The Ghost Beneath the Smile
Among Pokemon’s most mysterious designs, Mimikyu 198/SM-P stands apart — a 2018 Japanese promo from the Sun & Moon Promos collection, drawn by the talented Saya Tsuruta.
It’s not a powerful GX, nor a flashy EX. It’s quiet, pink, and unsettlingly sweet — and that’s precisely what makes it unforgettable.
While collectors chase Charizards and full-art legendaries, this card thrives in the shadows — both literally and thematically. Mimikyu hides beneath its Pikachu disguise, hoping to be loved, and in that disguise, we find something human: a fragile need to be seen.
Saya Tsuruta — The Artist of Quiet Emotion
Saya Tsuruta is one of Pokemon’s most poetic illustrators. Her works, including Mimikyu 198/SM-P and Rowlet SM-P Promo #303, blend traditional watercolor textures with soft digital layering.
She captures emotion not through drama, but through subtlety — the way light filters across the frame, or the way Mimikyu’s eyes seem to glisten through a fragile smile.
“I wanted to make the viewer feel like Mimikyu was trying to smile, even if it hurt,” — Saya Tsuruta (2018 interview, Pokemon Illustration Book Vol. 3).
Her approach turns Mimikyu 198/SM-P into a visual haiku — a balance of melancholy, innocence, and eerie tenderness.
The Origins of the Card — Promo 198/SM-P
- Set: Sun & Moon Promos (Japan)
- Card number: 198/SM-P
- Release year: 2018
- Rarity: Promo (P)
- Illustrator: Saya Tsuruta
- Type: Fairy (pre-Sword & Shield rotation)
- Move set: “Play Rough じゃれつく” and “Mimic ものまね”
- Market trend: Around €270–€350 for NM raw cards; PSA 10 versions between €800–€2,600 depending on set pairing.Sources: CardMarket, TCGRepublic, eBay.
This promo wasn’t available in boosters — only via a limited Japanese promotional campaign, paired with a special Mimikyu’s Confession mini-art booklet, making it one of the rarest Sun & Moon promo cards in circulation.
A Story of Loneliness and Disguise
Mimikyu’s lore is rooted in sadness:
“A lonely Pokemon that hides under a rag so it can be loved like Pikachu.”
Tsuruta’s artwork frames that emotion. The background is a dreamlike haze of lavender and silver sparkles, echoing both comfort and melancholy. The choice of pastel pink over the typical dark ghost palette signals empathy — not fear.
Where Mitsuhiro Arita’s works speak in legend and power, Tsuruta’s whispers of isolation and longing.
It’s this whisper that makes collectors cherish it — not as a card of strength, but of soul.
Collector Insight — The Ghost of Rarity
Because of its limited release and gentle artwork, Mimikyu 198/SM-P has become a cult favorite among serious collectors, especially during Halloween and the “ghost type season” of October.
It’s frequently displayed alongside cards like:
- Gengar (Base Set No. 094) by Keiji Kinebuchi
- Mewtwo Lv. 53 (Base Set #150) by Ken Sugimori
- Bulbasaur Base Set #44/102 by Mitsuhiro Arita
Together, they form a narrative arc — from light to darkness, life to shadow, innocence to haunting.
At Foil Tavern, we believe this Mimikyu belongs in that lineage: a ghost that doesn’t terrify, but mourns.
Displaying Mimikyu — Art in Disguise
To display this card properly:
- Use a HexCase Display or similar acrylic wood hybrid frame with hidden magnets to emphasize its fragility.
- Set soft white or violet lighting to highlight the glitter effect.
- Pair it with natural elements: pressed flowers, linen backdrops, or vintage wood grain.
When presented this way, Mimikyu stops being “just a card.”
It becomes an artifact of empathy — a ghost in glass.
Foil Tavern Reflections
At Foil Tavern, we’ve always believed that collector displays should tell stories.
Mimikyu 198/SM-P is one of those rare cards that speaks of vulnerability in a world of power.
It’s not about rarity — it’s about resonance.
It’s not about ghosts — it’s about the souls behind them.
Whether you’re a TCG collector or an art enthusiast, Mimikyu reminds us that beauty often hides behind a mask.