Pokémon TCG Pocket Accused of Copying Fan’s Ho-Oh Artwork—Fans Demand Answers
Pokémon TCG Pocket Faces Plagiarism Accusations Over Ho-Oh Artwork
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is currently under fire as fans accuse the developers of copying fan art for a new Ho-Oh card in the upcoming Wisdom of Sea and Sky expansion. The controversy centers around artwork originally created by a Chinese artist named lanjiujiu in 2021, which appears strikingly similar to the official card art credited to Sie Nanahara.
- Alleged plagiarism of Ho-Oh fan art in Pokémon TCG Pocket
- Artwork originally commissioned by PC House Studio
- The Pokémon Company’s legal stance on fan art usage
- Community reactions and comparisons to previous plagiarism cases
Fan Art or Official Art? The Details
Lanjiujiu shared side-by-side images on social media comparing their commissioned Ho-Oh fan art from 2021 to a datamined Immersive Card for Ho-Oh, set to be released in the mobile game’s new expansion. The resemblance is so close that many fans believe the official card directly traces or heavily references lanjiujiu’s original work.
Immersive Cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket are special animated cards, and this Ho-Oh image is also linked visually to a similar Immersive Card featuring Lugia. Lanjiujiu’s original artwork was apparently commissioned by PC House Studio, a company known for unofficial anime and gaming character models.
Here’s the original comparison shared by lanjiujiu:
？。？？？？？？ https://t.co/RpaBHRfW1h pic.twitter.com/e5ggVtnD7Q
— 昼时歌 (@lanjiujiu) July 29, 2025
Legal Rights and Fan Art Usage
The Pokémon Company has a clear legal stance on fan creations. According to their official legal information, any fan art made using Pokémon characters grants the company a broad license to use, modify, and distribute that art without royalties or exclusive rights to the creator. This means The Pokémon Company can legally incorporate fan-made designs into their projects.
Here’s the relevant excerpt from the official Pokémon website:
“Distribution in any form and any channels now known or in the future of derivative works based on the copyrighted property trademarks, service marks, trade names and other proprietary property (Fan Art) of The Pokémon Company International, Inc., its affiliates and licensors (Pokémon) constitutes a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license from the Fan Art’s creator to Pokémon to use, transmit, copy, modify, and display Fan Art (and its derivatives) for any purpose.”
https://www.pokemon.com/us/legal/information
Community Reactions and Past Similar Cases
The Pokémon community is largely supportive of lanjiujiu, urging the artist to take action, though no official steps have been announced. The situation echoes earlier controversies like the Marvel Snap plagiarism accusations, where fan art from 2018 was allegedly used without permission.
Another similar case involved artwork from the 2012 Japanese tokusatsu drama Kamen Rider Wizard being compared to Marvel Snap’s designs.
Despite the outcry, lanjiujiu’s chances of a successful claim seem slim given The Pokémon Company’s broad legal rights over fan creations. The Pokémon Company has been contacted for comment but has yet to respond.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is developed by Creatures Inc. and DeNA, and this controversy highlights the ongoing tension between fan creativity and corporate intellectual property rights.
