Pokémon Jungle Set Review: Eeveelutions, Snorlax, and Pure 1999 Nostalgia

Jungle has that wonderfully direct early Pokémon look where the creature is unquestionably the star, and some of these illustrations became inseparable from the characters themselves. Kagemaru Himeno handled Eevee, Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon, giving the entire evolution family a visual connection, while Ken Sugimori’s Snorlax and Scyther bring the clean character artwork that defined so much of this era. The holo treatment gives the rare lineup an extra punch without overwhelming the illustrations.

The limitation is mostly the era itself. Backgrounds can be simple, compositions are restrained, and there is nothing resembling the full card illustration spectacle of modern releases. That does not make the cards dull. Far from it. Jungle has personality everywhere, particularly among the Eeveelutions and its best holos, but an 8.5 leaves room for later sets that pushed Pokémon artwork much further.

For an original era collector, Jungle is almost unfair in this category. Base Set had established the game, but Jungle started filling in the Pokémon that kids already knew from Red and Blue and had not yet seen on English cards. Eevee made its TCG debut here, joined by Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon, while Snorlax, Scyther, Kangaskhan, Pidgeot, Pinsir, and plenty of other unmistakable Generation I faces suddenly entered the binder.

The supplied firsthand notes capture why that mattered at the time: opening Jungle meant seeing Pokémon from the video games appear on cards for the first time. That feeling is difficult to reproduce after decades of expansions. The 9.5 is intentionally subjective, because this level of nostalgia depends heavily on a connection to the earliest Pokémon era, but for collectors who were there, Jungle presses nearly every button available.

Jungle has a genuinely strong roster. Its 16 holo rares include Flareon, Jolteon, Vaporeon, Snorlax, Scyther, Pidgeot, Kangaskhan, Pinsir, Nidoqueen, Clefable, and Wigglytuff, while cards such as Eevee and Pikachu give the lower rarities recognizable characters of their own. There are plenty of cards worth remembering once you move beyond the single biggest chase, which matters far more than simply having one monster card at the top.

The problem is that the English checklist is somewhat padded. Jungle grew from 48 cards in Japan to 64 in English because the 16 holo rares were also printed as non holo rares. That means the numbered set contains less true variety than 64 cards suggests, and pulling a non holo version of a character that also existed as a holo could feel like getting the sensible shoes version of the card you actually wanted. Good depth, but not exceptional depth.

Jungle delivered a strong opening experience because the excitement extended well beyond one or two chase cards. Familiar Pokémon were appearing on cards for the first time, and the holo lineup offered plenty of recognizable favorites to hope for. That sense of discovery made opening packs feel like exploring another piece of the Pokémon world.

The non holo rares were the obvious buzzkill. The English release included non holo versions of all 16 holo rares, so finding Flareon, Jolteon, Snorlax, or Vaporeon in the rare slot did not necessarily mean getting the shiny version. Pulling a favorite and missing the holo treatment could sting. That disappointment keeps Jungle from the very top of this category, but the varied lineup and excitement of discovering new cards still made it a thoroughly enjoyable set to open.

Snorlax 11/64 is a terrific centerpiece because it does not need an elaborate gimmick to work. It is a Holo Rare illustrated by Ken Sugimori, featuring one of the most recognizable Generation I Pokémon in exactly the sort of simple, character focused presentation collectors associate with early Pokémon. Snorlax looks like Snorlax should look: planted in place, completely unbothered, and somehow important simply because it refuses to move. Perfect.

More importantly, Jungle does not leave Snorlax stranded at the top. Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon are all holo rares, with Scyther and several other Generation I favorites adding further chase appeal. That supporting cast makes the hunt much healthier than a set built around one overwhelming card. An 8.5 fits because the chase lineup is iconic and extremely likable, even without the elaborate rarity treatments or visual excess that later eras would bring.