Pokemon Has Now Unveiled 19 of the New 30th Celebration Pikachu Promos & We Need to Catch ‘Em All
The next big Pokemon TCG release is fast approaching. Our first big wave of new 30th Celebration product drops worldwide on September 16th. This is arguably the biggest new collection of Pokemon cards for the year. It will bring in a new rarity tier, reprints of nostalgic classic cards, and of course, 30 different Pikachu promo cards. Each 30th Celebration booster pack will feature one of 30 unique Pikachu promo designs. These include a nostalgic chonky Pikachu from the original illustrator, which is an instant must-have. But it’s looking like the entire collection will be absolutely essential for Pokemon fans.
To date, the Pokemon Company in Japan has revealed 19 of the 30 total designs, as confirmed by PokeBeach. Given how we’ve still got over a month before launch, it’s quite possible we’ll get a look at all 30 by the time September 16th rolls around. But even with 11 designs still shrouded in mystery, it’s clear that the lineup of new Pikachu promos is all hits and no misses. Despite the fact that each card depicts the same Pokemon, the variety really showcases just how special the art in the Pokemon TCG really is.
Pokemon TCG‘s 30th Celebration Promos Showcase the Range of Pokemon Artists in the Best Way
The Pikachu promos each feature a sparkly “firework” design, with a large rendering of the 30th Anniversary Pokemon logo in the attack description area. They are not full art cards, but they still manage to showcase some of the best Pokemon card art out there. Designs run the gamut from Pikachu in attack mode to Pikachu frolicking, relaxing, and even enjoying a snack or two. There’s even a Van Gogh-esque terrified Pikachu from artist Tomokazu Komiya. What strikes me about the lineup is just how unique each artist’s take on the same Pokemon can really be. I’m already picturing the binders that fans will be able to make, showcasing all 30 of the Pikachu promos from this set.
There are still 11 designs to be unveiled, and I know I’m not alone in having a wishlist for the remaining unrevealed cards. I’d love a good old Pikachu with a bottle of ketchup, for instance. And we need adorable clay and crochet Pikachu designs in this lineup, as well. But from everything we’ve seen so far, this set of promos is absolutely stunning across the board, even if I don’t get those last few wishlist items. Unfortunately, these promos may not be very easy to get ahold of, despite being more plentiful than the rarest, most notorious Pikachu promos out there.
30th Celebration is shaping up to be one of the most elusive Pokemon card collections released this year. Scalpers will no doubt be placing big bets on the nostalgia angle of the 30th anniversary set. Even if the individual Pikachu promos don’t wind up being that rare, actually getting your hands on a 30th Celebration booster to open could prove tricky. Stores like GameStop are already marking product up well over MSRP, and that’s before the reseller market even gets involved. Hopefully, The Pokemon Company is preparing for the high demand by printing the heck out of these cards. But even so, it could be a while before most of us get to open even one 30th Celebration promo card.