Interview with Pokémon Aaah!
We interview Nick15, the webmaster of Poké Ahhh!, a fake card community which began in April 1999, and specialises in the creation of fake cards and provides resources for fans to create their own.
Pokémon Aaah! (PA!) is a community that researches obscure Pokémon information and promotes the fun of fan-made trading cards. It was founded on April 10th 1999 by Nick15, and while it has been managed mostly by him over its history, it has had different levels of leadership as Nick stepped back from responsibilities. The website experienced various levels of downtime in its early years, but was revived on November 16th 2019 with its original founder back at the helm to run things.
Today’s interview with Nick will focus on PA! and highlight some of the other work he has done in the Pokémon community with Bulbapedia and the Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) forum, the company in charge of translating and distributing the Pokémon Trading Card Game between 1998 and 2003.
Hi, Nick! Thanks for joining us for this interview. Please introduce yourself to our readers!
Nick15:
Bonjour and howdy! My name is Nick15 (aka Philippe Van Lieu), and I am the head webmaster and creator of "the world's only Pokémon website", Pokémon Aaah! 😛. I currently live in Sacramento, California after a lifetime in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I currently work in IT where I fix computers and work on web design projects. Life is good!
I was introduced to Pokémon through my best friend, Jimmy (now known as Teslalyte) back in high school; we were both in the gaming club and we both played Magic: The Gathering. He always brought in his Pokémon Red cart to play, and while at first I balked at this world of "pokey-mans" and "picka-choos", it wasn't until the Pokemon TCG came out that I really started to have a legitimate interest in it. One thing led to another, and here I am, still working on one of the longest surviving Pokémon websites!
Back in 1999, you were inspired to create Pokémon Aaah!, a website that was infamous for making fake Pokémon cards and providing assets for people to create their own. What was the inspiration behind creating the website?
Nick15:
I've always enjoyed collecting cards AND designing my own versions of them. The first cards I ever got were baseball cards, not coincidentally during the so-called "Junk Wax Era" around 1988 and 1992 when companies like Topps, Fleer and Donruss were pumping out cards and making them so much more accessible to kids like me. Around the same time I got into the "Marvel Universe" cards (1990-1992), then later the Star Wars CCG (1994-1996). All of these were just so much fun to collect, because they had colorful designs which changed every year and had wonderful stats, which inspired me to make my own versions of those cards.
The Star Wars CCG was actually the foundation of this inspiration because the official website for the game had relatively high quality card scans that I could download, then edit later on my computer (even back in 1996!). When I got into the Pokémon TCG, making custom cards for it was just another step in my custom card journey... but the difference this time was the internet and ability for random strangers to find my work. At first I just shared my creations... but when that exploded in popularity and everyone was emailing me asking about how they could make their own cards, sharing my tools seemed [like] the next obvious step. And the rest is history!
One of the projects that came out of PA! back in the day was a set of fake Pokémon cards that you released in June 2000. The set contained 200 cards in total, which had taken a year to put together. What was it like to commit to such a huge project, and what are your feelings on it all these years later?
Nick15:
The first fake card set I made, "Fake Edition", was less of a proper set and more of me just bringing all my custom cards into a single collection. I did want to underline that my cards were custom creations, so I deliberately chose a set icon (a sideways ✌️) that I hoped would be obviously irreverent enough for people to understand it wasn't a real card.
Fake Edition would continue to be just me making random cards piece-by-piece every day or so, based on either a unique Pokémon the most recent episode of the show, or inspired by my friends at school or online, or simply for the sake of doing something before the official TCG (such as literally the first Togepi and Marill card, though the latter was called "Pikablu" at the time). I chose to end it at 200 because it was a nice round number to end with, and I also wanted to move onto "Mayakashi Edition", which was my fake card set that [was] intended to be as close to a real card set as possible.
PA! stopped receiving regular updates around 2004, and your attention shifted to other franchises. In February 2004 you created FakeCard.com, which focused on creating fan-made fake cards for other games. What was that experience like for you?
Nick15:
I wanted to make FakeCard.com to be an overall faking tool website for not just for the Pokémon TCG but ALL card games (Magic: The Gathering, the then-new Duel Masters, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc). But I ultimately stopped doing it before it could really get off the ground... not for lack of audience, but due to personal finances. See, this was in the days before stuff like Patreon, GoFundMe, YouTube, Etsy, etc., where you can easily monetize your fan artwork. And even if those tools existed back then, the culture of selling fan art was completely different; I had SO MANY opportunities back then to sell my fake cards, but Wizards' community managers actively discouraged selling fan cards. These days it's a completely different story, which honestly is one reason why I came back into faking.
