The waifu tax continues to drive up the prices of Pokemon TCG’s waifu cards and their art makes them valuable cards to buy, collect, and play.
These so-called wife cards have been topics of controversy ever since the infamous Misty’s Tears card, illustrated by Ken Sugimori for the Gym Challenge expansion, was banned. The card was banned in the US as art depicted a nude Misty which was deemed inappropriate for an American audience.
Lillie, for example, became the most expensive Pokemon waifu card after it sold for over $100,000 at auction a few years ago.
Since the 1990s, waifu cards have continued to captivate fans with adorable artwork and the trend shows no signs of stopping. It’s understandable then, that sometimes all it takes to brighten a collectors day is pulling a cheerful waifu supporter card.
Best Pokemon Waifu Cards list and where to buy them
Here is our selection of the top waifu cards, in which we’ve included lots of cult-favorite Pokemon artist and Lillie illustrator, Naoki Saito’s cards.
We’ve included a number of other artworks as well, which have become favorites of collectors, investors, and TCG players. They’ve proven to either be the best in terms of value or for their utility in actual play. We’re looking at you, Iono!
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| Where to buy it | Waifu Pokemon Card |
|---|---|
| Iono 269/193 – Paldea Evolved (SV02) TCG Player | |
| Erika’s Invitation SV: Scarlet & Violet 151 Mew TCG Player | |
| Worker (Full Art) – SWSH12: Silver TempestTCG Player | |
| Irida SWSH10: Astral Radiance TCG Player | |
| Klara (Full Art) – SWSH06: Chilling Reign (SWSH06)TCG Player | |
| Sonia (Full Art) – SWSH02: Rebel Clash (SWSH02)TCG Player | |
| Olivia (Full Art) – SM – Crimson Invasion (SM04)TCG Player | |
| Lisia (Full Art) – SM – Celestial Storm (CES) TCG Player | |
| Wicke (Full Art) – SM – Burning Shadows (SM03)TCG Player | |
| Sabrina’s Suggestion (Full Art) – SM – Team Up (SM9)TCG Player | |
| Cynthia’s Ambition – Crown Zenith: Galarian Gallery (CRZ:GG) TCG Player | |
| Erika’s Hospitality (Full Art) – SM – Team Up (SM9)TCG Player |
Why are some Pokemon waifu cards so expensive?
Yes! waifu tax is real and has an effect on most hobbies related to anime. The cards can be so expensive because, in Japan, the pull rates and therefore the rarity of cards compared to sets from the UK or USA differ.
For example, a full-art Pokemon card in Japan would be roughly equivalent to a secret rare from the US. There is a lot of interest in these cards, especially in Japan, where full-art versions regularly see valuations of over $1,000.
It’s easy to get lost in the world of expensive collector’s items, and it’s discouraging to see the price tags on some of these cards! Pokemon art, however, is marvelous regardless of the trends and price of a card — there is equally stunning art on cards worth under a dollar!
Whether or not you prefer to stick to one wifey or collect many, the important thing is to have fun and enjoy collecting.
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