Given the general lack of content tied to Pokémon’s seventh generation found in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC The Teal Mask, the presence of a Lana’s Assistance card as a Special Art Rare (SAR) will have taken many by surprise. That being said, the card’s lack of connection to that DLC—the content on which newly-released Pokémon TCG expansion set Crimson Haze [SV5a] is based—doesn’t detract from its appeal in any way.

The card’s eye-catching spectrum-like holofoil pairs nicely with the visual. In the Full Art illustration, Lana is depicted by the water’s edge as a Corphish and two Surskit look on. The holofoil makes it seem as though light is reflecting off the surface of the water, adding extra depth and dimension to the visual.

While Full Art depictions of female characters are often among the biggest pulls, this card is nonetheless something of an outlier in this regard. The Brooklet Hill Trial Captain isn’t necessarily regarded as the type of female character who’s expected to draw a large number of fans, nor does she play a key role in the storyline of the Pokémon Sun and Moon or Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon video games. Nevertheless, the usual “female character effect” does seem to have played a role in the elevated value of the Water-type specialist’s card.

There’s also something interesting about this card which the most ardent Pokémon fans may have deduced. Although it isn’t explicitly stated anywhere, some might have figured out that Lana is depicted on Route 102 of the Hoenn region. This is the only place in the Pokémon universe where Corphish and Surskit are both found in the wild.

This card hasn’t yet been released in English but is likely to be included as part of the upcoming Twilight Masquerade [TWM] expansion set.

A Lana’s Assistance (Crimson Haze [SV5a] 093/066) card of SAR rarity sells for ¥11,500 (~US$76).

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