Gyarados 32/97 Pokémon EX Dragon Raw

Pokémon: Gyarados

Series: EX

Set: Dragon

Card Number: 32

Rarity: UC

Condition: N/A

Grade: Raw

Year: 2004

Illustrator:  Kouki Saitou

Type: Water

The Gyarados 32/97 is an Uncommon Water-type Stage 1 Pokémon card from EX Dragon, released on May 14, 2005 by The Pokémon Company and illustrated by Kouki Saitou, a Japanese artist whose dynamic, high-movement compositions and bold, fluid linework brought a sense of raging, serpentine fury to one of the franchise's most iconic Water-type Pokémon. As a 100 HP Pokémon that evolves from Magikarp, it carries a Weakness to Lightning-type attacks (×2), no Resistance, and a Retreat Cost of two Colorless Energy. EX Dragon was the sixth expansion of the EX era and the first English set to feature Dragon-type Pokémon as a core theme, introducing the Dragon Energy type and a roster of high-flying Dragon creatures alongside familiar Water, Fire, and Electric attackers that redefined competitive deck construction for the 2005–2006 season.

In terms of decks and strategy, Gyarados's two attacks make it one of the most tactically disruptive Uncommon Water Pokémon in the entire EX era. Dragon Crush costs a single Water Energy, flips a coin, and if heads, deals 10 damage to each Defending Pokémon while discarding one Energy card from each—a devastating multi-target energy-stripping tool that could cripple an opponent's entire board in a single use, particularly punishing bench-heavy strategies and over-invested attackers like Salamence and Altaria. Aqua Sonic costs four Water Energy and deals a massive 80 damage that is not affected by Resistance, making it a reliable knockout tool against most 80 HP Pokémon of the era regardless of their defensive stat blocks. In 2005–2006 competitive formats, Gyarados found utility in Water-type and hybrid decks as a durable mid-board presence that could either strip an opponent's entire board of Energy through Dragon Crush or deliver a flat 80-damage strike through Aqua Sonic, and its 100 HP pool made it one of the most resilient Water attackers available in the set. Its Lightning Weakness (×2) made it a natural counter to Zapdos-heavy and Lightning-type strategies by incentivizing opponents to keep their Lightning attackers benched, and its role as the Stage 1 evolution of the universally beloved Magikarp gave it a nostalgic appeal that transcended its competitive utility.

Collectors love the EX Dragon Gyarados for its unique position as one of the most mechanically creative Uncommon Water Pokémon in the entire EX era, a card whose multi-target Dragon Crush attack represented a design philosophy of board-wide disruption that was remarkably bold for a single Water Energy cost. Kouki Saitou's illustration—depicting Gyarados in a dynamic, mid-lunge pose with its serpentine body coiled and its jaws wide open against a dramatic aquatic backdrop—captures the raw, overwhelming fury of the species in a style that stands out among the more conventional artwork of the set's other Uncommon Pokémon. The card's 100 HP pool, combined with its multi-target energy-stripping attack and Resistance-ignoring Aqua Sonic, gives it a defensive and offensive profile that no other Uncommon Water Pokémon in the set can match, making it a genuine powerhouse on the battlefield as well as a stunning piece of art. As a Stage 1 that evolves from the universally beloved Magikarp, Gyarados occupies a structurally important position within the set's evolution ecosystem, and its permanently fixed supply—combined with over 20 years of natural wear from the population of EX Dragon cards that were opened, played, and traded in the mid-2000s—ensures that quality raw copies remain a steady target for both set completionists and players of Unlimited format tournaments who still appreciate the creative multi-target disruption mechanics of one of the EX era's most dominant Water-type Pokémon.

Product Details

Card Number / Rarity:32/97 / Uncommon

Card Type / HP / Stage:Water / 100 / Stage 1

Attack 1:[W] Dragon Crush
Flip a coin. If heads, this attack does 10 damage to each Defending Pokemon. Discard an Energy card from each Defending Pokemon.

Attack 2:[4W] Aqua Sonic (80)
This attack's damage is not affected by Resistance.

Weakness / Resistance / Retreat Cost:L / None / 3

Stock Image(s) Shown.

All cards are professionally rated for quality assurance.

All cards come sleeved, cards above $5 in value come toploaded.