Why Surging Sparks Is A Sensational Investment!

Summary

In this video, Philip, a Pokémon YouTuber, shares excitement over reaching 15,000 subscribers and offers a special Alakazam card giveaway. He reviews the latest Pokémon card set, 'Surging Sparks,' praising its unique appeal, especially its standout designs like Pikachu and Magneton. He highlights key artwork choices and discusses the set’s collectible and investment potential, particularly rare cards like the Latias and Lados. Philip also touches on the challenge of collecting multiple sets on a budget and offers advice for building a great collection affordably.

Takeaways

• 📈 Surging Sparks from Generation 9 is being positioned as an iconic Pokémon set, competing with major sets from the Sword and Shield era like Fusion Strike, Evolving Skies, and Lost Origin.
• 🎉 The speaker expresses gratitude for surpassing 15,000 subscribers and announces a special giveaway of a rare Alakazam card from Pokémon 151, with winners identified using a Sylveon emoji.
• 📦 The Surging Sparks booster box, featuring Pikachu as the mascot, is expected to be highly desired, especially during the Christmas period due to its appeal to kids and recognition by parents.
• 🟡 The Elite Trainer Box (ETB) for Surging Sparks has a prominent design with vibrant purple and yellow colors, including a standout promo card featuring a Magneton artwork by Shinji Kanda.
• 🌟 The Pokémon Center stamped version of the ETB is recommended for collectors and investors due to its exclusivity and potential long-term value.
• 🍎 Illustration rares in the set include interesting but sometimes questionable choices like Flapple and Appleton, which feel somewhat forced upon the community.
• 🎨 Several illustration rares like Castform and Brava are praised for their creative designs, with Castform being underutilized in previous TCG releases.
• 💎 The special illustration rares in Surging Sparks are a highlight, with cards like the Lada special illustration rare and Alolan Exeggutor Terra type being expected to be highly sought-after and valuable.
• 🧊 The Archelon special illustration rare, though a cool design from Generation 9, is expected to be more affordable compared to others due to less fan demand.
• 📊 The speaker notes the challenge for collectors in keeping up with the constant release of new Pokémon sets, including the Greninja premium collection, Charizard collection, and Eevee and Team Rocket sets, and offers advice for collecting on a budget.

Q & A

What is the significance of the 'Surging Sparks' set in the Pokémon TCG?

'Surging Sparks' is considered a major step up from previous sets in the Scarlet and Violet era. It is viewed as a competitor with iconic sets like Fusion Strike, Evolving Skies, and Lost Origin, marking a significant moment for Generation 9 in the Pokémon TCG.

Why does the booster box for 'Surging Sparks' feature Pikachu prominently?

Pikachu is a well-recognized mascot for Pokémon, especially popular among children and parents. By placing Pikachu on the booster box, Pokémon aims to attract buyers during key seasons like Christmas, ensuring broad market appeal.

Why is the Pokémon Center stamped version of the Magneton promo card highly recommended for collectors?

The Pokémon Center stamped version is seen as the modern equivalent of the first edition stamp, adding an extra layer of exclusivity and longevity to the card. Collectors value these stamps for their rarity and uniqueness.

Why is the inclusion of the Flapple and Appleton illustration rares seen as controversial?

Many in the community feel that Pokémon is pushing Flapple and Appleton in a way that doesn’t feel organic, as they are not widely beloved Pokémon. Collectors expected more popular choices like Salamence or Dragapult, making the selection seem forced.

What makes the Castform illustration rare stand out?

Castform is an underutilized Pokémon in the TCG, so its appearance as an illustration rare is both refreshing and exciting for collectors. The artwork is praised for its composition, though it’s not expected to be a highly valuable card.

What are some standout illustration rares from the 'Surging Sparks' set?

Some standout illustration rares include Braviary and Skarmory. Braviary’s competitive significance and artwork make it a noteworthy card, while Skarmory’s metallic look and Generation 2 nostalgia contribute to its popularity.

Why are Latios and Latias separated into different illustration rare categories?

