Akira Komayama’s Pokemon TCG catalog runs from a pair of quiet Call of Legends commons to headline alternate-art chase cards of recent years. Between the debut prints and the modern Special Art Rares, the name shows up on 244 cards in the Limitless database — and on seven of them currently or previously held in our PSA 10 vault.
This guide walks through who Komayama is, the alternate-art Ultra Rares and Special Art Rares that anchor the catalog, and every verified Komayama card we carry, in stock or not.
Akira Komayama has illustrated 244 Pokemon TCG cards on record with Limitless, including the alternate-art Galarian Zapdos V S5a 076/070, currently listed at ¥20,394, and Iono’s Bellibolt ex SAR (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), currently listed at ¥12,175 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). We hold seven verified Komayama cards in total, three of which are currently in stock.
Who Is Akira Komayama?
Akira Komayama, born September 15, 1981, is a freelance illustrator who began working freelance in 2009 and has contributed to the Pokemon TCG since 2010. According to Bulbapedia, Komayama’s debut card was a promotional Pansage from the BW-P series, and the first cards to appear in English were two commons from Call of Legends: Magby (CL 46) and Eevee (CL 56).
The Limitless database returns 244 cards for an artist search on Komayama’s name, with no Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket prints appearing in that result. Bulbapedia’s tally runs slightly differently — 238 main-series TCG cards plus 56 separate Pokemon TCG Pocket cards — a reminder that Limitless and Pocket are tracked as separate databases, and the two counts shouldn’t be added together as one all-time total.
Bulbapedia doesn’t publish a style description for Komayama’s work, so we’re not going to invent one here. What’s verifiable instead is the range of the catalog itself: small-scale commons from the Call of Legends debut sit alongside headline alternate-art Ultra Rares and Special Art Rares printed in the Sword & Shield and Scarlet & Violet eras, plus Radiant Rares, Trainer Gallery cards, and Character Rares scattered throughout more than a decade of work in the TCG.
Komayama’s catalog sits alongside other Japanese illustrators we track closely, including Hideki Ishikawa and Akira Egawa, both of whom have their own guides covering their most notable printings.
Alternate-Art Ultra Rares: Galarian Zapdos V and Blastoise & Piplup GX
Two alternate-art Ultra Rares define the top end of Komayama’s catalog, and one of them is currently the only copy we have in stock.
Galarian Zapdos V is an Alternate Full Art Ultra Rare, printed in English as Chilling Reign CRE 174 and numbered S5a 076/070 in the Japanese print run. Our PSA 10 copy is a single unit — one copy, currently listed at ¥20,394 — making it a one-of-one in our vault right now rather than a card with backup copies waiting behind it. It’s available here while that single copy lasts.
Blastoise & Piplup GX is the other alternate-art Ultra Rare in the catalog, printed in English as Cosmic Eclipse CEC 215 (JP: Remix Bout SM11a 070/064). Our PSA 10 copy of this one is currently out of stock. If you’re after it specifically, the Quick Order page is the way to flag a restock request — we don’t hold a second copy in reserve, so a returning listing depends on a new PSA 10 copy coming through the Japanese secondary market.
Both cards sit in the same tier of Komayama’s output: full-panel alternate artwork on a GX or V card. Prices across the rest of the catalog vary card by card, from the ¥51,150 archive price on Miriam down to the ¥5,007 Helioptile.
Scarlet & Violet Special Art Rares: Bellibolt, Miriam, Katy, and Helioptile
Komayama’s Scarlet & Violet-era work runs through Special Art Rares (SAR) and Art Rares (AR), a step down in visibility from the two Ultra Rares above but still concentrated on some of the era’s most-collected Trainer and Pokemon cards.
Iono’s Bellibolt ex is a Special Art Rare, verified in the Japanese print MEGA Dream ex M2a 236/193. We currently hold 11 copies in stock, all currently listed at ¥12,175 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) — the deepest stock of any Komayama card we carry, and available here (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order).
Helioptile is an Art Rare, verified in the Japanese print M1S 070/063. Two PSA 10 copies are currently listed at ¥5,007, the most accessible entry point into Komayama’s catalog we currently carry, listed here (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order).
Miriam is a Special Art Rare printed in English as Scarlet & Violet SVI 251 (JP: Violet ex SV1V 105/078), and Katy appears as both a lower-rarity print and an Ultra Rare, English SVI 177 and SVI 237 (JP: Violet ex SV1V 074 and 097). Both of our PSA 10 copies are currently out of stock. As with Blastoise & Piplup GX, the Quick Order page is the fastest way to request either one for when a fresh PSA 10 copy comes through grading.
The Wider Catalog: Radiant Rares, Trainer Gallery, and Beyond
The alternate arts and Special Art Rares get the attention, but they’re a narrow slice of a 244-card catalog. Limitless records Komayama’s name across many of the modern TCG’s subsets.
On the Radiant Rare side, Komayama illustrated Radiant Alakazam (Silver Tempest SIT 59) and Radiant Hisuian Sneasler (Lost Origin LOR 123). Trainer Gallery work includes Gengar (Lost Origin TG6, Character Holo Rare) and Starmie V (Astral Radiance TG13, Character Super Rare), while Deoxys VMAX appears as a Character Super Rare in Crown Zenith GG45 (JP: VSTAR Universe s12a 222/172) — a copy of which is currently out of stock in our vault.
