Salazzle Pokémon TCG Art: Artist Profile and Signature Style

In TCG ·

Salazzle card art from Sword & Shield SwSh1-28 by Tomokazu Komiya

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Salazzle Artistry: A Fire-Lit Portrait by Tomokazu Komiya

Few Pokémon TCG artworks capture the electric tension between elegance and danger the way Tomokazu Komiya does with Salazzle. The swsh1-28 card places a female Salazzle in a dramatic, heat-washed moment that feels both intimate and predatory. The artwork echoes the card’s in-game identity: a Fire-type threat that can burn away an opponent’s momentum with a sly, almost theatrical flair. Komiya’s line work emphasizes fluid motion—cape-like flames curling around Salazzle—and uses a bold contrast of warm oranges and crimson against darker shadows. The result is not just a pretty card, but a character moment that invites players to imagine Salazzle’s pheromone-laced presence in battle, as described in the flavor text: only female Salandit exist, and they emit a gas laden with pheromones to captivate male Salandit.

Signature Style of Tomokazu Komiya

Komiya’s artistry for this piece embraces a few recurring hallmarks that fans recognize across Sword & Shield era cards. First, the dramatic lighting—a glow that seems to emanate from Salazzle herself—gives depth to a two-dimensional surface, making the figure feel almost sculpted in heat. Second, the dynamic composition places the Pokémon in a poised, mid-action stance, as if Salazzle is about to unleash Searing Flame. Third, the textural contrast between smooth, almost glassy skin and the smoky, diffuse gas around Salazzle adds an atmospheric layer that hints at the aromatic, pheromonal theme of the creature. Finally, Komiya leans into a palette that emphasizes warm yellows, oranges, and reds, with careful touches of purple-blue shadows to push forward the sense of heat and danger. The result is a piece that feels alive on the battlefield and worthy of display for collectors who value storytelling as much as mechanics.

In this Saltine-spark of a moment, the card’s lore threads into the illustration: Salazzle, the evolved form of Salandit, exudes pheromones that captivate, and the art suggests a scene where both potency and risk mingle in the air. This is not a flashy explosion alone; it’s a poised, controlled blaze—exactly the kind of image that resonates with players who appreciate how a single card can convey personality, strategy, and a hint of shadowy mystery.

Card Details and How They Echo the Artwork

  • Name: Salazzle
  • Set: Sword & Shield (swsh1)
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Stage: Stage 1 (evolves from Salandit)
  • HP: 120
  • Type: Fire
  • Attacks:
    • Searing Flame — Cost: Fire; 20 damage. Your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now Burned.
    • Bright Flame — Cost: Fire, Colorless; 120 damage. Discard 2 Energy from this Pokémon.
  • Weakness: Water ×2
  • Illustrator: Tomokazu Komiya
  • Regulation: D

Thematically, the art and the card text align in a way that rewards deliberate plays. The Searing Flame burn concept mirrors the warm glow that suffuses the artwork, while Bright Flame’s heavy energy cost pairs with Salazzle’s Fire typing to encourage thoughtful resource management. The image’s intensity also reflects the card’s strategic risk: a powerful attack that can win games, but requires careful planning and energy investment, much like the figure’s poised, controlled center in Komiya’s composition.

Collector Insights: Rarity, Value, and Format Landscape

As an Uncommon from Sword & Shield, Salazzle swsh1-28 sits in a comfortable niche for both players and collectors. The card does not feature a holo foil, which keeps it within a more approachable price tier for casual collectors, yet the art by Komiya raises its desirability among fans who chase signature-style pieces from the era. In market terms, Cardmarket shows a gentle slide in value for non-holo examples, with EUR averages typically in a few tenths of a euro, and the holo variants enjoying higher end values. TCGPlayer paints a similar picture in USD terms for non-holo copies, with market prices often hovering at or below a dollar for most listings, but with occasional spikes for near-mint examples or when bundled with Salazzle’s evolution line in a competitive deck.

For players, Salazzle’s Fire typing is a reminder of the broader Sword & Shield era gameday realities: an expanded format rotation means certain standard-legal staples shift, and Salazzle’s regulation mark D places it in Expanded rather than Standard, which can influence how and where collectors and players curate their collections. The card’s 120 HP is sturdy for a Stage 1, and the dual-attack setup invites strategies that center on quick aggression with Searing Flame enabling a burn status, followed by a high-damage push with Bright Flame—balanced by the energy discard requirement. The 2× Water weakness remains a reminder of local meta, encouraging players to pair Salazzle with energy acceleration and tech Water counters in certain matchups.

Artistically, Salazzle remains a standout example of Komiya’s ability to convey temperament and tension without sacrificing legibility. Collectors who adore signature SVG (signature variant) styles or who seek to celebrate the Sword & Shield rotation era will likely smile at this card—not only for its gameplay potential but for its narrative heft. The piece captures a moment where elegance and danger circulate in equal measure, a signature of Komiya’s approach to Fire-type Pokémon that fans have come to recognize and celebrate.

Display, Deck, and Display-Worthy Tips

If you’re looking to feature Salazzle swsh1-28 in a collector display, consider pairing the card with other Komiya-drawn pieces from Sword & Shield to emphasize a thread of artistry across the set. A small display case featuring a note about the illustration and the character’s lore—the pheromone prowess of Salazzle—helps guests appreciate the storytelling behind the flames. For gameplay, Salazzle shines in decks that can fuel Bright Flame while managing energy efficiently; leverage Fire-energy accelerators and supportive trainer cards to maximize the chance of delivering the 120-damage punch when the moment is right.

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