For the very first time, SNKRDUNK has put together our list of Card of the Year nominees—six Pokémon TCG and ONE PIECE Card Game cards apiece which we believe to have been the defining cards of their respective franchises in 2024.

To be an eligible Card of the Year contender, the card in question must fulfill the following criteria:

1) Not a promotional card because distribution of promotional cards is unequal
2) Not a card originally from an earlier year but reprinted in 2024; only 2024 originals will be considered. Notably, this disqualifies the Umbreon Master Ball Mirror card reprinted in Terastal Festival ex [SV8a]—it was originally from 2023 set Ruler of the Black Flame [SV3].

We’ve also selected no more than one card per set. This not only promotes set diversity while also providing a more holistic picture of the Pokémon TCG and ONE PIECE Card Game scenes this year; it also makes it so that each card is “representing” its set, thus raising the stakes in our polls. (More on that later.)

Finally, we have chosen to exclude the Gol D. Roger Manga Rare card from ONE PIECE Card Game set Emperors in the New World [OP-09] because its status and value are so far above those of all the other nominees that we believed that it would’ve made the polls too one-sided; as such, we are instead designating it with the title of “Honorary Card of the Year 2024”.

With all of that out of the way, let’s meet the 12 cards we’ve nominated for the inaugural SNKRDUNK Card of the Year title.

Bianca’s Devotion (Cyber Judge [SV5M] 097/071) (26 January 2024) (Special Art Rare [SAR])

Black Bolt and White Flare, the enormously anticipated dual set that’ll serve as Gen 5’s equivalent of the iconic Pokémon Card 151 [SV2a], won’t be out until June 2025. However, this year, there was nonetheless a massive pull featuring a Gen 5 character: Bianca’s Devotion from Cyber Judge [SV5M].

This SAR card depicts the character first introduced as one of the player’s two rivals in Pokémon Black and White, then as the assistant to Professor Juniper in sequels Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, asleep on a couch with her Musharna looking on as it hovers overhead. In addition to the usual selling points of the card—a Full Art SAR version of a female character—the illustration also includes minor details that elevate the entire card. A closer look will reveal that the illustration includes Bianca’s Xtransceiver on her left wrist; also in the image are her glasses and what are likely the keys to Professor Juniper’s laboratory.

Tony Tony Chopper (Extra Booster Memorial Collection [EB-01] EB01-006) (27 January 2024) (Super Rare Special [SR-SP])

The first-ever ONE PIECE Card Game subset, the Extra Booster Memorial Collection [EB-01], was released in January 2024—and just like its main-set counterparts, its Manga Rare did not disappoint. The card featured Tony Tony Chopper, the medic of the Straw Hat Pirates.

With Chopper being a major fan-favorite character, it was always expected that this SR-SP card would end up being one of the most coveted cards of the year. Adding to its appeal is the fact that this card is more difficult to obtain than most other Manga Rares. This is because the Extra Booster Memorial Collection [EB-01] will almost certainly never be reprinted.

In addition, pull rates of Extra Booster Memorial Collection [EB-01] booster packs are less favorable than those of main sets, making the Chopper Manga Rare quite the impressive catch.

Boa Hancock (500 Years in the Future [OP-07] OP07-051) (24 February 2024) (Super Rare Special [SR-SP])

The wishes of a great many in the ONE PIECE Card Game community—especially those belonging to its primary demographic—were granted when “Snake Princess” Boa Hancock was placed on the Manga Rare card of 500 Years in the Future [OP-07]. It was one of the most hyped cards ever almost as soon as it was announced—and it lived up to the hype and then some.

Hancock isn’t just like any other female character—One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda went out of his way to make her a character whose sex appeal was clearly exaggerated. This SR-SP card’s illustration plays to this as well, putting Hancock in a somewhat suggestive pose.

The fact that such a card made it onto a Manga Rare should be enough to explain why it’s the major pickup that it is; to finish things off, Hancock is shown with Salome, her massive snake, who also doubles as her main weapon in combat.

Carmine (Mask of Change [SV6] 130/101) (26 April 2024) (Special Art Rare [SAR])

The Teal Mask, the first DLC of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, introduced siblings Carmine and Kieran, two Pokémon Trainers from the Kitakami region where the DLC’s story is set. The card depicting Carmine was the biggest pull of Mask of Change [SV6].

This SAR card not only gets the usual value boost common to cards that depict a female character; Carmine also embodies a character archetype massively popular with the Pokémon TCG fanbase in general, elevating its value even more. The scene depicted is also taken directly from the DLC, and it’s one that plays into the prior point as well. Carmine is shown in a rare moment with her guard down, enjoying herself at the Festival of Masks. This card also forms half of a pair with the same set’s SAR Kieran card.

