Pokémon
Welcome to our Pokémon card collecting guide. Directly translated from Japanese as “Pocket Monsters”, Pokémon is considered one of the most successful anime, video game, and collectible franchises in the world. It started as a video game in 1996, part of the Pokémon series, and rapidly grew into a trading card game (TCG), TV series, films, Pokémon figurines, merchandise, and other related media. As of October 2025, the rarest Pokémon card was still the 1998 Pikachu Illustrator Card. The most expensive Pokémon collectible was the Pokémon 2000 film frame. Surprisingly, the most valuable Funko Pop! was one never officially released: the #843 Charizard (Metallic). For Pokémon collectors in Australia and around the world, the most valuable cards are highly sought-after items, especially those featuring Pikachu, Charizard and Umbreon, as well as rare holo cards, first edition cards, limited edition Pokémon cards, graded cards (PSA / BGS), and promo cards.
Poké Highlight
30 YEARS OF POKEMON
The Pokémon Company has officially confirmed the release date for its major milestone 30th anniversary expansion, titled “30th Celebration,” with the Japanese set scheduled to debut on September 16, 2026. This set is speculated to be different – 6 holofoil cards per booster pack.
Furthermore, the set will lean heavily into nostalgia by featuring reprints of fan-favorite cards from previous eras of the game, including the notable Pikachu & Zekrom GX and the classic Lugia from the Aquapolis expansion. The celebration extends beyond cards into a dedicated merchandise hub and significant brand collaborations, ensuring a steady stream of commemorative products and activations for fans worldwide through the remainder of the year.
What will not be a part of this year’s celebrations is generation X. It might be a while until it hits the TCG
THE DARK WORLD OF POKEMON
It is quite the contrast. While Pokémon is a colourful world of friendship and adventure, three decades of deep lore and a massive adult fanbase have created a “dark side” to the franchise.
When you look at a series with over 1,000 creatures, the writers eventually lean into ghost stories, urban legends, and biological “realism” to keep things interesting, and sometimes disturbing.
From “femboys” to “soul thieves”, Pokémon is said to be inspired by all. I, however, am still recovering from finding out Magicarp is delicious!
Poké News
POKEMON LIVE
The Pokémon Company announced the rollout of special in-game events and exclusive participation promos in celebration of the 2026 Pokémon World Championships and competitive season.
Alongside in-game activations on Pokémon TCG Live featuring a dedicated Learning Lab, Gym Leader Challenge Trainer Trials, and themed cosmetic rewards, regional gym events and promotional distributions have begun awarding exclusive promotional cards, including newly revealed special Eevee and Celebratory Fanfare promos for participating tournament players.
More information here
A BIG WAVE
The Pokémon TCG launched its latest summer wave headlined by the Japanese release of the Mega Evolution expansion set Storm Emeralda (M6)—spotlighting high-rarity cards such as Mega Rayquaza SAR—and the international rollout of the First Partner Illustration Collection Series 3.
This wave continues the franchise’s 30th-anniversary celebration momentum leading into the globally synchronized release of the 30th Celebration expansion and the upcoming English main set Delta Reign.
More information here.
Pokémon of the Week
With Generation X set to add over 100 Pokémon in the next couple of years, I’ve realised that if I maintain the ratio of introducing just one a week to newcomers, finishing the list would take me way over 20 years!
So, let’s go! Introducing #0069 Bellsprout, in Japanese Madatsubomi.
Bellsprout, known as the Flower Pokémon, is a dual-type Grass/Poison species that resembles a carnivorous pitcher plant anchored by a thin, flexible, vine-like body. Despite its frail appearance, Bellsprout anchors its root-like feet into the ground to absorb moisture while executing rapid, whip-like dodges to evade physical attacks and snare insect prey with its corrosive digestive juices.
In Pokémon lore and geography, the species is deeply woven into the cultural fabric of the Johto region; Sprout Tower in Violet City was constructed entirely around a hundred-foot-tall central pillar that sways like a Bellsprout to absorb seismic shocks, with ascetic monks dedicating their training to emulating the creature’s nimble, grounded balance.
A surprising quirk in Bellsprout’s competitive history is that despite its modest base Speed stat of only 40, its Hidden Ability—Chlorophyll—alongside access to high-power coverage moves like Weather Ball, Solar Beam, and Sludge Bomb, turned it into a premier, tier-defining special sweeper in competitive Little Cup (LC) sun teams across multiple generations, allowing this seemingly delicate sprout to out speed nearly the entire unboosted metagame under harsh sunlight.
HOW MUCH WAS IT AGAIN?
If 2025 taught us anything, it was to stay alert when checking the value of our cards. eBay sold items remain one of the most reliable sources when checking real-world secondary market values on Pokémon cards.
You can, however, count on other websites to help with that, like:
Poké-Gallery
Watch them all!
Are Pokémon collabs everywhere?
How I expected the LEGO-Pokémon to be
Pokémon TCG Checklists
The Pokémon TCG has been around for decades now, which can both overwhelm new collectors and make it somewhat hard for hobbyists to complete sets. Intrigued by the development of terms such as “Grandmaster,” “Master Pokémon,” and “Pokémon Master,” I set out to find helpful checklists. While tracking down every single appearance of a Pokémon across all variations, trainer sets and country-exclusive releases has proven to be incredibly challenging, I’m optimistic that my findings will be genuinely helpful. Just follow the links and good luck!
National Pokédex
The National Pokédex serves as the definitive Pokémon encyclopedia, containing a complete list of every known species across all generations. For players, collectors, and trainers, it’s the key resource for Pokédex completion, offering detailed information such as base stats, evolution paths, abilities, and type advantages. Whether you’re researching your next team or tracking rare Pokémon, the National Pokédex remains the ultimate guide for understanding and mastering the world of Pokémon:
TCC’s Collection
Our journey doesn’t stop here. Explore the other corners of our digital library where we dive deep into the specific worlds of Funko, AFL, and more.