Latios and Latias are given individual illustration and special illustration rares, which is unusual as they are typically paired. This design decision has created a lot of fan demand for both cards and adds an interesting dynamic to the set.

Which card is expected to be the most expensive chase card from 'Surging Sparks'?

The Latias special illustration rare is expected to be the top chase card from 'Surging Sparks,' drawing comparisons to the legendary bird team-up card, which became one of the most expensive Pokémon cards.

How does the Alolan Exeggutor special Terastal form card compare to others in the set?

The Alolan Exeggutor special Terastal form card is highly praised for its design, particularly the way the rainbow border complements the Terastal form. It’s expected to be one of the top three chase cards in the set.

What challenges do collectors face with so many new Pokémon TCG sets being released?

With multiple sets like 'Surging Sparks,' 'Stellar Crown,' and upcoming collections like the Greninja and Charizard sets, collectors may struggle to keep up on a budget. Managing finances while building a collection is a key concern, and there are strategies to collect on a budget without compromising on quality.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Celebrating 15,000 Subscribers with a Special Pokémon Giveaway!

Philip, the creator of a Pokémon YouTube channel, celebrates reaching over 15,000 subscribers by giving away a rare Alakazam card from the Pokémon 151 set. He explains the process for winning by commenting and receiving a specific emoji as a reply. Philip introduces himself as a marketing professional and highlights the perks of joining his channel memberships, including access to custom emojis. Despite recovering from a severe cold, Philip eagerly discusses the new 'Surging Sparks' set, praising it as a major competitor to popular previous sets like 'Fusion Strike' and 'Evolving Skies.'

05:02

⚡ Pikachu and Strategic Pokémon Releases Drive 'Surging Sparks' Hype

Philip delves into the appeal of 'Surging Sparks,' especially how featuring Pikachu on booster boxes enhances the set's visibility and attractiveness, particularly for children and parents during the holiday season. He highlights how Pokémon's strategic release of Pikachu and Charizard products boosts demand. The booster packs also catch his attention with standout designs, including Alolan Exeggutor, Terastalized Pikachu, and Archelon, a new evolution from Generation 9. Philip praises the vibrant artwork and unique feel of the set, reinforcing its potential popularity.

10:03

🎨 Magneton and the Art of Special Promo Cards

The focus shifts to the 'Elite Trainer Box' (ETB) for 'Surging Sparks,' with Philip praising its prominent design, including the purple and yellow color scheme. He commends the Magneton promo card, which he considers one of the best from the Scarlet and Violet era, especially with its artwork by renowned illustrator Shinji Kanda. Philip emphasizes the value of collecting the Pokémon Center-stamped version of promo cards, equating their exclusivity to modern first-edition stamps, making them desirable for collectors and investors alike.

🍏 Illustration Rares: Hits and Misses in the 'Surging Sparks' Set

Philip reviews the illustration rares in 'Surging Sparks,' beginning with the questionable choice of pushing Flapple and Appleton cards. While he acknowledges their artwork, he feels Pokémon has other, more popular dragons that could have been featured, such as Salamence and Dragapult. He moves on to praise Castform's artwork, noting how underrepresented it has been in the TCG, and appreciates the cool design of Brava, another uncommon choice. Philip predicts Scizor's illustration rare to be a sought-after card, given its beautiful metallic design and nostalgic appeal for Generation 2 fans.

🐉 Latios and Latias: The Dragons Leading the Charge

Latios and Latias both receive special treatment in 'Surging Sparks,' with Latios getting an illustration rare and both having special illustration rare equivalents. Philip points out the popularity of these legendary Pokémon and predicts that Latios' illustration rare will be one of the top valued cards in the set. He compares their significance to previous cards like the Team-Up Legendary Birds, which gained immense value. The decision to separate the illustration rare and special illustration rare versions for these Pokémon strikes him as unusual but intriguing.

