English card, released in Japan · 1 Mar 1999

Pikachu [English w/Gray Star]

How it was given out: Hyper CoroCoro Spring 1999 issue insert.

English promo, released 1 Mar 1999.

One of 278 promos from 1999 to 2003 listed on this site.

Basic · Lightning · HP 60

Growl

If the Defending Pokémon attacks Pikachu during your opponent's next turn, any damage done by the attack is reduced by 10 (after applying Weakness and Resistance). (Benching either Pokémon ends this effect.)

Thundershock 20

Flip a coin. If heads, the Defending Pokémon is now Paralyzed.

Illustrator: Keiji Kinebuchi

The Pokémon TCG was due for release with the Japanese Base Set in October 1996. To get kids excited about the upcoming cards, Pokémon partnered with CoroCoro comic to release two TCG cards for free to readers ahead of the main release. Kids could get these prerelease cards only by buying the November 1996 CoroCoro issue, which came out October 15th, 5 days before the Base Set.