It's only three weeks away: Chaos Rising Pokemon – the fourth set of the Mega Evolution era – will be released on May 22, 2026. The card reveals of the past few days have sent the community into a frenzy, and for good reason. Mega Greninja ex, a spectacular Mega Hyper Rare, six Special Illustration Rares, and a Fennekin ETB promo that you can't get anywhere else – this set has a lot to offer. What's inside, which cards are worth chasing, and what collectors and investors should know before release day.
What's in Chaos Rising? An overview of the set
Chaos Rising is based on Japan's Ninja Spinner set and, like Phantasmal Flames and Perfect Order before it, is again a smaller set with 86 regular cards. The theme: Lumiose City plunges into chaos, led by Mega Floette ex – while Trainers fight back with Mega Greninja ex, Mega Pyroar ex, and Mega Dragalge ex.
The set structure at a glance:
- 5 Mega Evolution Pokemon ex (Mega Greninja ex, Mega Floette ex, Mega Pyroar ex, Mega Dragalge ex, Mega Gallade ex as a promo)
- 5 regular Pokemon ex (Beedrill ex, Gourgeist ex, Cobalion ex, Cinccino ex, Krookodile ex as Gym promo)
- 11 Illustration Rares (IR)
- 18 Ultra Rares (Pokemon and Trainers)
- 6 Special Illustration Rares (SIR)
- 1 Mega Hyper Rare – Mega Greninja ex
Available as Boosters, Elite Trainer Boxes, Displays and other products.
The Chase Cards – what's worth hunting for?
Mega Greninja ex – the undisputed top card
The Mega Greninja ex Mega Hyper Rare is the clear headliner of the set. What makes this pull so special: The artwork line from Froakie to Frogadier to Mega Greninja ex is a continuous illustration – rare, visually stunning, and consistently in high demand in the Japanese market (Ninja Spinner). Anyone who knows Greninja fans – and there are many – knows what that means.
Also included is the Mega Greninja ex SIR, for those who appreciate full-art quality.
Cinccino ex SIR & Roxie's Performance SIR
Two SIRs that are surprisingly highly traded on the Japanese secondary market:
- Cinccino ex SIR – one of the most popular cards in the set among artwork collectors
- Roxie's Performance SIR – one of the most beautiful Trainer SIRs of the entire Mega era, at least according to community opinion
Mega Dragalge ex – the visual insider tip
If you haven't seen pictures of Mega Dragalge ex yet: do it now. The artwork is a real eye-catcher and has generated widespread enthusiasm in the community – even among people who hadn't paid much attention to Dragalge before.
The Fennekin ETB Promo – a detail collectors need to know
Here's an important note that is often overlooked: Fennekin's Illustration Rare is not included in the regular set. It was removed and appears exclusively as a promo card in the Elite Trainer Box. Anyone who wants the complete Fennekin → Braixen → Delphox artwork line cannot avoid an ETB. The rest of the set can theoretically also be covered by boosters – but not this one card.
For collectors: Is Chaos Rising worth it?
Honest assessment: Yes – with a small asterisk.
Pros: 86 cards mean a manageable list that can be fully chased. Pull rates in smaller Mega-era sets tend to be better because printing capacity is concentrated on fewer new cards. Anyone building a complete Mega-era binder – Mega Evolution, Phantasmal Flames, Perfect Order, Ascended Heroes, Chaos Rising – gets a collection with impressive visual consistency.
Limitation: Small sets sell out faster. Those who wait for the release often buy at secondary market prices.
For investors: What Japanese market data says
Japan has already released Chaos Rising as Ninja Spinner. A look at the price trends shows: Mega Greninja ex Mega Hyper Rare holds its value steadily. Not a short-lived hype bubble, but sustained demand – which is not surprising for a popular Pokemon like Greninja.
Small sets like this have a clear pattern in the Mega era: they sell out quickly after release, which supports secondary market prices for sealed products and displays. A display at MSRP now is statistically better than the same display at Cardmarket prices in four weeks.
Prereleases: Be there as early as May 9th
If you don't want to wait until May 22: Prereleases will take place from May 9th to 17th, 2026 at participating local retailers. There will be Build & Battle Boxes with four booster packs each and one of four exclusive promo cards – Delphox, Ampharos, Crobat, or Goodra. The format is ideal for quick matches with 40-card decks and is a fun introduction to the set for players and casual openers alike.
FAQ
When is Chaos Rising released? Chaos Rising will be released worldwide on May 22, 2026. Prereleases will begin on May 9, 2026, at participating local retailers with Build & Battle Boxes.
What is the Chase Card in Chaos Rising? The most sought-after card is Mega Greninja ex as a Mega Hyper Rare. Other top pulls include Mega Greninja ex SIR, Cinccino ex SIR, and Roxie's Performance SIR. The set contains a total of six Special Illustration Rares.
How many cards does Chaos Rising have? Chaos Rising contains 86 regular cards. In addition, there are exclusive promos, including the Fennekin Illustration Rare, which is only available in the Elite Trainer Box.
Is a pre-order for Chaos Rising worth it? For collectors and investors, yes: Small sets of the Mega era often sell out quickly after release, which drives secondary market prices. Pre-ordering now secures goods at the regular price.
What is special about Mega Floette ex? Mega Floette ex interacts with special Stadium cards, reaching the highest HP value a Pokemon card has ever had. From a gameplay perspective, an interesting construct; from a collector's perspective, one of the most striking cards of the Mega era.
