Pokemon Storm Emerlda... Raquaza is making a come back this July!

Update: 27/03/26

Just before Christmas time, on Christmas Eve in fact. We covered a little concept art that was circulating around social media for what looked to be a potential leak for the English/International Mega Hyper Rare for mega Rayquaza.

Now that the hype has died down a little after the release of Ninja Spinner, thoughts must be drifting towards the upcoming releases of Abyss Eye & of course, Storm Emeralda. So we thought we'd cover this concept art again.

As we've seen of recent time, really early concepts that have been dubbed as fakes, have actually ended up releasing, is this one of those times?

Right, so let’s be clear from the start: information on Storm Emeralda is very limited right now. No full card list. No official pack art reveal. No confirmed set code. But in true Pokémon TCG fashion, that hasn’t stopped the speculation machine from kicking into gear.

First Things First, Is It Official?

Short answer. Yes! Due for release on 31st July 2026.

As of now, The Pokemon Company has not released a detailed product sheet publicly outlining full set contents. The name Storm Emeralda appears in early distributor whispers and preliminary listings, which usually surface before formal announcement windows.

That typically means:

• Product is real.

• Artwork and theme details are still under wraps.

• Official reveal likely imminent (Japan usually announces 4–8 weeks prior to release).

Luckily, we have some old XY sets & decks to look back on to let our imagination run wild and get excited!

What Does “Storm Emeralda” Suggest?

The naming convention matters. Japanese sets are rarely random and like we can see above, the reference of Emerald has been used before... So it's safe to say we have a good idea right? Let's break it down anyway.

“Storm” immediately implies:

• Lightning / Electric-type focus

• High-speed mechanics

• Aggressive tempo decks

• Possibly weather-related thematics

“Emeralda” strongly hints at:

• Emerald / green colour identity

• Grass-type influence

• Or possibly a Dragon-type with emerald visual identity

If we look at historical patterns within the Japanese side of the Pokémon TCG, theme-driven sets often push one or two flagship Pokemon heavily to anchor marketing momentum.

Likely Pokémon Candidates

Based purely on thematic alignment, here are educated guesses:

Electric / Storm Angle

• Raikou

• Thundurus

• Zapdos

• Miraidon (if leaning modern)

Emerald / Dragon / Nature Angle

• Rayquaza (strong emerald association)

• Sceptile

• Zygarde

If Rayquaza ends up being the face card, expect immediate international demand. Emerald + storm energy fits it almost too perfectly.

Right now, Storm Emeralda sits in that exciting pre-reveal limbo stage — where the name alone is enough to spark theories but not enough to confirm anything concrete.

If the theme leans into emerald lightning or Dragon-type energy, this could quietly become one of the stronger mid-cycle Japanese releases.

The moment confirmed visuals or set lists surface, we will be on it!