Crystal Shard
NO. 76Crystal Guardians
Uncommon
IllustratedBy / illustrator index
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Artist file
Takumi Akabane
50Illustrated cards
50Full-card views
22Sets indexed
2000–2009Timeline
About
Takumi Akabane is a prominent figure in the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG), serving as its Creative Director from around 2001 to 2008. He was instrumental in the game's creation alongside Tsunekazu Ishihara and Kouichi Ooyama. Akabane is known for illustrating several special Energy cards, including Rainbow Energy, Aqua Energy, and Double Rainbow Energy, but he did not illustrate character or Pokémon images. His contributions extend beyond illustration; he is credited as a Game Designer, Director, and Art Director in the original Japanese Rulebook credits for the Base Set. The number of cards he illustrated varies slightly by source, with reports indicating he worked on approximately 52 to 53 cards. Notably, he is not the illustrator of the rare Pikachu Illustrator card, which was created by Atsuko Nishida. Akabane's work has significantly influenced the TCG, which has produced over 75 billion cards worldwide as of March 2025.
Official & social
Strongest lane
EX
28 mirrored cards make this the easiest first trail.
Timeline
2000–2009
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Signature plate
Multi Energy
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Current pull
Uncommon
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