Pikachu LV.12 is a Basic Lightning-type Pokemon that first appeared in Base Set, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. It was later reprinted as a few promo cards, in Base Set 2, and in POP 2. Its most recent card appearance was in Rising Rivals with updated artwork by Mitsuhiro Arita.
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Pikachu LV.12 – Lightning – HP 40
Basic Pokemon
[C] Gnaw – 10 damage.
[LC] Thunder Jolt – 30 damage. Flip a coin. If tails, Pikachu does 10 damage to itself.
Weakness: Fighting x2
Resistance: None
Retreat Cost: 1
Pikachu was first available in Base Set with yellow-colored cheeks. However, sometime after at least the first print run of the set, Wizards of the Coast decided to recolor its cheeks to their more familiar red coloring. This was probably a sort of “clarification” on Wizards’ part since Pikachu is usually depicted with red cheeks, though the yellow coloring is actually due to it shooting off its iconic yellow electricity. The red-cheek Pikachu was the first English variant card due to this recoloring, and technically the first English exclusive-card since the recolored Pikachu was never available in Japan.
The card was reprinted in POP 2 with new artwork by Yuka Morii and as a classic reprint in Rising Rivals with updated artwork by Mitsuhiro Arita, the artist of the original card.
 Base Set (#58/102) Common Mitsuhiro Arita |
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