Spoink

The Spoink card (73/97) was released in 2004 as part of the Pokémon Trading Card Game: EX Dragon set. This expansion was notable for introducing the Dragon-type mechanic into the TCG, shifting the elemental landscape of the game to accommodate the powerful and elusive Dragon Pokémon featured in the third generation of the video games. Spoink, a Psychic-type Pokémon originally introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, was captured here in its early TCG iteration, serving as a staple common-tier card intended to fill out the competitive pool and represent the expanding variety of species available at the time.

The card’s illustration was crafted by Midori Harada, a prolific artist in the Pokémon TCG space whose work is celebrated for its clean lines and vibrant, expressive character portrayals. Harada’s design emphasizes Spoink’s signature bouncy, energetic nature, utilizing the typical artistic constraints of the EX-era cards, which were characterized by bold, colorful backgrounds and prominent type-specific iconography. Upon release, the set was well-received by players for its technical additions to the meta, with cards like this Spoink being recognized by collectors as accessible examples of Harada’s distinct, approachable aesthetic.