✨ The Triumph of Special Illustration Rares in 'Surging Sparks'

Philip praises the special illustration rares in 'Surging Sparks,' recognizing them as some of the best designs to date. He starts with Liza’s special illustration rare, though he notes it may not reach the high demand of previous special cards like Miriam’s. He highlights the Alolan Exeggutor special Terastal type card, appreciating the detailed work behind the design, especially with the challenging rainbow border. The new Generation 9 Pokémon, Archelon, also features as a special illustration rare, though Philip believes it won't be as valuable due to limited fan demand. Finally, he emphasizes Latias' special illustration rare as likely the top chase card of the set.

💰 Managing the Cost of Pokémon Card Collecting Amid New Releases

Philip wraps up by discussing the numerous recent and upcoming Pokémon card releases, including the Greninja premium collection, the Charizard collection, and new sets like 'Stellar Crown,' the Eevee set, and the Team Rocket set. He questions how collectors can keep up with the increasing number of sets on a budget. To assist fellow collectors, he invites viewers to watch his video on budget-friendly strategies for building a fantastic Pokémon card collection while avoiding overspending.

Keywords

💡Surging Sparks

Surging Sparks is the name of a new set in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) from Generation 9. The video emphasizes how it is expected to be a standout release, competing with major sets from previous generations like Sword and Shield. The speaker describes it as unique and compares it to previous sets like Vivid Voltage, while highlighting its appeal, especially with Pikachu as the mascot.

💡Illustration Rares

Illustration Rares are a special category of Pokémon cards known for their distinctive and often beautiful artwork. In the video, the speaker discusses various Illustration Rares featured in the Surging Sparks set, such as Castform, Appleton, and Bravar, pointing out their artistic appeal and collectible value. The term is used to distinguish these cards from standard Pokémon cards, emphasizing their rarity and design quality.

💡Pokémon Center Stamp

The Pokémon Center Stamp is a special marking on some cards that adds exclusivity and value. The speaker notes that cards with this stamp, such as the Magneton promo card, are highly sought after by collectors due to their rarity. It's compared to a 'modern first edition' stamp, making these cards desirable for long-term collectors and investors.

💡Special Illustration Rares

Special Illustration Rares are even rarer versions of Illustration Rares, often featuring Pokémon with more intricate artwork and design elements. In the video, cards like the Ladas and Alolan Exeggutor are discussed as examples of this category. These cards are often highly prized by collectors and can become the most expensive in a set due to their limited availability and detailed artwork.

💡Pikachu

Pikachu, the iconic Pokémon mascot, plays a central role in the Surging Sparks set. The speaker highlights how having Pikachu on the booster box makes the set appealing to both kids and collectors. Pikachu's recognition also boosts the set's popularity during major holiday shopping seasons, making it a strategic choice for Pokémon releases.

💡Scarlet and Violet Era

The Scarlet and Violet Era refers to the current phase of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, aligning with the release of the Scarlet and Violet video games. The speaker contrasts this era with previous ones like Sword and Shield, and praises the Surging Sparks set for being a step up in terms of design and quality compared to other releases from this era.

💡Booster Box

A Booster Box is a package containing multiple booster packs of Pokémon cards, which are used to build card collections. In the video, the speaker admires the design of the Surging Sparks booster box, especially highlighting how the Pikachu-themed packaging will attract collectors. Booster boxes are typically purchased by serious collectors and investors looking to get a variety of cards from a particular set.

💡Elite Trainer Box (ETB)

An Elite Trainer Box (ETB) is a special product in the Pokémon TCG that includes booster packs and various accessories like card sleeves. The speaker appreciates the design of the Surging Sparks ETB, noting the prominence of its purple and yellow colors and the inclusion of a special promo card, making it desirable for collectors. ETBs are often a collector's item due to their limited availability and unique content.

💡Charizard

Charizard, one of the most popular Pokémon, is frequently featured in Pokémon card sets due to its strong market demand. In the video, Charizard is mentioned alongside Pikachu as a strategic choice for Pokémon releases around the holiday season, as it is widely recognized and loved by collectors. The inclusion of Charizard helps increase the desirability of any set it's part of.

