This Hisuian Growlithe Card is Peak Pokémon TCG Storytelling

Image: The Pokémon Company

One of the coolest things The Pokémon Company sometimes does in its trading card game is make multiple cards whose images tell a story. It’s happened several times over the years, such as a set of Tepig, Pignite, and Emboar cards showing a Pokémon growing up alongside its family, or a Quaxly, Quaxwell, and Quaquavel serving various levels of cunt in the mirror throughout its life. These referential cards only happen every once and a while and don’t really have a tangible effect on the game, but they’re always cute to watch unfold and collect. The Pokémon Company is continuing that trend in the upcoming Crimson Haze set, with an adorable pair of Hisuian Growlithe and Perrin cards.

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The new set launches in Japan on March 22, and while Bloodmoon Ursaluna is on the cover of its booster packs, Growlithe’s Hisuian regional variant is the real star of the show this time around. If you haven’t played the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLCs, you might not know about Perrin and her Hisuian Growlithe, who are stars of some of the expansions’ more involved side quests. She’s a photographer and loves taking pictures of Pokémon, and is also probably a descendant of Adaman from Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Her partner is a Growlithe who follows her around on her jobs. The pair is getting two connected cards, and they’re adorable.

Image: The Pokémon Company / Kotaku

Growlithe’s card shows the little guy jumping up on Perrin’s legs with a big ol’ smile on his face. His eyes are covered by white fur, but his excited expression still shines through. Perrin’s trainer card, meanwhile, shows her looking down at Growlithe as she takes a picture of her partner, and you can see that same smile reflected in the lens of her camera. I’m screaming, crying, and throwing up. It’s so goddamn cute I can’t stop smiling while looking at them.

It’s not the most complex storytelling in Pokémon card history, but it’s really succinct in exploring a dynamic between characters. Perrin sees something cute and her camera is already out. Growlithe is such a happy, loyal little dog that he’s happy to be her model. I try my best not to give into Pokémon card collecting, but I would buy both of those for some obscene price.

In other Pokémon TCG news, The Pokémon Company has announced a mobile app called Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket that seems like a Marvel Snap competitor.