'Blue Impact' / 'Red Flash' Japan's XY8 Sets, Next Set Block Titled 'XY: BREAK!'
- Thread starter Water Pokémon Master
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Many people on forums I frequent are really divisive over Eske Yoshinob's artwork. I am no fool in my complaints (particularly of Yoshinob's Bandit Ring group, Machamp, Tyranitar and Sceptile) of the artwork but in this post I will do my best to exclaim where Yoshinob excels at when it comes to EX card artwork, and where the artwork sorely lacks. Preface: I don't like Yoshinob, I don't think he should be fired but the majority of Yosh's artwork makes me want to not collect the cards. Lets begin!
I'll start with the positives, because Yoshinob has done a good job on getting one thing right. Textures
Yoshinob excels at smooth, glossy textures and for certain Pokemon it works really well, like Glalie EX for example, the difference in texture between the ice and the black horns is distinct and really makes Glalie EX look like a ball of ice. Other cards where the smooth, glossy finish work well in: Mew EX (DRX), Ampharos EX (AOR), Deoxys EX (PLF), Kyogre EX (PRC), Registeel EX (DRX).
Now Yoshinob's use of lighting is fantastic in a few cases as well, particularly when the Pokemon is doing a particular action that involves energy. The best example of this, and my favorite card of his is Lucario EX (FFI), Hydreigon EX is another great example of where the gloss finish and the light effects from the energy building up in the mouths works wonderfully to make a very cool and accurate to the personality of the Pokemon in the artwork.
Now we enter the section where Yoshinob isn't going to appreciate all very much, the negatives. He does amazing at that texture, and pretty much that is the only texture he has gotten down. Yoshinob attempts to apply the smooth/gloss to every one of his EX cards to the point where its down right silly and unnecessary. It causes a lot of sharp features of many Pokemon to become washed out and rounded by his equally abundant sparkly shine effects he uses. EX cards that the gloss/shine doesn't work with at all: Black/White Kyurem EX (BCR), Zapdos/Moltres EX (PLS), Emboar EX (Promo), Sceptile EX (AOR and Promo).
My biggest gripe with Yoshinob, his overall lack of perspective and proportion. Glalie EX is only his biggest offender of how a Pokemon seems like its just pasted onto the card without consideration of the visual depth that card images can display. Yoshinob has a clear lack of understanding when it comes to 3d proportionality and consequently, it makes a lot of Pokemon feel not quite right. Not being propoerly proportioned is what leads to Yoshinob's worst offenders (specifically from AOR) Machamp EX and Tyranitar EX. Machamp (sausage fingers) EX is the one over encompassing example that I believe defines Yoshinob's legacy of EX card artwork. The gloss and shine don't make sense, his proportions are all wrong and of course, the fingers, why oh dear god why does Yoshinob have to make all of the Pokemon with arms and hands reach out to grab stuff. It works fine in cards like Deoxys EX where the fingers are more alien and the gloss works for him, but for Machamp EX, I didn't know a hand could look like that. It is disgusting and down right strange.
Since Yoshinob has done roughly 60% of the EX artwork singlehandedly while the rest get split up into smaller teams or artists, it is really easy to examine his work and pick out the goods from the bads. You would expect with someone who does a lot of art, that there would be a bad apple every now and then, but in Yoshinob's case it is more often than not, a strange and and dis-proportioned monstrosity is posing as a Pokemon on a series of artwork that is supposed to represent the best of the best and be the face of the current Pokemon meta. I could go on for pages about each individual card of his that I like or don't like but I will spare you (the fact that I'm sparing you guys of my rant about Tyranitar EX you should be thankful for).
In short, Yoshinob should not be fired, I just want him to be better, like seriously better, and to learn some new tools and tricks rather than put gloss on everything to make it shiny to hopefully hide away the fact that specific sections of the Pokemon's body are just not the right size or shape.
I really love Pokemon artwork, and it has only been getting better and better as the years have gone by.
I'll start with the positives, because Yoshinob has done a good job on getting one thing right. Textures
Yoshinob excels at smooth, glossy textures and for certain Pokemon it works really well, like Glalie EX for example, the difference in texture between the ice and the black horns is distinct and really makes Glalie EX look like a ball of ice. Other cards where the smooth, glossy finish work well in: Mew EX (DRX), Ampharos EX (AOR), Deoxys EX (PLF), Kyogre EX (PRC), Registeel EX (DRX).
Now Yoshinob's use of lighting is fantastic in a few cases as well, particularly when the Pokemon is doing a particular action that involves energy. The best example of this, and my favorite card of his is Lucario EX (FFI), Hydreigon EX is another great example of where the gloss finish and the light effects from the energy building up in the mouths works wonderfully to make a very cool and accurate to the personality of the Pokemon in the artwork.
Now we enter the section where Yoshinob isn't going to appreciate all very much, the negatives. He does amazing at that texture, and pretty much that is the only texture he has gotten down. Yoshinob attempts to apply the smooth/gloss to every one of his EX cards to the point where its down right silly and unnecessary. It causes a lot of sharp features of many Pokemon to become washed out and rounded by his equally abundant sparkly shine effects he uses. EX cards that the gloss/shine doesn't work with at all: Black/White Kyurem EX (BCR), Zapdos/Moltres EX (PLS), Emboar EX (Promo), Sceptile EX (AOR and Promo).
