Pinsir

Pinsir in the anime: the bug that fell to a Metapod

Pinsir's best-known anime moment comes early in the original series. In Challenge of the Samurai, the young Samurai's Pinsir easily beats Ash's Pidgeotto, then loses to his Metapod. Much later, Goh catches a Pinsir in Pokémon Journeys, and a Mega Evolving Pinsir appears in the film Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel.

Pinsir on cards: from Jungle holo to Twilight Masquerade illustration rare

Pinsir's first English card came in Jungle in June 1999, drawn by Kagemaru Himeno, who is credited on three of its printings. Jungle printed it twice, as holo #9 and non-holo #25, and Base Set 2 reprinted the art in 2000. Gym Challenge followed the same year with Giovanni's Pinsir, one of the owner cards built around the Team Rocket boss, illustrated by Ken Sugimori.

The EX era brought the most unusual version: Pinsir δ in Dragon Frontiers (2006), a Delta Species card that prints Pinsir as a Fighting type rather than Grass. Mitsuhiro Arita drew the Legend Maker Pinsir the same year. The Sun & Moon era added Pinsir GX in Hidden Fates (2019), and in the Scarlet & Violet era Twilight Masquerade (2024) gave it an illustration rare by Yukihiro Tada, followed by Ethan's Pinsir in Destined Rivals (2025).

Cards to know

• Pinsir (Jungle #9)

  Pinsir's first English card, the 1999 Jungle holo illustrated by Kagemaru Himeno.

• Giovanni's Pinsir (Gym Challenge #24)

  A 2000 owner card for the Team Rocket boss, illustrated by Ken Sugimori.

• Pinsir δ (Dragon Frontiers #9)

  A 2006 Delta Species card that prints Pinsir as a Fighting type, illustrated by Yukiko Baba.

• Pinsir GX (Hidden Fates #6)

  Pinsir's Sun & Moon era GX card, an Ultra Rare from 2019.

• Pinsir (Twilight Masquerade #168)

  A 2024 illustration rare illustrated by Yukihiro Tada.