Pokemon First Partner Illustration Collection Series 2 Lands June 19 With Johto, Unova, and Galar Starters

Pokemon's June product slate has a quiet sleeper in it, and it is built for the players who care more about art than chase odds. The First Partner Illustration Collection Series 2 launches June 19 at an MSRP of $14.99, putting a fresh wave of starter Pokemon front and center with the atmospheric illustration-rare treatment that made the first series a sell-out.

What's in the Box

The value proposition here is simple and friendly. Each collection includes:

• One special pack of three promo cards drawn from a nine-card set of first-partner Pokemon, rendered in the illustration-rare style.
• Two standard Pokemon TCG booster packs.
• One sticker sheet.

At under fifteen dollars, it is one of the most approachable sealed products Pokemon puts out — low stakes, high charm, and a guaranteed set of art cards rather than a pure pull gamble.

The Regions: Johto, Unova, and Galar

Series 1 covered an earlier slate of starters; Series 2 turns to the first partners of Johto, Unova, and Galar. That means the beloved Gen 2 trio of Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile shares the spotlight with the Unova starters Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott, and the Galar starters Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble. The promos lean into mood and setting — each card frames its Pokemon in a painterly, illustration-rare scene rather than a standard portrait.

"The First Partner collections are a love letter to the starters. They are cheap, they are gorgeous, and they hit the exact nostalgia nerve that gets lapsed collectors back into a shop. Do not be surprised if the Johto promos are the first to vanish."

Why the Johto Cards Will Move First

If you are picking one region to grab on day one, the Johto trio is the safe bet. Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile carry the heaviest nostalgia load of the three generations represented, and Gen 2 starters have a long track record of outperforming on the secondary market whenever they get premium art. Unova and Galar will have their fans, but Johto is the one that tends to spike.

How to Buy It

The collection lands at the Pokemon Center and wherever Pokemon TCG products are sold. A few practical notes:

• This is a collector and gift product, not a singles-hunting vehicle. You are buying it for the guaranteed art promos, not to chase value out of the two boosters.
• Buy the region you actually love. All three are the same price; pick the starters that mean something to you rather than guessing which will appreciate.
• Expect retail to clear quickly. The first series moved fast at this price point, and a $14.99 product with desirable art tends not to sit. If you want a specific region, grab it early rather than waiting for a restock.

It is not the flashiest thing Pokemon is releasing this month, but for fifteen dollars it might be the most charming — and for anyone who started with a Johto, Unova, or Galar starter, it is an easy yes.