N’s Zoroark ex, illustrated by Raita Kazama, won Artwork of the Year at the first TCG Awards, as announced on the TCG Awards’ official Instagram account on October 22, 2026. The winners were revealed at a gala evening during SPIEL Essen 2026 in Essen, Germany, and the award entry was the English N’s Zoroark ex 286/217 from Ascended Heroes.
The Japanese counterpart of that card is the N’s Zoroark ex SAR M2a 242/193 from the High Class Pack MEGA Dream ex (ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」), which the official Japanese card database credits to Raita Kazama. For a print-by-print overview of the card, see N’s Zoroark ex: Every Print, SAR vs SIR & Which to Buy.
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- N’s Zoroark ex by Raita Kazama won Artwork of the Year at the first TCG Awards. The result was announced on the TCG Awards’ official Instagram account on October 22, 2026, the night of the gala at SPIEL Essen 2026.
- Artwork of the Year is one of five Community Awards in the Product Excellence group, which the official site lists as voted by the community. The other two finalists were Ahri-Inquisitive (Riftbound) and Armageddon (Magic: The Gathering).
- The award entry is the English 286/217 from Ascended Heroes. Its Japanese counterpart is the SAR M2a 242/193 from MEGA Dream ex, released in Japan on November 28, 2025.
- The earlier Japanese SAR, SV9 127/100 from Battle Partners, is a different illustration credited to Megumi Mizutani.
The award result is as announced on the TCG Awards’ official Instagram account on October 22, 2026. Japanese card data is as printed in the official database on October 23, 2026, and store prices are as listed on October 23, 2026.
Artwork of the Year at the First TCG Awards
The TCG Awards describe themselves on their official site as “the first international awards program dedicated entirely to the Trading Card Game industry.” Their finalists page said the winners would “stay a closely guarded secret until they are revealed live on stage during an exclusive Gala evening on Thursday at SPIEL Essen 2026, the world’s premier tabletop fair,” and that the event would also be streamed live. According to the fair’s press release of September 3, 2026, SPIEL Essen 2026 runs from October 22 to 25, 2026 at Messe Essen in Germany, so the Thursday gala fell on October 22, 2026.
The Artwork of the Year result was posted on the TCG Awards’ official Instagram account, @tcgawards, on October 22, 2026 at 20:19 Central European Summer Time, which was 03:19 on October 23 in Japan. The caption opens with “Museum-grade art right in our hands.” and goes on: “This card took everyone’s breath away the moment it was revealed – N’s Zoroark Ex by @kazamaraita won Artwork of the Year!” The post tags the fair (@spiel_messe), the artist (@kazamaraita), the Pokémon TCG accounts @pokemontcg and @pokemontcg_de, and @ebaylive_de. The winner post is public on Instagram.
As of October 23, 2026, the official website still showed its “Top 3 Finalists Announced” page and had no winners page, so the Instagram post is the public confirmation of the result. The category is called Artwork of the Year, and the organizers call this edition the first TCG Awards.
How the TCG Awards Are Organized
The official site states: “The TCG Awards are initiated by Card Sports League GmbH and Hana Sports & Entertainment GmbH in partnership with Merz Verlag, organizer of SPIEL Essen.” The same site names eBay Live as the presenter, KAYOU as Gold Partner and Gamegenic as Silver Partner.
The program has 13 categories in four award groups, and the official site gives each group its own way of choosing a winner:
| Award group | Category | How the winner is chosen (official site) |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Product Excellence | Game of the Year | Community vote (Community Awards, sponsored by KAYOU) |
| 01 Product Excellence | Newcomer of the Year | Community vote (Community Awards, sponsored by KAYOU) |
| 01 Product Excellence | Set of the Year | Community vote (Community Awards, sponsored by KAYOU) |
| 01 Product Excellence | Accessory of the Year | Community vote (Community Awards, sponsored by KAYOU) |
| 01 Product Excellence | Artwork of the Year | Community vote (Community Awards, sponsored by KAYOU) |
| 02 Community and Creator | Event | Community vote |
| 02 Community and Creator | Local Game Store | Community vote |
| 02 Community and Creator | Content Creator | Community vote |
| 02 Community and Creator | Equality Impact | Community vote |
| 03 Industry and Business Excellence | Brand Partnership | Jury |
| 03 Industry and Business Excellence | Campaign | Jury |
| 03 Industry and Business Excellence | Service Provider | Jury |
| 04 Performance Excellence | Player of the Year | Metrics |
Artwork of the Year sits in group 01, Product Excellence, whose five Community Awards the official site lists as “voted by community”. The N’s Zoroark ex result therefore came from a community vote. The jury decides the three categories of group 03, and Player of the Year in group 04 is decided by metrics.
