VMAX Climax represented the final Japanese set of the Sword & Shield era, released in 2021 as a celebration of the generation's strongest Pokémon. The set is remembered for its deep roster of Character Rare cards, which paired full-art character illustrations with iconic Pokémon in a format that became highly sought after by collectors seeking premium Japanese releases. Malamar's Character Rare portrays the psychic squid Pokémon in a striking full-art composition. The card captures the appeal that drew collectors to this subset—combining beautiful character artwork with one of the era's most visually compelling Pokémon designs in a format exclusive to Japanese releases.