Pokémon TCG Illustration Contest’s Winning Card Art Features Adorable Pikachu With Unlikely Inspiration
The Pokémon Company has officially announced the winners of the 2024 Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest, a global competition that offers artists the chance to see their work printed on a real Pokémon trading card. Running from October 2023 to January 2024, this year’s contest revolved around the theme, “Magical Pokémon Moments.”
As revealed on the official Pokémon Illustration Contest website, the grand prize winner for 2024 is Kazuki Minami, a Japanese artist whose heartwarming portrait of Pikachu scratching his ear stole the show. Kazuki’s inspiration? Their pet dog! The adorable depiction of Pikachu has earned Kazuki a $5,000 USD cash prize and the honour of having their artwork featured as an official Pokémon TCG Promo card.
In a statement, Kazuki reflected on how their dog inspired the artwork:
“As this was my first time taking part in this contest, I wasn’t sure what to draw and how to draw it. That’s when my dog came into my sight being cute—I was inspired to draw Pikachu in such a way that reminds me of my dog. So the prize belongs to my dog as much as it does to me, and we’re both extremely happy and honoured.”
Kazuki’s charming and intimate Pikachu artwork was chosen from 10,829 entries from across the globe. The judges praised the piece for its authenticity, capturing a carefree moment in beautiful detail:
“This illustration beautifully captures Pikachu in a tender moment during warm morning light. It’s challenging to make simple scenes like a yawn engaging, but the artist has succeeded in creating a relatable and evocative setting. Placing Pikachu at the centre of the frame emphasises the charm of the moment, while the subtle stylisation adds originality without straying from authenticity.”
Thousands of artworks were submitted for the contest, with entries from Trainers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The top entries progressed through rounds of judging, with the Top 300 and Top 100 finisher announcements building excitement along the way. Today, the winners are finally revealed, with Kazuki Minami taking the top spot.
Beyond the grand prize, winners of the contest will also see their artwork made into Pokémon TCG promo cards, including the Best Standard Card Illustration and Best Pokémon ex Card Illustration. The release dates for these special promo cards will be announced at a later date.
For the full list of winning artists and their entries, visit the official Pokémon TCG Illustration Contest 2024 website.
Congratulations to all the talented artists, and thank you to everyone who shared their love for Pokémon through their incredible artwork!