I ultimately decided to end FakeCard.com simply because there were no opportunities for me to monetize my artwork. On the other hand, if I could just make my own webcomics and sell those, then I could have the best of both worlds: the ability to sell artwork and to have something that is my own to sell.
Would you say the creation of FakeCard.com was a symptom of your passion for Pokémon having faded a bit by this point?
Nick15:
As mentioned, I created FakeCard.com, not because my passion for Pokémon had faded (on the contrary, I never CEASED being passionate for it!), but because I wanted to expand my faking theories and tools to other card games. In particular, by this time Wizards no longer had the Pokémon TCG license, so they were focusing on Duel Masters to be their replacement game. So what better way to maximize the synergy of Wizards releasing a new game (and my good relationship with them) than by creating faking tools for this new game as well? And if I do that for Duel Masters, why not do that for other popular games as well (Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.)?
So basically FakeCard.com was not because I liked Pokemon any less, but rather, I wanted to expand this joy of faking to other games as well! But, alas, life for me in 2004 was sadly very painful and unstable, and I simply could not keep my attention focused on the site anymore. In fact, long story short, the reason why I ultimately shut down FakeCard.com was because I saw myself at a crossroads: do I continue to channel my artistic energy into a website that I can't earn a livable wage with (especially considering stuff like Patreon and Etsy did not exist for fans to support their favorite artists with) or do I switch to an artistic medium that may not have a popular IP like Pokémon behind it but at least it's mine to do with as I please? In the end I chose to do the latter. While I don't regret this choice, if I had known back then what I know now, I would've stuck with FakeCard.com.
Your fake card creations even made it to the offices of Wizards of the Coast, the company behind the trading card game at the time. What was their reaction to your cards, and what kind of feedback did they give you?
Nick15:
Alas, I never got any direct feedback from Wizards staff beyond "keep up the good work!"; I think they were conscious of making sure they don't say anything that would be seen as legitimizing faking as anything beyond "something fans do". But the fact that I was recognized in other ways—such as being one of the three winners of "Best Game Mechanics" in one of the first "Create-A-Card" contests (at the 2000 WCSTS), being asked to help do artwork for their ill-fated "Jamboree" set, and asked to moderate the "Create-A-Card" forum at the Wizards' PokéGym—I felt it was their way to "officially" give recognition for my role in helping keep interest in the game (however big or small it was in the grand scheme of things).
That said, this was all happening during my younger years (between 17 and 22), and I was grappling with this e-fame... swaying between skepticism about its authenticity ("they're just messing with me") and the presumption of its perpetual presence ("it's always going to be here, so I can mess with people instead!"). This mindset led to a lack of professional decorum on my part, making me worried that I was straining my relationship with the Wizards' staff. However, considering this was near the close of their license agreement, they likely had other priorities. In any case, this experience indirectly emphasized the importance of professionalism, and I hold appreciation for their willingness to collaborate with a young individual like me, even when it wasn't obligatory.
You were an administrator on the Wizards' PokéGym (WizPoG) during its time online between January 2001 and August 8th 2003, where you moderated the Create-A-Card forum. Can you tell us a bit about how you were approached for the role and what your responsibilities were?
Nick15:
So this was right around when the original PokéGym (located at "The Dojo") was [being] shut down, which was being run by Tyais. At the time "The Dojo" was a popular card gaming forum and the 'Gym was one of the most visited Pokémon TCG forums. But in early 2001, USA Networks bought up The Dojo and all its sites and decided to shut everything down. This was [a] very big deal, but thankfully Wizards of the Coast swooped in and saved the day, creating the "Wizards' PokéGym" as a replacement. As Tyais was working with Wizards in what to bring over, what to set up, etc, one of the forums they agreed to add was a "Create-A-Card" forum, and Tyais asked me if I was interested in being a moderator! I was surprised by the offer and absolutely jumped at the chance. As mentioned above, I think it was a way to throw me an official bone for my part in the TCG community, but perhaps also because they wanted to give the Create-A-Card forum an air of quality and authenticity.
My role as a moderator was just to keep things peaceful and organized. Thankfully running my own forum gave me the necessary experience to do that. I also helped set policy for what was considered acceptable cards or not, like making sure they were formatted correctly and had some style and flair to them. Finally I helped organize different contests where the winner would get their card designed by me! Beyond that I was part of the overall mod staff, where we simply talked about various issues of the day, who's doing what, behind-the-scenes updates from Wizards just to make sure we were prepared to handle potential questions, etc.
