Scarlet & Violet: Surging Sparks - Top 10 Most Beautiful Cards!

Hello to all!

Now that Scarlet & Violet is out (released on November 8th, 2024), we can finally say which are the most beautiful cards from this set.

Let's go!

10 - Gravity Mountain (Stadium - 177/191)

To open our list, we have this artwork by Ayumi Odashima, a talented artist I mentioned before when I discussed the most beautiful cards from Stellar Crown. Back then, Grand Tree SCR 136 stood out a lot to me.

Once again, this artist gave us an incredible composition by using perspectives that create depth. This scene depicting a volcano and the surrounding clouds is majestic and captivating.

If you aren't familiar with this artist, here are a few of her Trainers:

Trainer: Item

Trainer: Tool

Trainer: Stadium

9 - Tera Orb (Item - 189/191)

This illustration by Ayaka Yoshida is quite a gem. This artist has been working with the Pokémon Company since the Diamond & Pearl era, and is also one of the founders of 5Ban Graphics, which has done work for the company since Black & White.

Their most striking works are the shiny Pokémon from this era:

This Tera Orb illustration, however, perfectly captures the crystallized sheen of the Terastal mechanic, and perfectly represents the essence of this new era for the TCG.

8 - Alolan Exeggutor ex (Secret Illustration Rare - 242/191)

This card was illustrated by Yuriko Akase, and it is her fifth work for the Pokémon TCG. This illustration complements Exeggcute SSP 192's illustration, as the shadow of its evolution is projected onto the scene:

Its color palette evokes tropical elements and the Vapor Wave aesthetic. It is a true work of art.

7 - Vivillon (Illustration Rare - 193/191)

REND, this card's illustrator, brings us a unique perspective, almost as if this were created by a natural photographer. This artist, who has worked for the Pokémon Company for a long time, stood out at the Pokémon Illustrator Grand Prix with their Arcanine PR-SW SWSH304, and is still captivating fans with their realistic style.

I mentioned them before in several articles, like our Shrouded Fable article because of their Zorua SFA 75, our Twilight Masquerade article because of their Chimecho TWM 179, and our Temporal Forces article because of their Cutiefly TEF 172.

6 - Ceruledge (Illustration Rare - 197/191)

Rondo's third work for the Pokémon Company reflects an epic, mythic aesthetic that ties perfectly to Ceruledge's essence as a warrior. Their previous work, like Lampent TWM 37, seems connected to this card's setting.

5 - Feebas & Milotic ex (Illustration Rare - 198/191 | Secret Illustration Rare - 237/191)

This duo is the perfect example of a visual narrative, as it shows Feebas admiring Milotic's transformative beauty. This artwork, created by Kuroimori, captures the essence of this evolution in a rather poetic way.

4 - Skarmory (Illustration Rare - 209/191)

The richness of the metal details in this artwork by Takumi Wada is impressive. The reflection of the sky and the roof elevates this card to a new level.

3 - Pikachu ex (Secret Illustration Rare - 238/191)

GIDORA brought us one of the most beautiful Terastal artworks around. This card definitely stands out because of its aesthetic, and is one of the most valuable cards in the entire set.

2 - Hydreigon ex (Secret Illustration Rare - 240/191)

The incomparable Akira Egawa brought us another masterpiece. Besides beautiful, this card is also quite popular in the meta.

We also mentioned this artist many times before here at Cards Realm. Check out this article, in which we covered the most iconic Pokémon artists.

1 - Latios & Latias ex (Illustration Rare - 203/191 | Secret Illustration Rare - 239/191)

In our first place, we have this iconic duo represented in two cards that have inspired the community to create their own stories. Fans have linked this artwork to the TAG TEAM version of this duo, and created a narrative that they represent a sequence of events.

Furthermore, this OKACHEKE artwork is very detailed and carries a lot of emotion. Latias ex SSP 239 is one of the most expensive cards in this set, as we showed in this article covering the most expensive cards in Surging Sparks.

Akira Egawa Illustrations in Regular Pokémon Cards

Do you agree with our picks? Which cards from this set do you think are the most beautiful? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!