Nathan: 12 - White Flare Illustration Rares

 Yooo, what's up, companion homies!! Pokémon has been making some absolutely banger sets for the TCG as of late, and they are not pulling any punches with the upcoming expansion. Black Bolt and White Flare are going to be some of the best sets of all time. You may be thinking to yourself, “sets???” Yes! They are releasing one set for Black and one for White. There is one more insane twist. ALL 156 Pokémon from Generation 5 are getting their own Illustration Rare. These are beautiful full arts that typically depict the Pokemon doing some cool shit or just chillin in their natural habitat. Today, I am going to be reviewing half of these new IRs (from White Flare) and giving them a score of 1-10. These are in the standard set order from Justin Basil.

1. Sewaddle- I have always really liked this little guy even though his evolutions are pretty ass. I’m a really big fan of the colors here, and he is just a cute little leaf worm thing. 8/10

2. Swadloon- I don’t like Swadloon, and the same goes for this card. This is what happens when all 156 get a full art. Many of them are just bound to be forgettable. 5/10

3. Leavanny- As I mentioned, I am not a fan of this guy or his middle evolution but this card is nice. I like that the Swadloon is not being embraced by its loving parent, as only the Sewaddle deserves it. 8/10

4. Cottonee- One of the most forgettable Pokémon of all time, and this card isn’t much different. I am a fan of the windmill in the background and the flowers in the foreground the only real problem is that cotonee just sucks. 6/10

5. Deerling- This is one of my favorites here. I have always liked deerling because its a fucking seasonal deer and that is sick! Feels like the bros hard chillin with some dope mountains in the background. Also, the grain in the art style goes insanely hard. 8/10

6. Sawsbuck- EASILY one of the best cards in this set. I am 100% buying this shit because it just reminds me of sweet Herca Lerca sreepy sreepin in the Minesotta grass. Can’t get enough of the way the sun hits in this card. 10/10

7. Shelmet- Many people will probably not be a fan of this one, but I am. One of my favorite art styles, and the little pidove garden thing is pretty cute. 7/10

8. Accelgor- I have never liked this guy, and this card is not changing that fact. It’s not bad, just boring IMO. 4/10

9. Virizion- This one helps Accelgor a bit because if you put them side by side it looks like they connect but also why the fuck would the legendary Virizion be anywhere near that thing? Idk. The grazing is pretty cute, but this legendary trio is so weak that I wasn’t expecting much. 6/10

10. Tepig- HEATERRRRRRR YES! Without question top 5 cards in this whole set. Aside from the fact that Tepig was my chosen starter Pokémon in my playthrough of White, this card is simply immaculate in every sense of the word. Marvel in its beauty. 11/10

11. Pignite- The soft art style is nice, but doesn’t complement Pignite imo. Riding the high from Tepig, so the rest of this evo line doesn’t have to do much. 6/10

12. Emboar- This fire pig is aura farming crazy style, and I’m here for it. Always loved this guy, and I might pick up all 3 from this evolution if the price is cheap enough. I love the arts when the Pokémon are standing on a mountain and or practicing their kung fu moves. 8/10

13. Pansear- My favorite of the three basic elemental monkey things. I love this art style, and the way he's reaching for that berry is just cute. Simple and well-executed card. 9/10

14. Simisear- sowsow is one of my favorite artists, and they killed it on this card. The fire monkey is still climbing for berries, but now has a crib! Still prefer the Pansear though. 8/10

15. Heatmor- This pokemon is just ass in general so ofc it gets a forgetabble card. I do like the Durant creepin' tho. 5/10

16. Litwick- I love this little candle guy, and this card is perfect for them. This whole evo line goes hard. 7/10

17. Lampent- The haunting vibe is perfect, and I like that there’s a real lamp in there too. 7/10

18. Chandelure- BANGER! This is the cherry on top of the evolution line. Really love the colors and the chaos of plates and wine glasses going flying. Front and center is where Chandelure belongs. 10/10

