Porygon

Porygon on cards: Base Set, Gym Challenge and a Cool Porygon promo

Porygon's first card is Base Set #39 from January 1999, an Uncommon illustrated by Tomoaki Imakuni, who also drew its FireRed & LeafGreen card in 2004. Our catalog lists 25 Porygon printings across 23 sets spanning nine eras, including Sabrina's Porygon from Gym Challenge (2000) and Cool Porygon, a WOTC-era Wizards Black Star Promo. Destined Rivals added a Team Rocket's Porygon in 2025.

Porygon in the anime: the banned episode

Porygon's only major role in the animated series came in episode 38, where Dr. Akihabara's two Porygon, one stolen by Team Rocket and one borrowed by Ash and his friends, drive the story. Flashing strobe effects in that episode sent a reported 685 viewers in Japan, mostly children, to hospitals with seizure-like symptoms, an event known there as the Pokémon Shock. The episode was banned and has never aired again anywhere. Porygon has not had another main role since, and Porygon2 and Porygon-Z have never appeared in an episode.

Cards to know

• Porygon (Base Set #39)

  Porygon's first card, a 1999 Uncommon illustrated by Tomoaki Imakuni.

• Cool Porygon (Wizards Black Star Promos #15)

  A WOTC-era Black Star promo, illustrated by Hiromichi Sugiyama.

• Sabrina's Porygon (Gym Challenge #98)

  A 2000 Common tying Porygon to Saffron City's Gym Leader, illustrated by Ken Sugimori.

• Porygon (FireRed & LeafGreen #47)

  A 2004 Uncommon marking Tomoaki Imakuni's return to Porygon.

• Team Rocket's Porygon (Destined Rivals #153)

  A 2025 Common credited to Team Rocket, illustrated by Oswaldo KATO.