POKEMON / NOV 2026
Pikachu 173/165: the Art Rare Pikachu of Pokémon Card 151
A closer look at Hiroyuki Yamamoto’s Pikachu illustration, its card identity and the artist’s wider work.
The art of
Hiroyuki Yamamoto
Pikachu
Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a) · 173/165 · Japanese · Standard (no edition marking) · Art Rare · Raw
01 / A closer look
A secret-numbered Pikachu in a set about the original 151
Pikachu 173/165 is the Japanese Art Rare from Pokémon Card 151, set code SV2a. Hiroyuki Yamamoto illustrated this 60 HP Basic Lightning-type card. Its number and language matter when identifying the release: the regular Pikachu and prints from other countries are separate cards.
[3, 1]Printed artist credit
The card text credits the illustration to Hiroyuki Yamamoto, and the card carries the G regulation mark.
[3]Moves on the card
The card's attacks are an energy-attaching move that takes a basic Lightning Energy from the deck, and a 50-damage punch attack.
[3]02 / Behind the artwork
Hiroyuki Yamamoto
Hiroyuki Yamamoto moves between character design, game art direction and Pokémon illustration.
Hiroyuki Yamamoto publishes work under the Japanese name ヤマモトヒロユキ and the handle yam_owl. His portfolio describes experience in advertising, print design and games before independent work from 2012.
The credited projects include Pokémon card illustration, character design and artwork for Pokémon Café Mix, and a Sonic anniversary illustration. Dragonite and Trevenant show contrasting moods within his card work. The portfolio links let readers explore the broader projects in their original setting.
[5, 6, 3, 4]More cards. Same imagination.
A smiling Dragonite flies above a sunlit landscape. The low viewpoint makes the wings and rounded body feel buoyant.
The same artist turns to angular branches, exposed roots and a dark sky for a very different creature portrait.
Beyond the cards
Yamamoto’s portfolio identifies this as his anniversary illustration for Sonic the Hedgehog.
Soft colours and café costumes give Pokémon a welcoming everyday world. Yamamoto explicitly credits himself with the game’s character design and artwork.
03 / The collector
Compare the exact edition and condition
A useful comparison starts with the same language, collector number, finish and grading status. Inspect the actual item’s condition and, for a graded card, verify the grader and certification record. A reference image cannot establish the condition or authenticity of a copy offered for sale. Follow the market-source link for current quotations and check any underlying listing before relying on it.
[1]04 / The value
The market, in focus.
Pikachu · 173/165 · Japanese · USD ($) · Research checked 5 Nov 2026
A publication-cleared price sample is not available for this edition; consult the linked market sources for current quotations.
Comparing copies
Match the language, set, collector number and finish before comparing offers. For graded copies, compare the same grading company and grade; labels from different graders are not interchangeable. Condition, completeness of the listing and delivery terms can change what an offer means.
[1]Current market sources
A publication-cleared price sample is not available for this edition; consult the linked market sources for current quotations. The linked source remains a destination for independent checking; this edition does not reproduce its transaction history or guide prices.
[1]Valuation evidence
Grade valuation notes
Raw / ungraded
A publication-cleared price sample is not available for this edition; consult the linked market sources for current quotations.
low confidence
Sources & references
Published 5 Nov 2026.
- PriceCharting — Pikachu 173/165
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Exact-card reference used only with a documented limited-commentary assessment. Current quotations remain available at the cited source; transaction histories and guide values are not republished.
- PSA Population Report
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Public PSA census; it does not cover ungraded copies.
- Limitless TCG: Pikachu, Pokémon Card 151 (SV2a) #173
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Public card facts (card text, illustrator credit, rarity) only; no images reproduced.
- Misprint: Pikachu Art Rare (173) 2023 Pokemon Japanese SV2a Pokemon 151
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Public card description (illustrator and artwork scene) only; its prices are not used.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — biography
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — portfolio
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — @yam_owl profile
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Mirror of the artist’s @yam_owl profile.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — card catalogue
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — Dragonite
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Official Pokémon scan; printed artist credit verified.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — Trevenant
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Official Pokémon scan; printed artist credit verified.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — Sonic anniversary
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- Hiroyuki Yamamoto — Café Mix
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Artist and work facts, paraphrased.
- SIBIDZ Fauvist illustration — Hiroyuki Yamamoto
Accessed 5 Nov 2026
Original text-only AI illustration commissioned by SIBIDZ; no third-party image was supplied as input. No artist endorsement is claimed.
About the evidence
- A publication-cleared price sample is not available for this edition; consult the linked market sources for current quotations.
- The reference image supports discussion of the design; it does not show the customer’s individual card or establish its authenticity or condition.
- The reduced lead image accompanies original commentary under a recorded case-specific assessment; no publisher licence or endorsement is claimed.
Population. This report identifies an ungraded card. Grader population counts concern certified copies and do not measure the number of ungraded cards.[2]
Research estimate based on the cited sources as of the stated date. Not financial advice or a guarantee of authenticity or sale value.