Some Pokémon sets are remembered for a particular chase card. Pokémon Card 151 SV2A is different.

The entire expansion is built around the original Kanto Pokédex, bringing all 151 Pokémon from the first generation together in numerical Pokédex order. The Japanese release arrived on June 16, 2023, as a special expansion within the Scarlet & Violet era.

From Bulbasaur at the beginning of the set through Mew at the end, SV2A turns opening a booster box into something closer to filling a physical Pokémon Pokédex.

And then there are the premium cards.

Charizard ex, Blastoise ex, Venusaur ex, Pikachu, Mew ex and the special Poké Ball and Master Ball reverse-holo patterns make this one of the most distinctive Japanese Pokémon releases of the modern era.

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🔴 All 151, From Bulbasaur to Mew

The concept behind SV2A is remarkably simple: collect the original 151 Pokémon.

Instead of organizing the Pokémon cards primarily by type as many expansions do, Pokémon Card 151 follows National Pokédex numbering. Bulbasaur starts the collection, followed by Ivysaur and Venusaur, then Charmander, Charmeleon and Charizard, continuing all the way through the original Kanto roster to Mew.

That makes this set particularly satisfying for collectors who grew up with the original Pokémon games, anime or cards.

You aren’t simply collecting cards from one expansion—you are gradually recreating the first Pokémon generation.

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⭐ The Kanto Starters Return

The three original starter evolution lines receive some of the strongest treatment in the expansion.

Collectors can chase premium versions of:

• Venusaur ex

• Charizard ex

• Blastoise ex

Each receives both standard and higher-rarity versions, with their Special Illustration Rare cards among the major attractions of SV2A. The secret portion also includes the three evolution lines as special sequential cards, creating another way to collect the classic starters.

For many collectors, the Charizard line alone is enough to make 151 worth opening.

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⚡ Pikachu’s Place in 151

Pikachu is obviously one of the most important Pokémon in the original 151, and SV2A gives it a particularly memorable Illustration Rare.

The Pikachu AR is numbered 173/165, placing it beyond the regular 165-card portion of the Japanese set. It is one of the cards that helped make the Japanese 151 expansion especially attractive to collectors focused on artwork.

The card isn’t simply another Pikachu illustration. Like the other Illustration Rare cards in the set, it presents the Pokémon in a much more immersive scene.

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🧢 The Master Ball Mirror Chase

One of the biggest reasons to specifically buy the Japanese Pokémon Card 151 product is the special reverse-holo treatment.

SV2A introduced Poké Ball Mirror and Master Ball Mirror cards. The Master Ball pattern is particularly sought after because it is a distinctive feature of the Japanese release and was not carried over in the same form to the English 151 expansion.

This gives Japanese SV2A another collecting layer beyond the normal numbered set.

A collector can therefore pursue:

Regular Pokémon → Poké Ball Mirror → Master Ball Mirror → Illustration Rare → Special Illustration Rare

depending on the Pokémon and rarity available.

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🧬 Mew Is Waiting at the End

The set doesn’t stop at the original 150.

Mew is Pokémon number 151, making it the natural conclusion to the SV2A Pokédex journey.

The expansion includes Mew ex, including a Special Illustration Rare and a Hyper Rare version. The Japanese secret-card numbering lists Mew ex at 206/165 SAR and 208/165 UR.

This makes Mew one of the major premium targets in a set that is already packed with recognizable Pokémon.