The Three Artwork of the Year Finalists
The official finalists page lists the Top 3 for Artwork of the Year in alphabetical order, each with the artist, card number, set and game as the page prints them:
| Finalist (card) | Artist | Card number | Set | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahri-Inquisitive | Shawn Tan | SFD-227 | Spiritforged | Riftbound |
| Armageddon | Dominik Mayer | M0003-SOA | Secrets of Strixhaven | Magic: The Gathering |
| N’s Zoroark ex (winner) | Raita Kazama | 286/217 | Ascended Heroes | Pokémon |
The three finalists come from three different games: Riftbound, Magic: The Gathering and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Each entry is a single card identified by its number, and the Pokémon entry is the English Ascended Heroes print rather than a Japanese one. The finalists page is at tcg-awards.com/finalists.
Other Winners Announced on October 22, 2026
The same Instagram account posted further results on October 22, 2026. The winners as the captions name them:
| Category | Winner as named in the caption |
|---|---|
| Artwork of the Year | N’s Zoroark Ex by @kazamaraita |
| Player of the Year | Julien Kehon (@julienkhn) |
| Service Provider of the Year | PPG Event Management | @ProPlayGames |
| Event of the Year | Galactic Championship | @unlimitedffg (Star Wars: Unlimited) |
| Content Creator of the Year | @pleasantkenobi |
| Equality Impact | @women_in_magic |
| Local Game Store of the Year | @mulligantcgshop |
| Campaign of the Year | @cyberpunktcg | WeirdCo. | @cdprojektred |
| Brand Partnership of the Year | @redbullgaming x @onepiecetcg_en |
The Player of the Year caption says Julien Kehon “got crowned with the title Player of the Year”, and the Equality Impact caption congratulates “@women_in_magic for winning the Equality Impact award”. Game of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Set of the Year and Accessory of the Year are the other four categories in the Product Excellence group alongside Artwork of the Year.
Which Card Won: English 286/217 and Japanese M2a 242/193
The finalists page identifies the award entry as “N’s Zoroark ex · Raita Kazama · 286/217 · Ascended Heroes · Pokémon”. Ascended Heroes is an English set of the Mega Evolution series. The Pokémon Company International announced Mega Evolution—Ascended Heroes for release from January 30, 2026, as reported by Bulbagarden. Limitless TCG lists two N’s Zoroark ex prints in Ascended Heroes, #137 and #286, and labels the Japanese M2a #242 “Special Art Rare”.
The Japanese counterpart is N’s Zoroark ex SAR M2a 242/193. The official database prints it in ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」, the High Class Pack MEGA Dream ex, with the SAR (Special Art Rare) rarity icon and the illustrator credit Raita Kazama. The official M2a expansion page dates the set to November 28, 2025 (2025年11月28日). The database card ID for this row is 50002.
Both cards carry the same credit: the finalists page credits 286/217 to Raita Kazama, and the official Japanese database credits 242/193 to Raita Kazama. Among the seven Japanese rows named Nのゾロアークex in the official database, 242/193 is the one credited to him; the other six are credited to takuyoa or Megumi Mizutani.
What the N’s Zoroark ex Card Says
The official database prints the same card text on all seven Japanese rows. The English ability and attack names are the names used on the English prints, per Limitless TCG; the effects are renderings of the Japanese text.
| Database field | As printed on October 23, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Card name | Nのゾロアークex (N’s Zoroark ex) |
| Stage | 1進化 (Stage 1), evolves from Nのゾロア |
| HP | 280 |
| Type | 悪 (Darkness), shown as an icon; Limitless TCG reads “Darkness – 280 HP” for M2a #242 |
| Ability | とりひき (Trade): once during your turn, you may discard a card from your hand; if you do, draw 2 cards |
| Attack | ナイトジョーカー (Night Joker), cost two Darkness Energy per Limitless TCG: choose 1 attack from one of your Benched “N’s Pokémon” and use it as this attack |
| Special rule | When your Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards |
| Weakness | Grass (草) |
| Resistance | None |
| Retreat | ×2 |
The Japanese ability name is とりひき and the Japanese attack name is ナイトジョーカー, as printed on every row. The Japanese text writes “N’s Pokémon” as 「Nのポケモン」. N’s other cards, including his Trainer cards, are covered in N Pokemon Card Guide: N’s Plot, Reshiram, Zekrom & 30th Reprint, and the wider Zoroark line in Zoroark & Hisuian Zoroark Cards Guide: Every Printing.
