Sword & Shield's Greatest Subset: Peaceful Park Pals

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Introduction

With the Sword & Shield era of the TCG coming to an end with the upcoming release of its final set Crown Zenith, I would like to spotlight its best subset of cards. No, it’s not Celebrations with its reimagined classics; or Evolving Skies with its big hitter Eeveelution VMAX Special Arts; or Shining Fates’ Shiny Vault. This particular collection of cards was far too ambitious to be constrained to one set or one artist. But why tell you what it is when I could instead … show you?

Join me on this journey through Sword & Shield as we explore its greatest subset!

Pokémon of Peaceful Park

Wooloo

Illus. Mitsuhiro Arita
JPN - Shield - 050/060
ENG - Sword & Shield - 152/202

Its beginnings were most humble; a fluffy Wooloo in a field, in front a small town park.

Grubbin

Illus. Tomokazu Komiya
JPN - VMAX Rising - 007/070
ENG - Rebel Clash - 016/192

Grubbin digs into the ground, a flying friend (or foe?) behind. Spiraling brick comes into view.

Vullaby

Illus. Shibuzoh.
JPN - Rebellion Crash - 068/096
ENG - Rebel Clash - 119/192

A rebellious Vullaby crashes in. That building seems familiar, and those colorful bins there too!

Larvitar

Illus. Sanosuke Sakuma
JPN - Explosive Walker - 040/070
ENG - Darkness Ablaze - 086/189

Larvitar inspects a flower with as many petals as its tail. Brickwork pattern now familiar, a conclusion starts to form.

Gothita

Illus. Mizue
JPN - Infinity Zone - 037/100
ENG - Darkness Ablaze - 073/189

Gothita stands enchanted in a spotlight cast by lantern lamp. The bench and brick complete the thought; they’re all together in the park!

Kakuna

Illus. Naoyo Kimura**
JPN - Legendary Heartbeat - 002/076
ENG - Vivid Voltage - 002/185

Kakuna watches passersby from high up park tree canopy.

Tynamo

Illus. sowsow
JPN - Amazing Volt Tackle - 038/100
ENG - Vivid Voltage - 057/185

Tynamo leaps in and out of the park’s defining central pond.

Snom

Illus. Tika Matsuno
JPN - Shiny Star V - 047/190
ENG - Shining Fates - 029/072

Snom secures a park bench spot whilst observing curious bubbles floating by.

Spoink

Illus. kawayoo
JPN - Single Strike Master - 022/070
ENG - Battle Styles - 055/163

Spoink basks proudly in the park’s sparkling night lights.

Galarian Mr. Mime

Illus. kodama
JPN - Rapid Strike Master - 020/070
ENG - Battle Styles - 034/163

In winter, Galarian Mr. Mime prepares to skate across the park’s now frozen pond.

Rufflet

Illus. 0313
JPN - Peerless Fighters - 061/070
ENG - Evolving Skies - 136/203

A curious Rufflet flies briskly by a blossoming park tree.

Ralts

Illus. Narumi Sato
JPN - Silver Lance - 033/070
ENG - Chilling Reign - 059/198

Ralts strolls through the flower fields, petals picked up by summer breeze.

Pokémon Card Illustration Story - Ralts (JPN)

Ribombee

Illus. Saya Tsuruta
JPN - Jet-Black Spirit - 035/070
ENG - Evolving Skies - 079/203

Ribombee admires all the colors of the park’s great flowerbed.

Marshtomp

Illus. tetsuya koizumi
JPN - Eevee Heroes - 020/069
ENG - Fusion Strike - 063/264

Marshtomp enjoys a rainy day, reveling in the park pond’s water.

Lotad

Illus. Teeziro
JPN - Skyscraping Perfection - 002/067
ENG - Evolving Skies - 032/203

Lotad bathes in calming waters and the warmth of midday sun.

Stufful

Illus. OKACHEKE
JPN - Blue Sky Stream - 040/067
ENG - Fusion Strike - 150/264

Stufful views the star-filled sky, filled with joyous wonder.

Bunnelby

Illus. Sui
JPN - Fusion Arts - 083/100
Fusion Strike - 214/264

Bunnelby happily hops out of hiding in the full moon’s soothing light.

Milcery

Illus. Misa Tsutsui
JPN - VMAX Climax - 080/184
ENG - Brilliant Stars - 070/172

Milcery plays carelessly in a pile of autumn leaves.

Shroomish

Illus. Shigenori Negishi
JPN - Star Birth - 003/100
ENG - Brilliant Stars - 003/172

Shroomish frowns at blooming flowers - and there’s Wooloo standing guard!

Litleo

Illus. Sekio
JPN - Battle Region - 015/067
ENG - Lost Origin - 028/196

Litleo claws clumsily at the ice as Mr. Mime shows off its skating skills.

Dewott

Illus. Mina Nakai
JPN - Time Gazer - 016/067
ENG - Astral Radiance - 042/189

Dewott relaxes in the pond as Tynamo takes another leap.

Pokémon Card Illustration Story - Dewott (JPN)

Komala

Illus. HYOGONOSUKE
JPN - Space Juggler - 059/067
ENG - Lost Origin - 149/196

Komala sleeps in park tree shade, Kakuna keeping watch.

Golbat

Illus. Anasaki Dynamic
JPN - Dark Phantasma - 042/071
ENG - Silver Tempest - 104/195

Golbat lets out a lofty yawn, Gothita still transfixed by lantern light.

