choice and explanation! A really beautiful illustration by Arita indeed.
1 Like
Houndoom brought the Dobermann to the Pokémon universe and did it in the most eerie fashion! A hellhound with a pointed tail and sharp metallic horns draped in orange and black fur. Both Houndoom and Houndour’s appearance perfectly suits their dark and fire typing.
One thing I love about Gen II is the re-imagining of Gen I. Take the magic formula that people fell in love with in the original 151 Pokémon, and tweak it ever so slightly. Growlithe and Arcanine spiritually became Houndour and Houndoom. Two demonic canines that became some of the most beloved dogs in all of Pokémon.
9 Likes
Seahorses have always felt exotic to me. A name that is fitting yet oxymoronic, seahorses are real life animals with bony armor and a head reminiscent of a horse. This little sea-horse-dragon belongs to the genus Hippocampus which comes from the Ancient Greek. Híppos (ἵππος) meaning “horse” and kámpos (κάμπος) meaning “sea monster” (wiki). With an etymology so daunting, it’s no wonder that Poseidon traveled in a chariot drawn by fierce seahorses in Greek mythology.
My fascination with seahorses led to my adoration of Horsea’s evolutional line. Horsea is cute and delicate. Seadra is scaly and ferocious. And Kingdra is intense and powerful. Kingdra is my favorite of the seahorse herd. The equine appearance, striking red eyes, and streamlined snout all coalesce to form this King Water Dragon. Misty’s Horsea sparked my adoration for the Pokémon and Clair’s Kingdra solidified it.
8 Likes
You changed my mind a lot on that aquapolis tyranitar. I used to think it was pretty underwhelming but you painted it in a different picture than how I interpreted that card. Definitely gonna appreciate it more when I finally get one.
1 Like
@pulpyfan , I always enjoy your tastes and presentation! Glad you included the Kingdra line in this exceptionally solid collection thread of yours.
1 Like
Two peas in a pod. Marill and Togepi. No other Pokémon pair has the ability to cheer me up quite like these two. Their soft eyes and smiley faces just make problems seem to fade away. Perhaps it’s their innocent baby-like nature that strikes a chord with me. Regardless the reason, I know I feel happier when I see art featuring Marill and Togepi. So many of Keiko Fukuyama’s artwork depicts these two together.
Marill has been with us since before Gen II even arrived. There was a mysticism around the blue water-mouse we first knew as Pikablu. These unknown beginnings helped endear Marill to the fans. So, once it became known that Marill had an evolutionary form, Azumarill resonated a little bit differently. But in time, Azumarill has been highlighted in some amazing TCG artwork, providing the Pokémon some much deserved appreciation.
A similar story can be told of Togetic. Togepi is a cute little egg. A baby hatchling that was under Misty’s care for much of the original anime. People got to see Togepi grow up. But while Togetic may have gotten less time in the spotlight, the design and artwork remain top notch. Togetic still maintains a round egg-shaped body but now has a pair of wings reminiscent of an angel or a fairy. And in one of the most touching moments of the anime, Misty releases Togetic into the wild. A nice callback to Ash releasing Butterfree.
With those two evolutionary tales in mind, I decided for my Gen II binder to dedicate just a few more artworks of Togetic and Azumarill as an homage to their design and story.
13 Likes
Love it!!
3 Likes
Wow! where did you buy these singles? they are in great shape, colors so vibrant. picture quality is great
1 Like
God I love your updates. Togetic has really become one of my favorite pokemon of all time to the point where I’m considering making a togetic collection in my binder, and I rarely do pokemon specific collections. I kinda actively hate togekiss since it makes the chance of having some type of holo or better version of togetic much less likely, and its kinda ugly af tbh.
1 Like
Thanks! I’ve acquired these cards over years of collecting. Most of them I purchased as singles on eBay. It’s the best marketplace around for trading cards. As for the photos, I am currently scanning my cards using an Epson V600.
Another great update as always, you have one of my favorite collections on here
2 Likes
Enter sheep to the ever growing Pokémon universe. Ampharos and its evolutionary family is another example of thoughtful Pokémon design. Mareep is a precious tuft of wool, cute and conductive. The electric typing suits this species. Flaaffy received a haircut and learned to walk on two feet, but still maintains a headful of wool. And Ampharos stands tall fully sheared, electrically charged and luminous. Ampharos is a combination of ampere (a measure of electrical current) and pharos (Greek for lighthouse). The etymology is calculated and deliberate. I like to imagine the creators were inspired by the Lighthouse of Alexandria, the ancient Egyptian wonder. Ampharos’s black stripes are also reminiscent of ancient Egypt. In Johto, Glitter Lighthouse shines brightly over the ocean by the power of Ampharos. Keep on illuminating those darkened shores.
13 Likes
3 Likes