Three of Japan’s most collected Trainer alt-art cards from the last five years share one illustrator credit: saino misaki.
Nessa’s Secret Rare from VMAX Climax, Erika’s Invitation from Pokémon Card 151, and Melony’s Special Art Rare from VSTAR Universe all list “saino misaki” as the artist on Limitless TCG — three different sets, three different Gym Leaders, one name behind the artwork. If you’ve been trying to work out who illustrated any of these three cards, or which of your other Japanese pulls share the same artist, this guide gathers what’s publicly documented about saino misaki and lists every card currently listed on our site in PSA 10.
saino misaki is credited on 51 Japanese-language cards and 43 English-language cards in the Limitless TCG database. The three flagship Trainer alt-arts covered here are Nessa SR (VMAX Climax, currently listed at ¥15,400 / ~$97), Erika’s Invitation SR (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) (Pokémon Card 151, ¥23,496 / ~$148), and Melony SAR (VSTAR Universe, ¥10,912 / ~$69). Bulbapedia records the artist’s debut credits as Flaaffy and Mimikyu V from the Japanese VMAX Climax subset.
Prices below are our current listings as of September 2026, converted at ¥159/USD. Card release dates and artist credits are sourced from Limitless TCG and Bulbapedia as cited throughout.
Who Is saino misaki?
Public documentation on saino misaki is thin, and we’re not filling the gaps with guesswork. Bulbapedia’s page on the artist uses the pronoun “they” throughout, and we’ve followed that convention here — no gender, no real name, and no biography beyond what’s published anywhere we could verify.
What is documented: according to Bulbapedia, saino misaki’s first Pokémon TCG credits were Flaaffy and Mimikyu V, both from the Japanese VMAX Climax subset (later reprinted into the English Silver Tempest and Brilliant Stars sets). From that debut, the artist’s Trainer alt-art work has become some of the more recognisable Supporter card art in recent Japanese sets.
Card counts vary depending on how you’re counting. A Limitless TCG artist search returns 51 cards tagged “saino misaki” in the Japanese-language database and 43 cards in the English-language database — these totals include reprints across languages and sets. Bulbapedia’s own count, which tracks unique artwork rather than every printing, lists 41 cards plus 16 more in Pokémon TCG Pocket. Neither figure is wrong — they’re counting different things, so we’re citing each separately rather than adding them together.
Whether saino misaki works alone or as part of a studio isn’t stated on Bulbapedia or anywhere else we could verify, so we’re leaving that question open rather than assuming either way.
Every saino misaki Card We Cover
Five cards with a confirmed saino misaki artist credit on their Limitless TCG pages:
| 카드 | Set (JP) | No. | Rarity | Set release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nessa (ルリナ) | VMAX Climax (S8b) | 277/184 | Secret Rare (SR) | 03 Dec 2021 |
| Erika’s Invitation (エリカの招待) | Pokémon Card 151 (SV2a) | 196/165 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) | Secret Rare (SR) | 16 Jun 2023 |
| Melony (メロン) | VSTAR Universe (S12a) | 244/172 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) | Special Art Rare (SAR) | 02 Dec 2022 |
| Furisode Girl (ふりそで) | Incandescent Arcana (S11a) | 082 | Secret Rare | — |
| Pachirisu (パチリス) | Shiny Treasure ex (SV4a) | 243 | Shiny Rare | — |
The next three sections cover the cards currently listed on our site in PSA 10 in detail; the two after that round out saino misaki’s broader Trainer and Pokémon work for context.
A shared character doesn’t mean a shared illustrator. Different printings of the same Trainer are frequently illustrated by different artists across sets, and even within the same set. Always check the specific card number against its Limitless TCG page rather than assuming based on the character alone.
Nessa SR — VMAX Climax (S8b 277/184)
Nessa, the Water-type Gym Leader from Galar, received her Secret Rare Supporter treatment in VMAX Climax (S8b), released 03 December 2021 — card 277 out of a 184-card base set, the telltale numbering of a secret rare slot. The artist credit on the Limitless TCG card page is saino misaki.
We currently have a PSA 10 copy listed at ¥15,400 (~$97). For the full print run and every other Nessa card across sets, our dedicated Nessa card guide covers pricing and variants in more depth — this article stays focused on the illustrator angle.
