Pokémon Sleeves - POKÉMON TRAINERS Iono & Bellibolt (64 pcs, Japanese)

64 official Japanese Pokémon sleeves featuring Iono and Bellibolt, from the POKÉMON TRAINERS series by the Pokémon Center in Japan (2023).

Specifications

• Count: 64 sleeves
• Artwork: Iono with Bellibolt
• Series: POKÉMON TRAINERS, Pokémon Center Japan
• Officially licensed Japanese product

Not to be confused with the western version

The store also carries a western pack with Iono and Bellibolt. That's a different product, with its own design and 65 sleeves. This pack is the Japanese version, with 64 pieces and in the Japanese card size.

Why 64 and not 65

Western sleeve packs contain 65, Japanese ones 64 — a difference that comes purely from the conventions of the two markets. A deck has 60 cards either way, so you end up with a few spares regardless. Just keep in mind that Japanese sleeves are sized for Japanese cards, which are a touch smaller than western ones.

Who Iono is

Iono is the Gym Leader of Levincia in the Paldea region, and a streamer at the same time: her gym battle is staged as a live show with her as the host. Since her debut in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, she has grown into one of the most popular characters in the series, and the Iono Supporter card was played in almost every deck for years in the card game. Bellibolt is her frog-like Electric-type Pokémon with the eyes that aren't actually eyes.

What sleeves are for

Sleeves protect your cards from fingerprints, moisture, and damaged edges, and they let 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 from the back which card you're holding.

Another trainer featured on Japanese sleeves is Mimosa (Miriam).