As part of the year‑long celebration for Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, The Pokémon Company will release a new series of products titled First Partner Illustration Collections. These collections will roll out across 2026, with Series 1 launching on March 30th.

A New Anniversary Product Line

Each First Partner Illustration Collection will include:

• 1 promo booster pack containing three of nine Illustration Rare promo cards
• 2 regular booster packs
• 1 sticker sheet

The promo booster pack is the highlight, offering exclusive Illustration Rare cards themed around classic Starter Pokémon.

Series 1 Starters Revealed

The first wave focuses on Starter Pokémon from Kanto, Sinnoh, and Alola, featuring:

Kanto

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle

Sinnoh

• Turtwig
• Chimchar
• Piplup

Alola

• Rowlet
• Litten
• Popplio

Series 2 and Series 3 will arrive later in 2026, covering the remaining generations.

A Throwback to the 25th Anniversary

This new product line echoes the First Partner Packs released in 2021 for Pokémon’s 25th anniversary. Those packs featured jumbo reprints of each region’s Starter trio alongside two booster packs. The new 30th anniversary collections appear to build on that concept, but with a modern twist: Illustration Rare promos instead of jumbo cards.

Possible Connection to Japan’s Celebration Collection

Japan is expected to receive a Celebration Collection sometime in 2026 to mark either the franchise’s 30th anniversary or the TCG’s own milestone. It’s possible that the Illustration Rare promos included in the First Partner Illustration Collections will originate from that Japanese release or related products.

No Images Yet

Although the product line was first reported last month, no official images have been revealed at this time.