‘The Pokémon take on a life of their own’: How iconic trading cards are created

The Pokémon Europe International Championships is one of the best events in the circuit for competitive TCG players—but it’s also a delight to experience as a collector and fan of the artwork, too. 

While at EUIC 2025 in London, I got the opportunity to check out an artist’s panel with Keiichiro Ito and Shinji Kanda thanks to a media pass provided by The Pokémon Company, learning more about how these legendary artists created some of the most iconic cards in the game. 

Ito created the beloved Moonbreon card from Evolving Skies, along with a slew of other incredible pieces, and Kanda has arguably one of the most recognizable aesthetics in the game—just take a look at the Giratina V from Lost Origin to see his dynamic style in action. 

The panel followed a series of prompts relating to the artists’ personal experiences with the Pokémon Trading Card Game niche and how they defined their artwork.

Ito mentioned that he aspired to make it feel as though there was a narrative in each of his drawings, hoping to make the art feel bigger than the card itself.

This is evident in pieces like his Toedscruel Illustration Rare from Paradox Rift. He later discussed the process of creating this card, saying sometimes, “The Pokémon take on a life of their own,” and that the Toedscruel in the foreground popped up unexpectedly, as if it had something to say. 

Kanda dug into his creative process, describing how he usually composed his pieces initially with an emphasis on linework before digging into the rest of the project.

When asked about his favorite card from his work, Kanda picked out the magnificent Giratina V full art from Lost Origin, saying, “I don’t even remember how I drew it, but it has all the hallmarks of my usual art style. In a sense, that illustration is a condensation of my journey to the present.”

The panel came to a heart-warming close with the pair sharing their advice for any aspiring TCG artists listening.

Ito encouraged artists to get outside of their comfort zone, clarifying that people shouldn’t solely focus on studying art theory and working on their skills in this manner—they should get out and find tactile, real-world experiences, saying that traveling can lead to more persuasive art. He added that reading and studying are both still important for creators, though. 

Kanda noted that continuing to create art might seem easy, but it can be quite difficult, with many talented artists stopping their work for a variety of reasons. If people are able to continue making art in spite of this, he added, they are very fortunate and should look inside themselves to find what sparks joy, then dedicate themselves to cultivating this. 

Both Keiichiro Ito and Shinji Kanda were featured at the EUIC 2025 Pokémon museum, with displays dedicated to their most beloved card designs. It’ll be a joy to see what these inspiring artists create next in the world of Pokémon TCG and the wider franchise.