📘 Arcanine — Pokémon TCG Cards Across Sets

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Arcanine card art from HeartGold SoulSilver HGSS1

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

This entry covers a Fire-type Stage 1 Pokémon card from the HeartGold SoulSilver era of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The card depicts Arcanine as a Rare Holo print in the hgss1 set, evolving from Growlithe. Its high hit points, two-energy demands for its attacks, and a relatively modest retreat cost reflect its role as a mid-game challenger in decks that leverage Fire-type strategies from the era. The illustration is credited to Naoki Saito, and the card carries the lore-associated flavor text that highlights Arcanine’s reputation for magnificence and its grand mane. In set context, the card is identified as hgss1-1, indicating its position as the first card in the HeartGold SoulSilver subset’s numbering scheme. Officially, the HeartGold SoulSilver set comprised 123 cards, with 124 in total including variants and inclusions beyond the core count.

Card Information

  • Card name / ID: Arcanine (hgss1-1)
  • Category / Type: Pokémon — Fire
  • Rarity: Rare Holo
  • Set: HeartGold SoulSilver (HGSS1)
  • Illustrator: Naoki Saito
  • HP: 110
  • Stage / Evolution: Stage 1 — evolves from Growlithe
  • Dex / Evolution context: National Dex #059
  • Attacks:
    • Sharp Fang — Fire, Colorless; 50 damage
    • Fire Mane — Fire, Colorless, Colorless, Colorless; 90 damage
  • Weakness: Water ×2
  • Retreat Cost: 2
  • Variants: holo, reverse holo
  • Card count (set): official 123 / total 124
  • Legal in formats: Standard: false, Expanded: false
  • Flavor / description: "This legendary Chinese Pokémon is considered magnificent. Many people are enchanted by its grand mane."
  • Pricing data (contextual): CardMarket and TCGPlayer values provided below reflect reported market activity as of 2025–2025 period (see Collector and Market Information).

Gameplay and Strategy

The Arcanine card presents a solid mid-range attacker within its era’s Fire-themed decks. Its 110 HP provides a sturdy baseline for survivability through the mid-game, and its two-attacks offer a mix of consistent pressure and higher-damage payoff when energy is available. The first attack, Sharp Fang, serves as a reliable 50-damage option that can help pick off smaller threats or apply early damage to buy time for larger threats. The second attack, Fire Mane, delivers 90 damage at the cost of one Fire and three Colorless energy, enabling a powerful finisher against mid- to large-health Pokémon once sufficient energy acceleration is established. Notable strategic elements include: - Energy requirements: Fire Mane requires a substantial energy investment (Fire + three Colorless). Decks aiming to utilize Arcanine typically include energy acceleration or search/recovery tools to reliably attach multiple Fire and Colorless energies across turns. - Type alignment: As a Fire-type attacker, Arcanine benefits from support Pokémon and trainer cards that enhance Fire-type consistency, such as energy-searching and energy-drawing effects, while relying on resistance to offset typical Water-type opposition encountered in formats of the era. - Positioning in archetypes: Arcanine commonly slots into midrange Fire decks that seek to establish momentum with consistent early pressure and close games with Fire Mane when the opponent is forced into a vulnerable state. Its stage-1 status means Growlithe supports the same Fire theme, enabling a straightforward evolution path when building a cohesive Fire lineup. - Weakness and endurance: The Water weakness is a standard counterpoint for Fire decks, necessitating careful matchup planning against Water- and Water-variant decks. The retreat cost of 2 aligns with typical stage-1 cards from the period, requiring some resource management to reposition Arcanine efficiently. In a modern context, this card is primarily of historical interest, representing the HGSS era’s design priorities and the Fire archetype’s mid-rotation power curve. Collectors and players evaluating the card’s value may consider its holo-versus-reverse holo variants, typical for Rare Holo prints in this set, along with the card’s centric status as an early hgss1 card (hgss1-1).

Collector and Market Information

Arcanine from HeartGold SoulSilver is a sought-after piece for collectors due to its Rare Holo status and the nostalgic appeal of the HGSS era. The set designation hgss1-1 places it among the initial print run of the expansion, making it a frequent target for both condition-focused and complete-set collectors. The official card count for the set was 123 cards, with 124 total including variants or outliers, underscoring the relative scarcity of holo and reverse holo versions within this subset.

Pricing snapshot (as of 2025):

  • CardMarket (EUR): average price around 8.31 EUR for standard prints; holo variants tend to be higher, with an average around 9.82 EUR. Other metrics include recent trends and short-term averages (avg1, avg7, avg30) and low prices as low as 0.59 EUR, reflecting variance by condition and edition.
  • TCGPlayer (USD): holofoil print pricing shows a low around 33.70 USD, mid around 36.91 USD, and high near 49.99 USD, with a market price around 39.41 USD. The reverse holofoil variant exhibits a low around 20.00 USD, mid around 35.28 USD, high near 39.99 USD, and a market price around 34.59 USD.

Pricing data is subject to condition, edition (first edition versus unlimited), and market dynamics. The figures above reflect tracked values on major marketplaces as of late 2025 and can serve as a reference for collectors building sets, evaluating investment potential, or assessing trade value. For precise pricing by condition or edition, consult the respective marketplace pages or recent sale data.

Art and Lore

Naoki Saito’s illustration for this Arcanine print captures the Pokémon’s iconic grand mane and imposing silhouette, aligning with the creature’s legendary aura within its lore. The flavor text underscores Arcanine’s cultural place as a magnificent and revered Fire-type Pokémon in the Pokémon universe, resonating with the broader mythos surrounding Arcanine’s dignified presence. In the HeartGold SoulSilver era, this artwork contributed to the set’s distinctive aesthetic, balancing bold, dynamic composition with the crisp linework characteristic of Saito’s style. The HGSS1 subset as a whole features Pokémon that bridge the first two generations, and Arcanine’s depiction here reflects the period’s emphasis on powerful stage-1 profiles that could contend with early-rotated staples while carrying a strong visual identity.

Thematically, Arcanine is often associated with speed, strength, and loyalty, attributes that are echoed by its in-game abilities and its portrayal as a commanding Fire-type companion. The art’s depiction supports this characterization, presenting Arcanine in a poised, ready-for-action stance that complements its role as a formidable attack-capable partner in the deck.

Trivia

  • The hgss1-1 numbering places this card at the opening of the HeartGold SoulSilver subset for the given print run, making it one of the more recognizable first cards in this set.
  • Both holo and reverse holo variants exist for this print, reflecting the common dual-variant approach used across Rare Holos in the HGSS era.
  • The flavor text emphasizes Arcanine’s legendary status within the lore, contributing to the card’s thematic value beyond raw stats.
  • The card’s legality noted as not legal in Standard or Expanded formats indicates its status as part of a historical era predating modern format rotation. Collectors should be aware that this card is primarily of archival and collection interest rather than competitive play in contemporary formats.
  • Dex number 59 aligns with Arcanine’s established placement in the National Pokédex, reinforcing its classic identity within the Fire-type cohort of the Gen I lineup.

References and Related Reading

For broader context on the HGSS1 set and Arcanine’s place within the HeartGold SoulSilver expansion, see the card’s official entry and related cataloging resources. The market data cited above reflects current valuation trends across CardMarket and TCGPlayer as of late 2025.

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