THE CARD: Starmie #121 from Japanese Neo 3, known as Neo Revelation in English. Holo rare with the classic galaxy cosmos holo pattern exclusive to WOTC-era Japanese cards. Art by Keiji Kinebuchi showing Starmie with a mystical space background. One of the most popular Gen 1 Pokemon.
THE HOLO: Full cosmos holo pattern. Japanese Neo holos have a different, more vibrant holo than English. The entire art box is holofoil. Japanese holos are known for superior print quality and deeper colors vs English. No holo scratches visible on this copy.
THE GRADE: AGS 8 NM-MT - Strong for Japanese Neo holos. This era is notorious for factory holo scratches and print lines straight from the pack. This copy has clean corners, strong centering, and a clean holo surface. Back is clean with minimal whitening as shown in photo 2. Deserves the 8.
WHY JAPANESE NEO HOLOS MATTER: 1. Print Quality: Japanese cards have 30% thicker cardstock and better print than English 2. Cosmos Holo: Full art box holo pattern only done in Japanese WOTC sets 3. Starmie Tax: Misty's signature Pokemon. Top 10 most popular Gen 1 Pokemon 4. Neo Revelation: Contains Shining Gyarados + Shining Magikarp. Flagship Neo set 5. Condition Sensitive: 85% of Japanese Neo holos have scratches. This one doesn't
This AGS 8 NM-MT = PSA 8 quality. Japanese 8s with clean holos are tough.
Essential for Japanese Neo Revelation master sets or Misty/Starmie collectors. Check my other listings for Prerelease Dark Gyarados Head Swirl and Jungle Flareon No Symbol Error.