Erika’s Invitation SR — Pokémon Card 151 (SV2a 196/165)
Erika’s Invitation is one of the standout Secret Rares from Pokémon Card 151 (SV2a), released 16 June 2023 — card 196 in a 165-card base set. The same artist credit appears on Limitless: saino misaki.
This is the highest-value of the three flagship cards in this guide. Our PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥23,496 (~$148) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). For the full Pokémon Card 151 set list, see our Pokémon Card 151 (SV2a) card list, and our separate Erika card guide covers every Erika printing across sets, not just this one.
View Product → (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order)
Melony SAR — VSTAR Universe (S12a 244/172)
Melony, the Ice-type Gym Leader introduced alongside Nessa in the Galar region, appears as a Special Art Rare in VSTAR Universe (S12a), released 02 December 2022 — card 244 in a 172-card base set. Limitless credits the artwork to saino misaki.
Our PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥10,912 (~$69) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), the most affordable entry point among the three flagship cards here. For the rest of the set’s chase cards, see our VSTAR Universe (S12a) card list.
Other saino misaki Illustrations
Beyond the three flagship Trainer alt-arts above, saino misaki’s Limitless credit list runs to dozens of cards. Two more worth flagging, both outside our current PSA 10 stock but useful for spotting the artist’s style elsewhere in your collection:
Furisode Girl is listed under that name on Limitless (ふりそで as printed on the Japanese card) as a Secret Rare from Incandescent Arcana. Pachirisu appears as a Shiny Rare in Shiny Treasure ex — a single-Pokémon illustration rather than the full-scene Trainer art the artist is better known for. Both confirm the same credit pattern: Trainer Supporters and select Pokémon across multiple Scarlet & Violet-era Japanese sets.
Where saino misaki’s Work Appears Online
Bulbapedia lists several public profile links for saino misaki, and we checked that each one still resolves as of September 2026: ArtStation, Pixiv, a Tumblr, and a YouTube channel. We haven’t reviewed what’s posted on any of them, so we can’t speak to the content — they’re included here purely as the documented links for anyone who wants to see the artist’s broader portfolio. An older personal-site URL listed in some records no longer resolves and isn’t included.
Where to Buy These Cards from Japan
All three flagship cards in this guide — Nessa SR, Erika’s Invitation SR, and Melony SAR — are graded PSA 10 and ship from our Tokyo warehouse with tracked delivery. Current listings:
- PSA 10 Nessa SR [S8b 277/184] — ¥15,400 (~$97)
- PSA 10 Erika’s Invitation SR [SV2a 196/165] (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) — ¥23,496 (~$148)
- PSA 10 Melony SAR [S12a 244/172] (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) — ¥10,912 (~$69)
Looking for raw copies, the Flaaffy/Mimikyu V debut cards, or the Furisode Girl and Pachirisu prints instead? Send us the card name and set through our Quick Order page and we’ll check current availability out of Japan. For related Trainer alt-art work by a different illustrator, our kirisaki illustrator guide and female Pokémon Trainer card roundup are good next reads, and our PSA 10 Trainer card buying guide covers grading considerations across the whole category.
자주 묻는 질문
Who is saino misaki?
saino misaki is a Pokémon TCG illustrator credited on 51 Japanese-language cards and 43 English-language cards in the Limitless TCG database. Bulbapedia, which uses “they” for the artist, records their first cards as Flaaffy and Mimikyu V from the Japanese VMAX Climax subset. No real name, gender, or studio affiliation has been publicly confirmed.
How many Pokémon cards has saino misaki illustrated?
It depends on how you count. Limitless TCG’s artist search returns 51 cards in its Japanese-language database and 43 in its English-language database, which include reprints across sets. Bulbapedia’s count tracks unique artwork instead and lists 41 cards plus 16 more in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
What was saino misaki’s first Pokémon card?
According to Bulbapedia, saino misaki’s debut credits were Flaaffy and Mimikyu V, both from the Japanese VMAX Climax subset, later reprinted into the English Silver Tempest and Brilliant Stars sets.
Are Nessa SR and Erika’s Invitation SR illustrated by the same artist?
Yes. Both cards list saino misaki as the artist on their respective Limitless TCG pages, along with Melony SAR from VSTAR Universe.
Where can I buy PSA 10 saino misaki cards from Japan?
PSA 10 copies of Nessa SR, Erika’s Invitation SR, and Melony SAR are currently listed on our site, all shipped from Tokyo with tracked delivery. For other prints, our Quick Order page can check current availability.
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