The Pokémon Company said an internal review found that its card production team gave the commissioned illustrator incorrect reference materials as official documents. It apologized, said the affected Ho-Oh ex and Lugia ex illustrations would be replaced, and later released new art for both cards on August 8, 2025. The incident began with an artist’s allegation of similarity; it did not result in a reported legal finding of plagiarism.
What prompted the Ho-Oh art allegation?
Around the July 2025 launch of Pokémon TCG Pocket’s Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion, artwork for a 3-Star immersive Ho-Oh ex card circulated from preloaded game assets. Artist lanjiujiu said it appeared similar to Ho-Oh artwork they had drawn in 2021. A contemporaneous comparison described the head and wings as matching while the talons differed; that was a description of the alleged resemblance, not an independent finding about authorship. PokéBeach reported the allegation on July 29, 2025.
At the time, lanjiujiu cautioned against drawing a conclusion: “I don’t want to steer any narrative or public opinion. This matter is still inconclusive. In fact, I’m just puzzled.” The statement was quoted by PokéBeach.
What did The Pokémon Company say happened?
In a July 30 statement, The Pokémon Company said its internal review found that the card production team had supplied incorrect reference materials to the commissioned illustrator as if they were official documents. The company apologized and said it would replace the affected illustrations. Nintendo Life reproduced the statement: “After internal review, we discovered that the card production team provided incorrect materials as official documents to the illustrator commissioned to create these cards.” Nintendo Life’s report also said the company announced a broader investigation.
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#1 Best Overall
- You will receive, at random, a Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series that will contain 3 of 9 possible Promo Cards featuring beloved first partner Pokémon from the Johto, Unova, or Galar region.
- You will get 1 Pokémon TCG booster pack containing 3 of 9 promo cards
- This also comes with 2 Pokémon TCG booster packs and a sticker sheet.
The issue affected both the 3-Star immersive Ho-Oh ex and Lugia ex. The Lugia image included the disputed Ho-Oh artwork. While replacement illustrations were prepared, the game used temporary placeholders rather than the affected art, according to Nintendo Life.
Was the illustrator blamed?
The company’s first explanation focused on the incorrect references provided by the card production team. A follow-up Japanese statement, reported by PokéBeach on July 31, attributed the mistake to production teams at The Pokémon Company and Creatures, said they would take responsibility, and asked fans not to slander the illustrator. PokéBeach noted that this statement was not shared in English, so its account of the statement should not be treated as an official English-language quotation. Read PokéBeach’s report on the follow-up.
Rank #2
- 3 Pokemon booster packs from various sets
Did Pokémon TCG Pocket replace the cards’ art?
Yes. On August 8, 2025, Pokémon TCG Pocket updated both affected cards with replacement illustrations. GameSpot reported that the new art was credited to Sie Nanahara, the illustrator credited on the original art. After the replacement, lanjiujiu said, “I appreciate the prompt resolution and hope this matter rests here.” GameSpot covered the update and response.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is established—and what is not?
The public record described by contemporaneous coverage establishes that lanjiujiu raised a similarity allegation, The Pokémon Company reported an internal production error involving incorrect reference materials, and the game replaced the two illustrations. It does not establish an adjudicated plagiarism finding, independently authenticate the 2021 artwork, or document a legal settlement. The company’s notice was titled “Notice Regarding New Illustrations”; it is available at The Pokémon Company’s official site.
Quick Recap
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Rank #4
- PACK CONTENTS: Contains 10 random Pokemon trading cards from the Scarlet & Violet Prismatic Evolutions expansion set per booster pack
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Rank #3
- You will receive, at random, a Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 3 that will contain 3 of 9 possible Promo Cards featuring beloved first partner Pokémon from the Hoenn, Kalos, or Paldea region.
- You will get 1 Pokémon TCG booster pack containing 3 of 9 promo cards
- This also comes with 2 Pokémon TCG booster packs and a sticker sheet.
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