Another debuting pokemon artist has recently been discovered. Although this person/collective never submitted any official fanwork – that we know of – they will have their debut card in the TCG soon. Hachinana is a brand new addition to the long list of talented individuals working on pokemon cards.
Welcome To Pokemon TCG, Hachinana!
As we documented before, hundreds of people worked on the Pokemon TCG over the years. Some artists stick around, whereas others make a more limited appearance. It is unclear which side Hachihana falls on for now, but they are joining the ranks for at least 1 card.
That card in question is a new rendition of Purrloin. It will be part of the upcoming Starter Set ex Zorua & Zoroark Ex. More specifically, this is one of the three new Japanese battle decks launching on July 31, 2016. Similar to the introduction of TOMATO MARKET, Hachinana will be part of this particular battle deck lineup.
Being given the chance to represent part of this exciting lineup is a significant achievement. The battle decks are expected to be in very high demand. Initial listings on Amazon Japan were sold out in minutes, further confirming the domestic demand. It is unclear if these decks will receive localized translations or an English version, though.
Moreover, the Purrloin is part of the Liepard – Zorua evolution line. All 3 Pokemon will receive new renditions in this battle deck. Hachinana sets the tone, whereas Souichirou Gunjima and HYOGONOSUKE complete the line. Being on the same evolution line as these two established names indicates the Pokemon Company believes in Hachinana’s artistic qualities.
Who is this Mystery Artist?
This is perhaps the more interesting part about this artist, for now. There are no social media profiles attached with this name. Curiously, there is also no known fanart submitted by Hachinana to date. That doesn’t mean they never made any, but if they did, it has not been connected to this profile, for some reason.
It is also impossible to determine if this is one person or a collective of artists. The latter is not uncommon in Japan, although the name Hachinana seems to hint at an individual, We will, of course, keep an eye on their Art of Pokemon page to monitor for updates.
