Magikarp has never been a flashy Pokémon. Since its inception in Pokémon Red and Blue, it’s been a bit of a meme due to its ability to learn just two moves—Splash, which doesn’t do anything, and Tackle. That changed, of course, with the addition of Flail in Gold and Silver, but it still wasn’t a world-beater. Not until it evolved into Gyarados, anyway.
Its reputation in Pokémon TCG was very much the same. The first edition card had Tackle and Flail, the latter of which was only somewhat effective depending on Damage Counters. The card didn’t look too special in terms of aesthetics, either.
It’s been reproduced in many sets throughout the years. Some have designs that look more impressive than others. But for the most part, it’s never really been a card worth showing off.
This week amid new TCG leaks, however, that’s all changed.
According to a report from PokéBeach, an Illustration Rare Magikarp card will feature in the Japanese SV1a Triplet Beat set expected to release in Japan on March 10, and it looks stunning.
The Magikarp’s moveset is nothing to boast about. A translation shows it will only have one move called Skilled Jump, which deals 10 damage initially and an additional 20 with two coin flips landing on heads.
The design, however, is a different story. It shows Magikarp swimming up a beautiful-looking waterfall at the base of a mountain with a Gyrados perched on top, and has an almost psychedelic-looking background with vibrant colors woven together perfectly.
Those who get their hands on it will finally have a Magikarp card that could find its way into their favorite selection.
