Back in 2023, Pokémon released its trading card expansion set titled Ancient Roar that celebrated the franchise’s many ancient Pokémon, all offered under fresh new motifs. Its original card list featured the legendary Fire/Flying-type Pokémon, Ho-Oh, as an EX. Any fan of the original anime series will remember the poetic scene in Episode 1 where we see Ash watch this beautiful bird, cast in sparkly gold, fly off into the horizon toward a majestic rainbow. Damn, those were the times…

But after the set’s release, fans quickly noticed something was off about that card in particular: the art looked eerily similar to a piece by Chinese illustrator 晓鸣鲤 (@lanjiujiu), known for his mythic, brushstroke-heavy animal designs.

The card in question featured Ho-Oh with sweeping flames and a striking resemblance to 昼时歌’s Phoenix Reborn (凤凰涅槃)—a digital tribute painting posted back in 2021 on social media. Fans rallied behind the artist, with one viral thread breaking down side-by-side comparisons. The similarities? Uncanny.

According to 昼时歌’s post on X, the artist was never contacted for permission or licensing. He expressed both disappointment and disbelief at the global brand’s alleged appropriation of independent work.

Flash forward to 2025, in a rare move, The Pokémon Company has recently—and finally—pulled the card from circulation, while issuing an apology to 昼时歌, stating they are investigating the matter further. While the artist himself praised the (somewhat) “swift” action, others are asking why big-name IPs keep slipping on basic ethics—especially when they’ve got entire departments meant to prevent exactly this.

This incident also shines a spotlight on the increasing global influence of Chinese digital artists, many of whom have cultivated massive followings with visually rich, culturally resonant works. The question remains: Is this a one-off mistake, or part of a broader pattern of artistic erasure and blatant big-corp copyright habits?

Cover image via Tumblr.