Pokémon TCG Japan Reveals Ex Starter Deck: Decidueye Ex

A wave of Pokémon TCG ex Starter Decks are coming to Japan on July 7th, 2023. The ex Starter Decks will go for 550 yen and have not yet been revealed for English-language release. These will likely be brought into another Pokémon TCG expansion or even as SV Black Star Promos. The ex Starter Decks will include Decidueye ex, Clefable ex, Greninja ex, Vicitni ex, Houndoom ex, Melmetal ex, Miraidon ex, and Koraidon ex. There will also be two secret decks that have not yet been revealed. The Pokémon ex mechanic, the main mechanic of this new era, continues in these decks.  Today, let’s take a look at some cards featuring Decidueye ex and its evolutionary line.

So we’re getting new Rowlet, Dartrix, and Decidueye cards in the Decidueye ex Starter Deck.

The artists credited to each of these are:

• Rowlet, drawn by Tomokazu Komiya
• Dartrix, drawn by sui
• Decidueye ex, drawn by PLANETA Mochizuki

The standout here is Rowlet as illustrated by Komiya. Tomokazu Komiya has illustrated hundreds of Pokémon cards and remains one of the franchise’s most distinct artists. With his instantly recognizable style of colorful, somewhat scratchy artwork, Komiya has been bringing a style that feels like fine art to the Pokémon TCG for years.

Tomokazu Komiya’s first credits were in Neo Genesis. This Johto-themed set saw Komiya arrive with something to prove, and he did just that. He took an abstract approach to Pokémon design, setting his method and final result about as far apart from Ken Sugimori’s house-style cards, which were very much the norm throughout the early days.

Japanese sets often give us early ideas of what the English-language sets may include, so be sure to keep an eye on our coverage. You can stay tuned for previews of Scarlet & Violet cards as well as updates on everything Pokémon TCG right here at Bleeding Cool.