Pokémon 30th Anniversary Pikachu ex SIRs: Day & Night Cards Officially Confirmed

Two Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares are shaping up to be major chase cards in Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration.

Images of the cards circulated online as leaks before The Pokémon Company International officially confirmed the Day and Night Pikachu ex SIRs on August 16, 2026. That distinction matters. The cards themselves are now official, but some of the images collectors are sharing, including the version posted to Reddit, originated as leaked material.

The matching pair features Pikachu ex 149/128 in a bright daytime celebration and Pikachu ex 150/128 at night, surrounded by Pokémon and fireworks.

If you are already planning your 30th Celebration chase list, these two deserve a spot near the top.

What Are the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Pikachu ex SIRs?

The two cards are Special Illustration Rare versions of the Day and Night Pikachu ex cards from 30th Celebration.

The leaked card images show:

Pikachu ex 149/128: Day SIRPikachu ex 150/128: Night SIR

Both have 190 HP and are illustrated by kantaro, but they are not simply the same playable card with different artwork. Each Pikachu ex has its own attacks and role.

TPCi officially confirmed both SIRs on August 16. The standard Double Rare versions had already been shown before today's premium-art confirmation.

Pikachu ex 149/128 Is the Day SIR

The daytime Pikachu ex turns Pokémon's 30th anniversary into a giant outdoor party.

Pikachu takes center stage while Pokémon from across the franchise fill nearly every part of the artwork. The crowded scene makes this the kind of card collectors can spend a while looking at, spotting different Pokémon and small details in the background.

The card's Pika-Pika Parade attack searches your deck for any number of Basic Pokémon and puts them directly onto your Bench. Its second attack, Thunderbolt, deals 200 damage but requires you to discard all Energy from Pikachu.

The artwork will probably be the bigger draw for collectors, but the Day and Night cards having different gameplay identities makes the pair more interesting than two simple alternate-art variants.

Pikachu ex 150/128 Is the Night SIR

The Night Pikachu ex takes the celebration in a completely different visual direction.

The bright daytime parade gives way to a darker scene filled with fireworks, lights and another crowd of Pokémon surrounding Pikachu.

Its first attack is Zip-Zap Frenzy, which lets you attach any number of Basic Energy cards from your hand to your Pokémon in any way you like. Thunder then hits for 200 damage while dealing 30 damage back to Pikachu.

Side by side, 149/128 and 150/128 clearly feel designed as a matching collector pair.

That could matter once 30th Celebration hits the market. A collector who pulls one may have a pretty strong temptation to hunt down the other.

Were the Pikachu SIRs Leaked or Officially Revealed?

Technically, both.

Images and information about the Pikachu ex SIRs circulated before Pokémon's August 16 announcement. The Reddit thread currently getting attention even describes its image as the leaked 30th Anniversary Pikachu SIRs.

However, the cards are no longer unconfirmed leaks.

TPCi has now officially announced that the two Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rares are coming to 30th Celebration.

The clean way to look at it is:

The images leaked first. The cards are now officially confirmed.

Are There 30 Pokémon Hidden in Each Pikachu SIR?

Maybe, but this is not confirmed.

Collectors immediately began trying to identify every Pokémon hidden throughout the two illustrations. One discussion following the official reveal suggested there may be 30 Pokémon in each Pikachu SIR, which would make perfect sense for a 30th anniversary card.

It is a fun theory, especially considering how densely packed both illustrations are.

For now, though, Pokémon has not officially said that each card contains exactly 30 Pokémon. Treat it as a possible anniversary Easter egg rather than confirmed card trivia.

Is a Pikachu ex SIR Guaranteed in Every 30th Celebration Pack?

No.

This is an important distinction because 30th Celebration does guarantee a Pikachu card in every booster pack. Pokémon created 30 different Pikachu rare cards for the anniversary set, giving collectors 30 versions to chase.

The Day and Night Pikachu ex SIRs are separate premium cards.

So while opening a 30th Celebration pack means you will get one of the dedicated anniversary Pikachu cards, it does not mean you are guaranteed Pikachu ex 149/128 or 150/128.

Those are chase cards.

Are These the Pikachu Cards From the Day and Night UPCs?

No. There are multiple premium versions of the Day and Night Pikachu ex cards, which can get confusing quickly.

The 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collections will feature separate Pikachu ex promos. The Day UPC pairs Pikachu ex with Espeon ex, while the Night UPC pairs Pikachu ex with Umbreon ex. Those products are scheduled for later in the anniversary release calendar.

The 149/128 and 150/128 cards are the Special Illustration Rares from the expansion itself, not those UPC promos.

Could the Pikachu ex SIRs Be 30th Celebration Chase Cards?

Absolutely.

It is too early to declare either Pikachu the most valuable card in the set, especially with 30th Celebration bringing plenty of other collector favorites and premium treatments.

But these cards have a lot going for them.

They feature Pokémon's mascot, they form an obvious Day and Night pair, both have large scene-driven illustrations, and the artwork encourages collectors to hunt through the backgrounds for Pokémon cameos.

Early community reaction is already strong. In the Reddit thread where the leaked image was shared, collectors immediately began calling out favorite background Pokémon and discussing the pair as potential chase cards.

Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration begins releasing worldwide on September 16, 2026.

Until then, we do not have reliable market prices or pull-rate data for the two SIRs.

What we do know is much simpler: Pikachu ex 149/128 and Pikachu ex 150/128 are officially coming to 30th Celebration, and the matching Day and Night artwork already makes them two of the set's most interesting cards to watch.

Want to know what’s coming next? Thornberry TCG Release HQ tracks upcoming trading card releases with live countdowns, official release information, collector updates, and our latest coverage, all in one place. Check it out here!