Two Styles, One Cub: Kubfu Finally Gets Its Second Card

Aura Seeker reveal season kept rolling. On November 8, the official Japanese channel showed Kubfu and both of its evolutions, Single Strike Urshifu and Rapid Strike Urshifu, at numbers 048, 049 and 050 of 078. The set releases in Japan on November 27, and its cards reach English in Flowing Fists on February 5, 2027. In a set built around new Z forms, the most charming reveal of the week is a bear cub who waited a long time for another turn.

The Cub Who Waited

This is only the second Kubfu card printed, and until now Kubfu was the only Pokemon with one card to its name, a strange record for a Legendary Pokemon and the star of the Isle of Armor video game expansion. Kubfu arrived during the Pokemon V era, when its evolutions were printed as Basic Pokemon V, so no Kubfu card was ever needed underneath them. The new Kubfu is a Basic Fighting Pokemon with 80 HP, illustrated by HYOGONOSUKE. Its one attack hits for 50 for a Fighting Energy and a Colorless Energy, and it has Psychic weakness and a retreat cost of two.

One Punch, or a Flowing River

From that one cub, players choose a style. Single Strike Urshifu is a Stage 1 Fighting Pokemon with 140 HP, illustrated by danciao. Its attack costs two Fighting Energy and one Colorless Energy, starts at 120 damage, and does 140 more if you discard a Darkness Energy from it, reaching 260 in total. It is a simple, honest plan: one Pokemon, one punch, one Prize Card at risk. Rapid Strike Urshifu, also a Stage 1 with 140 HP, is illustrated by Taiga Kasai and takes the opposite path. Its attack costs two Fighting and one Colorless, hits for 120, and if you discard a Water Energy from it, adds 40 damage to every Benched Pokemon on the other side. Both forms share the Psychic weakness and a retreat cost of two, so picking one really is picking a philosophy as much as a card.

A Fighting Heart for Flowing Fists

The little family lands in the middle of a set with a Fighting identity. Aura Seeker already includes the Machop line, Hitmontop, Throh, Hawlucha, Medicham, Riolu and Mega Lucario Z ex, plus a Fight Arena Stadium and a Korrina Supporter. The English name Flowing Fists makes perfect sense. On rarity, Kubfu is a Common and both Urshifu are regular Rares, so none of the three is a chase card, and no special art versions have been shown yet. The only secret rare so far is the Crasher Wake Special Art Rare from last week. Plenty of collectors are hoping Kubfu earns an illustration treatment before the full list is out. After this long a wait, it has earned the hope.

What It Means in Canada

The daily reveals are coming: Meowth and Persian on November 7, Vulpix and Ninetales on November 9, and a new Kecleon whose Ability lets it copy the types of your Benched Pokemon today, November 10. Canadian collectors get the usual two step journey. Japanese singles will start circulating after November 27, and the English prints follow in Flowing Fists on February 5. New Japanese sets can be hard to secure in their first weeks, so a little patience is part of the plan, as always. Kubfu waited years for its second card. It can wait a few more weeks to reach our binders, and it will be welcome when it gets here.