What is your favorite Japanese promo you own or which one are you after? Why do you like said promo?
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I would say my favorite promo is space Mew. It’s my favorite Pokemon and I love a good bubble Mew. I also like how bright Mew looks in that artwork. It makes it seem even more mythical.
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Always…
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Favourite that I own:
The distribution was really cool for these and although I wasn’t into Pokemon at that time I can imagine how excited kids would have gotten about the release.
Favourite I don’t own that is realistic would probably be a complete Masaki set.
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I love older JPN promos because many of them had fun backstories associated with them. The Masaki and Grand Party promos really stand out, so if I had to pick one, it has to be the Grand Party promo. If you are interested, here is some of the background on the Grand Party Campaign.
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Such a tough question to answer because there are so many good ones!
Without thinking too deeply, one Japanese promo I own that I really like is the Trade Please card with the holo back. Lots of things to like about it: the artist with a question mark on the bottom, the goofy artwork in general, the distribution method (had to actually trade/mail in cards to receive this card, which helps demonstrate the whole idea of trading, and is also what the artwork demonstrates), the old style back, and the fact that the back is holo. Such a neat piece of history and overall fun and quirky card!
Here’s the back of the copy I own (with a quadruple holo to boot!).
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I’m picking something slightly less obvious that others are unlikely to mention.
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Your profile picture is also a pretty great Japanese promo!
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Absolutely, but somebody else is bound to post it so I wanted to spread some love elsewhere 
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I don’t think Shining Mew can be topped in terms of objective quality, that card is so incredible and it’s very hard to appreciate exactly how amazing it is until you see a copy in person. That being said, my favorite Japanese promos are the Rayquaza/Giratina EX lottery promos. I am a huge EX Full Art fan, and the exclusive art is so cool and unique. With the amazing Japanese texture, they’re just beautiful! Here are my copies:
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In terms of story, I would pick the University Magikarp.
Creating a Pokemon-themed university for kids to enroll in was such a cool idea. It highlighted the importance of education and required substantial dedication and knowledge to progress through the tests. The internet was in its infancy at that time and access was low, so I imagine that finding the answers was challenging.
This Magikarp can also use Dragon Rage, which it normally could not learn. Adding that move further showcases how dedication and hard work can lead to incredible results, regardless of one’s circumstances and expected path.
Regarding aesthetics, I’m not sure that I would be able to choose one Japanese promo. There are too many incredible illustrations!
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I think basically anything from P promos could be chosen without the pick being very bad
My time has come
But also I think my favorite art might be the premium from file next to it. Neo discovery sticks out as a set with art that told a story
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CD Promo Blastoise for me, love the Pokemon Blue cover art
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