Looking back at things, this was technically my first job! I actually completely forgot that I got paid to do forum work... I was just happy to be there, so I considered the pay as a bonus more than anything. But I also did file taxes for the first time that year, so it still counted as a "real job", lol!
According to an interview with Matoba Design, WOTC wanted to collaborate with western artists for Jamboree, a set that would have been released after Skyridge, if WOTC had retained the licence. You claimed that they were interested in having you create art for some of the cards. Can you tell us a bit more about this?
Nick15:
Of course! So it was at the 2001 West Coast Super Trainer Showdown when I was approached by the art director for the Pokémon TCG at the time, Dave Evans... He gave me his business card and asked if I was interested in drawing some artwork for Wizards and the Pokémon TCG. I don't think he mentioned it was going to be for a card set outright, but regardless, I absolutely was interested in helping out. After then I would check in every now and again, maybe not outright saying "hey, when am I going to start doing art?", but trying to get updates on what's going on. I later pieced things together about Jamboree being a Wizards-made and Western-drawn set, as well as two other prominent fake card makers being asked to help as well, and so I naturally grew excited for the chance to work on it. But alas, that moment never came, with the news of Wizards losing the Pokémon TCG license and canceling all future releases after Skyridge hitting me like a ton of rocks.
Looking back, I think the role of us artists in all this was just to bolster Wizards' proposal to Nintendo about making a new set from scratch. They probably wanted to show Nintendo that they have a strong plan AND some serious Pokémon TCG fans who can help provide artwork already lined up (on top of their usual art staff from Magic the Gathering). I don't doubt their proposal also included some of our fake cards and artwork to show what a Wizards-made set could look like, perhaps emphasizing that this is a way to give thanks to us fans for our support. It likely took Wizards a lot of arm twisting, with Nintendo FINALLY giving their approval... only to then just pull the rug out by cancelling the Pokémon TCG license overall.
I was definitely disappointed at all this, but since graduating college with a degree in Technical and Professional Writing and putting a lot of time and energy in[to] my own proposals, only for those to be rejected themselves... I can easily imagine that they were even more disappointed by Jamboree never seeing the light of day. That said, I'm forever grateful for Matt Matoba putting in the hard work to finally bring the story of Jamboree to life and revealing that Jolteon card, as well as allowing me to finally fulfill my dream of seeing my art on an "official" Wizards-designed Pokémon TCG card. :D
I remember reading about the huge fallout between WOTC and The Pokémon Company shortly after they lost the license. What was your impression of TPC taking over the product, and what have been your thoughts on it in the years since?
Nick15:
I felt Wizards of the Coast was the ideal steward of the Pokémon TCG during those early years, because they had the experience to know and understand what makes for a properly run card game. By 2003, Magic: The Gathering had been around for 10 years, giving them the experience to understand how to properly maintain player engagement beyond simply "printing the cards". When Wizards lost the license, I felt like The Pokémon Company (TPC) was shooting themselves in the foot by cutting themselves off from such a valuable partner... and if TPC felt that the Pokémon TCG was on solid enough ground for them to take over, it was only because they were standing on the shoulders of Wizards.
The transition was rough due to the abrupt disconnection from Wizards. At the time I was a Professor and was running a Pokémon League in Oakland, but the switch over left me with no prizes, no League books, and little support from TPC. As annoying as that was at the time, I've since become more understanding about the situation. Even if Wizards was the ideal steward back then, it's clear to me now that TPC and Wizards simply had two totally different ideas of where to take the game... and in the end, it was TPC's game to do with as they please[d]. Furthermore, the lack of support was simply growing pains. This is especially considering that today TPC manages the game exceptionally well. In fact, the Wizards of today is a far cry from what it was in 1998-2003, while TPC's current management of the game mirrors Wizards' quality of effort from back then. TPC now provides the fan-centric support that I felt was lost during the transition, showing that they've grasp[ed] the essence of Wizards' earlier methods—perhaps better than Wizards does today—but on their own terms.
You've done lots of work for Bulbapedia, a huge online encyclopedia dedicated to Pokémon. Your history with it goes back quite a few years, so tell us about your involvement with that community.
Nick15:
My overall connection with Bulbapedia has been minimal in the grand scheme of things. That said, they had started up right around when I stopped working on PA!, so I found Bulbapedia to be a great opportunity to help take over my TCG research for me. Since most of Bulbagarden's staff were not TCG players and needed the help, I gave them permission to basically raid my site for anything they'd like to use for their relevant TCG articles; there's a ton of old set symbols, logos, etc, that I had compiled for PA! still up on Bulbapedia. I, in turn, would try to help out whenever I could. I think I managed to reach one of the top ten editors for a single month during Bulbapedia's early years... that was all from my work in trying to port my TCG section over to Bulbapedia's formats.