The Paradox Rift and Twilight Masquerade era adds Gholdengo ex (PAR 252, Special Art Rare), Gimmighoul (PAR 198, Art Rare), Larry (PAR 165/235), Dipplin (TWM 170, Art Rare), and Caretaker (TWM 144/203). Earlier in the catalog, Genesect V (Fusion Strike FST 255, Ultra Rare), Hisuian Goodra (Lost Origin LOR 134, Holo Rare), Toedscool (Scarlet & Violet SVI 201, Art Rare), Palafin (Obsidian Flames OBF 200, Art Rare), Amarys (Prismatic Evolutions PRE 93/132), and Team Rocket’s Murkrow (Destined Rivals DRI 200, Art Rare) round out a catalog that spans a wide range of English sets released since 2020.
None of these wider-catalog cards are currently in our PSA 10 vault, but they’re worth knowing if you’re building a Komayama collection beyond the seven cards we stock — and a reminder of how much of the illustrator’s output sits outside the handful of chase cards that get the most attention.
The Akira Komayama Vault: Every Card We Carry
All seven verified Akira Komayama cards that have passed through our PSA 10 vault, ranked by price. Three are currently listed; four are archive references shown with their last-verified price.
| # | Card | Number / Set | Status | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blastoise & Piplup GX | CEC 215 (JP: SM11a 070/064) | Out of Stock — request via Quick Order | last listed ¥162,328 |
| 2 | Miriam | SVI 251 (JP: SV1V 105/078) | Out of Stock — request via Quick Order | last listed ¥51,150 |
| 3 | Katy | SVI 237 (JP: SV1V 097) | Out of Stock — request via Quick Order | last listed ¥15,942 |
| 4 | Deoxys VMAX | CRZ GG45 (JP: s12a 222/172) | Out of Stock — request via Quick Order | last listed ¥12,706 |
| 5 | Iono’s Bellibolt ex (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) | M2a 236/193 | In Stock (×11) | ¥12,175 |
| 6 | Galarian Zapdos V | CRE 174 (JP: S5a 076/070) | In Stock (×1) | ¥20,394 |
| 7 | Helioptile (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) | M1S 070/063 | In Stock (×2) | ¥5,007 |
By archive price, Blastoise & Piplup GX sits well ahead of the rest of the vault, with Miriam second. The three currently in-stock cards — Bellibolt ex, Galarian Zapdos V, and Helioptile — span a range from ¥5,007 to ¥20,394, while Galarian Zapdos V’s single unit makes it the one to watch if you want it: there’s no second copy behind it once it sells. For the four archive rows, the Quick Order page is the fastest way to flag interest for a restock.
Beyond the Cards: Komayama’s Wider Work
Per Bulbapedia, Komayama contributed artwork to Pokemon Horizons: The Series, credited on episode HZ056. Komayama has also created art for TCG sleeve merchandise featuring Lana — worth flagging clearly here, since it’s easy to conflate with the famous Lana Full Art TCG card (Ultra Prism 150 / JP GX Battle Boost 118/114): that specific card is illustrated by Kanako Eo, not Komayama. Komayama’s Lana artwork is on sleeve merchandise, a separate product line from the trading card itself.
Bulbapedia doesn’t record Komayama’s gender or preferred pronouns, and we’re following that source’s lead rather than assuming one here. Beyond the Pokemon Horizons credit and the Lana sleeve artwork, we don’t have verified sources this batch for social media accounts, exhibitions, or interviews — if that changes, we’ll update this guide.
Where to Buy Akira Komayama Cards from Japan
We source and grade Japanese PSA 10 singles out of Tokyo, and Akira Komayama’s alternate-art and Special Art Rare work is part of the catalog we track closely across our vault. The three listings below are what’s currently available.
For the wider PSA 10 catalog, browse the PSA 10 card list to filter by set and price, or use the Quick Order page to request any of the four currently out-of-stock Komayama cards covered above. If you’re researching other illustrators alongside Komayama, our Hideki Ishikawa guide and Akira Egawa guide cover two more Japanese artists whose work runs through our vault.
If Galarian Zapdos V or Iono’s Bellibolt ex is what brought you here, those two — along with Helioptile — are the three currently in stock. Everything else in the vault table above can be tracked down through the Quick Order request flow as new PSA 10 copies come through grading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Akira Komayama?
Akira Komayama is a freelance Pokemon TCG illustrator, born September 15, 1981, who has been freelancing since 2009 and contributing to the Pokemon TCG since 2010. Limitless records 244 cards under Komayama’s name, ranging from Call of Legends commons to modern alternate-art Ultra Rares.
What is the Galarian Zapdos V card and why is it notable?
Galarian Zapdos V is an Alternate Full Art Ultra Rare, printed in English as Chilling Reign CRE 174 (JP: S5a 076/070), illustrated by Akira Komayama. Our PSA 10 copy is currently the only unit in stock, listed at ¥20,394.
Is Iono’s Bellibolt ex SAR illustrated by Akira Komayama?
Yes. Iono’s Bellibolt ex is a Special Art Rare verified in the Japanese print MEGA Dream ex M2a 236/193, illustrated by Akira Komayama. We currently hold 11 PSA 10 copies in stock, listed at ¥12,175 each.
Which Akira Komayama cards are currently out of stock?
Blastoise & Piplup GX (CEC 215), Deoxys VMAX (CRZ GG45), Miriam (SVI 251), and Katy (SVI 237) are currently out of stock in our vault. Each can be requested through our Quick Order page for when a new PSA 10 copy comes through grading.
Did Akira Komayama illustrate the famous Lana Full Art card?
No. The Lana Full Art TCG card (Ultra Prism 150 / JP GX Battle Boost 118/114) is illustrated by Kanako Eo, not Akira Komayama. Komayama has created art for TCG sleeve merchandise featuring Lana, which is a separate product from the trading card itself.
What was Akira Komayama’s first Pokemon TCG card?
Per Bulbapedia, Komayama’s debut card was a promotional Pansage from the BW-P series. The first cards released in English were two commons from Call of Legends: Magby (CL 46) and Eevee (CL 56).
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