Top Sharpedo Card Art by This Pokémon TCG Artist

In TCG ·

Sharpedo card art by Kazuma Koda from the Evolving Skies set

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

In the vast ocean of Pokémon TCG artwork, some moments feel extra electric when a single card captures the ferocity, speed, and poetry of a creature as tricky as Sharpedo. This particular card, illustrated by Kazuma Koda, anchors a memorable moment in the Evolving Skies era—a rarity that pairs fierce looks with serious battlefield utility. As fans dive into the depths of its flavor text and its nimble battle plan, we discover why this Stage 1 Water-type feels both collectible and playable. ⚡🔥

Art that bites: Kazuma Koda’s Sharpedo

Kazuma Koda brings Sharpedo to life with a ripple of motion that feels almost tactile. The card’s composition emphasizes the predator’s sleek silhouette and relentless propulsion, a visual cue echoed in the Pokémon’s lore: it drinks seawater and jets it from its rear to propel itself, and it’s incredibly sensitive to the scent of blood. The art communicates velocity and danger in a single glance, a flavor that fans remember long after they shuffle their deck. For collectors who chase iconic mushrooms-and-blood-ink moments in water-drenched battles, this Sharpedo is a standout in the Evolving Skies set, visually harmonizing with the watery battlefield it inhabits. 🎴

Card mechanics in motion: what Sharpedo brings to the table

Sharpedo is a Stage 1 Pokémon with 120 HP, evolving from Carvanha. In practice, its presence on the bench can influence how an opponent routes their plan, and its attacks reflect a deliberate design to balance offense with disruption. The first attack, Taunt, costs only a Colorless energy and reads: “Switch 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon with their Active Pokémon.” The wordplay here is strategic: you can force a change in tempo, pulling a key threat off the bench and into the fray as a new active. In some matchups, that disruption alone can tilt a game by breaking a critical bench-packed threat chain. Jet Bite, the second attack, costs Water and Colorless and deals a solid 120 damage, but with a drawback: “During your next turn, this Pokémon can't attack.” It’s a classic high-risk, high-reward move—you amortize a big immediate hit for a potential stall or project a punishing six-turn window when your opponent is trying to stabilize their field.

  • Type and damage: Water type with 120 HP. A sturdy midline attacker that lands respectable damage for a one‑card commitment.
  • Weakness: Lightning ×2, so electric threats can push the math against Sharpedo if you’re not careful with a balanced bench and retreat plan.
  • Retreat cost: 1, making it feasible to switch into a safer option after a bulky Jet Bite swing.
  • Stage and evolution: Stage 1, evolving from Carvanha. A typical early-to-mid game evolution that rewards planning and bench momentum.
  • Legal framework: Regulation Mark E; legal in Expanded format, not Standard. The card’s framing sits in a broader modern lineage that still sees action in non-ROT areas of play.

From a gameplay perspective, the interplay between Taunt and Jet Bite encourages a tactical rhythm. You can use Taunt to draw out a nuisance or a threatening rival from the bench—clearing a strategic path to disrupt the opponent’s setup—then follow with Jet Bite to dent a primary target and shape your opponent’s responses. The card’s energy costs—Colorless for Taunt, Water plus Colorless for Jet Bite—also invite flexible energy acceleration options, enabling players to sculpt their turns around the conditions of the field. In the current market of deck lists that prize tempo and bench manipulation, Sharpedo’s toolkit shines when paired with trainers that accelerate Water energy and help manage the tempo around the “no-attack next turn” clause. 💎🎮

Collector insights: value, rarity, and set context

As a Rare card in the Evolving Skies expansion (swsh7), Sharpedo sits within a highly beloved subset of the set’s roster. Evolving Skies is known for its vibrant art and expansive roster, with a total of 237 cards released officially and 203 in the official count. Sharpedo’s variant options in this entry include normal and reverse holo printing, though the card itself is not holo in the version described here. The illustration by Kazuma Koda anchors it in a distinctive aesthetic that resonates with collectors who chase art-focused pulls as much as gameplay payoff. In terms of price, card market and TCGPlayer listings show wide dispersion: the standard non-holo can be a few cents to a few dimes or dollars in practice, while reverse holofoil copies typically fetch higher values. Recent pricing snapshots highlight the volatility of the market for this family of cards, where a well-preserved copy can outperform expectations when paired with a desirable art version or a compatible deck strategy. For players and shoppers, staying aware of market trends across Cardmarket and TCGPlayer helps forecast potential spikes around rotation windows or new set announcements.

The card’s lore-friendly flavor text—coupled with its kinetic artwork—offers a potent blend for fans who savor both story and strategy. Sharpedo’s predatory nature is captured in both the descriptive line and the way the card’s mechanics incentivize a careful, methodical approach to field control. It’s a reminder that in the Pokémon TCG, the best cards aren’t only about raw damage; they’re about how you shape the battlefield across a sequence of turns. ⚡🔥

Practical deck-building thoughts

For decks aiming to press advantage early, Sharpedo’s Taunt can be used to disrupt bench-based threats your opponent has primed for later turns. Pair it with support Pokémon that can stall or force additional bench damage, and you create openings for Jet Bite to land without immediate retaliation. When building around this card, consider lines that help accelerate Water energy while maintaining a credible path to retreat or switch when Jet Bite’s heavy cost becomes a liability on a remote turn. The balance of risk and reward is at the heart of Sharpedo’s design—it punishes complacency, but rewards those who time their disruptions and big hits with precision. 🎴

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