Random Pokémon-related TIL moments

[wo1v3r]

@thymeee

Unowns are a special kind and most of the times spell out something. TIL that the unown of the neo premium file 2 spell out neo, never knew that and it is so obvious now haha.

[Quuador]

TIL that the Japanese T18 Neo Genesis Typhlosion artwork was zoomed in, in comparison to its English and international release:

Greetz,
Quuador

[Taigataipan]

@quuador
Feraligatr 5/111 is also smaller in japanese version, in other hand Meganium 10/111 has less space around it in english version ( almost looks like it is standing over artwork window ).
Seriously by the time we reach 50th anniversary year the Feraligatr has been reprinted and zoomed in so many times there’s only mouth/tongue left in final product.

[rainbowgym]

@Quuador

@rainbowgym

Old Jumbo cards, Best Winner like Rocket’s Sneasel, Dark Ivysaur given out at Leagues were made in 2 “versions” The USA ones on thick cardboard, the European ones on paper.

Oh, didn’t knew about this one. I know for Pokémon there are sometimes differences between print runs depending on regions. Some examples:

• The difference in paper for English and Japanese print runs (as can be seen with the US Base Set vs Japanese CD Promo release for the Shadowless Base Set Yellow Cheeks Pikachu).
• Three minor differences for the Base Set non-holos (Matte vs Semi-Glossy vs Semi-Glossy with Matte Borders)
• The Australian vs US Jungle set backs (Australian cards have more reflective semi-glossy backs).

I also knew there were differences between US and Europe prints for the ridges of the Ultimate Rares of Yu-Gi-Oh cards (since I started collecting Yu-Gi-Oh rarities). (Hmm, might be similar for the ridges of Secret/Hyper Rares in Pokémon?)

But didn’t knew about these old English Jumbo cards having these kind of differences as well. Is the difference very noticeable with both cards in hand? I might want to pick up both version for one of the cheaper ones in that case.

Greetz,
Quuador

Yes the difference is easy, USA ones are thick paper, the EU ones are thing and they look thin. I dont’know how to post pictures.

[sacari]

Only found out a month ago that greninja’s scarf is actually its tongue, completely blew my mind.

[stagecoach]

This may be common knowledge but it seems to surprise a lot of people when I share it with them. Not quite a “TIL” but interesting trivia nonetheless.

Dark Exeggutor from Neo Destiny prominently misspells the Pokémon’s name as “Exeggcutor”:

WotC had famously spotty quality control and they were really rushing to meet release schedules around this time. This card leaves a strong impression on me as the most emblematic of needing to just get it out the door. WotC made lots of little mistakes over their years, but getting a Pokémon’s name wrong like this is the most egregious to me. Although perhaps that’s rather anglocentric of me since other languages fell victim to this sort of thing too.

[muk]

The English side only recently started adding 0’s to their set number to fill in empty spaces if the card isn’t in the three digit range (like 005/147) in Sword & Shield, which the Japanese already have been doing since the VS set in 2001.

[Quuador]

Most likely well-known but new for me, but today I learned that Dark Pokémon have darker artwork, evolution, and Pokédex boxes than default. And Light Pokémon have lighter artwork, evolution, and Pokédex boxes than default.

To quote from the Bulbapedia pages:

Dark Pokémon:

In terms of card design, Dark Pokémon have a brown/black character window, evolution box and Pokédex box, as opposed to the regular gold.

In terms of gameplay, Dark Pokémon tend to have higher attack damage and lower HPs compared to those of normal Pokémon, likely due to the highly offensive nature of the Trainer. Also, most evolved Generation I Pokémon feature alternate pictures of their previous stage in their evolution box.

Light Pokémon:

In terms of card design, Light Pokémon have a white-gold character window, evolution box and Pokédex box, as opposed to the regular gold. The card art in many cases depicts the Pokémon seemingly content with itself or in a serene environment.

In terms of gameplay, Light Pokémon tend to have higher HPs compared to those of normal Pokémon and attacks that often aid other Pokémon in play, likely due to the caring nature of the Trainer.

Here three Neo Destiny Fire Pokémon: a Dark, regular, and Light Pokémon, so we can see the difference in the box-borders:

Greetz,
Quuador

[thymeee]

I was flicking through my binder like one does. I then noticed this:

The Mewtwo from the CD and the Mewtwo from the Pocket Monsters fan book are the same art but just a mirror image. I guess I knew they were very similar but I only actively noticed they were the same when I was looking through the binder.

Here are some better pictures:

[null_user]

TIL that these cards are connected (Mew is breaking Mewtwo out of the tube).

[hooblovesyou]

@nico

TIL that these cards are connected (Mew is breaking Mewtwo out of the tube).

For real? That make me appreciate that art even more if so. Where are the deets on this?

[Quuador]

Time to revive this thread with two things I learned today.

1. It’s reasonably well-known that Ekans and Arbok are Snake and Kobra backwards (and Muk backwards of course…), but today I learned that Rotom is Motor backwards.
2. Girafarig is a palindrome, just like the Pokémon itself kinda is.

Greetz,
Quuador

[Llyrwenne]

I’ll add another e-Reader fact to the ones already mentioned in the first post!

On Holo e-Reader cards, the e-Reader dot codes were replaced with bars of Holo stripes matching the background for that Pokémon’s type. However, on Aquapolis Holo cards only, the bottom stripe of the vertical dot code replacement bar lacks the Holo effect entirely. For whatever reason, it appears that this one stripe was printed over the Holo layer alongside the non-Holo body and frame of the card - for every Holo card in the set. The fact that Aquapolis was the middle set of the e-Series expansions and neither of the other sets contained this error makes it even more of an oddity.

[Quuador]

TIL that the POP1 Rayquaza holo has two different variations: ©2004 and ©2006 (where 2006 seems to be the more common one to find).

Here a non-holo, holo ©2004, and holo ©2006 side-by-side:

Greetz,
Quuador

[rainbowgym]

I can be wrong, but those holo cards released way later than the original POP series boosters. So than 2004 one looks as a “mistake” to me.

[rainbowgym]

Just looked on Bulbapedia, there is a claim the 2006 is rarer…
I really don’t know.

[rtas]

The term “Gold Star” is fan made. is rarely written in words and often shown as ☆. However, in the tcg manuals it is written out as “Star” as in “Latios Star”.

From Clash of the Blue Sky (EX Deoxys) manual:

Translated:

[RabidSquirtle]

TIL how these boxes front artworks actually work

[BANKS]

TIL the reason that Arcanine is the Legendary Pokemon despite having no lore tied to other legendaries in the pokemon universe.

The flavor text above reads:
A legendary Pokémon from Chinese legends. It is said that many captured it for it's beauty.

This piece of flavor text and it’s designation as the legendary pokemon is likely what contributed to this scene in the anime conflating Arcanine with the legendary bird trio

[Dyl]

Arcanine is legendary because it is based off of Chinese Guardian Lions, Shisa, or Komainu, all cultural variants of lion-dog statues that guard entrances and have mythical properties (e.g., welcoming good spirits, warding off bad spirits, bringing good luck and prosperity).