💡Shinji Kanda

Shinji Kanda is a prominent artist known for creating stunning artwork for Pokémon cards. The speaker praises his work on the Magneton card from the Surging Sparks set, calling it one of the best promo cards in the Scarlet and Violet Era. Kanda is also noted for creating other popular cards like Giratina V and Magikarp Illustration Rare, making his contributions highly valued by collectors.

Highlights

Surpassing 15,000 subscribers and a giveaway featuring a rare Alakazam illustration from Pokémon 151.

Introduction of the new 'Surging Sparks' Pokémon card set, described as a major competitor to past sets like Fusion Strike, Evolving Skies, and Lost Origin.

Comment on Surging Sparks being more unique compared to Vivid Voltage despite its Pikachu theme.

Excitement over the booster box design, especially featuring Pikachu and the new Archelon evolution from Generation 9.

Praise for the Elite Trainer Box's prominent design, including its purple and yellow color scheme.

Magneton promo card in the Elite Trainer Box, described as one of the best promos from the Scarlet and Violet era, with artwork by Shinji Kanda.

Discussion on illustration rare cards, noting the community’s lukewarm reception to certain choices like Flapple and Appleton.

Appreciation for the Castform illustration rare card, which is underutilized in the TCG but has a great artwork.

Impressed by the design of the Brava illustration rare card, especially since it ties into the dragon theme of the set.

Highlighting Schori as one of the most well-designed illustration rares, predicting high demand due to its color scheme and metallic look.

Notable separation of Latios and Latias into individual illustration rares and special illustration rares, with a prediction of Latios being one of the more expensive cards.

Discussion on the strong design of the special illustration rares, with Alolan Exeggutor terot type being one of the standout designs.

Introduction of Archelon, a new Generation 9 evolution, in the TCG with a special illustration rare, though expected to be one of the more affordable ones.

Latias special illustration rare expected to be a top chase card in the Surging Sparks set, due to the popularity of Dragon-type Pokémon.

Comment on the frequency of new Pokémon TCG sets and the challenges collectors face in keeping up on a budget, leading into a video on budget collecting strategies.

