Pikachu 58/102 · Base

Base is a set in the Base series. It was released on January 9, 1999. The printed size is 102, and the checklist is the same length. Pikachu is 58/102, in position 58 of 102 on this checklist. Before it is 57 Pidgey, and after it is 59 Poliwag. The listed rarity is Common.

Pikachu is a Basic Lightning Pokémon with 40 HP. The card lists level 12. In the Pokédex this is Pikachu (#025), generation 1 (Kanto). The card lists Raichu, Raichu (#026) under evolves to.

Mitsuhiro Arita illustrated this card. The same name is on 721 other cards in the catalog.

Pikachu (#025) has 212 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 89 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 1999 to 2026. The earliest other card is Pikachu 60/64 in Jungle (1999). That card lists 50 HP, and this one lists 40 HP. Both list the rarity Common. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and Mitsuhiro Arita illustrated this one. 199 other cards of Pikachu list a different HP.

The attack Gnaw lists 10 damage. The cost is Colorless. Thunder Jolt is another attack lists 30 damage. The cost is Lightning, Colorless. Flip a coin. If tails, Pikachu does 10 damage to itself. Weakness is Fighting ×2. Retreat cost is 1. The flavor text reads "When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity can cause lightning storms."

I keep a set binder for Base, meant to hold every card of that set. This card is one slot in the Base set binder. A generation binder holds one card of each species. Pikachu can fill a slot in Generation 1 binder (Kanto). Themed lists that include this exact card are All Pikachu cards and Mitsuhiro Arita cards. I still need this card.