Silvers Rayleigh (Two Legends [OP-08] OP08-118) (25 May 2024) (Secret Rare Special [SEC-SP])

Silvers Rayleigh’s Manga Rare card was one of the most unexpected, if not the single most unexpected, such card in ONE PIECE Card Game history. While Manga Rares typically depict a character who’s normally regarded as one of the biggest fan favorites, that wasn’t the case with the character that has typically lagged behind in character popularity polls—but that didn’t stop this card from becoming a megahit.

With Two Legends [OP-08] being a set themed around legendary pirates of the past, the selection of Rayleigh—the right-hand man of the “Pirate King” Gol D. Roger—as the Manga Rare makes sense in context. On that note, this SEC-SP card is also directly connected to our Honorary Card of the Year; the entire reason that Rayleigh was the Manga Rare of its set was to “pave the way” for the Gol D. Roger card which would arrive in Emperors of the New World [OP-09]. In hindsight, this piece of canonical continuity adds to this card’s reputation; not many cards reference the source material to such an extent.

Lacey (Stellar Miracle [SV7] 131/102) (19 July 2024) (Special Art Rare [SAR])

All four members of the Blueberry Academy Elite Four, introduced in The Indigo Disk, the second DLC of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, made their Pokémon TCG debuts in 2024. None made a bigger impact than Fairy-type specialist Lacey, whose debut SAR card is far and away more valuable than those of her fellow Elite Four members.

Unlike the other Blueberry Academy Elite Four members, Lacey has a connection to past Pokémon generations, thus establishing canonical continuity. Lacey is the daughter of Driftveil Gym Leader Clay. Of course, there’s also the usual value boost that’s inherently possessed by cards with Full Art illustrations featuring female characters. Finally, adding to this card’s appeal is the image of Lacey in her signature pose of disagreement—she can be seen crossing her arms as her Fire-type Elite Four counterpart Crispin looks on.

Monkey D. Luffy (Emperors in the New World [OP-09] OP09-119) (31 August 2024) (Secret Rare Special [SEC-SP])

There’s a reasonable case to be made that One Piece protagonist Monkey D. Luffy is the single most iconic animanga character of all time. While it was always going to be mega-difficult to top his epic Gear 5 Manga Rare from Awakening of the New Era [OP-05], the Luffy Manga Rare from Emperors in the New World [OP-09] comes about as close as one could have expected; excluding our Honorary Card of the Year, it’s the pick of the set’s whopping five Manga Rares.

In the illustration of this SEC-SP card, Luffy’s left fist is shown coated in Haki. Canonically, only a select few have ever been able to harness and utilize Haki in the way that Luffy has; as such, the card’s illustration speaks to Luffy’s immense power.

The selection of Luffy as a Manga Rare in this particular set has that same effect because its five Manga Rares depict “Pirate King” Gol D. Roger as well as each of the Four Emperors—the four most powerful pirates in the One Piece universe and a group which Luffy became a member of after the Wano Country Saga.

Lisia’s Appeal (Paradise Dragona [SV7a] 091/064) (13 September 2024) (Special Art Rare [SAR])

Before the release of Paradise Dragona [SV7a], Lisia, the Pokémon Coordinator who’s the niece of Sootopolis Gym Leader Wallace, had only ever been featured on one card back in Gen 7. However, despite this card only being her second featured TCG appearance, just as that card from Sky-Splitting Charisma [SM7] proved to be such a hit back then, so did this one.

Obviously, this SAR card benefits from the demographical value boost that almost all cards with a Full Art illustration of a female character get. In addition, the holofoil adds to this card’s visual effect as Lisia’s character design and concept are based on the stereotypical J-pop idol look; thus, the holofoil makes it seem as though a spotlight is shining on Lisia and Ali, her Altaria which was featured on a Character Rare (CHR) card from Gen 8 set Incandescent Arcana [S11a].

Pikachu ex (Super Electric Breaker [SV8] 132/106) (18 October 2024) (Special Art Rare [SAR])

Long before the actual release of Super Electric Breaker [SV8], it was already confirmed that the set would be headlined by a Stellar-type Pikachu ex card. When the set and thus the card finally did arrive, this Pikachu ex card more than justified the months of hype that had already built up.

The Full Art illustration of this SAR card depicts Pikachu ex in the crystalline form that typifies Pokémon which have Terastallized into the Stellar type. The Tera Jewels surrounding its head reference its Terastallized status as well. Further adding to the value of this card is the fact that Pikachu ex has Terastallized into the Stellar type—the only type which is exclusive to Terastallized Pokémon.

