Pitch Black’s Top Chase Card is Finally Revealed in English
In what has got to be one of the most creative Pokémon official card reveals of all time, Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare has finally been revealed in English just one week ahead of the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution – Pitch Black release date.
The Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare is anticipated as being the most expensive Pitch Black chase card by far – and it could even be one of the most expensive new Pokémon cards introduced into the game since Mega Gengar ex Special Illustration Rare was released in Ascended Heroes.
Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare: our darkest pull yet
Way back in May when the Japanese version of this epic chase was revealed as part of Abyss Eye, I called it “our darkest pull yet.” The Pokémon Company seems to understand that this very dark take on Mega Darkrai ex is a step further in that direction than they typically will go. The trailer shared by the official Pokémon TCG X account for this specific card is very, very dark, filled with visual imagery and narrative that will send shivers down your spine.
The lore behind Mega Darkrai ex
Although Mega Darkrai features prominently in the latest Pokémon video game, Legends: Z-A, the lore shared in the trailer and the general art concept for the card itself leans heavily into a specific and fantastic source material: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai.
In the film, Darkrai is commonly found flitting in and out of the shadow world (referenced in the trailer and general Pokémon TCG marketing as “the abyss”), usually using gnarled old trees as its preferred spawning point.
Although the artwork for the SIR is somewhat abstract, the overall impression of the twisted roots and texture of the material forming “the abyss” (not to mention the verdant green color which is the only real color in the art aside from black and gray) is clearly evocative of a tree.
The tree in the art is a fundamental aspect of Darkrai’s lore
One final note to hit on for this masterpiece of a card is the gnarled depiction of the tree that surrounds it. Indeed, in this artwork, the tree itself becomes a part of the story. It’s saying something visually about the Pokémon that is so instantly associated with it. And while the scarier, more realistic artistic take on Darkrai may seem unfamiliar, many will remember the tree from the film located in the beautiful garden of Alamos town.
The tree isn’t just the location that Darkrai is seen disappearing into and reappearing from – it’s the very refuge of the Pokémon, as well as the scene where Darkrai first encounters love.
In the card, the tree envelops our view, as well as the Pokémon itself. It merges with the darkness of the void almost like liquid, pulling off a fluid visual so well integrated that you almost forget you are staring at a tree at all.
While for a kid, The Rise of Darkrai can be a scary experience, the cosmic horror displayed in Pitch Black’s top chase card feels terrifying for anyone. And it’s quite likely collectors will sing a different tune if they weren’t already getting excited for what’s likely to be Summer 2026’s blockbuster TCG set.
How much will Mega Darkrai ex SIR be worth?
Of course, we don’t just collect Pokémon cards for the art: value is a big pull for elite-tier chase cards like Mega Darkrai ex.
To understand how much this card might be worth, it’s helpful to look at how the Japanese version of the card has already been performing on the secondary card market.
Right now, it’s going for about $364 – a small step above what the Mega Greninja ex SIR is worth (that card fetching $319 in Japan).
From looking at the current value of the Mega Greninja ex SIR printed in the international Chaos Rising set, we can come up with a decently accurate range for what Mega Darkrai ex SIR will be worth. Putting the data together, I would guess Mega Darkrai ex SIR will be worth somewhere around $300-$500 on the secondary card market.
While Mega Darkrai ex may not be massively more popular than Mega Greninja ex, its gorgeous and uniquely dark art will likely resonate with a broad range of Pokémon TCG collectors, making this card inherently more valuable than even the likes of the Mega Greninja ex SIR from Chaos Rising.
Additional cards revealed for Pitch Black
While the English reveal for Mega Darkrai ex SIR is by far the biggest drop today, several additional Pitch Black cards were revealed in English, including the card many are assuming will be the underdog Illustration Rare chase from the set: Slowbro.
While Slowbro Illustration Rare is favorited for its potential on the secondary card market, Mega Delphox ex is another interesting reveal. That card was only recently announced as part of the complete Pitch Black card list. It’s one of just three cards included in Pitch Black that were not in the Abyss Eye sister set originally released in Japan.
With Pitch Black releasing in just seven days, this is likely the last big Pitch Black English card reveal for the set. It’s been a wild ride with a ton of exciting card reveals and spoilers, and the Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare card is the perfect way to send it off with a bang.
Stay tuned next week for additional Pitch Black set details including an upcoming release day guide, the full English card list which will likely drop middle of next week, live market prices for top chase cards, and more!
