Pokémon TCG Pocket has removed two pieces of artwork from the Wisdom of Sea and Sky A4 set after claims of plagiarism emerged on social media.
The new set, which was released July 30, is focused on the Johto legendary duo of Ho-oh and Lugia, both of whom received rare Immersive Art variants to chase.
On the eve of release, however, Chinese artist Lanjiujiu shared images on social media that suggested the Ho-oh artwork was based on their own fan art, with a near-identical copy featuring in the set. Now, Pokémon TCG Pocket has responded.
Ho-oh & Lugia Artwork Removed From Pokémon TCG Pocket
In a statement published in Japanese, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @PokeGetInfoMain, said “an issue in the production process” was identified.
Following an “internal investigation,” it was discovered that the Pokémon TCG Pocket card production team had “provided incorrect materials as official materials to the illustrator commissioned for these cards.”
The statement suggests that the artist, Sie Nanahara, is not responsible for the issue and merely worked with the resources they were provided with. No comment has been made on what material was shared or whether it was indeed Lanjiujiu’s artwork.
Due to the issue, the Ho-oh and Lugia Immersive Art cards will be issued with blank illustrations and will be replaced with new artwork “as soon as preparations are complete.” The cards themselves can still be pulled in the new set, though blank artwork will be shown instead.
It was added that the developer is “continuing to investigate whether similar issues exist elsewhere,” and will “strive to enhance quality control.”
Responding to the statement, Lanjiujiu posted their own message on social media where they stated they “appreciate the prompt resolution and hope this matter rests here.”
They added that the original post was shared after “perplexity upon encountering questionable images online,” and, as “discussions escalated beyond control,” they “refrained from social media engagement yesterday.”
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For more Pokémon content, check out leaked Mega Evolutions for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and take a look at all the details for the upcoming Mega Evolutions TCG set.
