Featured Artist: Yuka Morii

Most Pokémon card artwork is drawn or painted. Yuka Morii's is sculpted. For more than two decades she has built Pokémon out of clay, set them in small handmade scenes or real locations, and photographed the result. It gives her cards a look you don't see anywhere else in the game.

Who is Yuka Morii?

Morii is a professional clay modeler, illustrator and character designer from Japan. Her clay work has won awards, including the Tokyo TV Clay Modelling Championship in 1996. Beyond Pokémon, she has designed mascots, made clay animation, written books, and teaches illustration part-time at the Kuwasawa Design Institute.

Her path into the Pokémon TCG

Her first Pokémon card was a 1998 Jumbo CoroCoro promo, and she began regular card artwork in 2000. Her first cards in English arrived in Neo Discovery in 2001, with sculpted versions of Caterpie, Kabuto, Omanyte and Corsola. Since then she has created more than 200 Pokémon cards.

Cards collectors look for

• Corsola (Neo Discovery): a fan favourite, known for its cheerful expression and detailed underwater scene.
• Light Azumarill (Neo Discovery): another early favourite from the same set.
• Secret Rares: full-art cards such as Aipom and Drapion.
• Promos: including Venusaur & Snivy GX and a Pikachu from POP Series 2.

Her favourite Pokémon is Ditto, and in 2025 she designed and modelled a Ditto-shaped mould for the Metamon Cup.

Why collectors love her work

Because each card begins as a real object, the art has texture, depth and a handmade charm that stands out in any binder. Some collectors even build master sets around the cards she has illustrated.

Looking for something from your favourite artist? Browse our full range and ask us if you're after a particular card.