The Cards Of Pokémon TCG: Astral Radiance Part 16: Hisuian Arcanine

In May 2022, Pokémon TCG released the second main series set of 2022. The expansion, Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance, came out on May 27th, 2022. It is the tenth set under the Sword & Shield banner and is the first to include the Radiant Pokémon mechanic. Radiant Pokémon are similar to Shining Pokémon of the past as they include a Shiny Pokémon with holofoil and texture on the figure rather than the background. The difference, though, is a special holo pattern on the text area of the card. Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance also continues the Trainer Gallery, a special subset of Character Rares, Character Super Rares, Full Art Trainers, and Black & Gold VMAXes that began in the previous set, Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars. Follow me through a journey through this latest set as we appreciate the artwork, discuss the card’s place in the set, and discuss what certain elements of the expansion may imply for the future of the Pokémon TCG. Today, we check out a pair of cards featuring a new Hisuian regional variant’s first appearance in the Pokémon TCG.

Artist Akira Komayama delivers the first Hisuian Growlithe card, doing justice to this cute new species that began to trend when it was first seen in Pokémon Legends: Arceus footage. With thin and clean linework, Komayama delivers a strong species debut in the TCG. He uses bright colors and a powerful contrast between the blood-red fur of Hisuian Growlithe and the grey stone and smoke of the background. A bit less impactful for me is the Kagemaru Himeno Hisuian Arcanine. It looks a lot like a paper doll pasted over a more realistic background, mostly due to an inconsistent coloring style that doesn’t do this new regional variant justice.

Stay tuned for the continuing journey through Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance. To look back on this series, click the Astral Radiance tag below. Next time, this journey continues with the main set.