Pokémon Sleeves - Cynthia & Garchomp (64 pcs, Japanese)

64 official Japanese Pokémon sleeves featuring Cynthia & Garchomp, from the Deck Shield series by the Pokémon Center in Japan.

Specifications

• Quantity: 64 sleeves
• Artwork: Cynthia & Garchomp
• Origin: Pokémon Center Japan, Star Birth period (2022)
• Officially licensed Japanese product

Why 64 and not 65

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

About Cynthia and Garchomp

Cynthia is the champion of the Sinnoh region and is considered by many players to be the toughest final boss the series has ever had — her Garchomp has stopped generations of players in their tracks. Her name is a byword in the card game too: the Cynthia Supporter card was a mainstay in almost every deck for years. Of all the trainers from the games, she's the one who turns up most often on merchandise, which is also why these sleeves cost more than the rest.

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 which card you're holding from the back.

Another trainer featured on sleeves is Acerola. Another Japanese design is the one from the Pokémon Center Osaka DX.