Celebi Card Art in Pokémon TCG Fans Celebrate Illustrator's Style

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Celebi holo card art from Neo Revelation by Sumiyoshi Kizuki

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Celebrating Celebi’s Artistry: Sumiyoshi Kizuki’s Forest-Fresh Style in Neo Revelation

Across generations of Pokémon fans, some card arts linger in memory because they capture more than a creature’s stats — they capture a mood. The Neo Revelation Celebi, illustrated by Sumiyoshi Kizuki, is one such piece. Kizuki’s signature style—lush greens, delicate linework, and a soft glow that seems to travel with Celebi as it drifts through an evergreen dream—has inspired a devoted wave of appreciation among players, collectors, and lore-hungry fans. The holo variant amplifies that sense of motion, turning a fleeting moment into a collectible that feels almost alive in hand. 🔥💎

The card itself is a compact time capsule from the early days of the Neo Revelation era. As a Basic Grass Pokémon with 50 HP, Celebi sits at the core of many nostalgic decks and casual showcases. Its attack, Psychic Leaf, asks the player to flip a coin for each Grass Energy attached to the Defending Pokémon. The payoff is tense and interactive: 10 damage plus 10 for each heads, and then a dramatic twist— Celebi heals damage counters equal to the damage dealt to the foe, a move that rewards careful energy management and coin-flipping luck. In today’s game terms, the attack’s reliance on coin flips makes it a charming relic rather than a reliable finisher, but as a storytelling engine, it’s perfect for conversations about risk, reward, and the art’s mood. This is a Rare card in the Neo Revelation set, a reminder of a time when simplicity and charm could still make a strong impression in the room. 🔮

Card data snapshot shows how the card sits in the larger ecosystem of the TCG. Celebi is a Grass-type Basic Pokémon with 50 HP, illustrated by Sumiyoshi Kizuki. The Neo Revelation set—officially cataloged as neo3—features a holo variant, standard version, and reverse holo, with a total card count of 64 in its official listing and 66 in total across printings. Notably, this Celebi is not legal in standard or expanded modern formats (as indicated by its non-standard legality), which reinforces its status as a beloved, out-of-rotation classic rather than a tournament staple. The design is compact, but the emotional impact of Kizuki’s art remains widely celebrated. Fans often share photos of their holo Celebi with captions about forest whispers and summer rain—proof that the image continues to spark imagination.

  • Name: Celebi
  • Set: Neo Revelation (neo3)
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Stage: Basic
  • HP: 50
  • Type: Grass
  • Attack: Psychic Leaf — Cost: Grass, Grass. Effect: Flip a coin for each Energy attached to the Defending Pokémon. This attack does 10 damage plus 10 more damage for each heads. Remove a number of damage counters from Celebi equal to the damage done to the Defending Pokémon (after applying Weakness and Resistance). If Celebi has fewer damage counters than that, remove all of them.
  • Weakness: Fire x2
  • Illustrator: Sumiyoshi Kizuki
  • Legal: Standard: False; Expanded: False
“When I pull Celebi holo, I’m transported to those quiet mornings in the forest where green light dapples the ground and every flip of a coin feels like a small gamble with destiny.”

Gameplay notes for collectors and nostalgia-minded players

While Celebi’s Psychic Leaf attack centers on coin-flipping chance, the card’s strategic charm lies in its timing and energy accounting. With Grass-energy requirements, players could pair Celebi with early grass-focused lines to maximize the chance of favorable coin results, while guarding Celebi from the Fire-type threats that loom in many sets. The 50 HP classic frame invites careful play—one big hit can push Celebi into the danger zone, but the healing twist from the attack’s resolution offers a small, satisfying consolation if the flipping doesn’t swing the way you hoped. These nuances make the card a wonderful study piece for understanding the rhythm of early TCG matches: steady tempo, a pinch of luck, and a moment where art and strategy collide in a single, quiet decision.

Collectors often talk about the two faces of Celebi in Neo Revelation: the pristine holo and the grounded non-holo. The holo version captures the luminous forest glow that fans adore, turning a modest 50 HP into something that gleams with character. In terms of collectibility, the card’s rarity, plus Sumiyoshi Kizuki’s evocative illustration, elevates it beyond mere play value. And because Neo Revelation is no longer legal in standard or expanded formats, the card sits in a cherished corner of the collection—much of its value is tied to its art, history, and the aura of the era it represents. ⚡🎨

Market whispers: pricing and what to watch

Pricing for this Celebi varies widely depending on edition, holo status, and condition. On CardMarket, the non-holo and holo variants tell a compelling story: averages hover around €75.7 for certain listings, with a broad spread that includes lows around €15. The market has shown a strong upward trajectory, with a reported trend of roughly +94.9% in some listings, underscoring Neo Revelation’s enduring appeal among vintage collectors. When you filter for holo copies, the data hints at higher volatility but also greater upside, with weekly averages in the range of €34.99 to €71.32 and monthly figures around €46.49 to €46.49, coupled with a holo trend around +47.59. It’s a reminder that scarcity and purity of art can drive price as much as playability.

On TCgPlayer, the picture splits by edition. 1st Edition Celebi neo3-16 shows low prices around $15, mid around $16.21, and high around $17.41, with a market price near $23.79 for those coveted early printings. Unlimited copies sit in a broader, more accessible range—low around $10, mid around $11.7, and high spikes up to $123.41 in some listings, with a market price around $12.11. These figures illustrate a familiar truth for vintage cards: condition, edition, and holo status can swing value dramatically, but the enduring romance of Sumiyoshi Kizuki’s art keeps the Celebi card in circulation among devoted fans. For modern buyers, this means a thoughtful approach—target the edition that matches your budget and your love for the artistry rather than chasing a single “big price” target. 🔎💎

For fans who want a tangible link between their collector’s heart and daily life, the theme of this article is a gentle nudge toward the value of artistry in the Pokémon TCG. The Celebi card—though no longer a staple in current play—serves as a reminder that a well-crafted illustration can outlive the metagame and become a personal legend in your binder. That’s the power Sumiyoshi Kizuki’s work carries: a single frame, a sense of place, and a story you can hold in your hand as you flip through old and new memories alike. 🎴

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