Chaos Rising: The Collector's Guide to the Best Cards in the Set

Chaos Rising dropped today. It's the fourth set in the Mega Evolution block, based on the Japanese Ninja Spinner set, and it has the clearest chase hierarchy of any set in the series so far. If you're opening boxes, buying singles, or deciding what to submit for grading, this is what you need to know.

The set is 122 cards. Five Mega Evolution Pokemon ex head the roster alongside five standard Pokemon ex, eleven Illustration Rares, eighteen Ultra Rares across Pokemon and Trainer cards, six Special Illustration Rares, and a single Mega Hyper Rare at the top of the rarity ladder. That Mega Hyper Rare is Mega Greninja ex, and it is already the most talked-about pull in the Mega Evolution block.

The Five Mega Evolution Pokemon ex

Every set in this block leads with its Mega Evolution ex, and Chaos Rising is no exception. The five Mega ex are Mega Greninja ex, Mega Pyroar ex, Mega Floette ex, Mega Dragalge ex, and Mega Gallade ex. Each evolves from a standard ex version included in the set, and each uses the Ancient Trait mechanic introduced in this block, a passive ability that buffs the card's position in the Standard format.

From a collector perspective, Mega Greninja ex pulls all the weight. It carries a Mega Hyper Rare treatment and the deepest secondary market demand of the five. Mega Gallade ex and Mega Gardevoir ex (appearing in SIR form alongside the Mega ex cards) are the other two drawing serious collector attention.

The Six Special Illustration Rares

The SIR pool is where Chaos Rising earns its collector reputation. There are six, and the known chase tier breaks down as follows.

Mega Greninja ex SIR is the second most sought-after card in the set after the Mega Hyper Rare. Greninja has strong fandom pull and the SIR artwork in Chaos Rising lives up to the character's visual history in the TCG. Pop reports will be modest for months given the pull rate, and low-pop TAG 10s on this card will be meaningful as grading volumes climb.

Mega Lucario ex SIR and Mega Gardevoir ex SIR are the two cards analysts are pricing above $200 in PSA 10 condition at launch. Both Pokemon carry broad collector bases that go well beyond the competitive format, which insulates their secondary market value from rotation pressure. In graded form, either of these in a TAG 10 slab makes for a strong piece.

Cincinno ex SIR is the set's sleeper pick. Cincinno rarely gets premium artwork treatment, and the SIR version has drawn strong community reaction since the Japanese Ninja Spinner spoilers. Cards like this tend to undervalue at launch while collector attention is on the obvious chases, then correct over six to twelve months.

Roxie's Performance SIR is the Trainer card in the SIR pool. Trainer SIRs have a mixed track record on value, but Roxie has a dedicated following from the games and Roxie-adjacent artwork has performed well in Scarlet and Violet era sets. Worth watching rather than ignoring.

The sixth SIR has not been formally named in pre-release materials reviewed at time of writing. Full confirmation will update this post.

Pull Rate Reality

Chaos Rising's pull rates for premium cards are tighter than recent Scarlet and Violet sets. Based on pre-release data and early opening reports, the figures break down roughly as follows:

Mega Evolution ex cards land at around one in every twelve packs, meaning roughly three per booster box. That's accessible without being common, and it's what keeps Mega ex singles at a reasonable price ceiling. Special Illustration Rares come in at approximately one in eighty-six packs, which is fewer than one per box on average. The Mega Hyper Rare sits at around one in one hundred and forty-four packs. The Mega Greninja ex SIR specifically is significantly rarer still, appearing in roughly one in every six hundred and twenty packs across the data gathered so far.

For collectors opening sealed product: a booster box gives you a reasonable expectation of multiple Mega ex, a chance at an SIR, and a long-shot at the Mega Hyper Rare. For collectors targeting specific SIRs, buying singles on release weekend will be more efficient than box hunting in almost all cases.

The Japanese Angle

Chaos Rising is the English localisation of Ninja Spinner, which released in Japan earlier this year. Japanese Ninja Spinner cards are already in circulation among collectors who import, and the artwork quality in that print run has been praised consistently.

The English and Japanese versions share the same card designs but differ in card stock, finish, and the subtle print characteristics that matter to serious graders. Some collectors specifically prefer the Japanese print for certain SIRs because of the texture and finish differences. If you're buying to grade, it's worth knowing which version of a card you're actually holding before you submit.

Japanese Ninja Spinner singles are available at a premium precisely because the set can't be pulled from an English box. For cards where the Japanese version commands a meaningful price difference, that gap reflects genuine collector preference, not just import scarcity.

What's Worth Grading

The case for grading Chaos Rising cards is straightforward for the SIR tier. Population reports for TAG 10s on Chaos Rising SIRs will be thin for months. Submitting soon, while print volume is fresh and condition is at its best, gives you access to low-pop positions on cards where demand is clearly established.

Centering is the main risk on this set. The full-bleed artwork on SIRs makes any print shift immediately visible, and Chaos Rising has not had the same early centering praise that some Scarlet and Violet sets received. Pull slowly, check centering before you set anything aside for grading, and use a verified seller if you're buying raw singles to grade rather than pulling your own.

The Mega Hyper Rare is the obvious grading target if you pull one. A TAG 10 on the Mega Greninja ex Mega Hyper Rare will be one of the rarest slabs in the set for the foreseeable future.

Chaos Rising at Péko

We're sourcing Chaos Rising stock now and will be adding graded singles as submissions come back from TAG. Péko carries both English and Japanese pieces, so if you're looking for Ninja Spinner SIRs alongside the English Chaos Rising cards, we can often source both. Indeed, we have gotten our hands on some Pokemon Centre ETBs too!

Every graded card listed at Péko includes a TAG cert number and full DIG report on the product page. Browse what's currently available in the graded collection, or view the broader English collection for ungraded singles. If you're after something specific from this set that isn't listed yet, get in touch — we're restocking regularly as the set settles.