Every Japanese N’s Zoroark ex Print in the Official Database
As of October 23, 2026, the official card database lists seven Japanese prints of Nのゾロアークex. They come from three products: the MEGA Dream ex high class pack (M2a), the Battle Partners expansion pack (SV9) and the Start Deck 100 Battle Collection (MC).
| Set · number | Product as the database prints it | Rarity (database) | Illustrator credit | Release in Japan | Database card ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M2a 242/193 | ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」 | SAR | Raita Kazama | November 28, 2025 | 50002 |
| M2a 112/193 | ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」 | RR | takuyoa | November 28, 2025 | 48634 |
| SV9 061/100 | 拡張パック「バトルパートナーズ」 | RR | takuyoa | January 24, 2025 | 47069 |
| SV9 117/100 | 拡張パック「バトルパートナーズ」 | SR | takuyoa | January 24, 2025 | 47237 |
| SV9 127/100 | 拡張パック「バトルパートナーズ」 | SAR | Megumi Mizutani | January 24, 2025 | 47247 |
| SV9 131/100 | 拡張パック「バトルパートナーズ」 | UR | takuyoa | January 24, 2025 | 47251 |
| MC 470/742 | スタートデッキ100 バトルコレクション | Not given | takuyoa | — | 49186 |
Release dates for M2a and SV9 are from the official expansion pages for MEGA Dream ex and Battle Partners. The rarity codes stand for Special Art Rare (SAR), Double Rare (RR), Super Rare (SR) and Ultra Rare (UR). The set code and number identify a print; the illustrator credit is a second check.
M2a 112/193 — RR, MEGA Dream ex (takuyoa)
The second M2a print is the Double Rare 112/193 in the same high class pack as the award card’s Japanese counterpart, released on November 28, 2025. The database credits it to takuyoa, and Limitless TCG labels M2a #112 “Double Rare”.
SV9 061/100 — RR, Battle Partners (takuyoa)
The earliest dated prints come from the expansion pack 拡張パック「バトルパートナーズ」 (Battle Partners), which the official SV9 page dates to January 24, 2025 (2025年1月24日). The Double Rare 061/100 is credited to takuyoa, and Limitless TCG labels SV9 #61 “Double Rare”.
SV9 117/100 — SR, Battle Partners (takuyoa)
The database shows the SR icon on 117/100 and credits takuyoa. Limitless TCG uses the label “Secret Rare” for SV9 #117; the Japanese rarity code on the database row is SR (Super Rare).
SV9 131/100 — UR, Battle Partners (takuyoa)
The Ultra Rare 131/100 is the fourth Battle Partners row. The database shows the UR icon and credits takuyoa, and Limitless TCG labels SV9 #131 “Ultra Rare”.
MC 470/742 — Start Deck 100 Battle Collection (takuyoa)
The deck print sits in スタートデッキ100 バトルコレクション (Start Deck 100 Battle Collection) as 470/742. The database row shows no rarity icon and credits takuyoa. Limitless TCG lists Starter Decks 100 Battle Collection #470 among the prints of the card.
On the English side, Limitless TCG lists four N’s Zoroark ex prints in Journey Together, #98, #175, #185 and #189, in addition to Ascended Heroes #137 and #286.
Two SARs, Two Artists: M2a 242/193 and SV9 127/100
N’s Zoroark ex has two Japanese SAR prints in the official database, and they are different illustrations by different artists. SV9 127/100 from Battle Partners is credited to Megumi Mizutani; M2a 242/193 from MEGA Dream ex is credited to Raita Kazama. The TCG Awards finalist entry, 286/217, is credited to Raita Kazama.
| Field | M2a 242/193 | SV9 127/100 |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」 | 拡張パック「バトルパートナーズ」 |
| Release in Japan (official page) | November 28, 2025 | January 24, 2025 |
| Rarity (database) | SAR | SAR |
| Illustrator credit | Raita Kazama | Megumi Mizutani |
| Database card ID | 50002 | 47247 |
| Limitless TCG label | Special Art Rare | Special Art Rare |
| TCG Awards | Japanese counterpart of the winning English 286/217 | Not among the three finalists |
Card text, HP, type, ability and attack are identical on the two SARs. The set code and number separate them (M2a 242/193 against SV9 127/100), and the illustrator credit confirms which artwork a card carries. The Battle Partners SAR has its own page: N’s Zoroark ex SAR 127/100 Card Guide.
