Narrative illustration (TCG)

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A narrative illustration is a card illustration that features one part of a story, and continues the story onto other related cards. Cards that form narrative illustrations are generally drawn by the same artist and released together in the same expansion, but there are instances of narratives that are collaborations between several artists or released decades apart.

In the Scarlet & Violet series, special illustration rare cards of Pokémon ex often form a narrative illustration with illustration rare cards of their pre-evolutions.

List of narrative illustrations

Team Rocket and Unified Minds

	Abra		Elgyem

Southern Islands

	Mew		Pidgeot		Onix

	Togepi		Ivysaur		Raticate

	Ledyba		Jigglypuff		Butterfree

	Tentacruel		Marill		Lapras

	Exeggutor		Slowking		Wartortle

	Lickitung		Vileplume		Primeape

Neo Discovery

	Espeon		Eevee		Umbreon

Neo Revelation

	Lugia		Ho-Oh		Skarmory

Aquapolis and Unified Minds

	Umbreon		Umbreon		Umbreon & Darkrai-GX
The first two cards are both prints of Umbreon from Aquapolis. These show Umbreon on rooftops in a city with a clock tower, with one depicting Umbreon awake at night while the other depicts Umbreon sleeping during the day. The artist, Mitsuhiro Arita, stated that cat lovers enjoyed these illustrations.^[1] Arita drew the third card years later, which shows Umbreon standing alongside Darkrai on a similar rooftop with the same clock tower in the background.^[2]

Aquapolis and Crown Zenith

	Gloom		Gloom

EX Hidden Legends

	Minun		Plusle

EX Team Rocket Returns

	Houndour		Swinub

EX Deoxys

	Plusle		Minun

POP Series 3

	File:Plusle3POPSeries5.jpg Plusle		Minun

Platinum

	Dialga		Giratina

Dark Explorers

	Plusle		Minun

Plasma Blast

	Sawk		Throh

Legendary Treasures

	Charmeleon		Swablu
The first card shows a Charmeleon accidentally burning a Swablu's wing with the flame on its tail. On the next card, the Swablu with its singed wing angrily flies away, while the surprised Charmeleon looks on.

	Tepig		Pignite		Emboar
The first card shows a husband and wife depicted with their young son holding the family Tepig. On the next card, the family Tepig has evolved into Pignite, and the husband and wife appear to have had a daughter. On the last card, the family Tepig has fully evolved. On the left, the son has started a family of his own, while the aging husband and wife sit beside their daughter on the right.

	Minun		Plusle

	Trubbish		Phione		Empoleon
The first card shows a Trubbish left at a landfill site. On the next card, the abandoned Trubbish meets a Phione upon reaching a waterfront. On the last card, the Phione appears to have introduced the abandoned Trubbish to an Empoleon. The Trubbish appears to be enjoying itself riding on the Empoleon's back as it travels through the water.

	Natu		Bouffalant
The first card shows two Natu huddled together in a blizzard, while a Bouffalant approaches in the distance. On the next card, the blizzard has abated, and the two Natu appear contently snug in Bouffalant's afro.

Furious Fists

	Plusle		Minun

	Mountain Ring		Slaking		Magmortar		Electivire

Roaring Skies

	File:ExeggcuteEmeraldBreak1.jpg Exeggcute		File:ExeggutorEmeraldBreak2.jpg Exeggutor
The first card shows an Exeggcute that is being harassed by a Spearow. On the next card, the Exeggcute has evolved into Exeggutor and takes its revenge on a flock of Spearow.

	File:MeowthXYPromo106.jpg Meowth		File:InkayXYPromo105.jpg Inkay
The first card shows a Meowth overjoyed at finding a Berry, while an Inkay watches from a distance. On the next card, the Inkay has ambushed the Meowth with a spray of ink and made off with its Berry.

