Raikou HGSS19/25 · HGSS Black Star Promos

Raikou is Pokédex #243, generation 2 (Johto). Raikou is a Basic Lightning Pokémon with 80 HP.

Raikou sits at HGSS19/25 in HGSS Black Star Promos, position 19 of 25. Before it is HGSS18 Tropical Tidal Wave, and after it is HGSS20 Entei. The set belongs to the HeartGold & SoulSilver series. It was released on February 10, 2010. The printed size is 25, and the checklist is the same length. The listed rarity is Promo.

The attack Zap Cannon lists 70 damage. The cost is Lightning, Lightning, Colorless. During your next turn, Raikou can't use Zap Cannon. Weakness is Fighting ×2. Resistance is Metal -20. Retreat cost is 1. The flavor text reads "The rain clouds it carries let it fire thunderbolts at will. They say that it descended with lightning."

Raikou (#243) has 26 other cards in the catalog. Those other cards are in 19 sets. The other printings with a release date run from 2001 to 2026. The earliest other card is Raikou 13/64 in Neo Revelation (2001). Both list 80 HP. The rarity there is Rare Holo, and here it is Promo. Ken Sugimori illustrated that card, and Noriko Hotta illustrated this one. 23 other cards of Raikou list a different HP.

The illustrator line reads Noriko Hotta. I count 20 other cards in the catalog with that illustrator.

HGSS Black Star Promos set binder is where a full HGSS Black Star Promos set goes. This card fills one slot there. A generation binder holds one card of each species. Raikou can fill a slot in Generation 2 binder (Johto). Themed lists that include this exact card are Legendary beasts. I still need this card.