This card was first released in Japan through a McDonald's promotional campaign running from January 17 to February 6, 2003, with artwork by Atsuko Nishida. This card was then reprinted in the Japanese Torchic Constructed Starter Deck, with new artwork by Ken Sugimori and included in the EX Ruby & Sapphire expansion in English. The card with artwork by Atsuko Nishida was then released as a Nintendo Black Star Promos in English through Pokemon League events in September 2003. The Holofoil version found in the Torchic Constructed Starter Deck with artwork by Ken Sugimori was reprinted in English as one of the Nintendo Black Star Promos and was awarded at sanctioned European POP tournaments in February and March 2004, and then at U.S. POP tournaments in July 2004. This print features an embossed Pokémon Organized Play logo (Poké Ball) in the bottom right of the illustration.
Subsequent EX Ruby & Sapphire prints of this card included in the EX Battle Stadium Deck Kit, as well as the Blaziken EX Master Trainer Deck, lack the e-Reader Dot Code strip and feature a normal border following the cessation of TCG support for the e-Reader starting with the EX Hidden Legends expansion.
German, Italian and French localized language versions exist for both of the Nintendo Black Star Promos. The #006 card with artwork by Ken Sugimori was awarded to winners of sanctioned POP tournaments in France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy in the summer of 2004. These cards lacked the large e-Series border and had a 2004 copyright date.
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