POCKET MONSTERS / BANDAI / JAPAN, 1996
Before
the Booster.
The fronts you recognize. The backs you might have missed. A complete illustrated reference to the 1996 Carddass Parts 1 and 2 release, researched and compiled by satoshi.
237 pages · Original imagery · English interpretations · Sources included
OPEN THE BOOK ↗Pocket Monsters.
The world behind Pokémon.
These are Japanese Pocket Monsters cards from 1996. Pokémon is the shortened name for the same franchise. The book starts with that connection, then follows the objects through their design, distribution, and printed history.
CHOOSE YOUR STARTING POINT
Look closer. Turn it over.
PAGE 007
Identify the card
Front details, numbers, and the maker line.
PAGE 014
From the machine
Vending, factory boxes, and the surviving evidence.
PAGE 032
The hidden illustrations
Eleven Itoh backs, with photographs and art studies.
PAGE 051
Titles, maps, and lists
The seven special cards that complete the release.
THE COMPLETE RESEARCH COLLECTION
A home for the whole project.
Browse the catalog
Search by name, part, prism status, and Itoh reverse. Compare red and green.
02 / ALL TOGETHERComplete set views
Part 1 and Part 2, each in its own downloadable image with both colors and every special.
03 / KEEP A COPYDownload the book
The complete PDF with bookmarks, selectable text, and a fillable master checklist.
THE SOURCES STAY WITH THE STORY
Follow the evidence.
The book documents its research cutoff and the limits of surviving evidence. Image quality varies with the original photograph. New findings can improve the record; corrections and additional sources are welcome.