Pokémon TCG Japan: Triplet Beat Preview: Quaxly Tells A Story

The first subset of the Scarlet & Violet era is arriving on March 10th in Japan. The subset, Triplet Beat, will largely focus on the Paldean Starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. In this expansion, all three Starters will get Art Rares, and their evolutions Meowscarada, Skeledirge, and Quaquaval will receive Pokémon ex. This set follows Pokémon TCG Japan’s Scarlet ex and Violet ex which was released in January 2023, kicking off the new Paldea-themed series block that will presumably run for the next three years. Scarlet ex and Violet ex are the basis of the English-language set Scarlet & Violet base coming out internationally on March 31, 2023, so it follows that Triplet Beat will be in part the basis for Scarlet & Violet – Paldea Evolved, the second English-language expansion set of the Generation Nine era which will release on June 30, 2023. The Pokémon ex mechanic, the main mechanic of this new era, continues in Triplet Beat.  Today, let’s take a look at some more cards from the Secret Rare section from Triplet Beat.

Just like the Sprigatito and Fuecoco lines, the Quaxly line uses Illustration Rares to tell a story of maturation through evolution. All three of the cards, illustrated by Souichirou Gunjima, show the Pokémon in front of the skin, futzing with its coiffed hair. The Quaxly card shows a joyous Quaxly playing with water while its evolution, Quaxwell, is shown tending overly seriously to its hair in front of a messy sink with a cabinet left open behind it. The line culminates in Quaquaval ex Special Illustration Rare, which sees the fully evolved Pokémon pose confidently in front of a tidy sink with the room around it cleaned up.

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.