Transcripts

will surging Sparks become generation

9's iconic set now honestly I couldn't

be more grateful to have surpassed

15,000 subscribers so I would love to

gift this incredible special

illustration rare Alakazam from Pokémon

151 now if I reply to your comment with

this specific Sylveon Emoji then well

done you have won this special car and

also if this is your first time tuning

in my name is Philip and I'm a marketing

professional who runs this Pokémon

YouTube channel feel free to like And

subscribe to the channel I always love

seeing new f and of course all these

custom emojis can be accessed with

Channel memberships all right so I'm

looking at surging Sparks now I actually

am recovering from one of the worst

colds I've ever had in my life and my

voice literally was gone for like nearly

5 days and it's just recovering a little

bit right now as you can probably tell

but nonetheless we are looking at

surging Sparks and I'm actually quite

excited to look into this set few

reasons for surging Sparks okay this

feels like straight up man the first set

that it's actually competing with the

big dogs from sword and shield it really

feels like we're now hitting that Fusion

strike evolving Skies lost origin

territory right and I just want to say

that a lot of people said oh surging

Sparks is very similar to Vivid voltage

complete disagree I think this set has a

very unique appeal even though it is a

Pikachu set I think this set is a major

step up from what we've seen in the

scarlet and violet era and I want to

take you through that so right now I am

looking at the booster box now

interestingly I do think the booster box

looks great when you have Pikachu on the

box Pikachu is the mascot right so it

draws in fans kids are going to see it

on shelves they're going to love it

parents for the Christmas period know

exactly who Pikachu is now Pokémon are

really strategic when they release these

sets they release a Pikachu collection

and a Charizard collection towards the

end of the year because Pikachu and

Charizard are so well established in the

market that parents and you know family

friends and everything they can

recognize these Pokémon so they really

help increase the C so I think surging

Sparks will be very desired because of

this right and I'm just looking at the

booster packs as well and I have to say

that they look really cool man like the

alolan executor looks amazing in the

booster pack the Pikachu talized looks

really cool the laddio looks amazing and

you also do have the archelon which is a

new Evolution in generation 9 so you

know overall it's a really really cool

set man like now moving on to the Elite

Trainer Box I think it's a very

prominent design I think the sleeves are

really cool and I love the purple and

yellows I think it looks really unique I

think they actually did a really good

job you know you do get nine surging

Sparks packs inside the ETB with the

Pokémon Center version having a little

bit more though one thing about this ETB

I do have to really give it props is the

promo card man a this Magneton is

Sensational now now obviously if you're

a collector or an investor you would

want to go for the Pokemon Center

stamped version the reason for this is

the Pokémon Center stamp has that real

unique aura about it I always say this

in my videos right the Pokémon Center

stamp it's not exactly a modern first

edition stamp but it's about as close as

we can get to it right and in terms of

longevity in terms of exclusivity you

really want to get the Pokémon Center

stamped promo but I have to admit this

is probably the best promo card from the

scarlet and violet era so far colors are

amazing artwork is absolutely

Sensational and of course it is a Shinji

Kanda artwork if you are unaware of

Shinji Kanda he created gutina V and he

created Magikarp illustration rare and

of course this Magneton artwork is just

up there with the incredible designs he

is capable of making moving on to the

illustration rares in the set and this

is what I want to talk about now I think

they've done really well with some of

these and there's been some kind of

missteps as well first one I want to

talk about is and I want to just get the

missteps out of the way I think the

flapple and the Appleton lines these

illustration RS I want to talk about

these I feel like Pokémon's really

trying to push it I mean with Stella

Crown we've got Hy drle now in this set

we've got like a full line of

illustration rares very very odd choice

I feel of cards to really push I mean

we've got so many cards that we could

really use illust rear lines of you know

you got salamance you know you got

dragapult line as well that's been

underutilized in the TCG so interesting

that they're going with you know flapple

and Appleton as well I do like the cards

I think this is a really cool

illustration rare for both of them but I

do have to admit it does feel like it's

a little bit forced upon it doesn't feel

that organic it doesn't feel like the

community really wants it feels like hey

Pokémon's more keen to get these in the

faces of people nonetheless they are

great artworks but it's an interesting

choice for the cards moving on to the

next one is the illustr ation rare cast

form now this artwork is really cool

Again cast form is so underutilized in

the TCG it's amazing to see it in an

artwork and I have to admit that this

artwork looks amazing I am really

impressed with the composition of this

artwork and the fact that it is an

illustration rare of Castform which I

don't think we've even had many Castform

artworks in the TCG so it's great that

it's getting some representation I do

not think this is going to be a valuable

card but I do think it's a great card to

have in a collection and of course it is

one of those unique Pokémon and you know

deserve so castom hasn't had a position

in the TCG market for quite some time

now moving on to the illustration rare

bravar this is a really cool card and

also bravar was a really good Pokemon if

you play competitive Pokémon but

nonetheless really really cool design

has a really cool feel about it it is a

Dragon theme set or that's kind of what

it's been like paradise Dragona is so

it's interesting that bravar made an

illustration rare you would think that

