I’ve loved 😍Pokémon😍 for as long as I can remember. The designs and concepts of the different Pokémon fascinated me as a kid, and that’s what pushed me into drawing. I’d sit with printer paper trying to redraw my favorites. Honestly, I still draw to this day, all because little me was so captivated by Pokémon.
Besides drawing, I’ve played the video games and collected the trading cards. I used to beg my grandpa to let me buy a pack from the 99-cent stores on 8th Avenue after school prep. I’ll admit it, I never actually learned how to play the trading card game and half my collection was obvious knockoffs 😭😭😭. But I didn’t care. I just loved the artworks — pulling the cards out of my collection from time to time just to admire them.
However, on one terrible and gloomy day, my mom got mad at me and secretly threw out my three boxes of cards 👹👹. After that, collecting was never the same. I’d still buy packs here and there, but remembering the loss of my old collection stung too much. Eventually, I stopped collecting completely for about six or seven years.
That finally changed last December. Out of nowhere, TikTok started recommending me Pokémon card videos. I found out about “art rares,” newer cards with incredible artwork. Even though I told myself I wouldn’t start again, I kept watching … until finally I caved in and bought a few packs. When I pulled my first art rares, all those childhood feelings came rushing back.
Since then, I’ve thrown myself back into the (very expensive 💀💀) hobby. Unfortunately, I came back during a huge resurgence of popularity, so cards were nearly impossible to find. I ended up researching restock times, scouring local stores, and even browsing TikTok Shop just to grab some packs. Slowly but surely, my new collection started growing.
I love many of the cards I’ve collected. In particular, I’ve focused on collecting my top three favorite Pokémon: Snivy, Mew, and Arceus. At first I chased pulls from packs, but I realized it was way more efficient (and cheaper) to buy singles of the cards I wanted. Through local shops, I’ve built a collection I’m really proud of, especially my Mew collection (which you can see in the cover photo).
Collecting has also given me new memories. One of my favorites was a sidequest card hunt with my friend Evan. After finding nothing at Target and Walmart, we stopped at Barnes & Noble. On his first pack, Evan pulled a rare Bulbasaur, and we both went crazy. Another favorite memory was when my littles (shoutout to Jimmy and Jacky 😝) surprised me with a Charizard ex Super Premium Collection box for my birthday. I’ll never forget sitting on the floor with their suitemates, ripping packs and pulling lots of cool artworks. In particular, my favorite was a card of Deerling prancing through the seasons.
Just like when I was a kid, I still flip through my binder just to admire the art. Looking ahead, I know I should probably slow down (my wallet is definitely feeling it 😿🥀), but ima bffr I’ll probably keep adding to my collection whenever I pass a card shop 😝😝. At the end of the day, it’s not just about the cards themselves, but also about the fun of searching for them, the memories made in the process, and the joy they bring.
Anderson Li
Vice President
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