Exploring Flapple's Artist Profile and Signature Style in Pokémon TCG

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Flapple artwork from Surging Sparks SV08 holo card by Uninori

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Artist Spotlight: Flapple and the Signature Style of Illustrator Uninori

When you crack open a Surging Sparks pack and glimpse Flapple’s vibrant form, you’re not just seeing a dragon-type Stage 1 with 80 HP—you’re witnessing a signature moment from illustrator Uninori. The card, cataloged as sv08-210, is an Illustration Rare beauty in the dragon-palette universe of Pokémon TCG. Its glossy, fruit-inspired dragon design captures a playful energy that fans adore, blending whimsy with a dynamic combat presence. ⚡🔥

Surging Sparks is a set built to glow, and Flapple stands at a crossroads of strategy and artistry. This illustration-rare capture from the SV08 batch emphasizes bold shading, a crisp highlight line, and a color story that leans into green tones with hints of citrus orange—an aesthetic that makes it pop on the table and in the binder. Uninori’s brushwork gives Flapple a sense of movement, almost as if the leaf-blade crest and the plump silhouette are caught mid-flutter, which aligns perfectly with a card that rewards calculated aggression. 🎨

Card at a glance

  • Name: Flapple
  • Set: Surging Sparks (SV08)
  • Rarity: Illustration Rare
  • Type: Dragon
  • Stage: Stage 1 (evolves from Applin)
  • HP: 80
  • Attacks:
    • Acidic Spit — Colorless; 20× damage for each damage counter on your opponent's Active Pokémon.
    • Speed Dive — Grass, Fire; 70 damage.
  • Illustrator: Uninori
  • Regulation: Standard & Expanded
  • Evolution: Evolves from Applin
  • Pricing snapshot (as of 2025): Cardmarket average around €0.03 (non-holo); holo variants hover around €0.14 on average

For collectors, this piece is more than raw stats—it’s a celebration of card art as a storytelling medium. The holo treatment on the SV08 print adds a shimmering depth to Flapple’s scale and the surrounding energy, which is particularly appealing to art-focused collectors who seek pieces that sing both visually and tactically. The Illustration Rare label signals limited print runs, elevating desirability among completionists and set-seekers alike. 💎

Signature style and artistic influences

Uninori’s approach to Flapple highlights several recurring motifs that resonate across Pokémon TCG art: bold, clean linework; a polished gradient that gives a tactile, almost 3D feel; and a playful color scheme that makes even a battle-hardened Dragon-type look approachable. In this piece, the artist emphasizes the character’s hybrid nature—an apple-like body paired with dragon features—through careful fruit-inspired coloration, glossy highlights, and a composition that implies forward momentum. The result is a card that feels alive when it sits in a deck, a small celebration of whimsy amid serious strategy. 🎴

What makes this signature style stand out is not just the motif but the way Uninori balances light and shadow on a compact canvas. You can spot the signature gloss along Flapple’s contours, a deliberate choice that helps the figure “pop” against the spark-themed backdrop of the Surging Sparks set. It’s a reminder that in the TCG, artistry and playability aren’t mutually exclusive—they enrich a player’s connection to the game and a collector’s appreciation for the craft. 🖌️

In-game potential: turning art into battlefield advantage

Flapple’s kit leans into a two-attack package that rewards planning and board state management. The Acidic Spit attack scales with the number of damage counters on the opponent’s Active Pokémon, dealing 20 damage for each counter. This creates interesting asymmetries: if you can pump up the opponent’s Active with other effects or attacks, Acidic Spit becomes a multi-turn threat you can amplify incrementally. It’s a classic “get-on-pace, then explode” concept—perfect for players who like to manipulate momentum across turns. ⚡

The secondary option, Speed Dive, costs Grass and Fire and delivers a solid 70 damage. This provides a reliable finisher when you’re ready to push through defense after establishing a counter-building plan with Acidic Spit. The dual-energy requirement invites thoughtful energy acceleration and synergy with Grass and Fire support lines, encouraging players to craft a modular deck around quick setup and flexible energy attachment. 🔥

Although Flapple doesn’t come with a built-in weakness box in this listing, Dragon-type cards from various eras commonly face a complex meta where matchups hinge on evolving trainer support and the opponent’s energy mix. The SV08 print’s standard-Expanded legality ensures it remains a versatile option for modern decks while also appealing to nostalgia-driven players who enjoy the Surging Sparks aesthetic. The unicorn-like glow of its holo finish makes it a centerpiece for showcase displays and casual battles alike. 🎮

Collector’s perspective and market pulse

From a collector’s standpoint, Flapple sv08-210 offers a compelling blend of art and gameplay value. The combination of Illustration Rare rarity, holo treatment, and the distinctive Uninori signature makes this card a standout in many Surging Sparks display cases. The data snapshot shows a market where the non-holo variant trades around a few euro cents, while holo copies enjoy a premium that reflects the art-focused demand of contemporary collectors. As with many modern TCG art pieces, the value isn’t solely in play—it’s in the story, the style, and the shared memory of pulling a gorgeous card from a booster pack. 💎

For fans who love both the game and the art, Flapple is a reminder that a single card can bridge two passions: competitive play and collecting. The fact that it’s a Stage 1 evolution from Applin adds to its nostalgia factor, connecting new players with the broader历史 of the Pokémon TCG’s evolving creature catalog. And while the market for holo cards can shift with new sets, the lasting appeal of Uninori’s artistry helps keep this particular card in rotation on many collectors’ want lists. 🎴

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