PokeConnection

🔮Shadow Rider Calyrex VMAX🔮

This gorgeous Trainer Gallery card is found within the 2022 Astral Radiance set in the Sword and Shield era!

Calyrex was introduced into Pokémon in the newest era, Generation 8. It was the game mascot for the Pokémon Sword and Shield expansion pass, as well as the mascot for the Chilling Reign expansion of the TCG.

Calyrex can take one of two forms (other than it’s base form): Shadow Rider and Ice Rider. Shadow Rider is given to Calyrex when it’s paired with Spectrier, while Ice Rider is achieved when Calyrex is paired with Glastrier.

This specific form, Shadow Rider, really does look great!

What’s your favorite Trainer Gallery card?

#2022

💦Starmie V💦

Arguably the best Trainer Gallery card to hit the TCG 👀 This card comes from the 2022 set Astral Radiance from the Sword and Shield era and is one of 30 of the subset.

Starmie was first introduced into Pokémon in the 1997 episode, ‘The Water Flowers of Cerulean City’.

Starmie is a Generation 1 Pokémon based on stylized starfish mixed with a meteor or star, and most likely also jewelry with its centralized gem.

Did you know in Pokémon stadium that Starmie is depicted as rubbery, since it’s limbs stretch when hit?

Starmie is the only Psychic-Type Pokémon that’s in the Water 3 Egg group. Interesting!

What’s your favorite Starmie card?

#2022

🔷Garchomp V♠️

Time for one of the top two cards in the Astral Radiance Trainer Gallery! Released in 2022, this gorgeous card encapsulates the type of beauty in a card, even without a crazy background.

Garchomp was first introduced to Pokémon during generation 4’s 2007 episode, ‘Top-Down Training!’.

Did you know that Garchomp is the only pseudo-legendary Pokémon to have gender differences? Interesting!

Garchomp is though to have been modeled after a mixture of sharks and dinosaurs, specifically a theropod called Charcharodontosaurus.

What’s your favorite Garchomp card?

#2022

⚡️Galarian Zapdos V⚡️

This is another great installation in the Trainer Gallery from the 2022 set Astral Radiance in the Sword and Shield era. Being one of 30 of the subset gives this Trainer Gallery a lot of room for other amazing cards as well!

Galarian Zapdos was introduced into Pokémon with the 2019 debut of the Galar Region in 2019’s installation of the 8th generation.

Although there aren’t too many fun facts about Galarian Zapdos, there are some about it’s Kanto counterpart!

Did you know that Zapdos only requires you to have two gym badges before you can capture it in any games? That would be sick!

Zapdos is assumed to be modeled after the Native American legend of the Thunderbird, while the Galarian Zapdos is most similarly a mixture of ratites, kiwis, and roadrunners.

What’s your favorite Galarian legendary bird?

#2022

⚔️Zacian V⚔️

Another banger from the Trainer Gallery! This sunset card is from the 2022 Astral Radiance set in the Sword and Shield era.

Zacian is a legendary Pokémon that first got introduced in the 2020 episode, ‘Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!’.

Did you know that while it’s considered a gender unknown Pokémon, Zacian has Pokédex entries that refer to it being Zamazenta’s older sister. Interesting!

Although it’s look is based off of a wolf, Zacian is assumed to be based on King Arthur’s sword Excalibur.

What’s your favorite Trainer Gallery card?

#2022

🛡Zamazenta V🛡

This awesome card is from the Trainer Galler inside of the 2022 Astral Radiance set. Being one of 30 cards in the subset, there are a lot to appreciate.

Zamazenta was first introduced in the 2020 episode, ‘Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!’ In its Hero of Many Battles form (it has two forms).

Being one of two mascots for the Sword and Shield, this Legendary Pokémon is one that will be a fan favorite.

Did you know that Zamazenta is based off of King Arthur’s shield? Awesome!

Zamazenta and it’s counterpart, Zacian, are the only two Pokémon classified as Warrior Pokémon. That’s pretty cool!

The story of Zacian and Zamazenta retreating to the woods after their great battle to recover parallels the story of King Arthur and his return from life threatening wounds he had gotten in battle as well.

