Battle Partners
Journey Together
Journey Together centres on the bonds between Trainers and their Pokémon — the SV era's most emotionally resonant set, headlined by N's Zoroark ex and Iono's Bellibolt ex.
Battle Partners (SV9) launched in Japan on 24 January 2025 with a clear editorial focus: the relationship between a Trainer and their most trusted Pokémon partner. Where earlier SV sets emphasised spectacle, SV9 leaned into character — its SIRs read more like illustrated moments than action stills. N's Zoroark ex SAR became the standout pull, pairing the enigmatic N with Zoroark in a composition that felt narratively complete. The EN edition, Journey Together, arrived 28 March 2025 with an expanded 193-card roster, adding secondary SIRs and Trainer cards that deepened the emotional palette of the set.
Chase Pulls
N and Zoroark are connected through the events of Pokémon Black and White — the illusion Pokémon's nature, hiding what is real, mirrors N's own masked truth. Ryota Murayama captures them at dusk in what appears to be Dragonspiral Tower, N looking away while Zoroark watches the viewer directly. The asymmetry — the human avoidant, the Pokémon attentive — gives the SAR a psychological texture most alt-arts don't attempt. It is the defining pull of the set.
Iono — Levincia's electric Gym Leader and the TCG era's most energetic Trainer card subject — gets a set-specific SIR featuring her alongside Bellibolt, the EleFrog Pokémon that defines her team. Atsushi Furusawa renders the pair in a crackling broadcast studio, Iono mid-pose for her live stream while Bellibolt generates electricity behind her. The composition channels Iono's personality perfectly: maximum output, zero restraint.
Hop and Zacian is a pairing from the Pokémon Sword lore — the Hero's Sword and the young rival who grew up to champion the Galar region's defence. Yuu Nishida illustrates them outside Slumbering Weald, Zacian holding its rusted sword in its teeth while Hop stands beside it with quiet pride. It's a card about arriving — the awkward rival who found his purpose. The EN market has been the stronger performer for this card.
Lillie's connection to Clefairy is a Alola-era narrative thread — her evolving confidence as a Trainer is reflected in a Pokémon that starts timid and becomes extraordinary. Naoki Saito illustrates them on Aether Paradise under a full moon, Lillie holding a Clefairy close as the sky fills with Clefairy of various sizes. The composition is warm, personal, and beautifully lit. Pricing still settling.
Kouki Saitou gives Salamence ex a high-altitude SAR composition — the Dragon/Flying pseudo-legendary banking above a mountain range, wings fully extended, the world reduced to cloud and sky below. Salamence's characteristic red-on-blue colour scheme benefits enormously from the SAR full-art treatment. The card is oriented vertically within the horizontal card format in a way that emphasises its wingspan. Pricing still being established.
Edition Notes
Battle Partners (SV9) is a 159-card Japanese print. The JP SAR for N's Zoroark ex is considered one of the finest alt-arts in the SV era — the JP holo scatter pattern on this particular card has received specific attention from collectors who have held both versions. JP release on 24 January 2025 gave collectors nearly two months ahead of EN to establish pricing, with N's Zoroark SAR consistently trading above £50 JP.
Journey Together (SV9) expanded to 193 EN cards, adding additional SIR Trainer slots not present in JP. EN release on 28 March 2025. EN card numbers diverge past 159. The EN expansion introduced Hop's Zacian SIR (a Pokémon Sword-era pairing that brought a Galar dimension to a largely character-agnostic set) and boosted the Trainer SIR count significantly. EN Iono's Bellibolt ex SIR has maintained a notable EN premium over JP.