19. Oshawott- PEAK. The starters are getting the best cards in the set. This one and Tepig are just perfect sleepy little guys, and I can’t get enough of them. Another easily top 5 card. Reminds me of Q napping in the Minnesota hammock. 10/10

20. Dewott- Antother banger card. The visual movement in this card is insane; it feels like Dewott is coming out of the card to kick you in the face.10/10

21. Samurott- Another starter that goes from sleepy to aura farming. The winguls are kinda unnecessary, and I think the card would look better without them. The sunset and the waves are beautiful, though and this card is immaculate still. 10/10 (big score bc samurott sucks)

22. Basculin- another mid Pomemon with a forgettable full art. It looks good, and at least it’s not boring, but it’s just not for me. 5/10

23. Ducklett- I’m a fan of this one for sure. Love the shades of blue, her, and Ducklett is an adorable little guy. Gators colors go hard every time. 9/10

24. Swanna- a forgettable Pokémon that gets a nice card! Super simple, but this one was executed very well. 7/10

25. Vanillite- The little ice cream cone with eyes looks cute in this one. Art style goes crazy, and this one is by far my favorite of the evo line. The cotton candy sky looks good. 8/10

26. Vanillish- Maybe I was wrong about Vanillite being my favorite of the three. The frosty mist they’re blowing ruins the eye around the card, nd Vanillite looks cuter than he did in the last card. 9/10

27. Vanilluxe- E,h I just don’t like the setting of this one. I think it’s too dark and the head on the left looks high on acid or some shit. 4/10

28. Blitzle- Disappointing. One of my favorite pokemon from gen 5 and this is just a boring ass card. So much more could've been done with this evo line. Why is it in this bleak ass enviroment??? 3/10

29. Zebstrika- Same story here. One of my favorites, and it’s not as bad as Blitzle, but it’s not much better. I think it’s the art style that doesn’t look right to me. What’s worse than wasted potential?? 5/10

30. Joltik- Thankfully, the vibes have been revived thanks to the little electric spider. Cute and I love how he’s just chilling hard as fuck on the lamp. Hats off to Hyogonosuke. 9/10

31. Galvantula- This one perfectly captures Galvantula. Just crazy electricity flying everywhere. One thing that’s kinda weird is the buggy eyes, but it is a bug, so I guess it makes sense. 8/10

32. Stunfisk- …. 5/10

33. Woobat- INSANE colors on this one. The art style is very unique, and I can’t pinpoint what it reminds me of. One of those forgettable Pokémon that got a very dynamic card with a lot of life. 8/10

34. Swoobat- My mom is going to do this blurb: What could be better than echolocation? ECHOLOCATION AND LOVE!!! These little Pokémon are communicating in the very best way, and they couldn't be sweeter. I give this card a 12/10 because it’s double the cuteness. I JUST LOVE IT!

35. Sigilyph- Another card with insanely vibrant colors and a mind-bending environment. Perfectly encapsulates whatever the fuck this thing is supposed to be. 9/10

36. Yamask- I’m not sure why, but I have always liked this little mask thing. The ancient ruin environment and colors are a perfect complement. 7/10

37. Cogagrigus- This shit crazy bro it looks like he’s ruling over Pangea. Absolute heater we got her, I didn’t even know it was possible to nail a Cogagrigus card like this. 10/10

38. Gothita- not a fan of this Pokémon in general, but the soft art style and crescent moon kinda got me likin' it. Still gonna give it a 6/1,0 just not for me.

