Bill

The Bill Trainer card was introduced as part of the original Pokémon Trading Card Game Base Set, released by Wizards of the Coast in North America in 1999. As one of the core utility items in the game, Bill was designed to allow players to draw two cards from their deck, a fundamental mechanic that helped maintain momentum and resource management during competitive play. Its inclusion was essential for players seeking to cycle through their deck quickly to find specific Pokémon or evolution cards.

The card features artwork by Ken Sugimori, the primary character designer and illustrator for the Pokémon franchise. Sugimori’s work for the Base Set established the visual identity of the series, utilizing a clean, distinct style that translated the personality of the original Game Boy titles into a physical card format. Because Bill was a common card printed in large quantities to ensure accessibility for all players, it remains one of the most recognizable and widely distributed artifacts from the game's initial launch period.