What does Shadowless mean?
In the first months when I started again collecting Cards of the Pokemon, I am encapsulated several times in this exotic term, seeing it often connected to Cards apparently "normal."
In this article I will teach you to distinguish a paper Shadowless from one who is not, extending this guide also to other products Wizards from which these Cards They come.
Shadowless, literally "without shadow", is a term that sums up a series of graphic differences that characterized the products of the SET BASE and ONLY in English. I define differences because I don't think they were errors made by the graphs. Wizardsbut rather than the first print print were then improved more calmly in later versions.
• CARDS
All English-language cards presenting the First Edition symbol (1st Ed.) are Shadowless except for Machamp, which is always Prima Ed., exists in SL and non-e. The problem obviously arises with Unlimited cards which, in the absence of the bubble, should be identified with shortcomings.
For comparison we will use a Machamp First Edition:
At first sight yes, the Cards They're different, but how much?
First you will notice that the drawing of Machamp in the paper Shadowless is darker, this difference is due to a greater saturation applied in colours artwork.
Let's go to detail now:
The famous shadows that are missing are well visible in this comparison of the lateral and lower part of the panel containing the Pokemon. In general, the correction took place to ensure that the panel has a much more detected and three-dimensional effect, unlike the first prints where box is flat, as if it was glued to the background. The characteristic pane is much more blurred and less readable (note the written Superpower), subsequently corrected to be well readable and homogeneous. We pass to other details:
In the cards Shadowless I'm sorry. Life points (HP - Heath Points) have a very subtle character, unlike the Cards correct that have bold writing; in the attacks Instead, the cards have been changed in order to have the writing, in this case "Seismic Toss", bigger and readable. Another detail we see from the boxattack I'm here. energy which are generally decentralized and dark in the first prints, in particular theenergy It turns out almost grey. Finally, the most important detail in my opinion, which will give you the absolute certainty of being faced with a rare Shadowless:
I Copyrights present between the name of theillustrator and numbering/rarity of the paper they have a refuso. In fact Shadowless is present the repetition of the year 1999 both in reduced form, which extends alongside the writing Wizards. In the correct version it was decided to maintain the latter at the expense of the reduced form.
This last detail, at least according to my experience, is the most immediate to search, especially by controlling many Cards together.
The details are the same for all and 102 I'll give you the Cards members basic setwhether they are Holo, rare rare, not common or municipalities.
There are even differences within the same Shadowless set, showing a series of intermediate corrections, which then became definitive with the set unlimited. An example is Pikachu Red Cheeks:
Pikachu Shadowless: Yellow Cheeks vs Red Cheeks. Photos ♪ (Click on the image --> Instagram)
Initially Pikachu had been portrayed with cheeks (Cheeks) of red colour, according to theartwork original of Mitsuhiro Arita. This detail, perhaps no longer considered aesthetically acceptable by Nintendo, was corrected in a later version Shadowless, without permission of the illustrator, with yellow color. This change was then maintained in all the others reprints, making the Pikechu Red Cheeks more rare and characteristic, probably one of misprint most famous in the world TC.
Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur Holo in Shadowless version. Photos 100charizards (Click on the image --> Instagram)
Hitmonchan Holo in Shadowless version. Photos pokemongreat (Click on the image --> Instagram)
BUSTINE - PACCHETTI (BOOSTER)
As for Cards also the first versions of packages have undergone a restyling graph, which is very useful in the field collections. The bags presenting the characteristics Shadowless in fact have a high probability (but not certain) to contain 11 Cards of the same, rare, type.
The differences are obvious:
(1) The writing TRADING CARD GAME, initially positioned in the lower part of the package, has been relocated in the upper part under the written Pokemon. In addition to the three Cards open to fan were removed.
2) The writing "11 Tradable Game Cards" was replaced with "11 Additional Game Cards".
There are many other details such as the height of the sealing, saturation, etc. but they are all secondary because already with these two details you can easily distinguish the differences.
Regarding the back of the bag, you all know the ESPERTI bubble that identifies the products of expansion?
In packages Shadowless This boil is absent:
In this case the logo Wizards it is not to be considered a difference, as the photo of the ESPERTI bubble is of a package Italian, then printed in Belgium.
At this point the next question is "how do you know from which box come the Shadowless packages?"
• BUSTINE BOX (BOOSTER BOX)
Boxes that may contain packages Shadowless are easily distinguishable for such an iconic feature to have them renamed "Green Wings"that is green wings, but wings of what?
Of course those of the most beloved lizard in Trading Card Game:
This illustration was chosen to represent the lateral part of the box "Shadowless", but remember, as for the packages, this feature does not 100% ensure the presence of pack Shadowless inside; it is only a prerequisite for a more detailed analysis.
They decided at a later time to replace the illustration of Mitsuhiro Arita with another famous illustration by Ken Sugimori. This choice was adopted, I think, to make the graphics homogeneous to what we find on packages.
Even the artwork remained unchanged present slight differences, in general everything is depicted more prominently, including the Cards present on the upper tab.
There is, however, a detail present at the bottom of the box, which plays a very important role in the search for real content.
Apart from the obvious change of size of EC brands and recycling, the real detail is "Country code" or the respective physical and telephone addresses of the different locations of the Wizards of The Coast in the world.
The lack in Green Wings, could have been a forgetfulness, or their presence was made necessary later, given the subsequent distribution of set on other continents.
This detail, combined with the absence of logos Wizards on the box film Sealed, ensures a very high probability (close to 100%) of finding inside 36 bags Shadowless. The same two characteristics, together with the others listed, are present in box "1st Edition" Green Wings English, allowing us to order chronologically and with certainty the aspects of the two box.
Of course, just to mix the cards at the table, there are also Green Wings presenting the codes on the bottom of the box and logos on the film. I leave you with the video of MagikarpFlail showing more closely both types of Shadowless box in their different sealing: