What is Pokémon?
Episode III : Aquapolis
GLOBAL PRESENTATION
The Neo set ending with Neo Destiny, the Pokémon game is renewing itself with the release of the Expedition series in the United States late 2002 and in January 2003, the new Aquapolis series.
The card design has been completely changed. Expedition introduced the concept of e-cards, it means that these ones will now feature a large side on the left and the bottom of the card that can be read with the E-Reader for Game Boy Advance. It will unlock you more content like more data on these cards or mini games for the GBA. The E-Reader was released in Japan and US only, but it was not a great success in north America. So, most of us had just the opportunity to collect those cards which are beautiful, even if the new design is not everyone’s favorit
The Aquapolis logo is, like Expedition, in the bottom right corner of the card and represents a skyline or pyramid (up to your imagination) in a water drop. This series is the first one to introduce crystal cards, which are secret holographic cards that will replace Shining cards from the Neo set.
CONTENT OF THE SERIES
CARDS PRESENTATION
There are 186 cards in Aquapolis (biggest one when it was released), including 32 holographic cards marked with H before their number, four box toppers and three crystal holographic. This series is split in two series of number: holographic cards from H1 to H32 and the others which keep the same old classification till 147 (without the secret cards).
DISPLAY BOX & BOOSTERS
Four boosters’ artworks are there for Aquapolis: Entei, Tyranitar, Scizor and Arcanine. Each booster pack includes nine cards as it was already the case with Expedition.
The display box, unlike the previous ones, features a lot of Pokémon from the second generation which are not on the boosters like Suicune on the front, but also Octillery, Lugia or Umbreon on the top. There a no more editions concept, just the Base Aquapolis Edition so no first edition on the top next to the Aquapolis logo.
This series also features two deck, one named “Abyss” with Ninetales on the front and another with Nidoking named “Rock Garden”.
The top of the Aquapolis display and the decks.
MOST ICONIC CARDS OF THE SERIES
Aquapolis is THE series where all holographic cards are stunning. Even Muk is cool, imagine! Overall, it is a great series, with good holographic cards and common cards. With the addition of crystal cards, this series is among collectors’ favorites.
This series is not all about Lugia Crystal. There are others stunning cards like Umbreon or Tyranitar, which, from our point of view, get their best illustration till this day! But we will talk about them later, in the next chapter.
There are too many great cards in Aquapolis to fit them all in this part: Tentacruel, Scizor, Ninetales, Houndoom, Electhor… They are all awesome and there are so many more not listed here!
We will put only 5 cards here because we cannot fit 32 in there!
THE REDACTION’S CHOICES
We will now talk about the best looking holographic or crystal cards from Aquapolis.
We already talk about him before, the symbol of Aquapolis is definitely the Lugia Crystal. An extraordinary card designed by Naoyo Kimura, not the most famous drawer like Arita or Sugimori but he deserves a lot of recognition for this card and many others from Aquapolis and Skyridge. This Lugia reminds us the one in the title menu of Pokémon Silver for the Game Boy Color, with the Pokémon and the sea of Johto. Undoubtedly, the best card of the series and the most famous one!
It may not be a crystal card, but this is so beautiful. The holographic Umbreon from Aquapolis is one of the best eeveelution ever illustrated. The Pokémon is drawn on the roof of a city in front of the moon, which reminds us the previous illustration of Umbreon in Neo discovery, another great representation of this perfect Pokémon.
Another great dark type holographic card: Tyranitar! Also designed by Kimura, the Pokémon is represented in the forest under the rain. The aggressive mood of Tyranitar combined with the thunderstorm are giving so much power to this super card and looks a lot better than the one from Expedition in our opinion.
Last card for this part will be the holographic Azumarill. If Tyranitar was wonderful for his brutal side, Azumarill from Aquapolis is the opposite, with this beautiful card. The evolution of Marill is designed in a gondola, with a happy face, which makes this card really cute and will delight all the fans of this Pokémon!
HOW TO COLLECT AQUAPOLIS
This series isn’t the hardest to collect, at least not as much a Neo series but still not that easy to finish, even more in mint condition. Most of holographic card can be found around 30 euros in light played condition each. Some will be more expensive like Umbreon, Espeon or Arcanin, and will be around 100 euros each in good to great conditions. Crystal cards will be more expensive, Kingdra and Nidoking going for 130 euros in good conditions. Lugia can be found for 400 euros in good conditions as this card is a lot more wanted by collectors. Commons card will go for a few euros each in near mint conditions.
In mint conditions, holographic cards will go for more than 100 euros each and some like Umbreon or Tyranitar will go for around 400 euros each. Same for crystal, which can be found around 450 euros for Kingdra and 500 euros for Nidoking. Lugia will not be found under 1000 euros in mint condition so you will need some time and dedication to complete the Aquapolis set in mint conditions
If there is a lot of cards in this series, it is still quite easy to find them all, except maybe some holographic and crystal which will require quite a lot of money to be yours!
CONCLUSION
Aquapolis is the last Wizards series out in France (but Japan, US and some countries in Europe will have the Skyridge set and its wonderful Crystal Charizard), it’s a great way to end the second generation of cards before the start of the Ex set. Those great holographic cards and crystal, particularly Lugia, are symbolizing this stunning series which will be remembered again and again by all collectors!
We hope that you enjoyed this article on the Aquapolis set and maybe you will try to collect it or finish it if you already started. We will see you soon for the next article which will be on a set from the Ex series.
Have a nice week, dear collectors!
