What are Poncho Pikachu cards?
They are Japanese promo cards of Pikachu wearing a poncho with a hood shaped like another Pokémon. Most came from Pokémon Center stores in Japan, in special boxes or campaigns tied to a store opening or an event, and none were released in English.
The first famous pair came from Pokémon Center Hiroshima, which opened on June 26, 2015 with Magikarp and Gyarados as its mascots, a nod to the local baseball team, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The Special Box sold there held Pretend Magikarp Pikachu and Pretend Gyarados Pikachu.
Pokémon Center Hiroshima (June 2015)
The Mega Evolution ponchos
Most poncho cards from the XY era show Mega Pokémon. The two most wanted pairs are Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y (207 and 208/XY-P), sold in special boxes on New Year's Day 2016, and Mega Rayquaza and shiny Mega Rayquaza (230 and 231/XY-P) from 2016.
Three cards show a group of Pikachu in different Mega ponchos. On 203/XY-P they are dressed as Mega Audino, Mega Lucario and Mega Slowbro. On 274/XY-P they are Mega Gallade, Mega Rayquaza, Mega Ampharos and Mega Mawile, and on 275/XY-P Mega Lopunny, Mega Diancie and Mega Gardevoir.
Mega Evolution poncho cards
Vulpix and Eevee ponchos (2017)
In the Sun & Moon era the idea carried on. Two 2017 cards put Pikachu in a Vulpix poncho, one in Alolan Vulpix white (037/SM-P) and one in regular red Vulpix (038/SM-P).
The same year Eevee got its own set of eight poncho cards, 137 to 144/SM-P, one for each Eeveelution: Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon and Sylveon, in that order.
Vulpix and Eevee ponchos
Villain team and other dress-up Pikachu
Pokémon Center also made Pikachu promos in costumes rather than ponchos. In 2018 came seven Pretend Boss Pikachu cards, 191 to 197/SM-P, one for each villain team leader from Giovanni of Team Rocket to Guzma of Team Skull, drawn by Sonosuke Sakuma. They were given out at random with booster pack purchases at Pokémon Center.
Earlier, Pretend Team Skull Pikachu (013/SM-P) dressed Pikachu as a Team Skull Grunt, and Pretend Grunt Pikachu (014/SM-P) shows a crowd of Pikachu in grunt outfits from different teams. Later cards include Pretend Tea Ceremony Pikachu, with two Pikachu in kimono, and Pretend Comedian Pikachu, a Pikachu comedy duo in matching suits.
Pretend Pikachu promos
How much are Poncho Pikachu cards worth?
The single-Pokémon XY ponchos are the most valuable. In late September 2026, the Cardmarket prices Pooka tracks put the Mega Charizard X poncho at about €4,900, the Mega Rayquaza poncho at about €4,800, the Mega Charizard Y poncho at about €4,400 and Pretend Magikarp Pikachu at about €4,350. The group cards 203, 274 and 275 sell for about €1,900 to €2,900.
The 2017 Vulpix and Eevee ponchos are mostly around €850 to €1,550 each, and the Pretend Boss Pikachu cards €540 to €950. Pretend Team Skull Pikachu is an outlier at about €6,700. These prices mix conditions, so a graded copy in top condition can cost far more.
