This is ultimately a debate in semantics. I think the key takeaway here is that everything stems from the video games and is then adapted from there for different mediums. Pokémon’s main cycles all originate with the video games. New region, Pokémon, characters, etc.
You are definitely approaching this from a direction I am struggling to understand. Lillie is a video game character that is adapted into the anime and the card game independently, referencing the brand-approved style-guide for the character, like so:
You seem to be arguing that the Lillie in the trading card is somehow “from the anime” because you like the anime depiction of the character more. I must repeat that I am confused.
It’s not really semantics. The character on a card either is a reference to the anime design or the video game design. They are related but not the same thing. There is a tangible difference between these two options that are more than just the meaning of the words here.
I don’t think Blaine is a good example, considering he looks nothing like this in any of his cards
There is no doubt that the characters are first developed for the video games and are made by brand-approved style guides.
What I am suggesting is that the anime and TCG share far more in terms of artistic design than the video games and TCG. What we see in the anime is very similar to the TCG, even if the particulars of the design are based on the video games. This is because printing garbage CG art from the video games would not be feasible.
Edit: There are also cards that were directly made from the movies, but that is besides the point.
These are the only cards that I could find that actually depict the anime in TCG form.
The two Pichu bros promos are based off the anime as well since they never were in the video games. Also the Entei WOTC movie promo should be based off the movie.
the Japanese movie half decks I completely forgot about. Seems like all the cards based off the anime will be promos.
What have I done?
You posted something controversial outside of the Unpopular Opinions thread
If the argument is that the illustrators have a more anime-like style than a CGI/pixel style then I agree but I’m not sure how that’s relevant to the claim that the anime and the TCG overlap.
But nobody asserted that trading cards featured in-game models from video games and that is observably not something that has ever happened. In fact, the only time this has ever happened was Mewtwo’s model from Super Smash Bros Melee being used for one single card. So why would you be focusing on that? 
Additionally, you need to think of “the video games” as more than just the literal models from the video game. Video games are produced with official art which serves as the point of reference for the creation of in-game models. The video games are a brand, not an object.
Do I? The video games are what the end-consumer interacts with. If I played the video games and watched the anime, I would absolutely think that the TCG better reflects the emotions captured by the anime in terms of the locations that Pokemon are highlighted in, the trainer-Pokemon relationships, the illustration, etc.
Edit: Also, all of this is said light-heartedly. 
Yes, you must, your life depends on it.
Tough pill to swallow: the Lillie on the card doesn’t know who Ash and Pikachu are
She’s lucky.
your posting is interfering with my decades old pokemon universe headcannon
to me, TCG, anime, and video games are all separate worlds, but the games are most certainly the foundation/ reference. I always thought the TCG did a better job capturing the world of pokemon represented in the games than the anime did. i was never big on the anime growing up, personally
I think that’s why the post is so controversial. I’m one of very few e4 members who watches the anime, and I can tell you that the cards better reflect the anime than the video games - not in literal design choices, but in emotion/illustration/etc. Maybe my perspective would be different (or correct if you ask bunny man) if I didn’t watch the anime and only played the games.
Either way, this is super fun to think about!
I use words I don’t understand sometimes, okay?
I think it just depends what kinda emotions and atmosphere you take away from Pokemon. I was personally attached to a more serious, gritty vibe-- which obviously sounds kinda funny when talking about Pokemon, but I thought the anime was a bit more goofy/ light-hearted. I certainly watched the anime as a kid, but it didn’t really mesh with my own perception of Pokemon. The manga is a bit more my vibe, in that sense.
It is fun to think about and see where different kids’ imaginations took them!