Pokémon 151, the set focused on the original 151 Pokémon from the Kanto region, which took the fanbase by storm when it came out in English and Japanese in 2023, is getting a Chinese release early next year, and it comes with some awesome exclusive Pikachu card art.
The Simplified Chinese version of this set is called Collect 151 Journey and comes out on January 17, 2025. While the Traditional Chinese version of the card game keeps pace with the Japanese release, and so receives the newest Pokémon sets before English-speakers, Simplified Chinese cards follow behind at a significant distance.
If you were seeking to collect Chinese Pokémon cards, there probably isn’t a better place to start than Collect 151 Journey, mainly because this set stands out from its Traditional Chinese equivalent with four exclusive Art Rare variants of Pikachu.
There’s a flying Pikachu, a Pikachu who seems about to bother a sleeping Psyduck, a whole clearing full of Pikachu, and a scared Pikachu being haunted by a Gengar. These full art pieces all look brilliant in the soft, painterly style of Brazilian/Japanese illustrator Oswaldo KATO, who penned each of these creations.
It makes sense that The Pokémon Company would want to cater to its mainland Chinese audience, as in a country of 1.4 billion people, there’s obviously a lot of room for growth. As a result it’s not only creating unique, attention grabbing artwork like this, it’s also putting sets out at a rate of knots and printing more and more cards in each set. The aim seems to be to catch up with the Japanese (or at least the English) release schedule.
As a result, January is going to be an expensive month for Chinese collectors. Not only is Collect 151 Journey launching on January 17, but so is Scarlet & Violet: Eternal Beginnings, a set which from what few spoilers we’ve seen, we already know holds cards from Base S&V, 151, and Obsidian Flames.
Together, these two sets mark the Simplified Chinese TCG’s entry to the Scarlet & Violet Era – there’s still plenty of ground to cover, before this variant of the game completes all Pokémon sets, but it’s gaining fast.
For more Pokémon news, you can check out our up to date list of the most expensive Pokémon cards ever sold.
Source: Wargamer