Zamazenta also resembles Sköll, a wolf that chases the Sun in Norse mythology.

What’s your favorite? Zacian or Zamazenta?

#2022

❄️Melony Full Art❄️

Trainer Gallery love! This Full Art card is from the 2022 set Astral Radiance in the Sword and Shield era; specifically the Trainer Gallery.

Melony was first introduced to Pokémon in the 2020 episode, ‘Assistant’, where we saw her battle Gordie!

Did you know that Melony has a number on her uniform that says 361? In a Japanese form of world play called Goroawase, this means ‘Cold’. Cool, right?

What’s your favorite TG trainer?

#2022

🦍Secret Rare Rillaboom🦍

Gotta love the gold cards! This gorgeous card is from the 2020 set Rebel Clash in the Sword and Shield Era.

Rillaboom was first introduced in the 2020 movie, ‘Secrets of the Jungle’ and has been featured on 7 cards since.

Rillaboom can be seen playing a wadaiko, or Japanese drum most of the time. Outside of Japan, wadaiko is referred to as taiko.

Did you know that Rillaboom might be influenced by Gigantopithecus, an estimated 12 foot, 600 pound gorilla from about 300,000 years ago? Awesome!

What’s your favorite Rillaboom card?

#2020

🪨Alt Art Machamp V👊

Errand Boy Machamp 👀

This is such a good looking card! Shinya Komatsu was able to fit so much detail into this art, and I’m so appreciative of that!

Coming from the 2022 set Astral Radiance, Alternate Art Machamp V is THE chase card from this Sword and Shield expansion.

Machamp was first introduced in Generation 1 of Pokémon, showing up as one of the many fighting Pokémon showcased in the 97/98 episode, ‘The Punchy Pokémon’.

Did you know that Machamp was originally known as Ju-Doh in the Red and Blue betas? Awesome!

Although seemingly based on a wrestler or bodybuilder, it’s also theorized that Machamp was based on a Hindu god, maybe Shiva or Vishnu.

What’s your favorite Machamp card?

#2022

🔮1st Edition Mew🔮

This gorgeous card is from the 2001 Japanese set Base Expansion Pack, which would be released as the Expedition Base Set in English in 2002.

This card is specifically an E-Reader card as well, which was used between 2001-2004 (before being discontinued) to unlock certain games, items, or events. This one would’ve unlocked something specifically in the Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald Pokémon games.

Mew was introduced as a Mythical Pokémon in Generation 1 through a CoroCoro magazine promo just two months after Pokémon Red and Green were released in 1996.

Did you know that Mew is the only one of the original 151 Pokémon to be left out of the Pokérap? Not cool!

Mew was voted the most popular mythical Pokémon in the 2012 Pokémon Power Bracket, which included all mythical Pokémon from generation 1-4. Awesome!

What’s your favorite Mew card?

#2001

🌸Alternate Art Hisuian Lilligant V🌸

This gorgeous card is from the 2022 set Astral Radiance in the Sword and Shield era. How great does it look?

Lilligant first debuted in the 2011 ‘Victini and Zekrom’ movie during the opening scene, with a main series debut in the 2011 episode, ‘A Maractus Musical!’.

Lilligant can be seen to have characteristics of different aromatherapy plants, while also that of essential oils as well. It’s thought that it’s shape is based on that of 1700s Western women’s fashion. Awesome!

Hisuian Lilligant can be seen with characteristics similar to a ballerina, gymnast, or skater. It’s shape in this form is similar to Allium victorialis, an ethnobotanical onion used by the Ainu people used in different dishes and medicine.

Do you like Lilligant or Hisuian Lilligant better?

#2022

🔹Rainbow Blanche Full Art🔹

LOVE the Trainers in this set! This Rainbow Rare card is from the 2022 set Pokémon GO! and features one of three team Leaders in the set.

Blanche was introduced to Pokémon GO! players in 2019, alongside Spark and Candela as , as Professor Willow’s assistant.

As the Leader for Team Mystic, Blanche represents the team belief that taking your time and analyzing every situation will guarantee success.

Did you know that the English versions of Blanche don’t identify gender, while four other language variations have it listed as female?

Who’s your favorite team Leader?

#2022