39. Gothorita-A  Little better than the last one IMO, but I think I like cluttered Illustrations. Very nice color scheme, but I will not be picking this one up. 7/10

40. Frillish- FUCK THIS CARD AND EVERYTHING IT STANDS FOR! FUCK ITEM LOCK!!! 0/10 

41. Roggenrola- NOOO ONE OF THEM FELL!!! The rest of the ranks will not be smart enough to adjust course, and this will cause a huge pileup. This one is good. 9/10

42. Boldore- Big big fan of the colors and the reflection here. Although the pokemon itself is pretty ass they gave him a pretty dope card. 8/10

43. Gigalith- YES! This card is so fucking cool. Incredibly dynamic and this guy looks scary as shit. The fact that he’s fucking up everything around him is plus 100 aura too. It might be a must-grab. Thank god they did him justice. 10/10

44. Sawk- Insane lighting here, and another certified aura farmer. Vantage point goes hard; this is just overall a nice illustration. 9/10

45. Archen- One of my favorites for sure. When I was looking through all of these with Q, this one instantly stuck out to me. I already love Arche, and the art style and colors employed here look s,o so good. The leaves, the grass, the birds, everything is perfect. 10/10

46. Archaeops- A Perfect complement to the Archen card. Although I don’t like it as much, it’s still really well done, and this art style is one of my favorites. I also really like the white flower vine on the right. 9/10

47. Mienfoo- WOW! SO GOOD. The amount of stunning illustrations in this set is unprecedented. I can’t get enough of this soft art style and as I mentioned I am a sucker for stnading on top of mountains. The balancing of the rocks and clouds in the background is just the icing on the cake to make a perfect 10/10.

48. Mienshao- I’m kind of conflicted when it comes to this one. I like the background, glassy water, and little guys in the corner, but I just don’t like the design of Mienshao. 7/10

49. Terrakion- The post-apocalyptic setting here really fits Terrakion IMO. He’s walking around mean muggin the shit out of everyone. I won’t be getting it, but if I pulled it, I wouldn’t be mad. 7/10

50. Purrloin- This art style goes hard as hell. This card just looks good overall. Purloin appears fresh off the catnip, and the substitute is an incredible touch. Another cool and unique art style. 8/10

51. Liepard- I have never liked this Pokémon very much, but I like this card. The art style looks so good, and the way the shadows are hitting, I just can’t get enough. Another 10/10 for me.

52. Scraggy- YES YES YES! Captured Scraggy perfectly. I don’t think this card could get any better. My favorite is the one that’s head-butting the tree in the background. I also am a fan of the one that’s getting away with the berries. Comment below which one is your favorite! 10/10

53. Scrafty- I don’t know how to describe the dotted art style here, but it’s hitting my brain waves in just the right way. Scrafty has never been my boy, but he looks so jolly hitting the nae nae that I just wanna hit the whip right next to him. 9/10

54. Trubbish- I am really happy that they didn’t phone this evolution line in like they did with Stunfisk. The way he’s cheesing, holding up that bottle, just gives me hope. This is a hope-inducing illustration featuring sentient trash. 9/10

55. Garbador. I love that Garbador has been cultivating mass in the sewer. Another nice-looking art style and a perfect encapsulation of the Pokémon at hand. 8/10

56. Zorua- WOW!!! This is going to be expensive. Zorua has been a fan favorite since black and white came out, so this isn’t a surprise to anybody, but I like this card. The full moon is stunning, and the color palette could not be more perfect. It’s impossible to put the beauty of this card into a blurb. 15/10

57. Zoroark- I love that Zoroark is in the same environment and maybe even the same branch that Zorua was walking on. Once again, a perfect color scheme and Zoroark looks absolutely up to something here. Another must grab and a 10/10, I’m looking at it again, and these colors are just insane.

58. Vullaby- Easily in the bottom 5 Pokemon from this generation, but they overdid it here. One of the most stunning sunsets in any of these illustrations, and Vullaby opening its wings is cute to me. 8/10

59. Mandibuzz- This pokemon just sucks and I don’t like it. The sunset here doesn’t redeem the abhorrence of mandibuzz. 2/10

 

60. Deino- Disappointing IMO. I love this whole evo line, and the other two easily clear this one. It’s just walking through trees? Super boring with little to no life. Sadly 3/10

61. Zweilous- YES, this is what I wanted from this evo line. Vibrant colors, full of life, dynamic framing, and a killer art style. Chef’s Kiss 10/10