Unfezant

Illus. GIDORA
JPN - Pokémon GO - 064/071
ENG - Pokémon GO - 063/078

Unfezant flies through raging storm as Marshtomp plays in rain below.

Emolga

Illus. sowsow
JPN - Lost Abyss - 038/100
ENG - Silver Tempest - 054/195

Emolga meets with Ribombee, gliding over flower sea.

Pokémon Card Illustration Story - Emolga (JPN)

Fennekin

Illus. ryoma uratsuka
JPN - Incandescent Arcana - 016/068
ENG - Silver Tempest - 025/195

Fennekin runs with the autumn wind as leaves and Milcery fly with.

Solosis

Illus. Ligton
JPN - Paradigm Trigger - 040/098
ENG - Silver Tempest - 076/195

Solosis gently floats among psychic bubbles, Snom observing from its bench.

Peaceful Park

Illus. AYUMI ODASHIMA
JPN - Pokémon Card Gym Promo Card Pack 12 - 316/S-P
ENG - Unavailable

And so they gather in the park, to play, make pals, and so much more.

Kricketune

Illus. Nurikabe
JPN - VSTAR Universe - 174/172
ENG - Crown Zenith - GG02/GG70

As night falls on our Peaceful Park, Kricketune plays a farewell symphony. A Stufful watches falling stars as Emolga fly overhead. One of them saw fit to land in a sleeping Wooloo’s fluffy coat, joining in their rest. Atop one lantern, Rufflet’s gaze is fixated on the impromptu concert, while hanging from another, Golbat has found a suitable spot to sleep. Bunnelby come out of hiding to join the Shroomish at the front, Komala sleeping ever on. One Bunnelby is more intrigued by us - the other audience -, as Snom joins the Lotad at the pond.

And so we reach the end of Sword & Shield, and we leave this wonderful gathering in the park. An ambitious collection of cards from across the era’s sets, brought to life by many different artists and crowned by a heart-warming scene at the era’s zenith. Before we head into the age of English silver border and leave behind the generation past, let us all stroll through this park together - so that its memory may last.


Collection Spreadsheet

For those now inspired to collect these cards, I’ve put together a spreadsheet listing every print of these cards in both English and Japanese; Sword & Shield: Peaceful Park Collection.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.


Accolades

“Award worthy topic.”
@stagecoach

“★★★★★
Impressive. -Expedition”
@Expedition

“Wow”
@zubat

“Take your Milly Token.”
@milhouse

“[…] i’m really wanting to do 100 more accounts to give this thread as many likes […]”
@joponnes

59 Likes
2

Award worthy topic.

7 Likes
3

★★★★★

Impressive. -Expedition

9 Likes
4

Well done, @Llyrwenne! I love cohesive scenes from different perspectives.

3 Likes
5

Wow

2 Likes
6

@Llyrwenne Very impressive indeed!

2 Likes
7

I realized shortly after posting that I had forgotten Komiya’s Grubbin from Sword & Shield: Rebel Clash! I combed through all Sword & Shield sets again to make sure there weren’t any other forgotten friends, and ended up finding another park pal in Sword & Shield: Silver Tempest’s Fennekin. I’ve updated the original post with these two new friends!

Sword & Shield: Rebel Clash - 016/192 - Grubbin - Illus. Tomokazu Komiya
Sword & Shield: Silver Tempest - 025/195 - Fennekin - Illus. ryoma uratsuka

5 Likes
8

This is one of the occasions i’m really wanting to do 100 more accounts to give this thread as many likes, just incredible work! I’ve had a sub collection of cards with connecting artwork or story and this is just beyond perfect for that collection. I had already listed several cards from your post as card pairs but also some i didn’t notice and certainly didn’t realise there was a larger theme, i’m almost shaking and gasping to read this so for me this really is big!

6 Likes
9

Take your Milly Token.

Based thread. Great work.

11 Likes
10

This is so cool, I don’t know if I would have ever noticed this through line without it being pointed out. I feel like this park needs a name and for there to be some lore built around it. Reminds me of The Town on No Map.

5 Likes
11

this is so awesome. The Crown Zenith art rare is such a nice sendoff for the theme too

4 Likes
12

Its name was revealed at the end:

11 Likes
13

Peaceful Park
Great name

image
image387×513 78.1 KB

4 Likes
14

Top tier post, well done

3 Likes
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Thank you all for the kind words! :blush:

@milhouse A mysterious token! Now to find the hidden token shop… :female_detective:

@rabby250 Thank you for locating this card - I’ve added it to the original post!

2 Likes
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Yet another update; I have added a link to a spreadsheet listing all Japanese and English prints of these cards. Please feel free to use it for your own collecting purposes! I should note that I am no expert on Japanese sets, so please notify me of any mistakes! Curiously, Sword appears to be the only Japanese main expansion that did not provide a new Peaceful Park pal. All others (except Celebrations) gave us exactly one!

I have also added a select few “review quotes” to the original post, just to show that I’m absolutely letting all this praise go to my head.

7 Likes
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This is fantastic and delightful. Great compilation!

3 Likes
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I bring sad news; the Peaceful Park Stadium card did not make it into Crown Zenith, and thus is unlikely to ever receive an English printing.

This is a grave injustice, and a dishonorable blow to us collectors! A heinous insult that has caused me great harm! I angrily shake my fist at those responsible for this immoral atrocity!

5 Likes
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:pleading_face: say it’s not so!

2 Likes
20

I am going to send this thread to TPCi and a picture of a battle axe so they understand what’s in store for this transgression.

3 Likes