Previewing the New Pokemon Team Rocket Set

A popular set returns with the Japanese Glory of Team Rocket and the English Destined Rivals.

The long-awaited return of one of the best themed sets is arriving, and it’s none other than The Glory of Team Rocket! Pokemon Team Rocket, the Japanese set, will release on April 18, 2025. The English version will be called Destined Rivals and will release on May 30, 2025. Here is everything we know about the most hyped set of the year!

Destined Rivals and the Return of Team Rocket

The last set to feature Team Rocket was 2004’s The Return of Team Rocket. This set featured the first ever Rocket-themed ex cards and the first ever Gold Star cards of Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip. Gold Stars are some of the most highly sought-after cards in the game’s history, and we hope they’ll return in the upcoming Pokemon Team Rocket set.

Japanese vs. English Sets

There are some differences between the Japanese and English Team Rocket sets. The Japanese set is a stand-alone set and will be released as a Booster Box of 30 packs with 5 cards per pack. It will no longer feature “Dark” Pokemon, instead focusing on “Rocket’s” Pokemon. This makes sense to us. After all, it is a Team Rocket set.

In English, the set is called Destined Rivals. It will be a combination of Heat Wave Arena and The Glory of Team Rocket sets. Based on the checklist of cards from Heat Wave Arena, this will be a strong set. The English release will have Booster Boxes, Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs), Collection Boxes, Booster Bundles, and more. Booster packs will have 10 cards like usual, instead of the 5 in Japanese packs.

Additionally, some cards for the English release will be promos instead of cards you can chase within the packs. For example, an Illustration Rare Rocket’s Wobbuffet is the promo for the ETB. In the Japanese set, it’s a card you can pull from the packs. Pokemon does this as a fun way to collect different products and boxes while getting a little promo as a bonus.

What’s in the New Team Rocket Set?

As far as we know, Mewtwo will be the headliner, and fans are excited! Mewtwo is one of the original 151, and he finally returns with his own ex card in the Team Rocket sets. This means he will most likely get a Special Illustration Rare (English Rarity Name) and Special Art Rare (Japanese Rarity Name).

We also have a Meowth Illustration Rare featuring a cameo of Giovanni in the background. Mareep, Flaaffy, and Ampharos are also returning. To our surprise, the legendary birds also return, but it’s Moltres that’s getting the ex this time. Does this mean we’ll get an SIR/SAR of Moltres ex? Hopefully so!

What New Cards Could Be Featured?

Pokemon Team Rocket sets are infamous for introducing something new to collect. Let’s look back at the older sets and see what could be a possibility with this release.

The original Team Rocket set introduced the concept of “Dark” Pokemon, which were evil counterparts of the original Pokemon. They were often much stronger versions, too. It was also the first set to introduce a Secret Rare: Dark Raichu. Wizards of the Coast, the company printing Pokemon at the time, added it in the checklist and this was the first time we saw a card with an ID number higher than the final number of the checklist. In Team Rocket Returns, they introduced the “Rocket’s” ex Pokemon and the beloved Gold Star cards. These were shiny versions of Pokemon that were difficult to pull.

With these new additions, we’re left wondering what they’ll introduce this time around! Will it be Team Rocket logo stamped reverse foils like the master ball cards from previous sets, or will Raichu return as one of the secret rare cards in the checklist? Will it be the return of Gold Star cards but as Special Illustration Rare cards, or something completely different that we would never expect? Only time will tell, but Team Rocket fans and true collectors can rejoice at the return of everyone’s favorite villainous team!

The Challenge: Finding Pokemon Team Rocket

As the Pokemon hype continues to grow, this set will be a tough one to find. As always, AA Mint Cards is committed to keeping Pokemon Team Rocket in stock for our customers. We want you to enjoy the rush of finding your favorite Rocket’s cards and collecting what is sure to be another historical set for Pokemon! Stop by our South Florida location or visit the AA Mint Cards online store to get started today!