Japan's 30th Starter Sets: 27 Full Art Promos Arrive Oct 16

Next Friday, October 16, Japan gets one of the most charming anniversary products of the entire 30th celebration. The Pokémon Card Game MEGA 30th Celebration Card Set is a nine box series, with each box honoring one generation of starter Pokémon from Kanto all the way through Paldea. It is the kind of product that works whether you started with Red and Blue or with Scarlet and Violet.

What comes in each set

Every box contains three full art promo cards: the complete starter trio of its generation, fixed so you know exactly which three you are getting before you open it. Alongside the promos you get two booster packs of the Japanese 30th Celebration expansion and a paper card stand that holds all three cards at once, so the set is display ready straight out of the box. Each set costs ¥1,200, and the box art borrows the signature colors of each generation's video game cases, which is a lovely touch for anyone who grew up with the games.

The promos to watch

There are 27 promos in total, numbered 101/M-P through 127/M-P, and the Kanto trio sets the tone. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle all come from illustrator Saboteri in a playful style that packs each card with little nods to its generation. Charmander is the early favorite in pre release price estimates, with Bulbasaur and Squirtle not far behind, and Piplup looks like the Sinnoh standout. Every promo carries the gold 30th anniversary Pikachu coin mark, which ties the whole run together visually.

Beyond Kanto, each generation gets its moment. The Johto box brings Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile; Hoenn answers with Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip; and the Paldea box closes the run with Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Whichever generation you started with, there is a box with your name on it.

Built for the shelf

The best part of this release might be the format itself. Because the three promos are fixed, there is no gamble on which card you pull: you pick your generation and the trio is yours. The included card stand means the set looks great on a desk or a shelf without a single extra purchase, and the two booster packs give you the fun of opening something on top of it. For collectors who display as much as they binder, this is close to an ideal anniversary product.

One honest note: this is a Japan release, so collectors outside Japan will be going through importers and aftermarket sellers. Anniversary products tend to move quickly, and sealed sets with fixed desirable promos are exactly the kind of thing that gets harder to find once the initial wave sells through. If a specific trio is calling your name, it is worth planning ahead rather than hoping it is still around later.