30 Pikachu, 30 Artists: Japan's 30th Celebration Set List Is Here
Thirty Years In, and Every Single Card Is Foil
The set list for Japan's 30th Celebration is here, and it is stacked: 176 cards, every one of them foil, right down to the Basic Energy. This is the set marking the Pokémon TCG's 30th anniversary, and for the first time, a set is releasing simultaneously worldwide, on Wednesday, September 16.
A Guaranteed Pikachu in Every Pack
The centerpiece is a 30-card Pikachu subset, each card carrying a fireworks holofoil layer over the full artwork and each one drawn by a different illustrator. Card number one belongs to original Pokémon artist Ken Sugimori, who recreated his own Pikachu artwork from Jungle for the occasion. And you will actually pull these: every Japanese booster pack comes with six foil cards, including a guaranteed Pikachu and a Basic Energy.
YOSHIROTTEN's Futuristic Rares
The set debuts a brand-new rarity called the Futuristic Rare, starting with Mewtwo ex and Mew ex designed by YOSHIROTTEN, an acclaimed Japanese artist known for experimenting with light waves in his work. He designed the set's Energy cards too, so his look runs through the whole product. It suits the anniversary's overall theme, which is day and night.
The Classic Collection Is Back
Like Celebrations did in 2021, this set includes a 30-card Classic Collection reprinting notable cards from across the game's history, printed on sparkling holofoil paper with golden borders. Previewed reprints so far are Charizard, Lugia, and Magikarp.
A Worldwide First, With a Few Cards Still Hidden
The Japanese and English versions of the set will have different card lists, as usual, and some cards from the Japanese set are expected to show up as promos in English instead. Not every secret rare has been shown either, so the picture is nearly complete but not quite.
The Full Breakdown
Here is how the Japanese set's 176 cards shake out: 103 main set cards (including the 30 Pikachu), 32 secret rares, 30 Classic Collection cards, and eight Basic Energy. Every card in the set is foil.
Clear a binder page for that Pikachu subset before September 16, because thirty of them will not fit on one.