Pokémon TCG Pocket Plagiarism Scandal: Time for Trainers to Chill

Because the internet just loves a good mob, the Pokémon TCG Pocket scene has officially graduated from magical card game to drama club. Short version: an illustrator for Pokémon TCG Pocket was accused of plagiarism, and the fandom apparently took this as a personal call to arms. Because nothing says “love of cute, battling monsters” like doxxing a freelancer, right?

The Pokémon Company’s “Please Stop Being Monsters” Memo

Enter The Pokémon Company. In what must be the most exasperated press release ever written, they kindly asked fans to stop harassing or slandering the artist involved. Which, just to be clear, means don’t attack the illustrator online. Not on X/Twitter, not in Discord, not in an anonymous TCG subreddit where your username still features your favorite Eeveelution. No exceptions.

What Even Happened? The Quick and Dirty

• A new TCG Pocket card gets posted online.
• The art looks mighty familiar, and the plagiarism police start sleuthing.
• Fans leap faster than a Gengar Shadow Ball to “defend the franchise.”
• Internet harassment ensues. (Predictable plot twist, honestly.)
• The Pokémon Company says: “Hey, can we not?”

Ironically, if this was a battle, most fans would have already fainted from using Outrage too many turns in a row.

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Seriously, folks, it’s art. If you see something off, yes, flag it—but witch hunts are not a prerequisite for being a committed trainer. Harassing a freelance artist won’t make your Pikachu stronger. (Trust me, I’ve tried—there’s no hidden IV boost.)

By the way, if you want some actually good drama, Battlefield 6’s wild battle royale rumors are way juicier. Or check out just how big of a sales Snorlax the Nintendo Switch 2 is turning into.

What’s Next for the Pokémon TCG Pocket Scandal?

Hopefully, common sense comes in for a surprise sweep. The Pokémon Company will likely review the art, make a call, and—shocker—there’s a professional process for this stuff. Hounding illustrators isn’t going to score you a Charizard. Or even a Weedle.

TL;DR: Internet Rage = Bad, Context = Good

• Don’t harass people online—especially over trading cards.
• If plagiarism happened, trust the company to deal with it.
• Your Eevee plush doesn’t want you getting banned from the community.

So, chill out, trainers. The only thing you should be catching is some perspective.