BREAKthrough

	Chespin		Snorlax
The first card shows a Chespin climbing a tree in an attempt to reach some Razz Berries, while a Snorlax sleeps below. On the next card, the Snorlax has awoken and is readily dashing to catch the Chespin that is falling from the tree.

	Froakie		Frogadier

BREAKpoint

	Chikorita		Fennekin

	Hypno		Clefairy

Generations

	File:CharmanderPokéKyunCollection3.jpg Charmander		File:CharmeleonPokéKyunCollection4.jpg Charmeleon		File:CharizardPokéKyunCollection5.jpg Charizard
The first card shows a young boy being teased by his mischievous Charmander. On the next card, the boy is now older, and his Charmander has evolved into Charmeleon. The two have forged a close friendship and are engrossed in discussion. On the last card, the boy is now a young man, and his Charmeleon has evolved into Charizard. Their tale of friendship continues, with Charizard shielding the young man from snow.

Shining Legends and Unified Minds

	Mewtwo-GX		Mewtwo & Mew-GX
The first card shows a Mewtwo confined within a laboratory enclosure. On the next card, Mewtwo and Mew appear together, in front of the shattered glass of the now-destroyed enclosure. Both cards were illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, who suggested that Mew has helped Mewtwo escape the enclosure.^[2]

Unified Minds and Hidden Fates

	Dwebble		Ekans		Hoothoot

Cosmic Eclipse

	Mawile		Mega Lopunny & Jigglypuff-GX

	Teddiursa		Nosepass		Skrelp

SM-P Promotional cards

	Litten		Chespin		Inkay

	Psyduck		Eevee		Pikachu		Mimikyu		Rowlet

Vivid Voltage

	Arrokuda		Cramorant

Battle Styles

	Tepig		Tepig

Chilling Reign and SWSH Black Star Promos

	Passimian		Passimian

	Blitzle		Blitzle

Evolving Skies and Fusion Strike

	Smeargle		Meowth		Eldegoss		Mawile

Celebrations

	Cosmog		Cosmoem		Solgaleo		Lunala

Fusion Strike

	Araquanid		Mudkip		Sandygast

Fusion Strike and Brilliant Stars

	Basculin		Octillery

Brilliant Stars

	Magmortar		Electivire

	Charizard V		Charizard V

Crown Zenith

	Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR		Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR		Giratina VSTAR		Arceus VSTAR

Crown Zenith and SWSH Black Star Promos

	Charizard VSTAR		Mewtwo VSTAR

SWSH Black Star Promos

	Scorbunny		Grookey		Sobble

	Eevee		Umbreon

	Eevee		Espeon

	Eevee		Leafeon		Glaceon

	Eevee		Sylveon

Throughout the Sword & Shield series

Wooloo (Sword & Shield 152)	Grubbin (Rebel Clash 16)	Vullaby (Rebel Clash 119)	Larvitar (Darkness Ablaze 86)	Gothita (Darkness Ablaze 73)
Kakuna (Vivid Voltage 2)	Tynamo (Vivid Voltage 57)	Snom (Shining Fates 29)	Spoink (Battle Styles 55)	Galarian Mr. Mime (Battle Styles 34)
Rufflet (Evolving Skies 136)	Ralts (Chilling Reign 59)	Ribombee (Evolving Skies 79)	Marshtomp (Fusion Strike 63)	Lotad (Evolving Skies 32)
Stufful (Fusion Strike 150)	Bunnelby (Fusion Strike 214)	Milcery (Brilliant Stars 70)	Shroomish (Brilliant Stars 3)	Litleo (Lost Origin 28)
Dewott (Astral Radiance 42)	Komala (Lost Origin 149)	Golbat (Silver Tempest 104)	Unfezant (Pokémon GO 63)	Emolga (Silver Tempest 54)
Fennekin (Silver Tempest 25)	Solosis (Silver Tempest 76)	Kricketune (Crown Zenith GG2)	Peaceful Park (S-P Promo 316)