If you’re primarily a fan of the EnglishPokemon TCG, you might want to keep a closer eye on the Japanese side, withsets like The Glory Of Team Rocketoffering sneak peeks at card art before it comes to English sets. Many of the best Special Art Rares in Heat Wave Arena also appear in the2025 English set release,Destined Rivals.
However, English sets are typically comprised of multiple Japanese sets due to how small they usually are, and the same is true of Heat Wave Arena. While there aren’t many Special Art Rares to compare in Heat Wave Arena, there’s still a clear hierarchy in their quality.
5Yanmega ex – 85/63
Out Of Nowhere
Yanmega stands out from the pack as perhaps the most bizarre choice for Heat Wave Arena, as this Pokemon doesn’t particularly share many similarities with the other featured Pokemon. For some reason, Yanmega and heat waves don’t sound like they’d get along, so the thematic clash is a bit of an odd choice.
Selections aside, the Yanmega artwork is pretty nice, but it feels much more like a full art that you’d be somewhat disappointed to get, not like one of the select Special Art Rares (SARs) in a set primarily themed around trainers and their Pokemon (with a Fire-type nod in the title).
4Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex – 86/63
A Rising Crescendo
Ethan’s Ho-Oh gets us back on track as this card makes a connection to the set’s theme and deserves a place as one of the best SARs in Heat Wave Arena. However, it loses out on a stronger finish thanks to some incredibly strong competition to come, with Ethan outdoing himself with another card we’ll look at soon.
This gorgeous SAR features a primary focus on Ho-Oh while Ethan looks up at the Legendary Pokemon, in awe of its majesty. The colors are beautiful, and the background isn’t too busy, but this artwork doesn’t stand out in the same way that the best Special Art Rares in Heat Wave Arena do.
3Ethan’s Adventure – 89/63
Fun With Friends
Ethan one-ups himself with a scene featuring Cyndaquil, Slugma, and Pichu, as the quartet runs through the forest in search of adventure. Thisstunning trainer-focused artworkdepicts Pokemon and trainer interaction more vibrantly than the divided scene between Ethan and his Ho-Oh.
In a side-by-side comparison, it’s hard to believe, but this card’s color palette pops and offers a more visually stimulating scene that draws your attention. Scenes that feature multiple Pokemon are always more fun, and seeing them interact with their trainer in so much vivid detail gives this card an edge over Ethan’s other entry.
2Arven’s Mabosstiff ex – 88/63
Sharing The Scene
Speaking of trainers and Pokemon who share the spotlight in a vibrant scene, Arven and his beloved Mabosstiff make waves with this bright, cheery moment. While neither Arven nor Mabosstiff is the strongest or most popular character, their shared moment is greater than the sum of its parts, as all the elements come together perfectly on this card.
This dynamic duo is captured looking at a map as they finish splitting a delicious sandwich, fueled up for their next adventure. While it would have been nice to see a spread of uneaten food depicted along with this hungry pair, the card is impressive and will likely remain as one of its most desirable pulls.
1Cynthia’s Garchomp ex – 87/63
A Buffet Of Strength
The best Cynthia cardsare on the rise thanks to incredible modern Cynthia cards like this one, which features the trainer alongside her trusted partner, Garchomp. The level of detail and stunning quality of the stadium scene in the background make this card a must-have.
Garchomp is an incredibly powerful, intimidating Pokemon that only gets better when paired with an equally strong trainer, like Cynthia. The impressive combination of Cynthia and Garchomp would have been cool enough to warrant praise, but the artwork performs the difficult task of conveying the personality of these beloved characters in a static moment.
