Pokémon 30th Celebration’s First Special Illustration Rare Cards Revealed

Aug 16

For the first time ever anywhere in the world, we’re getting a glimpse at a Special Illustration Rare (SIR) card from Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration releasing September 16, 2026. Two cards to be exact: day and night Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares.

The big reveal comes after an entire week of Pikachu-themed spoilers for the 30th Anniversary set, including a look at 19 of the 30 Pikachu Collection cards and the Double Rare versions of the Day and Night Pikachu ex cards.

Previously, both Day and Night Pikachu ex cards were also spoiled in their Futuristic Rare style promo cards: although those are technically promo cards obtainable in the special Ultra Premium Collection boxes coming out in November and not the Futuristic Rarity like the Mew ex and Mewtwo ex we are getting in this set.

Speaking of previously revealed cards, we have had previews of cards with Special Illustration Rare artwork cards thanks to the Umbreon ex and Sylveon ex. However, just like the above Pikachu promos, these are also promo cards and not Special Illustration Rares: you can only get them in the Ultra Premium Collection and not in 30th Celebration packs.

30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection [Day]

ME: 30th Celebration

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30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection [Night]

ME: 30th Celebration

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How big are the Special Illustration Rare Pikachu ex 30th Celebration cards for collectors?

The Pikachu ex SIR card reveals are likely just the first of many such high excitement card reveals coming up for the 30th Celebration set. Although plenty of news dropped back in June for this set – including massive spoilers and card reveals – it’s been relatively quiet on the spoiler front as Pokémon waited for buzz around Pitch Black and Storm Emeralda to die down before doing a Pikachu-powered push starting a week ago.

Yet regardless of how many additional cards get revealed, these day/night-themed Pikachu ex SIRs are likely to be among the most valuable for their specific rarity group.

Pikachu ex Day and Night SIR cards feature Pokémon favorites

My favorite aspect about these particular cards is the way they seamlessly tie-in many Pokémon favorites into the artwork. Take the Pikachu ex Daytime SIR, for instance.

The scene clearly takes place during a big celebration. That tracks with the celebratory-theming of this set which plays an important role in many of the revealed artworks (alongside the even more apparent day/night theme). Here, Pikachu is parading happily along a street with a big “30” painted on it in blue: clearly enjoying that Pika-Pika Parade energy as this card’s attack implies.

Surrounding Pikachu are 21 distinct Pokémon: many of them fan favorites like Espeon, Lapras, Mew, Salamence, Articuno, Moltres, and even Meowth.

Night Pikachu ex SIR features a similar impressive range of Pokémon, with Umbreon (the Eeveelution that evolves at night) on full display here in place of the Espeon (that evolves during the day).

Other Pokémon that feel at home in the night are on display here, traipsing above a big “30” painted in red. These Pokémon include Chandelure, Greninja, Gengar, and Midnight-Form Lycanroc. Meanwhile, the Zapdos that was missing from the Day Pikachu ex SIR artwork is seen drifting through the sky next to Mewtwo instead of Mew.

Clearly Pokémon is going all-out on 30th Celebration. While incredibly collectible and thrilling to chase, these Pikachu ex SIR cards will also likely be massively valuable. It’s hard to predict just how valuable given the unprecedented nature of this set. But these SIRs could easily rival some of the more valuable cards of the same rarity from the Mega Evolution era of the Pokémon TCG.