they would put more dragons within the

set but nonetheless it is a cool choice

for an illustration R and I think it's

welld deserved now moving on to one of

the cars that I think will be quite

valuable given how well this card is

designed is the illustration rare schori

this card design is absolutely

Sensational the artwork is amazing

composition how scori looks this is a

fantastic illustration rare I do think

that this will be not super expensive

like a Magikarp but I do think it will

be very very highly desired given the

fact of the color scheme the metallic

look it looks amazing I really rate this

illustration rare you know when we get

schori generation 2 Pokémon they create

a lot of demand and of course you know

schori is quite loved as a Pokémon but

nonetheless when they actually give it

justice in an artwork makes it that much

better I think this could have also been

a special illustration rare with how

amazing the artwork is but nonetheless

I'll take it as an illustration rare

because I think this is absolutely

Sensational interestingly lidios and

lidios both have illustration rare and

special illustration rare equivalents

the lidios in particular got an

illustration rare what's really

interesting is they actually divided

lados with lados for having illustration

rares and special illustration rares so

as you can see the laddio got the

illustration rare which is an amazing

card artwork I think that this one will

be one of your top most expensive

illustration rares in The Scarlet and

violet era such a loved Pokémon we saw

what happen with team up with the

legendary bird you know the famous card

artwork of that one that is one of the

most expensive Pokémon cards in the

world and of course now that these two

are separated in illustration RAR and

special illustration rares it's going to

bring a lot of fan demand again very

interesting that they separated the two

but nonetheless I have to say this

illustration rare is fantastic I

absolutely love this artwork now moving

on to the special illustration rares of

the set and I think surging Sparks has

done quite well man it is not easy

always you know outdoing yourself that's

hard to do but I have to admit that the

special illustration rares in this set

have really outperformed some of the

previous sets and I want to go take you

through some of those first one on the

list is the liia special illustration

rare now truth to be told I'm not much

of a wfu collector I did make a video

talking about the Wu Pokémon crash and

I'm going to link that for you right

here and you can see why wfu cards crash

now in terms of paradise Dragona this is

obviously going to be one of the chase

cards I can imagine this will be a very

very expensive card though in terms of

the English set nonetheless I think that

this is a really cool card the fact that

it has alteria in the background and

you've got the Lissa special

illustration rare I think it's a really

really cool artwork and you know great

job that they did this again I don't

think that this is up there with the

Miriam special illustration rare from

scarlet and violet Bass but I really do

think this is a great artwork now moving

on to one of my favorite cards in the

set it is the alolan exeggutor special

terot type Pokémon with the rainbow

borders this card looks crazy man just

what a well-designed card with these

terot type form cards right they are so

hard to design with the rainbow border

but they really nailed it with Terra

pegos in the Stellar Crown they chose a

really good design for that and with

this as well I feel like they've really

thought deeply on the card design to fit

with the rainbow border and I have to

admit this is a sens card and I do think

it will be very sorta and expect this to

be in the top three Chase cards of the

set now moving on to archelon which is

the new kind of evolution in generation

9 from galadon amazing amazing artwork

as well I think this is really cool I

think you know seeing that it has some

sort of representation in the TCG is

cool as well uh do I think that this

will be as valuable as some of the other

special illustration rares I personally

think that this one will be the most

affordable out of the lot given the fact

that I don't don't think archaon carries

that much fan demand as something like

an exeggutor W or something like the

next card that I'm about to show you

would though in terms of this car design

I think it's pretty cool I think they

did a really good job and look they

didn't obviously choose the best dragon

types but nonetheless at least there's

some cool generation 9 representation in

the set though the card that I think

will be quite expensive is the ladas

special illustration rare we saw how

expensive the lidios and lus team up

card was so nonetheless I do think this

is going to be the top Chase Card of the

set and I think this is going to be very

expensive dragon type Pokémon special

illustration rare as I already mentioned

very very strange that they segmented

the two I think the laddio could have

been a special illustration rare as well

so that is a bit of a confusing design

kind of point from Pokémon that why they

made one special illustration rare one

illustration rare will they do a reverse

and make one special illustration around

one illustration R in the next set I'm

not sure though this artwork is amazing

and I do think that this is the top

Chase Card of the set and I think a lot

of people are going to be liking this

card now with surging Sparks we have

some Sensational cards in the mix

however I do wonder how many collectors

can keep up with so many new sets

entering the scene we have the Greninja

premium collection we have the new

Charizard collection now Stella Crown is

just being released and we've got the

new Eevee set and the new Team Rocket

set coming out it does bring up one

question how do you collect all these

sets on a budget well I do answer that

question right in this video video here

if you're like me and you love

collecting cards but you also understand

that they can be very expensive and feel

free to click on that video and learn

more about some of the best ways to

collect Pokémon cards on a budget and

still build a fantastic collection I'll

see you there