Finally, since Pikachu is the face of the Pokémon franchise, any card of this rarity and with imagery as striking as this card’s is certain to draw immense demand.

Edward Newgate (Red Edward Newgate Starter Deck [ST-15] ST15-002) (Original: 13 July 2024; alternate-art version: 30 November 2024) (Super Rare Special [SR-SPC])

Although the original version of this card was released in July 2024 as part of the Red Edward Newgate Starter Deck [ST-15], this card didn’t truly get its moment in the spotlight until the launch of its alternate-art version more than four months later. It’s unquestionably this year’s biggest pull among all cards originally from a Starter Deck.

Probably the most appealing feature of this card is the illustration itself. Unlike every other Newgate card, this alternate-art version goes in a completely different direction by showing Newgate and his crew—including Monkey D. Luffy’s brother and fan-favorite character Portgas D. Ace—aboard their ship, enjoying themselves with large quantities of alcoholic beverages. It’s a less serious, humanizing take on the character nicknamed the “Strongest Man in the World” in canon. Ace’s cameo appearance adds the final touch to this SR-SPC card.

Trafalgar Law (Royal Blood [OP-10] OP10-119) (30 November 2024) (Secret Rare Special [SEC-SP])

Heart Pirates captain and doctor Trafalgar Law was featured on the Manga Rare from Royal Blood [OP-10]; it was his second of the sort after the one from Awakening of the New Era [OP-05]. Law was widely expected to be on the set’s Manga Rare because Royal Blood [OP-10] was a set based on the manga’s Dressrosa Saga in which Law was one of the key characters.

This is another card with direct references to the manga arc from which the card is derived; the manga scenes used as the background of this SEC-SP card are taken from the Dressrosa Saga. Furthermore, it must be kept in mind that Law is arguably the most popular of all non-Straw Hat One Piece characters; as such, his appearance on a Manga Rare for the second time undoubtedly piqued a considerable amount of interest among the ONE PIECE Card Game community.

Umbreon ex (Terastal Festival ex [SV8a] 217/187) (6 December 2024) (Special Art Rare [SAR])

Although Creatures Inc. had originally intended for Terastal Festival ex [SV8a] to spotlight Eevee and all eight of its evolutions, it was always inevitable that Umbreon would end up the standout of the bunch. The Dark-type Eeveelution is far and away the most popular of Eevee’s evolved forms—a fact borne out by this card’s enormous demand and value in comparison to those of its fellow Eeveelutions.

Like the rest of the Pokémon-ex Eeveelution cards in Terastal Festival ex [SV8a], Umbreon ex is shown to have Terastallized into the Terastallization-exclusive Stellar type. The yellow circle in the background acts like a spotlight; it brings out the spectacular imagery of the Terastallized Umbreon and its Tera Jewels. Finally, when set against the dark background, that same yellow circle almost resembles a full moon in the night sky—imagery which is likely a shout-out to the near-mythical (small “m”, not as in “Mythical Pokémon”) Umbreon VMAX card from Eevee Heroes [S6a] which is better known as “Moonbreon”.

SNKRDUNK Card of the Year 2024 Giveaway

And now, we turn it over to you, our valued readers. Here’s what you have to do to be in the running to win a copy of SNKRDUNK’s 2024 Card of the Year:

1) From 20–24 December (12AM ET / 1PM SGT), vote for your favorite matchups through our polls on Instagram Stories or X. You can even reply to the posts and leave your comments on your pick.

Note: To keep things competitive, we’ll re-seed the matchups for the quarterfinals based on performance!

2) Following the conclusion of the final, we’ll reveal our tournament champ—and that card will be the subject of a giveaway on the SNKRDUNK App. The giveaway will be active from 26 December (12AM ET / 1PM SGT) to 2 January 2025 (11:59PM ET; 3 January 12:59PM SGT).

It really is that simple. Now, let’s get things started—hop on over to our Instagram or X. Who knows? A copy of our Card of the Year could just be headed your way!

Follow us on:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Pinterest
• Twitter

More SNKRDUNK Features:
From VR to Real Life Via Anime: The Best Yu-Gi-Oh TCG Cards Featured in Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS
These Ultra-Valuable Mega-Evolved Pokémon TCG Cards Take Any Collection to Its Ultimate Form
Everything to Know About ONE PIECE Card Game Starter Decks
Buying Pokémon TCG Booster Packs? Here’s Everything to Know Beforehand
The History of Pokémon-ex TCG Cards: From Gimmick to Staple