In claiming that Pokémon TCG Pocket has fan art designs, the creators noted that Pokémon's legal terms may allow the company to monetize any fan-made content

The Pokémon Fan Community is concerned and has copied a fan artwork to create a card Pokémon TCG Pocket.

But as frustration spread, others pointed out Pokémon's official position on Fanart – which shows that the company can do anything as it wants.

This morning, Pokémon fan artist lanjiujiu Posted Comparative images of a piece of art they created in 2021 show the legendary bird ho-oh, and the upcoming card of Pokémon TCG Pocket's 2025 Ocean and Sky Wisdom, showing Ho-Oh in exactly the same pose.

Lanjiujiu's post on X/Twitter quickly caught the attention of other Pokémon fans and prompted another user to make a video comparison showing the two artworks largely the same until the bird's individual feathers.

Fans suggest that the Pokémon artists engaged in this official card design have traced Lanjiujiu's artwork and did this without providing credibility. Meanwhile, Lanjiujiu seems to have learned about the situation this morning, as the wisdom of cards from the ocean and the sky is printed by data.

Lanjiujiu's new Pokémon TCG immersive ho-oh artwork seems to be tracked from fans in 2021.

The entire viewing angle, the wing shape and the overall feather size are largely the same. pic.twitter.com/k8avrerq6r

-Lewtwo (@lwchube) July 29, 2025

Lanjiujiu wrote on X/Twitter (translated by AI), admitting that their original 2021 artwork was a commission paid by others and that it is always possible that the data shared by the shooting card design is fake.

“I was just shocked after seeing the leaked image, so I posted it.” Lanjiujiu Write. “As a fan, I’m probably the least willing to believe it.”

Lanjiujiu's 2021 artwork appears to have been originally commissioned by PC House Studio, a company that produces and sells informal models of anime and video game characters. Indeed, the 2022 model featuring Ho-Oh and other legendary birds looks to have the same pose as Lanjiujiu's artwork – meaning the official Pokémon TCG Pocket card now also has the same pose as this pirated statue.

For the attention, the official artwork has been forged – because the ocean and sky expansion wisdom of Pokémon TCG pockets is technically not available until tomorrow), there is no doubt that fans have no doubt about its authenticity. The content of the entire collection has been strategically designed and published online on many Pokémon fan sites, including reliable ones Serebii. There are even recording In the stylish immersive art on this card, the aforementioned HO-OH designs are shown soaring around other Pokémon.

But even if this is a direct copy, does it matter from a legal point of view? Fans were quick to point out Pokémon's legal stance on Fanart, which showed that the company was free to rule over any creator-made content it hoped in exchange for allowing fans to use its design.

“Distribution in any form and any channels now known or in the future of derivative works based on the copyrighted property trademarks, service marks, trade names and other proprietary property (Fan Art) of The Pokémon Company International, Inc., its affiliates and licensors (Pokémon) constitutions a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license from the Fan Art's Creator for any purpose Legal information read.

In other words, if you make Pokémon fan art available to others, you will also provide Pokémon Company with what it wants to do.

“Fan Art creator gives up any claims that the use of the Fan Art violentes any of their rights, including moral rights, privacy rights, proprietary rights publicity rights, rights to credit for material or ideas or any other right, including the right to approve the way such material is used. In no uncertain terms, does Pokémon's use of Fan Art constitution a grant to Fan Art's creator to use the Pokémon intelligent property or Fan Art beyond a personal, noncommercial home use.”

Here, Pokémon Company notes that if it uses their work, it won’t see a need for notification or credit to the art creator, and that the creator has no say in how it is used.

Speaking with IGN host Richard Hoeg, a legal expert in video games industry, said the statement is an admission that fans will create their own Pokémon art, but ultimately, from a legal standpoint, any openly shared design falls under the ownership of Pokémon.

“It effectively says 'look, we (TPC/Nintendo) are still the only people allowed to make spin-offs (including fan art), but we all know you'll do that,” Hoeg said.

Will such a legal position hold water?

“I think this is likely to work,” Hoeg said, “TPC/Nintendo's suggestion promise will not sue fan artists for infringement (as a valid license that both parties need to consider),”

Fans quickly suggested that Lanjiujiu should raise the problem, but there seems to be no sign of it happening at the moment – Considering Pokémon's legal possibilityit seems unlikely. Meanwhile, IGN has contacted Pokémon for comments and asked if the card can remain available despite the anger.

Tom Phillips is the news editor for IGN. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on the Blues @tomphillipseg.bsky.social