What little day-to-day connection I had with Bulbapedia ended when Bulbapedia's then-Editor-in-Chief TTEchidna stepped down. He was a fan of PA! back in the day and was supportive of a few ideas I had for Bulbapedia, such as including an article about fan-made custom cards. These days, however, I try to focus on updating existing articles that no one else can, like the history of Pokémon in South Korea, as well as cleaning up any old TCG-related articles with new info that has come along. Bulbapedia is also why, when I decided to restart PA!, I restarted it from scratch; since a lot of my old TCG info is better served on Bulbapedia, I wanted to focus more on stuff that wasn't already there, such as the e-Reader material, TCG set print run data, and the various in-world Pokémon language[s].
Would that be The Echidna, who formed Pokémon Zeo! with Purity? I used to visit their website when I was a kid. It sounds like they broke away from PA! to do their own thing. What were your thoughts on that community?
Nick15:
Actually "TTEchidna" from Bulbagarden was NOT "The Echidna" (aka Ech) from Zeo. I don't think if Ech was running Bulbagarden he would've been so friendly with me like TTEchidna was!
So yeah, Ech and Purity broke away from PA! to start Zeo. Originally we planned for our sites [to] complement one another, calling it "Pokémon A to Z". However, that plan fell through as our interest in collaborating evaporated. Speaking for myself, I took the split personally at the time, but we were still kids and thus inexperienced in handling such emotions. This discord played out across our respective communities; we butted heads a lot, fought over whose styles were better than the other, etc. But despite that, there was a lot of crossover with fans more interested in creating quality fake cards rather than site drama. In the end our distinctive approaches to card design ensured that aspiring fake card creators had access to the best tools and techniques available between our sites.
What truly put our beef into perspective for me was when my friend Alex told me about a similar split within the Britney Spears community she frequented as a teenager. It mirrored the situation between PA! and Zeo: same split of leaders into two sites, same loyalists, same fans of both who got 100% of their news between both sites, etc. Hearing this made me realize that such splits were more common than I had thought, and any lingering animosity faded away, allowing me to look back at our sites with a clearer perspective.
In the end, I feel like we represented two inseparable facets of the Pokémon TCG, aspects which sustained the game's popularity over the last 25 years. Whereas my style focused on designing new cards within the framework and ruleset of the TCG, Zeo's style was about breaking those rules, designing cards that collectors would be hyped about if they ever pulled one. My cards could be built into tournament-winning decks, while Zeo's cards would be one that Logan Paul would spend $100k on a PSA-10 graded copy. These design concepts form the backbone of the Pokémon TCG to this very day, and we both were masters of tapping into them and thus shaping fan card designs as we know them today.
From around 2019, the Pokémon TCG exploded greatly in popularity with a huge amount of interest in buying and selling cards, in particular the classic Wizards of the Coast era cards. What are your thoughts on this?
Nick15:
I think it's great! It definitely helped remind me of the joy of the Pokemon TCG and gave me reason to start working on the site regularly again (well, as often as I can as an adult, lol!). It's a reminder that the past has plenty of relevance in the present, and that memories of that past can help shape how we live and play today. For example, instead of the Pokémon TCG being all about the new cards coming out, Nintendo is starting to recognize and accept the Wizards era of the TCG as a valid part of the game's history... which is why we're seeing them make new cards in the old Wizards style (like Light Toxtricity) as well as the upcoming Pokémon TCG Classic set.
Part of why I want to make new fake cards in these old styles is to give modern fans a chance to have a card of their own in these old styles, as opposed to having to try to buy one off eBay for a couple hundred dollars. I've always been about bringing these tools to everyone, and I hope everyone will enjoy using them as well.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Nick! Do you have any closing comments you would like to make to our readers?
Nick15:
Thank you for having me! The longevity of the Pokémon franchise, especially the TCG, is honestly surprising. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I've witnessed numerous franchises come and go. The enduring success of Pokémon, with no sign of waning, is truly remarkable. But this enduring journey is propelled by us, the fans, and our ongoing enjoyment of Pokémon ensures its perpetuity. If you decide to move on, then remember it fondly, as these experiences will likely remain among the most enjoyable in your memories.
Thank you, Nick15, for answering my questions and giving me the chance to learn more about your community and your time supporting Wizards of the Coast. Anyone who might be interested in learning more about PokéAaah! can visit the website on the link below!
Website: PokéAaah!
Interview conducted on August 14th 2023
Interview published on November 9th 2023