Ash Battles Team Rocket in New Pokemon Trading Card Decks

Ash has battled Team Rocket for nearly 20 years, but now their battle is finally spilling into the Pokemon Trading Card Game. Next month, the Pokemon Company will release a special "Ash vs. Team Rocket" Trainer Set box, with two mini-decks featuring several of the anime's most iconic Pokemon.

Included in the packs are cards featuring Ash's Pikachu, Ash's Rowlet, Team Rocket's Mimikyu, Team Rocket's Wobbuffet, Meowth, and Togedemaru (a Pokemon owned by one of Ash's friends in the anime.) All of the cards are illustrated by members of the anime's staff, so the cards look like they were pulled straight out of the television screen. Ash's Pikachu is even a powerful-GX card, with the ability to use its Thunderbolt attack once per battle.

This isn't the first time that Ash's Pikachu has gotten a special Pokemon Card. The Pokemon Company previously released cards featuring several of Ash's Pokemon to promote the Arceus and the Jewel of Life movie. Those cards used scenes from the movie as illustrations. Ash's Greninja also got a special EX-card last year, which was released in the US as part of a special promotional box.

It's believed that the Pokemon Company is releasing the "Ash vs. Team Rocket" trainer set box as part of the anime's upcoming 20th anniversary celebration, which begins next week. It's unclear whether the cards will be released internationally, but it seems like it would be an easy buy in the US.

Check out the photo gallery for some of the cards based on the anime, including the powerful Ash's Pikachu-GX card.