Sprigatito
Quick take
- Illustration Rare of the Gen 9 grass starter, from Paldea Evolved (2023)
- Art by Kouki Saitou, part of a connected garden scene across the grass line
- Popular with players who collect by Pokemon rather than by price
- An accessible, mid-tier IR rather than a top-of-set chase card
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Paldea Evolved
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 196/193 · $56.47 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyA starter Illustration Rare that lives on charm, not chase-card hype
Sprigatito 196 is the Illustration Rare of the Gen 9 grass starter, pulled from Paldea Evolved in 2023. It is not the most expensive card in the set, and it does not need to be. Starter IRs from this era carry their own gravity. The Pokemon is a fan favorite the moment the games launch, and the art rewards people who actually like looking at their cards.
“Illustration Rare of the Gen 9 grass starter, from Paldea Evolved (2023)”
Kouki Saitou drew it as part of a connected scene across the grass line. Sprigatito sits in a garden, and the same world carries through to the Floragato IR and the Meowscarada ex Special Illustration Rare. The through-line is growth. A young tree in the yard grows up alongside the Pokemon. That quiet storytelling is why the Illustration Rare subset got so much attention when Paldea Evolved dropped, and it is why this card keeps a steady audience years on.
For a master set builder, this is a card you want in nice condition. It photographs well in a binder and people recognize it instantly. It is approachable, it is loved, and it does not ask for a vintage budget.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This sits in the mid-pack of Paldea Evolved Illustration Rares. It is not a top-of-set card and never claimed to be. Iono and the bigger ex Special Illustration Rares command the real money here. Sprigatito holds a friendlier price that puts it in reach for most collectors.
Starter IR demand tends to move with the games and with nostalgia waves rather than competitive play. This one has held a stable floor since release, with the usual small bumps when Sprigatito or its line shows up in the anime, new sets, or merchandise.
Treat this as a hold-for-love card more than a flip. Starter IRs rarely spike, but the good ones rarely crater either. The downside is cushioned by genuine fan demand, and the upside is slow. A clean copy is a safe long-term binder piece, not a quick return.
Graded copies carry a modest premium over raw, and a gem-grade example pushes higher because the smooth IR background shows print lines and edge wear easily. The jump from a 9 to a 10 is where most of the value sits for a card in this tier.
In Scarlet and Violet sets, any Illustration Rare lands at roughly 1 in 12 packs. That figure covers every IR in the set, not this one specifically. Paldea Evolved has a long list of Illustration Rares, so the odds of pulling this exact Sprigatito run far longer than the headline number, often into many packs for one named card. For comparison, any Double Rare is about 1 in 5 packs, any Ultra Rare about 1 in 15, any Special Illustration Rare about 1 in 90, and any Hyper Rare somewhere from 1 in 300 to 700. Most collectors who want this specific Sprigatito just buy the single rather than chase it from sealed product.
It is rarer and more sought after than the set's basic holos and reverse holos, but it sits well below the Special Illustration Rare and Hyper Rare tiers in both scarcity and price. Among the set's Illustration Rares, it is a mid-tier name rather than a top draw.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
Kouki Saitou is one of the longest-tenured illustrators in the Pokemon TCG, with credits going back to the early e-reader sets in 2003 and a reputation for narrative, connected card art. The Crown Zenith connecting series is a well-known example of that approach.
Sprigatito is shown in a calm garden, surrounded by greenery and a young tree. The scene reads like a single frame from a longer story. Across the grass starter line, Saitou drew a connected world, so the Floragato IR and the Meowscarada ex Special Illustration Rare continue the same garden, with the tree growing as the Pokemon matures.
This is a full-art Illustration Rare. The artwork fills the entire card face with no traditional border, and the holo treatment is the standard Scarlet and Violet IR finish. The number 196/193 places it above the set's printed total, which is how the special-rarity subset is numbered.
The growth narrative is the hook. The card is pretty on its own, but it pays off when you line it up next to Floragato and Meowscarada ex and watch the tree and the Pokemon mature together. That is a deliberate Saitou touch, and it is why this trio gets collected as a unit.
BackgroundAbout Sprigatito
Sprigatito is the Grass-type starter of Generation 9, introduced with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in late 2022. It evolves into Floragato and then Meowscarada, a Grass and Dark cat that became a competitive presence in the video games. As a starter, Sprigatito had instant recognition the moment the games launched.
- ›Starter status guarantees a large, loyal fanbase
- ›A cat-based design that reads as cute and approachable
- ›The full evolution line is well liked, with Meowscarada anchoring the top end
- ›Strong crossover between game players and TCG collectors
- ›Starter choice in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (2022)
- ›Featured in the Scarlet and Violet era anime alongside the new generation
Own it wellCollector guide
Full-art IR surfaces are unforgiving. The smooth, open background shows print lines, scratches, and edge whitening clearly, and the borderless layout means any edge wear is visible from the front. Inspect under good light at an angle before buying.
Grade only if the copy is genuinely clean. The 9-to-10 gap is where the value lives for a card in this tier, so a 9 often does not justify the fee. If you are buying for resale value, a gem-grade slab is the goal. If you are collecting for love, a raw NM copy in a sleeve and toploader is plenty. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve it in a penny sleeve, then a perfect-fit or toploader, and keep it out of direct sunlight to protect the holo. For a master set, a binder with side-loading or non-PVC pockets keeps it safe and lets the connected art shine next to Floragato and Meowscarada. See the storage guide →
Buy the single rather than ripping packs for it. Prices are reasonable, so prioritize centering and a clean surface over rushing. If you want the full Saitou scene, grab all three grass-line cards together while they are affordable, since trios tend to get bought as a set. See the singles buying guide →
Modern Scarlet and Violet cards are far less faked than vintage chase cards, but still check the basics. Confirm the rosette holo pattern matches genuine IRs, verify the font and texture, and use the bend and light tests sparingly. Buy from reputable sellers, and for graded copies verify the cert number on the grader's database.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
The Paldea Evolved Illustration Rare subset was a fan favorite at release, and the grass starter line drew particular praise for its connected, story-driven art. Sprigatito itself is widely liked as a starter, and collectors single it out as one of the friendlier, prettier IRs to chase.
Discussion centers on the connected trio and on Kouki Saitou's narrative style rather than on price speculation. It comes up often in starter-collection and binder-page posts, where people show the three grass cards together to highlight the growing-tree detail.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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