Our fifth specimen is a wonderfully unique card from the 2022 special collaboration set, Pokémon GO. This card breaks from traditional illustration, featuring a “real-world” photograph that perfectly captures the spirit of the augmented reality game.
Card Details
- Pokémon Name: Pikachu (ピカチュウ)
- Set: Pokémon GO (s10b)
- Year: 2022
- Card Number: 027/071
- Rarity/Edition: Common
- Artist: N-DESIGN Inc.
- National Pokédex No.: 025
Card Text & Attacks
- Type: Lightning
- HP: 60
- Attack 1: Friendly Bolt (なかよしボルト)
- Cost: [Lightning][Colourless][Colourless]
- Damage: 30+
- Effect: If you played a Supporter card from your hand during this turn, this attack does 30 more damage.
- Weakness: Fighting x2
- Resistance: None
- Retreat Cost: [Colourless]
- Pokédex Entry:
- Japanese: つくる 電気が 強力な ピカチュウほど ほっぺの 袋は 軟らかく よく 伸びるぞ。
- Romaji: Tsukuru denki ga kyōryokuna Pikachū hodo hoppe no fukuro wa yawaraka ku yoku nobiru zo.
- English: The more powerful the electricity that a Pikachu produces, the softer and more stretchy the pouches on its cheeks become.
Collector’s Notes
This card is a fantastic piece of TCG history, representing the crossover between the physical card game and the digital world of Pokémon GO. The artwork by N-DESIGN Inc. is a standout feature, using a photographic image of a person’s legs walking down a path with a 3D Pikachu model superimposed, perfectly mimicking the “buddy” system from the mobile game. This art style is unique to this special set and is highly desirable for its novelty and charm.
As the official Museum Mascot, this card tells a story about exploration. It represents the very act of going outside to discover the world, which is the foundation of both geology and the Pokémon GO experience. The “real-world” setting connects the fantastical world of Pokémon to our own geological reality—the asphalt path, the soil, and the unseen bedrock beneath. It is a perfect symbol of the “Geo” and “Pik” in our museum’s name: the joy of exploring the real world with a trusted partner.
