Sylveon ex, Salamence ex, and a Whole Mouse Family Join 30th Celebration
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The Illustration Rares Keep On Coming
30th Celebration just showed off another batch of Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares, and it is a fun mix: Maushold, Morpeko, Salamence ex, and Sylveon ex headline the reveal, with more cards shown alongside them. The English versions of the whole batch are out too, so nothing here is stuck in translation.
A Launch That's a First for the TCG
The set's products begin releasing worldwide on September 16, and this launch is a first: it is the first Pokémon TCG expansion with a simultaneous global release. On top of that, every card in the set is foil, including Basic Energy. Even before you get to the Illustration Rares, there is nothing plain in these packs.
Sylveon ex Arrives Brand New
Sylveon shows up here as a brand-new Pokémon ex, alongside a new Greninja ex. And there is a neat thread to pull on: Sylveon was originally designed by Atsuko Nishida, and Nishida is also one of the three artists previewed so far in the set's lineup of 30 different Pikachu cards, next to OKACHEKE and Yuu Nishida. One artist's fingerprints in two corners of the same anniversary set.
Maushold and Morpeko Keep It Small
Maushold is a natural pick for the Illustration Rare treatment. It is a group of three or four mice that lives and works as one Pokémon, and it builds nests full of specialized rooms, the kind of premise that hands an illustrator an entire tiny world to draw. Its doll-like look may even be a nod to dollhouse figurines. Morpeko, meanwhile, is the Two-Sided Pokémon with Full Belly Mode and Hangry Mode, so any Morpeko art comes with a built-in question: which mood did the artist catch it in?
Salamence ex Earned Those Wings
Salamence has one of the better backstories in the Pokédex: its evolution is described as the result of a desire to fly so fervent it triggered a cellular mutation. Its design seems to draw on the classic European dragon, with maybe some salamander mixed in. A dragon that willed its own wings into existence is exactly the kind of subject that shines when a card hands the artwork the full frame.
The Full Breakdown
Here is the premium picture so far:
- Newly revealed: Maushold, Morpeko, Salamence ex, and Sylveon ex, part of a batch spanning both Illustration Rares and Special Illustration Rares, with more cards in the same drop.
- Previously previewed Illustration Rares: Espeon, Umbreon, Lapras, Drifloon, Zorua, and Lycanroc.
- Futuristic rare: a brand-new rarity debuting with Mewtwo and Mew, both illustrated by YOSHIROTTEN.
- The Pikachu chase: collectors are guaranteed to find one of 30 different Pikachu cards, each with a unique illustration.
- Classic reprints: including Charizard from Base Set and Pikachu & Zekrom-GX from Team Up. One note for players: the reprints are not legal in the Standard format.
30th Celebration launches worldwide September 16. Which card from this batch are you chasing?