The Pokémon Company International and Creatures Inc announced the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest is returning for 2024 and this year it is open to submission from people in UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in addition to the U.S. and Japan. Details about the previous Illustration Contest 2022 are also available in an archive news article.

YouTube Clip - Announcing the Pokémon Illustration Contest 2024

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64MCUqvs5-Y

Press Release - Returning Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest Expands to Additional Markets

2024 Contest Available to Trainers in the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand for the First Time

Bellevue, Wash. — Sept. 14, 2023 — Today, The Pokémon Company International and Creatures Inc. announced the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2024, a fan art contest inviting Trainers to spotlight their artistic talents through the lens of the globally popular Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG).

Following the success of the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022, fans are encouraged to submit their creative artwork capturing “Magical Pokémon Moments,” the official contest theme for 2024. With the option to illustrate a standard card or a Pokémon ex card, Trainers can select one of the following Pokémon to feature in their submission: Charizard, Pikachu, Eevee, Feraligatr, Flygon, Absol, Bidoof, Melmetal, Amped Form Toxtricity or Koraidon.

“We were astounded to see the sheer talent and passion of the Pokémon fan community from contest submissions in 2022,” says Barry Sams, vice president of the Pokémon TCG at The Pokémon Company International. “With the contest expanding to additional markets in 2024, we’re eager to see what our dedicated fans have in store for us and how they envision ‘Magical Pokémon Moments’ in their creative minds.”

The Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2024 will be open to applicants in the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand for the first time, in addition to those in the U.S. and Japan. An informational video about the upcoming contest can be viewed here.

Entries for the upcoming contest will be accepted from October 12, 2023, through January 31, 2024, and winners will be announced in September 2024.

For full contest details, including eligibility and prizing, please visit https://www.ptcgic-cr.com/2024/en/.

Message

Since the Pokémon Trading Card Game (developed by Creatures Inc.) debuted as Japan's first full-fledged trading card game, it has continued to be one of the most popular and best-selling trading card games in the world and has been shipped in 14 languages and 89 countries and regions to date. The Pokémon TCG is celebrating 27 years this year, alongside the 27th anniversary of the beloved Pokémon brand.

It all started in Japan in 2019 with the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Grand Prix, which was followed by another one the following year. Then, in 2021, the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest 2022 started accepting submissions from both Japan and the United States for the first time. These contests let us see wonderful illustrations brought to life and new talents brought to light. This year's contest has "Magical Pokémon Moments" as its theme, and we are accepting submissions from Japan, US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We can't wait to see what incredible and exciting artwork you will come up with.

Awards

Grand Prize - One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash value of $5,000.
Best Standard Card Illustration/Best ex Card Illustration - One (1) Best Standard Card Illustration Winner, and one (1) Best ex Card Illustration Winner will receive a cash value of $3,000.
First Runner-Up - Six (6) First Runners-Up will receive a cash value of $1,000.
Judges’ Award - Fifteen (15) Judges’ Award Winners will receive a cash value of $500.

Judges

Tsunekazu Ishihara - The Pokémon Company, President
Kenji Okubo - The Pokémon Company International, President
Yuji Kitano - Creatures, Inc. President
Atsuko Ujiie - Creatures, Inc. Executive Director, CG Studio - Executive Art Director
Atsushi Nagashima - Creatures, Inc. Executive Director, Pokémon TCG Development Division Executive Creative Director
Satoru Nagaya - Creatures, Inc. Art Director
Haru Saito - Creatures, Inc. Illustration Director
OOYAMA - Illustrator Judges
kantaro - Illustrator Judges
Teeziro - Illustrator Judges
Atsushi Furusawa - Illustrator Judges
Masahiro Karasawa - Special Judges