Groudon and Growlithe Illustration Rares Leak

Two more Illustration Rares from Japan’s upcoming Storm Emerald set have surfaced in images circulating online, and they’re a strong pair: a molten, full-frame Groudon and a cozy indoor Growlithe. Storm Emerald is the Japanese set arriving in English as Delta Reign, which we covered when the November 6 release was confirmed.

Both cards appear in hand-held photos with the silver borders typical of the Illustration Rare treatment, where the artwork runs edge to edge across the entire card.

The Groudon IR

The Groudon card, labeled グラードン in Japanese, sits at 150 HP and shows the Legendary erupting through a wall of fire and lava. The artwork leans hard into the volcanic theme, with molten orange and red swallowing most of the frame while Groudon’s dark red body and claws cut through the middle.

Two attacks are listed. かいりき (Strength) hits for 40, while あらふるだいち does 100+ with a condition attached in the Japanese attack text that we can’t fully make out from the photo. The card also shows a four-Energy retreat cost in the bottom right, which tracks for a heavyweight like Groudon.

Groudon fits the set thematically. Delta Reign is headlined by Mega Rayquaza ex, and the Hoenn weather trio traveling together in one set is exactly the kind of pairing collectors chase.

The Growlithe IR

The second card, ガーディ (Growlithe), goes the complete opposite direction tonally. It’s an 80 HP Basic showing Growlithe standing at an open door inside a home, complete with a pink checkered floor, flowers, and warm domestic details. It reads like Growlithe greeting its trainer at the front door, and it’s the kind of slice-of-life scene that has made recent Illustration Rares so popular.

Its attacks are ほえる (Roar) and うしろげり, with the latter hitting for 50. The retreat cost appears to be two Energy.

If you collect the “Pokémon living their lives” style of IR art, this one belongs on your radar. Growlithe cards in this vein tend to be crowd favorites, and the composition here is genuinely charming.

What this means for Delta Reign

To be clear on what’s new versus known: Delta Reign’s November 6 English release and its Mega Rayquaza ex headliner are officially confirmed. These two Illustration Rares are the new part, and they remain unconfirmed until we see them officially or in verified pack openings.

If the leaks are accurate, though, Storm Emerald’s IR lineup is shaping up nicely, with big legendary energy on one end and cozy character art on the other. That balance is usually a good sign for a set’s overall chase list.

We’ll keep tracking Storm Emerald leaks as more cards surface ahead of the Japanese release. In the meantime, if you’re already planning your Delta Reign pickups, you can browse upcoming Pokémon TCG singles and lock in the cards you actually want instead of gambling on packs.