Y’know, there are times where x question comes up at least a couple times a year, and may seem overwrought, but this is a good and fun one and can get you to reassess your views as the years go by. I’ll have to go compare it to previous threads.
At quick glance I found two “favorite card” posts: 5 Favorite Pokemon Cards - #33 by brendantheclayboy and MY top 5 favourite cards - keen to hear everyone elses! - #6 by brendantheclayboy. I like that the first was so long ago, in my first few months of belonging to the forum. Clearly my answer then was very sentimental. Those are still some of my most cherished cards for their memories. But being a bit more objective, and for the sake of fun of impossibly actually coming up with a top 10, I’ll try once more with trying to keep the sentimental childhood cards to a minimum. However, Ponyta will always be there. Upon reflection, many still make it. They’ll always be so special to me. And I’ll note here I’ve never actually taken the time to consider my entire collection, having flipped thru the binders quickly to appreciate this answer unlike before, and the real answer is this is impossible. I’d like to list 25, then it would be a fair question. I mean, this leaves out many EX era that I’d love to include, but my sentimentality prevents me from excluding certain must haves from my life. But, again, fun.
Yes, there are 11 12. Better number anyway. Leave me alone. Tie between magcargo and magneton because these 2 launched my acceptance of e reader borders and are responsible for my 10 year tardiness for love of the best era in pokemon, years ago.
Reasoning
Dark Slowbro: If there is one, this is the one. From perhaps the best set ever, peak pokemon conception we never got back, this card always enthralled me beyond words and is probably the reason for slowbro being my favorite before I could even say he is. The color, the concept, it’s just absolute perfection, and as a kid I worshipped this card.
shadowless Ponyta:
This was my first card I ever remember seeing in pokemon. It still strikes me in the same way it did then. I try not to look at it too much, to keep that special feeling protected.
Dark Hypno:
Encompasses everything I value, the dark, the psychadelic, the flair for illusion and carny-ness, the checkerboard, all the aesthetic is there. The other from rocket that made me revere this set above all others for all time.
Shadowless Blastoise:
Ponyta was the first, but blasty was the first holo I remember changing my life forever. I was in kindergarten, visiting my little sisters preschool, accompanying my mom to pick her up. I remember the spot on the ground I stood upon when I first saw this card. It’s the greatest pokemon card ever in many ways.
Misty’s Golduck:
Gym series is in that pantheon… rocket, aquapolis, etc… This one struck me in the same way for these sets that I was by my favorites from rocket or jungle in its heyday.
Light Slowbro:
I love Komiya so much. But if I had to pick a favorite, and no, its a coincidence its slowbro, really… it’s this one. Slowbro looks so happy. So wise, so at peace with the universe.
Vending slow:
This one got me into vending, another of the greatest sets ever. I adore this card, and have written books about it, so I’ll spare the detail.
Grimer:
I could have listed several Kinebuchi cards, but this one is his magnum opus, and it makes me feel profound feelings when I look at it.
Porygon:
Not my most sentimental card, but if I had to pick a favorite artwork ever by sheer artwork and its associations, this is the winner.
Jiggly:
Jk, there are two Kinebuchi’s and this is important being the sentimental one. I still feel like it belongs in banjo kazooie, one of his most n64 looking cards.
Magcargo/magneton: As mentioned above, the reason for getting me into E series along with a few others, most of which are listed below. Magneton would be one of those that is among the best ever cards category.
Super duper honorable mentions would be any of the slow line of aquapolis by Kusube (masterpiece line), giovanni’s person, expedition pidgeot, skyridge steelix, aquapolis mr mime, illustrator mr mime, skyridge sandshrew, golem ex and magcargo ex from ex dragon, and so, so many more. While it pains me to leave out so many, this was indeed fun. But it also took an hour and shit I have things to do. 