I’m curious if anyone knows the history behind shadowless?
Like why is it a set? Was it meant to be the original unlimited and then they changed the design?
Why is it so scarce? Do you think it’s overrated?
Share your thoughts!
My view is it’s the earliest set as 1st edition was added to the cards so 1st editions weren’t finished and shadowless was finished so the first cards actually to be fully ready and made were shadowless cards.
4 Likes
-
It was originally intended to be Unlimited. They redesigned the cards shortly after the transition off of 1st Edition.
-
The plans to release the reformatted cards were probably already in the works for a little while, but product still needed to be shipped. Hence the interim release of Shadowless, which at the time was simply pre-revision Unlimited.
-
If anything these cards are really cheap for what they are and how scarce they are, but there is not a lot of demand or interest since it’s a pretty niche release. Not as exciting as 1st Edition, not as accessible as Unlimited, just sort of an intermediate release that’s hard to rationalize for most collectors.
8 Likes
Very interesting. I definitely like them more than unlimited. Obviously not as good as 1st edition but still cool nonetheless because it’s still different than unlimited
The early days of WotC Pokémon were rushed and haphazard. If it seems random and uncoordinated it’s because it was. More than anything they were just trying to get product on shelves to meet demand. Shadowless is a relic of that era and a symptom of Pokémon’s chaotic launch.
5 Likes
So it was essentially a mistake?
not really a mistake. Thats just what the cards looked like in that stage of production. They then adjusted some things on them (more than just giving them a shadow, but that was one part of it) and then printed a lot more of what we know as Unlimited. There are many, many, many error cards from the wotc era, especially the early sets. However, shadowless isn’t necessarily one of them.
9 Likes
What @thsigma said. 
1 Like
What kind of errors? Sorry if I’m asking too many questions. I’m just genuinely curious about the history of wotc Pokémon
1 Like
No Symbol Jungle is a good example.
Also, things like Stage Error Blastoise, Fighting Symbol Error Diglett, No Damage Ninetales, the Haunter and Hitmonlee stains, etc.
6 Likes
This thread has most of them. Highly recommend bookmarking it. Bulbapedia also has a pretty extensive list of error cards.
4 Likes
Thank you!
To me, shadowless demonstrates and marks a critical element of the state of pokemon with WotC in the early days. It also kinda foreshadows the troubles for WotC (before they had to sell to Hasbro). While we have lots of printing errors, and fluctuating inconsistencies in base, jungle, fossil, even rocket, Shadowless is an intended print variant, yet unintended “edition” which, unlike an error, shows a clear mis-step or quick adjustment in planning as well as production within the entire set release. Very illuminating.
Personally, I love the aesthetic of shadowless, and while it’s not “1st” I still get more excited today seeing a merely shadowless card than a that 1st ed stamp.
6 Likes
You’re indeed correct. The first English Pokémon TCG product was the Pokémon Demo Game Pack, which was given to some MTG distributers in December 1998 (and also given at some events later on in 1999). These Demo Game Packs contained 24 Shadowless cards.
The Trainer Deck A and Trainer Deck B were distributed shortly after (unlimited design with red-bordered back). And only then the English 1st edition Base Set set was released on January 9th, 1999.
So although Shadowless; unlimited Trainer Deck A/B; and 1st edition Base Set cards were all released almost simultenously in those two months of December 1998 and January 1999, the 24 Shadowless cards of the Pokémon Demo Game Pack were the very first official English TCG release.
(Of course there is also the Protostoise (a prototype Blastoise) from Summer and Fall of 1998, but it was never released nor intended for release, so not too relevant here.)
Greetz,
Quuador
14 Likes
So everyone else answered your primary question. With regard to scarcity or if Shadowless is overrated, in my experience they are generally easier to come by than 1st Ed Base cards are. I don’t think they’re that scarce at all, unless you put them next to regular Unlimited which are very easy to find in comparison to any other Base Set printing. At least where I go shopping around, I can almost always find regular Shadowless cards before I ever find a 1st Ed card.
I don’t personally think they’re overrated. I think they’re properly rated given that people have become more attracted to them if they can’t afford a 1st Ed Base collection as Shadowless cards allow you to get basically the same cards without the stamp. I personally think that the coloring and aesthetic of Shadowless/1st Ed cards is overall a lot nicer than regular Unlimited. For example, Charizard is generally much more orange and has the nice green wings compared to later Unlimited prints.
So overall, I think Shadowless cards are cool and unique. They’re still a great collectible. They just aren’t on the same level as 1st Edition overall, which will always be the most optimized and desirable Base Set print IMO.
1 Like
Thank you for all the responses everyone!
5 Likes
Just curious, why do the Trainer Deck A/B have the shadowed unlimited design if they predate 1st edition base set? Did WotC change their mind and switch back to shadowed unlimited later?
1 Like
Because 1st Edition cards are just shadowless cards with 1st Edition stamps applied to them. Trainer Deck A and B were not a retail consumer release so they were printed with special backs rather than having a 1st Edition stamp applied. Since the unlimited redesign was probably already in the pipeline, they just so happened to be printed that way.
It might be helpful to think of it as such: Base Set Pokémon cards were designed, proofed, and printed. It was determined cards printed for an initial number of cycles would have 1st Edition stamps applied. Cards printed after those initial cycles did not receive a 1st Edition stamp. Those latter batches of cards are what we call Shadowless.
The plan to revise the design probably happened really early, probably concurrent with the initial launch, but the design process takes time and WotC wanted to go to market so the cards were printed and distributed and then the revision (what we call Unlimited) was done as soon as possible.
Shadowless only exists because what was previously determined to be the set number of 1st edition prints concluded before the updated design documents were ready. Theoretically WotC could have avoided the existence of Shadowless cards by just giving every card printed before the revision a 1st Edition stamp, but they likely did not know for sure when the revisions would be ready to print and opted not to create too many 1st Editions and instead we have the Shadowless stopgap.
5 Likes
It may be niche, it may not be for everyone… but man do I love the absurdity that is shadowless cards! Hearing more about where the subset fits in with the set release and promo launch cards (trainer decks) has been super interesting! To those more knowledgeable than myself, thanks for all the input! This has been a great read
4 Likes