The world of trading card games (TCGs) is having a huge boom, with Pokémon being one of the most popular among the ranks. But don't be fooled by these unassuming cardstock collectables; fans don't mess around when it comes to getting their hands on the coveted cards, with some selling for millions a pop.
The most recent to make headlines was the illustrious "Raincoat Pikachu", which went for a whopping $8.4 million at auction. With over 30 years of Pokémon character design, it's safe to say the franchise has reached the ultimate pop culture icon status and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.
The 10 Gem Mint copy of the 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Promo Art Academy Fujishima Pikachu (a.k.a. raincoat Pikachu) attracted 64 bids in total on Fanatics Collect before selling for a mighty $8.4 million USD, including buyer’s premium. Featuring an adorable red raincoat-clad Pikachu grinning under an umbrella, the cute stormy scene has a wonderful charm to it, but you might notice it has a certain... hand-drawn look to it. Turns out, that's what makes it so valuable.
Raincoat Pikachu was created by artist Y. Fujishima, winner of the 'Dress-Up Pikachu' category as part of a worldwide Pokémon Art Academy competition. His prize? 100 officially printed copies of his custom card. Despite not carrying the same polish as other rare cards, Fujishima's design is now the second most valuable in the world, second to Logan Paul's PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card, which sold for a record-breaking $16.5 million earlier this year.
Despite Raincoat Pikachu's wholesome origins, it's still perplexing how a single card can sell for millions, but given the previous popularity of NFTs and cryptocurrencies, I'm at least grateful we've returned to physical media. For more Pokémon news, check out the new Pokémon X Polaroid cameras or take a look at how Pokémon is fighting back against AI slop.
