I finally managed to get my hands on the wishiwashi 240/236 from Cosmic Eclipse, and it's honestly way more stunning in person than it looks in digital scans. There is something about the way the light hits the texture on these secret rares that just doesn't translate well to a screen. If you've been collecting Pokémon cards for a while, you know that the Sun & Moon era—specifically the tail end of it—was a bit of a golden age for art style experimentation. This card is a perfect example of why that era remains a fan favorite even years after we've moved on to newer generations.
A Hidden Gem in Cosmic Eclipse
When we talk about Cosmic Eclipse, most people immediately jump to the big Tag Team cards like Arceus & Dialga & Palkia or that beautiful Red & Blue trainer card. But for me, the real soul of that set lies in the "Character Rares," and the wishiwashi 240/236 is one of the coolest ones in the bunch. For those who might not remember, this was the set that introduced the concept of featuring a Pokémon alongside its trainer in a full-art, non-GX format. It was basically the prototype for the Trainer Gallery subsets we saw later in Brilliant Stars and Silver Tempest.
This specific card features Lana, the Trial Captain from the Alola region, diving underwater alongside a massive School Form Wishiwashi. The scale of it is what really grabs you. In the games, Wishiwashi is this tiny, pathetic-looking fish when it's alone, but when it gathers its friends, it becomes a literal sea monster. The art on the wishiwashi 240/236 captures that transition perfectly. You see the individual small fish making up the larger structure, and Lana is just there, totally chill, swimming right next to this behemoth.
The Vibe and Aesthetic
The color palette on this card is just incredible. It's a deep, immersive blue that makes you feel like you're actually looking through a snorkel mask. Because it's a secret rare (indicated by that 240/236 number exceeding the "official" set count), it has a distinct holographic pattern. It's not just shiny; it has this subtle, etched texture that follows the lines of the art. When you tilt it back and forth, the bubbles in the water look like they're actually floating toward the surface.
I've always felt that Wishiwashi was an underrated Pokémon design-wise. It's a bit of a tragic figure in the Pokémon world—weak on its own but powerful through community. Having Lana on the card adds that human element that makes the artwork feel like a snapshot of a moment rather than just a static pose for a battle. It tells a story. You can imagine Lana out on a morning dive, checking in on the local sea life, and stumbling upon a school that's ready to defend its territory.
Collecting vs. Playing
Now, let's talk about the actual utility of the card. If you're a competitive player, the wishiwashi 240/236 probably isn't going to be the centerpiece of your championship deck. Its attacks and HP are well, they're fine for a basic card, but they aren't groundbreaking. But that's not really the point of a card like this, is it? You don't buy a secret rare character card because you want to sweep a tournament; you buy it because it looks fantastic in a binder.
In the hobby right now, there's a big divide between the "players" and the "collectors." I think cards like this bridge that gap nicely. Even if you don't use it in a match, it's a piece of Pokémon history. It marks the moment when The Pokémon Company realized that fans wanted more than just high-damage numbers—they wanted art that felt premium. The wishiwashi 240/236 was one of the cards that proved this concept worked, leading to the massive success of the Trainer Gallery series years later.
Condition and the Grading Game
If you're looking to pick one of these up, you've got to be careful about the condition. The Sun & Moon era cards were notorious for having some "silvering" around the edges. This is where the holographic foil starts to show through the yellow or blue border because the cutting blade at the factory wasn't perfectly sharp. When I was hunting for my wishiwashi 240/236, I went through about four different listings before I found one that didn't have those tiny white nicks on the back corners.
Centering is another thing to watch out for. Because these cards have such a busy art style, it can be hard to tell if the image is shifted to one side at first glance. But if you're planning on sending it to PSA or Beckett for grading, that's the first thing they'll look at. A PSA 10 version of this card is a real prize. It's not the most expensive card in the world, but it's one of those "low population" gems that collectors love to hold onto because the pull rates back in 2019 weren't exactly generous.
Why It's a Smart Pick Right Now
I'm not a financial advisor, and I always say you should buy what you love first. But if we're looking at market trends, the wishiwashi 240/236 is in a really interesting spot. Cosmic Eclipse booster boxes have shot up in price like crazy. It's getting harder and harder for people to actually open packs of this set. This means the supply of raw, mint-condition singles is slowly drying up.
While everyone is chasing the "big" cards, the mid-tier secret rares like Wishiwashi often get overlooked. But as collectors complete their "master sets" of Cosmic Eclipse, they suddenly realize they're missing this card. It's affordable enough that you can snag it without breaking the bank, but it's high-quality enough that it feels like a serious addition to a collection. Plus, Lana is a popular character, and anything featuring a "waifu" trainer usually holds its value better over the long term in the TCG world.
The Joy of the Hunt
There's something so satisfying about flipping through a binder and seeing a full-art page. I'm currently trying to get all the character rares from this set, and putting the wishiwashi 240/236 next to the Piplup and the Torkoal just feels right. They all have this shared DNA—the same artist vibe, the same connection between human and Pokémon.
If you're just starting out or if you're a veteran looking for something different, I can't recommend this card enough. It's a reminder that Pokémon cards can be genuine pieces of art. You don't need a golden Charizard to have a "cool" collection. Sometimes, a school of tiny fish and a girl who loves the ocean are more than enough to make a card special.
In the end, the wishiwashi 240/236 represents a specific time in the hobby when things felt fresh and experimental. It's a beautiful, textured, vibrant piece of the Sun & Moon legacy. Whether you're keeping it in a top-loader on your desk or tucked away in a vault, it's a card that always manages to catch the eye. If you find one for a decent price, honestly, just go for it. You won't regret seeing those blues and silvers shimmering in your hand.
I think we sometimes get too caught up in the "investment" side of things and forget to just appreciate a cool-looking card. This Wishiwashi reminds me to slow down and just enjoy the art. It's tranquil, it's powerful, and it's a total vibe. What more could you really want from a piece of cardboard?