Hi there. In this post I cover Pokemon Japan's Starter decks plus new cards.
This post is long. Read what you want.
Pokemon Japan has this ambitious plan of releasing 100 different Starter decks. Maybe it is to celebrate Pokemon's 30th anniversary in 2026.
This product releases on December 19, 2025 with the cost of 891 yen (less than 6 USD). Each deck product is random so you don't know if you get good playable cards or not until you open the random deck.
These 100 decks come from a pool of 742 cards. Only 57 cards feature new artwork. Over 85% of the cards feature reprints from past sets.
I have covered some of the new cards in previous posts. New cards include new Trainer cards, Erika's Pokemon and Larry's Pokemon.
Erika's Weepinbell
Erika's Weepinbell is an okay Stage 1 attacker as you work your way up to the Victreebel.
Chikorita & Bayleef
Here are the new versions of Chikorita and Bayleef. Nothing too crazy from these two but you need them for...
Mega Meganium ex
This Mega Meganium ex is mainly a beatstick attacker. Giant Bouquet requires 3 Colourless Energy for its attack. This attack does 70 base damage and does 50 more damage for each Grass Energy attached to this Pokemon.
Charmander & Charmeleon
Here are the new versions of Charmander and Charmeleon. Not crazy attackers but needed for Mega Charizard X ex or Mega Charizard Y ex.
Mega Charizard Y ex
This card was covered in a previous post. Being able to deal 280 damage to any Pokemon Active or Benched is pretty powerful. You do discard 3 Energy though.
Tepig, Pignite
Mega Emboar ex
Mega Emboar ex is a Fire beatstick attacker. Crimson Blast does a whopping 320 damage with 60 damage to itself.
Powering this up is possible with Oricorio ex.
Totodile & Croconaw
Mega Feraligatr ex
This Mega Feraligatr ex. People on the interwebs are kind of going crazy for this card.
Mortal Crunch does 200 base damage from 2 Water Energy and 1 Colourless Energy. If the opponent's Active Pokemon already has damage counters on it, then this attack does 200 more damage for a total of 400 damage. 400 damage is unheard of until now. We do have some one hit knockout Pokemon in the format like Gholdengo ex, Raging Bolt ex and the not so used Roaring Moon ex.
Getting damage counters on the opponent's Pokemon is not easy though. You could use Froslass, Munkidori, Team Rocket's Bomb or Risky Ruins.
There is also this Starmie but you need Staryu too.
Getting 3 Energy on the Mega Feraligatr ex is not easy. Yeah there is Counter Gain but still I don't know. This thing dies to Mega Manectric ex. I understand the hype but let's see how this card and its deck plays out.
Regice ex
I like Regice as a Pokemon but this card is not great.
Voltorb ex
I don't know why Voltorb and not Electrode has a Pokemon ex card. The attack is one of those flip until Tails attacks. This is not a good attacker unless you get lucky.
Marill & Azumarill ex
Marill is not a great attacker but needed for Azumarill ex.
Azumarill ex's ability allows it to take Energy from 1 of your Pokemon and put it into Azumarill ex. You could have this with Wondrous Patch and maybe with Gardevoir ex.
The Energy Balloon attack requires 3 Colourless Energy for 60 base damage. This attack 40 more damage for each Psychic Energy attached to this Pokemon.
Stunfisk ex
I don't think this Stunfisk ex is very good. There are other better retreat lock attackers than this. These include Ethan's Sudowoodo, Yveltal and Maractus.
Carbink
It is rare for Pokemon to take on two types. Carbink's ability lets it become both Fighting and Psychic.
The Counter Jewel attack is good only if the opponent has 2 of fewer Prize cards left. Then it does 170 damage from 2 Fighting and 1 Colourless Energy.
Vullaby & Mandibuzz ex
Vullaby as an attacker is not great but you need for Mandibuzz ex.
Mandibuzz ex does not seem like a big attacker. The Vulture Claw attack deals 160 damage from 1 Dark Energy and 2 Colourless Energy. It also lets you discard 1 card from the opponent's hand. The discard effect is not as powerful as the not so used Arbok ex. Use Toxtricity from the Phamtasmal Flames set to power up the Mandibuzz ex.
I don't see a whole lot of play for Mandibuzz ex. It could be a good niche control attacker.
Registeel ex & Togedemaru ex
Both of these Metal attackers are not great. Their damage output is not that high to be usable.
Zangoose ex
Zangoose ex's first attack is okay in the early game. It just lacks firepower in general. I don't see this being used much.
I think Larry is a popular character in Japan. Larry represents the average salaryman/office worker. Here are some new cards featuring Larry.
Larry's Dunsparce & Dudunsparce ex
Larry's Dunsparce is an okay attacker and it has a zero retreat cost which is a nice bonus.
Larry's Dudunsparce ex is a beatstick attacker that can theoretically do big damage if you get Heads from the coin flips. You flip a coin for each Energy attached to this Pokemon. Deal 80 damage for each Heads.
Combine this with Ignition Energy to increase your chances of dealing more damage. I can see foresee some Poke Youtubers coming up with clickbait titles with this card saying something deal big damage with this!
Larry's Starly, Staravia and Staratpor Evolution Line
Note that some of the translations are not done.
This evolution line overall is not great as the damage output is not big.
Larry's Komala
Larry's Komala won't be used as an attacker very much. This Support Pokemon has a good ability called Lethargic Charge. The ability can only be used if this Komala is on the Bench. You may attach an Energy card from your hand to your Active Larry's Pokemon.
In theory, you can have multiple Larry's Komala on the Bench to power up your Larry's Pokemon in no time. Have 2 Energy in hand, use 2 Larry's Komala to power up 2 Energy and then manual Energy attach for the turn.
Larry's Rufflet & Braviary
This evolution line does not seem great. The Rufflet dealing potentially 100 damage if from 2 Energy if the opponent's Active Pokemon has damage counters on it is kind of nice.
Overall, they made the Larry's Pokemon boring and non threatening. The Larry's Dudunsparce ex is kind of usable with multiple Larry's Komala.
People are getting hyped for Mega Feraligatr ex for its potential of 400 damage.
Larry's Pokemon is getting some hype as you can possibly use Larry's Komala with Ignition Energy to potential deal big damage with Larry's Dudunsparce ex.
For all Pokemon TCG players, PokePad is a big reveal. This card could be a new staple Pokemon search card (non-Rule box) in pretty much every deck.
Thank you for reading.