My biggest gripe with Yoshinob, his overall lack of perspective and proportion. Glalie EX is only his biggest offender of how a Pokemon seems like its just pasted onto the card without consideration of the visual depth that card images can display. Yoshinob has a clear lack of understanding when it comes to 3d proportionality and consequently, it makes a lot of Pokemon feel not quite right. Not being propoerly proportioned is what leads to Yoshinob's worst offenders (specifically from AOR) Machamp EX and Tyranitar EX. Machamp (sausage fingers) EX is the one over encompassing example that I believe defines Yoshinob's legacy of EX card artwork. The gloss and shine don't make sense, his proportions are all wrong and of course, the fingers, why oh dear god why does Yoshinob have to make all of the Pokemon with arms and hands reach out to grab stuff. It works fine in cards like Deoxys EX where the fingers are more alien and the gloss works for him, but for Machamp EX, I didn't know a hand could look like that. It is disgusting and down right strange.
Since Yoshinob has done roughly 60% of the EX artwork singlehandedly while the rest get split up into smaller teams or artists, it is really easy to examine his work and pick out the goods from the bads. You would expect with someone who does a lot of art, that there would be a bad apple every now and then, but in Yoshinob's case it is more often than not, a strange and and dis-proportioned monstrosity is posing as a Pokemon on a series of artwork that is supposed to represent the best of the best and be the face of the current Pokemon meta. I could go on for pages about each individual card of his that I like or don't like but I will spare you (the fact that I'm sparing you guys of my rant about Tyranitar EX you should be thankful for).
In short, Yoshinob should not be fired, I just want him to be better, like seriously better, and to learn some new tools and tricks rather than put gloss on everything to make it shiny to hopefully hide away the fact that specific sections of the Pokemon's body are just not the right size or shape.
I really love Pokemon artwork, and it has only been getting better and better as the years have gone by.
I totally agree that leaving 120 HP on a Mega to be able to hit for big damage is very dangerous, but I don't know if people is realizing that you don't have to hit for 250 every turn to win a game. I mean, the Dragon MRay usually is combined with shrine of memories, and can get some KO's using Rayquaza's attacks, which also helps to preserve energies instead of doing 300 damage to something that could easily be KO'ed by less than 130. In other words, MGlalie appears to be a very interesting card to counter decks that usually don't OHKO things, like MManectric and MSceptile, or even decks that do a lot of spread damage, like MGallade, or PrimalK, and Noivern (I would say the FUF one is going to see some more play because of the new BREAK card). Also, dealing damage to MGlalie is going to be a little awkward, since you would have to OHKO it, or risk loose something to a Lysandre if you plan to (2+)-hit it.
On the other hand, there are some alternatives to help extend MGlalie's life, like combining it with some healing/damage manipulation cards (Dusknoir, for example). Also, I would say this card could shine on Expanded, once Plasma Badge could be attached to a MGlalie, and Umbreon could give it up to 80 more hit points to spare -- which means MGlalie would still have 200 HP when ready to hit for 250.
On the other hand, there are some alternatives to help extend MGlalie's life, like combining it with some healing/damage manipulation cards (Dusknoir, for example). Also, I would say this card could shine on Expanded, once Plasma Badge could be attached to a MGlalie, and Umbreon could give it up to 80 more hit points to spare -- which means MGlalie would still have 200 HP when ready to hit for 250.
I'd like to try Blastoise/Frozen City with this in expanded. Simply deluge energy to get the 100 damage since frozen city is 20 damage per energy from your hand and use Professor's Letter/Energy Retrieval to simply recycle your energy.
Tyranitar-EX has rock flints, and it's not a mega.
that seems like the best way to go. idk, competitively, how good a strategy that would be but playing with ur friends for fun this card would be very fun to build decks around
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With this card, one specific other card comes to mind. Miltank.
as much as i like it however pokemon tcg changes a lot of how it used to be :\
now only ex dominated the play field its like 8 EX card is worth while the 100+ cards is just filler
the diamond and pearl sets where awesome, it have a lot of playstyle and decks type in one box and tons of creative builds how i missed those days ;(
now only ex dominated the play field its like 8 EX card is worth while the 100+ cards is just filler
the diamond and pearl sets where awesome, it have a lot of playstyle and decks type in one box and tons of creative builds how i missed those days ;(
A deck best around Archie isn't exactly viable in the consistent meta of now, so will probably not do well significant amounts of the time. It's also very reliant on items, which isn't exactly a good thing in the current meta. It also gets shut off by things like Hex Maniac and a presumable future ability blocker after Garbodor, which makes it worse. Archie actually makes its playable, unlike a metal type, which is pretty difficult to get out.
Archie's Archie's Archie's
Ain't it funny how the Night Marches
Yeah, this is a powerful card. WC ain't bad either for a splashable attack
Ain't it funny how the Night Marches
Yeah, this is a powerful card. WC ain't bad either for a splashable attack
This card definitely has potential with Archie. Now if only they would give us a good fighting Pokemon to use with Maxie.