When you think of “chase cards” in the Pokemon TCG, the name often goes to rare cards that cost upwards of $100 on the resale market. But sometimes, Pokemon fans get obsessed with a card not for its rarity, but for the design itself. In the case of Pitch Black, a surprise common card is making waves on social media as players show off their pulls. And I use the word “waves” very deliberately, because the card in question is a Water-type.
Shortly after Pitch Black released, fans started sharing their hits on social media. But alongside your typical SIRs, another card dominated the conversation. I’m talking about none other than the Wailmer card in Pitch Black, which features an adorable crochet version of the Water-type Pokemon. It features as both a common card and a reverse holo in the set, and it’s relatively easy to pull. But just because it’s not rare doesn’t mean Pokemon TCG fans aren’t thrilled when they get one in their pack. I know I was.
Like many Pokemon fans, I was charmed when I saw that crochet Pokemon card designs returned in Pitch Black. These cards, created by artist Asako Ito, are some of my personal favorites, and they never fail to get a smile out of me when they pop up in packs. The lineup for Pitch Black includes just one of these crochet card designs, starring none other than Wailmer. It’s available as both a standard card and reverse holo, and both versions are relatively easy to pull. Easy, but delightful.
Despite my personal joy when pulling that first Wailmer, I hardly expected it to be the breakout star of Pokemon TCG – Pitch Black. If anything, I assumed that honor would go to the adorable hangry Morpeko SIR, which is one of the set’s highest-value singles so far. But over the last few days, my Instagram scrolls brought me several videos of creators teasing their exciting Pitch Black pulls and chase cards. Rather than reveal an SIR, however, the videos all came back to crochet Wailmer.
Even the official @PokemonTCG X account got in on the fun, with a simple post showing a close-up of the adorable amigurumi Wailmer. This really brings home the impressive craftsmanship that makes this card an instant classic, not to mention Wailmer’s adorable goofy grin.
( • 𓎟 • ) pic.twitter.com/vuhkl4sMSM
Many Pokemon fans are dubbing this their ultimate Pitch Black chase card. It’s partly a joke given the card’s Common status. But with Pokemon card packs still proving pretty elusive to find on shelves, any card can be a chase card these days. Thankfully, if you absolutely need to add this crochet cutie to your lineup of Pokemon cards, it won’t be expensive.
Despite its breakout star status on social media, the Wailmer card from Pitch Black remains pretty affordable on resale sites. You can grab the standard version for just around $1.50, with the reverse holo trending around $2. I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I find it refreshing to see cards like this break through the news of Pokemon cards as investments. Sometimes, a card is great because it’s just a great design, rarity and resale value notwithstanding.
What do you think of Asako Ito’s crochet Pokemon cards? Is this Wailmer on your must-have list? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
