I know I’ve posted Set of the Fortnight #54 just a moment ago, but since I keep forgetting to post these for months, I decided from this point onward to post two set-threads at the same time whenever I do remember it again.
So the second one the random name picker choose today is:
Opposite of the Vending Machine Series 1 set-of-the-fortnight I just posted with just 36 cards, this fifth Sun & Moon era set from November 13th, 2020 is huge with a total of 203 cards excluding 149 additional Reverse Holos.
The main focus of this set was Gigantamax Pikachu, but it also features a bunch of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
As for my least favorite cards from the set, it’s basically all the Golden and Hyper SRs, I do like that they’ve finally added some colors to the Golden SR cards, but I still dislike those in general.
And what I also hated about this set is the extremely low 1 in 1000 pull rate of the Pikachu VMAX Hyper Rare, making it extremely expensive for a regular set card, especially in the time I still collected all languages:
(I’ve got the recently released S. Chinese version currently incoming, which was just 30 bucks… Much better than the 400 USD I paid for the Indonesian one. )
Although there have been a lot of other smaller reasons, it was primarily this set, combined with the amount of Pikachu TCG cards releases back in 2019 (233 in total), that were the main reason why I stopped collecting all languages for Pikachu TCG cards from February 27th, 2021 (25th Pokémon Day) onward…
So although this set is Pikachu themed and I’m a Pikachu collector, in general it’s one of my least favorite sets of all time due to the frustration and minor stress it brought me, which is of course the opposite of what you’d want from collecting as a hobby.
I relember this set fondly. One memory I have is when I ordered an etb of it to get the Special Delivery Pikachu promo. Interestingly enough, they ran out of the etbs on Pokemoncenter, so they just sent me the promo! I think I received a holiday ornament as compensation, but my memory is a bit fuzzy on the specifics. Regardless, the rainbow pika was hugely popular, the last time we really had a popular rainbow Pokemon imo. It was Shining Fates and then onto alt arts with Battle Styles.
This was around when I started getting back into modern again and I remember for a while just how hyped this set was. Looking back, it’s pretty funny as the set is pretty terrible compared to the second half of SWSH where alt arts were introduced. That said, while Amazing rares weren’t much as chase cards, I did enjoy the aesthetic and Celebi was definitely one of my favorites because of how the colors worked together!
The hype for Vivid Voltage was wild, and it’s funny in hindsight how kind of bland it is compared to the more recent SWSH sets. 100% agree about the Amazing Rares, they’re a lovely little subset and offered something a bit different stylistically to enjoy within the main set. I think at the time people thought they were gonna be a bit harder to come by than they were (desperation for “the new gold star”), but honestly I feel like they offer relatively good value for a modern collectors, for example for Rayquaza and Celebi collectors could pick up PSA 10 copies around the £20-£30 mark (especially since pack fresh examples are certainly not a guaranteed 10), or binder copies for just a few quid.
Vivid Voltage came out right after I got back into cards, like a good amount of people I suspect. The hype was crazy for the set. I personally really liked the Amazing Rares, and made sure to collect them all. Looking back now, the set is super bland. I was never a fan of rainbow rares, so the Pikachu never really help my attention as the main chase card like the shiny Charizard had done with Champion’s Path.
But overall, what I remember is getting burned on the set. The realities of pull rates compounded with my non-existent luck in getting anything good means the best thing I ever got out of a pack was an Amazing Rare Rayquaza.
While all of that sounds a bit negative, and it certainly is. Can you have nostalgia for something not even 4 years old? It was more the surrounding time of diving deep into cards that I remember fondly.
The card that stands out the most to me now, is the Dusknoir, because I seemed to pull it all the time. While I think the best card associated with VV is actually the pre-release Charizard. Such a great looking card.
What I remember most about Vivid Voltage was Leon’s Charizard. The theme deck was fun to play with, adding a few rare candies and quick balls made for a decent deck in standard.
Additionally, the pre-release version was a banger:
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