Pokémon Sleeves - Gardevoir & Gallade (64 pcs, Japanese)

64 official Japanese Pokémon sleeves featuring Gardevoir and Gallade, released by the Pokémon Center in Japan.

Specifications

• Count: 64 sleeves
• Artwork: Gardevoir and Gallade
• Origin: Pokémon Center Japan
• Officially licensed Japanese product

Why 64 and not 65

Western sleeve packs contain 65, Japanese packs 64 — a difference that simply comes down to habit in the two markets. A deck holds 60 cards either way, so you'll have a few spares regardless. Do keep in mind that Japanese sleeves are sized for Japanese cards, which are a fraction smaller than Western ones.

Why the two belong together

Gardevoir and Gallade come from the same line and are each other's counterpart. A Kirlia evolves into Gardevoir, unless it's a male and you give it a Dawn Stone — then it becomes Gallade. One is graceful and psychic, the other a swordsman with blades on its elbows. The games rarely show them together, which is exactly why this design is so sought-after among fans of that line.

What sleeves are for

Sleeves protect your cards from fingerprints, moisture and damaged edges, and they make a deck shuffle more smoothly. At tournaments they're effectively mandatory: every card back in your deck has to look identical, so no one can tell which card you're holding from the back.

There's also a Shining version of Gardevoir. Another design featuring two Pokémon from one line is the one with Latios and Latias.