For many Pokemon fans in the U.S., keeping an eye on what’s happening with Japanese releases helps predict what’s next for English-language Pokemon cards. And when it comes to the still-unconfirmed Special Set of Pokemon TCG planned for July 18th in the U.S., newly revealed cards from the Japanese Black Bolt and White Flare sets give us a good idea of what we might see in this next new set of Pokemon cards. During the Japanese Champions League Aichi 2025 Livestream, The Pokemon Company gave fans a first look at some cards from the new sets.
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Although the set hasn’t been officially announced and we don’t have an actual name, it’s all but confirmed that the July 18th Special English Set from the Pokemon TCG will feature cards from the Japanese Black Bolt and White Flare sets. These Pokemon cards release on June 6th in Japan, which means the Pokemon Company has finally started to reveal specific cards that will be included in the set. This gives U.S. Pokemon card collectors a preview of potential cards that will be included in the special English set this July.
So far, we’ve seen a handful of the new Unova Pokemon cards that will feature in the Black Bolt and White Flare sets in Japan. As a Unova-theme set, it’s no surprise to see the Unova starters, Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott. Even so, it’s always nice to get a look at the new card art for these Pokemon. The sets will also include some Unova legendary Pokemon like Reshiram, Kyurem, and Zekrom, with ex versions available for all three.
The New Unova Sets are Packed with Illustration Rares
Perhaps most exciting, however, is the news that, according to Poke Beach, all 156 Unova region Pokemon will have a Special Illustration Rare or Illustration rare in these upcoming sets in Japan. While there’s no guarantee this will translate directly in the special English set, it does mean we’ll likely get at least a few of these stunning full-illustration cards for our favorite Unova Pokemon.
Only a few of these illustration rares have been revealed just yet, but from what we’ve seen so far, they’re going to be pretty good. From Oshawott taking a nap to Tepig playing in the leaves, there’s some truly adorable card art in this set.
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With Prismatic Evolutions finally getting a tiny bit easier to find thanks to recent Pokemon Center and GameStop restocks, many fans are finally getting to experience the joy of opening packs again. The Journey Together release was less chaotic than Prismatic Evolutions, so Pokemon card fans may be able to actually get ahold of the upcoming special English set when it drops. That said, we’ve got the Team Rocket-themed Destined Rivals up next, so that may be a better indicator of what to expect from a special English set release this summer.
The Pokemon Company has yet to officially reveal details for this set, but now that the Japanese versions have been unveiled, it’s likely we’ll learn more soon. For many Pokemon fans, this Unova set is even more proof that those long-awaited Unova video game remakes are on the horizon. We’ve still heard nothing about such games dropping in 2025, but they are next up in line for the typical remake pattern. At any rate, Unova fans should soon be able to enjoy collecting cards with their favorites in Japan and in the U.S.
