I hate to admit it, but I am a huge Pokemon fan. I absolutely adore the anime and I'm always first in line to buy the games. Whether it's the plethora of cute monsters that run around in the land of Pokemon or Satoshi's disposition, I've watched Pokemon since its initial US release in September 1998(and coincidentally got the rest of my college dorm hooked on the cute creatures too...).

When I saw this cel on Mandarake's BWA 33, I was kind of hesitant to get it. Pokemon is one of the few animes that initially was done on cels only to switch over mid-way through the Johto arc(season 3). Artwork, regardless of season, tends to be impossible to find. I was thrilled to win this cel, especially since it's such a great piece that perfectly captures the spirit of both characters.

I brought this cel and an extra layer of acetate with me to Anime Expo this year to have it signed by Masamitsu Hidaka, one of the directors of the original TV series. Hidaka was not in the mood to draw anything, but I begged him to just draw Pikachu. The extra acetate was signed by him, along with what probably amounts to the world's ugliest Pikachu.


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