The next set for the popular Pokémon TCG, Ascended Heroes, is bringing a slew of new Mega Pokémon to the game, and it features familiar returning designs.
To many collectors, it may feel like Phantasmal Flames (the latest set in the Pokémon Trading Card Game) has just launched. Still, with new variants of Charizard haunting pack openings globally, The Pokémon Company isn’t taking its foot off the gas. New cards for the upcoming special set, Ascended Heroes, have been revealed, showcasing new creatures and new Mega form designs that have yet to hit tabletops. Mega Dream ex (the Japanese set name that will feature mostly the same cards as North America’s Ascended Heroes) releases in Japan on November 28, with the English version of the set due to release near the end of January 2026.
It has been nearly 10 years since the release of Pokémon TCG‘s XY Flashfire set, and when that set was released in North America, Mega Evolutions of popular creatures hit the tabletops for the first time since being introduced. But The Pokémon Company wasn’t finished there. The XY Pokémon TCG era also introduced a new card type that fans either really liked or really disliked, depending on the fan’s preference for huge letters. In Japanese, the Mega Evolution ex cards were launched with this set featuring sprawling coming book style font in full capital lettering that literally says an attack the Pokémon does in the opposite region on the front.
In Japanese, XY Ancient Origins‘ M Tyranitar ex would say “DESTROYER KING” over the front of it in English, and vice versa in English with Japanese font emblazoned on the front. The English language equivalent would feature DESTROYER KING in Japanese on the front, but the sole attack box would feature the attack name. This was a novel design concept at the time, bridging the gap between Japanese and English tabletops with card design choices. In Mega Dream ex and Ascended Heroes, this design makes a big comeback, with M Gardevoir ex and M Lucario ex leading the charge.
According to Pokébeach, several types of reverse holo cards can be found in packs, with reveals so far showing various Pokéball designs and reverse holos reflecting a Pokémon’s type. There’s even a Friend Ball rare that has been spotted, similar to the Eeveelutions’ “Master Ball rare” variants that can be found in packs.
Pokémon TCG‘s next English set, Ascended Heroes, is set to launch in January 2026.