Raita Kazama: What His Official Site Lists
風間雷太 (Raita Kazama) describes himself on his official site, kazamaraita.com, as an illustrator (イラストレーター) who mainly handles character design and illustration (“主にキャラクターデザイン、イラストを手掛けます。”). The site introduction lists his works as 『Xenoblade』, 『XenobladeX』, 『Puzzle＆Dragons』, 『Border Break』, 『ブリガンダイン ルーナジア戦記』 and 『マーセナリーズウィングス』, followed by “等” (and others).
A news entry dated September 2024 announces his first art book, 『Anneu [アノー]』, published by Genkosha (玄光社): “玄光社様より風間雷太の初画集が出版されました.” His X account is @kazamaraita, which his official site links and which the TCG Awards tagged in the Artwork of the Year post.
The illustrator credit on M2a 242/193 comes from the official Japanese card database, which prints “Raita Kazama” on that row. Our profile of the artist is our Raita Kazama profile.
The Mega Dream ex (M2a) Booster Box
M2a 242/193 and M2a 112/193 both come from High Class Pack MEGA Dream ex, released in Japan on November 28, 2025 according to the official M2a expansion page. We list the Japanese booster box of that set.
The official database prints both M2a rows with the product name ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」 and numbers out of 193: 242/193 for the SAR credited to Raita Kazama and 112/193 for the RR credited to takuyoa.
Where to Buy N’s Zoroark ex from Japan
The Japanese counterpart of the award card, N’s Zoroark ex SAR M2a 242/193 in PSA 10, is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥14,092 (~$92) — sourced to order; the product page shows the current terms. How a back order works is explained in Back Order a PSA 10 Card from Japan: How It Works. PSA 10 designates Gem Mint condition per PSA’s published grading standards.
The Battle Partners prints are also offered as PSA 10 back orders: the SV9 127/100 SAR by Megumi Mizutani at ¥16,682 (~$108), the SV9 117/100 SR at ¥8,100 (~$53) and the SV9 131/100 UR at ¥10,365 (~$67).
The MEGA Dream ex booster box is on its product page, and cards from the set are on the Mega Dream ex card list. Sourcing requests for a specific card go through Quick Order.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where did N’s Zoroark ex win Artwork of the Year?
At the first TCG Awards gala on October 22, 2026, during SPIEL Essen 2026 at Messe Essen in Essen, Germany. The result was announced the same evening on the TCG Awards’ official Instagram account, crediting the card to Raita Kazama. As of October 23, 2026, the official website showed the finalists and no winners page.
How was the Artwork of the Year winner chosen?
Artwork of the Year is one of five Community Awards in the Product Excellence group, which the official TCG Awards site lists as voted by the community and sponsored by KAYOU. The finalists page named three finalists in alphabetical order: Ahri-Inquisitive, Armageddon and N’s Zoroark ex, from Riftbound, Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon.
Which N’s Zoroark ex card won the award?
The finalists page lists the English N’s Zoroark ex 286/217 from Ascended Heroes, credited to Raita Kazama. Its Japanese counterpart is the SAR M2a 242/193 from the High Class Pack MEGA Dream ex, released in Japan on November 28, 2025, which the official Japanese database also credits to Raita Kazama.
How do the two Japanese N’s Zoroark ex SAR cards differ?
They are different illustrations by different artists. M2a 242/193 from MEGA Dream ex is credited to Raita Kazama, while SV9 127/100 from Battle Partners, released on January 24, 2025, is credited to Megumi Mizutani. The card text is identical, so the set code and number are what separate the two prints.
Who is Raita Kazama?
Raita Kazama (風間雷太) is an illustrator whose official site says he mainly handles character design and illustration. The site lists works including Xenoblade, Xenoblade X, Puzzle & Dragons and Border Break, and announces his first art book, Anneu, published by Genkosha in September 2024. His X account is @kazamaraita.
How can I buy the Japanese award card from Japan?
The Japanese counterpart, N’s Zoroark ex SAR M2a 242/193, is offered in PSA 10 on its back-order page, and the MEGA Dream ex booster box has its own product page. Sourcing requests for other N’s Zoroark ex prints go through Quick Order.
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