Discussion 5Ban looks a lot better
- Thread starter Clam
- Start date
It’s interesting that you mention the possibility of the semi-transparent backdrop texture effecting your perception of the artwork. That being said, I usually didn’t understand why 5BAN Graphics got a hard time. I never particularly minded the art myself. Indeed, some of the GXs looked absolutely phenomenal, and many of the GX’s from Sun and Moon’s Base Set stick in my mind to this day, including Decidueye GX, Espeon GX, Umbreon GX and Tauros GX, each of which had excellent texture, shading, light effects and/or surroundings. But perhaps that comes down to first impressions. The Evolving Skies Eeveelutions were also a wonderful change of pace, offering an unusual spin on the 5BAN formula. Sure, it weren’t as exciting as it would have been if Akira Egawa had illustrated all eight of them, but it was better than expected, and I’m particularly fond of the Leafeon V, which is set against a pleasant autumnal backdrop.
That being said, I probably spend under $200 a year on Pokémon, making my choices of singles far more selective than the average collector, so I’m probably in the minority on this server. Also, I can still remember when the capitalized EX’s were my childhood, and I probably wouldn’t have stood for any criticism of their illustrators at that tender age. i still think cards like Seismitoad EX look cool. Seriously, ignore those first two lines for a minute and look at those beautiful water effects. I’m glad they returned to the old formula, but I also really loved the half arts of the GX and V eras, so it was very exciting to realize Pokémon had created a new aesthetic style that embodied the charms of both artistic styles.
(P.S. I do like it when Ultra Rares receive a non-3D art style, though. I’m still looking forward to buying that Magnezone ex, and the only reason I didn’t buy the Japanese version off of eBay or TCGREPUBLIC months ago was because I thought it’s attack names looked cool, encouraging me to hold out and buy the English copy. Toxicroak ex also looks cool, somewhat straddling the line between 2D and 3D. I do wish the tera ex’s looked a little more like video game screenshots, but perhaps I’ll just buy the Paldean starters/tera Gyarados portfolio or print out some promotional images. I thought the tera Pokémon looked perfect in the games, but unfortunately I decided I had enough Pokémon games already, and I haven’t bought Scarlet or Violet as a result.)
That being said, I probably spend under $200 a year on Pokémon, making my choices of singles far more selective than the average collector, so I’m probably in the minority on this server. Also, I can still remember when the capitalized EX’s were my childhood, and I probably wouldn’t have stood for any criticism of their illustrators at that tender age. i still think cards like Seismitoad EX look cool. Seriously, ignore those first two lines for a minute and look at those beautiful water effects. I’m glad they returned to the old formula, but I also really loved the half arts of the GX and V eras, so it was very exciting to realize Pokémon had created a new aesthetic style that embodied the charms of both artistic styles.
(P.S. I do like it when Ultra Rares receive a non-3D art style, though. I’m still looking forward to buying that Magnezone ex, and the only reason I didn’t buy the Japanese version off of eBay or TCGREPUBLIC months ago was because I thought it’s attack names looked cool, encouraging me to hold out and buy the English copy. Toxicroak ex also looks cool, somewhat straddling the line between 2D and 3D. I do wish the tera ex’s looked a little more like video game screenshots, but perhaps I’ll just buy the Paldean starters/tera Gyarados portfolio or print out some promotional images. I thought the tera Pokémon looked perfect in the games, but unfortunately I decided I had enough Pokémon games already, and I haven’t bought Scarlet or Violet as a result.)
These days I've been finding myself liking the idea of playing/collecting more than I do like actually playing/collecting. But even still, I remember the V's of Sword & Shield looking really bad. I kind of fell out of the TCG loop after tag team Pokemon destroyed the fun for me. But I did still occasionally buy a pack or two every now and then and kept up with glancing at the new sets. But I just always found the V art Pokemon looking really bad and I associated that with the fact that they have basically become full art Pokemon with their fully open borders.
I looked at the GX's you mentioned and I agree that they all look good. I think I was thinking of the new way they did full art GX's that, in my opinion, are some of the worst designs in the TCG and it soured how I felt about all GX pokemon. I don't tend to get too excited when I pull a GX/V full art that's not an illustration rare.
I looked at the GX's you mentioned and I agree that they all look good. I think I was thinking of the new way they did full art GX's that, in my opinion, are some of the worst designs in the TCG and it soured how I felt about all GX pokemon. I don't tend to get too excited when I pull a GX/V full art that's not an illustration rare.
Yeah, the GX Full Arts were hardly exciting. I only ever pulled two (a Palkia GX which I traded for my brother’s Full Art Alolan Ninetales GX, and a Tauros GX), but I can’t see myself spending $10 to buy one for each type. The V Full Arts were a nice change of pace, more akin to EX full arts, but with slightly more vibrant hues and brighter borders, making them pop more than the original EX Full Arts. And no, I couldn’t see myself buying the Toxtricity V pictured above. Zacian V would probably be my favorite 5BAN Graphics V, with a nice balance of smooth, crisp, matte texture, and a soft, misty, dreamlike background, displaying the juxtaposition of Zacian’s legendary might and it’s mythical obscurity. But I also remember aky CGI works, Planeta, Ayaka Yoshida, and others from the early Sword and Shield very fondly. From Cramorant V’s idealized 3D style and shimmering water effects to Vikavolt V’s vibrant overlay of crackling electric textures and wind effects, the V’s of the Sword and Shield era were actually the cards that first fostered by attention to the details of individual artists. As a child, I may have been able to tell a Yuka Morii from a Kawayoo, but I would have been quite unable to distinguish between an Atsuko Nishida and a Sui. Perhaps it’s unusual that Pokémon V were the cards that finally called my attention to the nuances of individual artists and their styles, but I’m sure that plays a role in my fondness for Pokémon V.
I think they should just replace full arts with the illustration rares at this point. I know they won't because money, but all the illustration rares are so pretty when they make use of the full card when compared to the generic backgrounds and mediocre 3d renders used in today's ultra rares.