62. Ferroseed- Super boring Pokemon, so the artist didn’t have much to work with. I like it, nothing crazy. 5/10

63. Ferrothorn- Another very boring Pokémon IMO, but this time the artist did much more with it. For how simple this illustration is, it looks so good. This vine thorn thing is just floating out in the trees, living its best life. 9/10

64. Durant- Another one of those Pokémon where you could choose any direction. This one looks so good. The juxtaposition between the bleak ass environment and the bright vibrant berries strewn about it amazing to me and I can’t believe I like a durant card this much. 9/10

65. Druddigon- I can’t get enough of the face this thing is making while soaking up the sun. I love that it's got a little spot in its dragon cave where it can go do some basking. 9/10

66. Patrat- Yukihiro Tada is one of my favorite artists, and they killed it with this Patrat. Such a forgettable little fucker but I love this card. He’s just a little guy gathering berries and smiling for the camera! I love the way Tada does backgrounds. 10/10

67. Watchhog- Boring ass pokemon with a pretty boring card. The formula of putting a sunset in there does not redeem this guy. 4/10 ( I do like that he's watching out, tho)

68. Lilipup- This little cutie has his person’s cap, and I’m guessing he’ll go for a shoe next.  But with those eyes, there’s no way he’ll get in trouble!!! 10/10

69. Herdier- That little rascal Lilipup has now become a distinguished gentleman who can sit on the furniture. I love the framed photos of them in the background, and the overall setting of the house fits well. 9/10

 

70. Stoutland- This one looks goofy to me. I don’t think the art style fits very well, and I wish the duller colors here were bumped up in saturation a bit. 7/10

Now it’s time for the Special Illustration Rares. These are the same concept as the Illustrations, but they’re exclusively EX Pokémon.

71. Whimsicott- This one is cute as shit but just not for me. The only problem I have is that it falls into this category. If I open a pack and get a very rare SIR, and it’s whimsicott I will blow a fuckin gasket. The art is amazing with the warm colors, shadows, and smiling cutie, but I will be mad if I pull it. 5/10

72. Reshiram- HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK THIS IS THE MOST INSANELY BEAUTIFUL CARD EVERY CREATED! Now you guys understand why I’d be mad at a fuck ass whimsicott. Same rarity as this one. This will be hundreds of dollars. I don’t even know where to start describing this card, so I’ll just let you all decide for yourselves. 999/10

73. Keldeo- Another just stunning piece of shiny cardboard. Keldeo has been one of my favorite Pokémon since these games came out, and I am gonna try and get this card. I hope it's not too expensive. The colors, man. I could look at this one all damn day. I like it more than Reshiram, I think. 1000/10

74. Jellicent- FUCK THIS CARD AND EVERYTHING IT STANDS FOR!!! FUCK ITEM LOCK!!!! 0/10

75. Hydreigon- This is one of the most badass illustrations I’ve ever seen. A three-headed dragon roaring in the rain over a dark mountain landscape??? They cooked with this one and now you may understand why I am so incredibly disappointed in that dogshit Deino IR. 10/10

76. Bouffalant- Here we are, the last one. It has been an incredible journey taking you all through my feelings on every single one of these cards with bad grammar and redundant word choices. This Bouffalant looks fuckin wonderful to me. I can’t say I am the biggest fan of Bouffalant, but I love the dynamic framing, vibrant colors, and the motion of this card. You can feel the stampede, and I am here for it. 10/10

JP 10: One Generation’s Feed Is Another’s Fallout

Hello Everyone,

I've been struggling to figure out what to write about—mainly because everything I know well these days feels more like something to talk about in person than to post online. That said, I decided to use this blog to rant about something I feel strongly about: social media is a double-edged sword—and arguably one of the most dangerous things to happen to humanity.

This one’s a bit moodier than usual, so fair warning. Still, I’m genuinely curious to hear your thoughts.

Let me start by saying: I do see the good that’s come from the technological age we're living in. I’m not a “smash your phone and burn down AI” kind of person. Honestly, even this blog—something we all use to connect and share—wouldn't exist without the very advancements I’m about to criticize. I’m not blind to the beauty of people connecting across the world, inventions being born, stories being told, and distant places becoming visible—literally—in the palm of your hand.

But I’m also all too aware of the damage. And it’s deeply concerning.

Social media, in particular, is what I believe to be one of the most quietly powerful influences in human history. We’ve all heard the phrase “knowledge is power”—but we also know “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I worry for the generations growing up with this technology, for the kids who are shaped not just by parents or teachers, but by strangers they’ll never meet, filtered images they can’t live up to, and online horrors their minds aren’t ready to process.

During the most malleable years of their lives, they’re flooded with:

• Opinions that aren't their own

• Demands of what is right and wrong, even if nothing to do with morality 

• War footage and death they’ll never unsee

• Hyper-curated perfection that fuels insecurity

• Trauma disguised as entertainment

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

I’m starting to see the effects in real life—and honestly, it’s freaky. Kids competing for attention like it’s oxygen. Kids desensitized without ever stepping outside. Kids looking for love online because they’ve lost it offline—and ending up getting it in a way no one should. It’s like the line between the virtual and the real is fading—and for many, the virtual now holds just as much weight, if not more.

We’ve got kids forming beliefs based on what they can Google in two seconds—beliefs they would never have formed otherwise. That’s not education; that’s indoctrination through convenience.

I’m saying all this because I think change is needed—and that change starts with us.

Let this be a reminder to treat people with kindness. In today’s world, a literary dagger can be just as sharp as a real one. So enjoy the good. Endure the bad. Embrace the joy. Feel the hurt. Struggle. Grow. Fail. Try again. But above all: live in the real.

Thanks for letting me rant.

JP

June Recap

 Hi blog, my name is Andra, I’m 5’2 and I weigh 91 pounds. I lost 10 pounds in June due to a potential chronic inflammatory autoimmune condition known as Crohn’s disease. My official diagnosis is not until July 21st when I do my colonoscopy, but my symptoms and familial genetics point to my hypothesis of Crohn’s. 

This month has been brutal to say the least. I’ve spent lots of time getting familiar with the bathroom, going about 5-10 times daily. Buying wet wipes in bulk, soaking my ass in warm baths at 3am, waking up frequently, figuring out what to eat and building myself to an appetite, and ultimately feeling very fatigued due to my loss of nutrients. 

tired.

Coming from a family that has a very holistic mindset (avoids doctors, antibiotics unless necessary, focuses mainly on meditation, natural remedies, diet, exc.), the idea of having this chronic autoimmune disorder for the rest of my life (there is no known cure) really overwhelms my thoughts on modern vs traditional medicine. Crohn’s, an IBD (irritable bowel disease) disorder, differs from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) in severity, stress-relation, and diet-relation. IBS is functional, linked through stress and diet, and does not cause inflammation and/or physical damage to the small intestines while Crohn’s can cause inflammation anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract (throat to small intestine), create ulcers, strictures, and further damage. The immune system mistakenly attacks the body, leading to the chronic inflammation.

Growing up with ideas like “food is medicine” and “your body can heal itself” makes me reevaluate the limits of holistic care and acknowledge that some conditions require more than clean eating and herbal teas. I continue to drink my ginger tea and cut anti-inflammatory food, but some days I feel less symptoms eating greasy pizza. This condition doesn’t always follow logic, and due to the genetic nature and hyper-individual symptoms and flares, there is no known cure without medical treatment.

I’ve had to do multiple stool and blood tests, and in this past weekend, urgent care urged me to go to the ER because I had pain while sitting, walking, standing, and lying down. I’m now on temporary anti-inflammatory steroids which I need to taper off until my colonoscopy, and though they’ve helped tremendously, I’ve still had nights where I wake up every 2 hours. I continue to be positive, mindful, and balance listening to my body and the medical process. 

This post was not meant to illicit sympathy or change any behavior towards me, it’s just part of a larger process. This topic will likely continue as I continue to figure out how to control and understand what is going on.