As Spring Approaches, Pokemon Turns Up The Heat

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March 16, 2025 Joshua Beach

Buckle up, Trainers! The ride never ends.

The past four Japanese sets of Pokémon TCG have been four of the most hyped and loved in recent memory. Paradise Dragona and Super Electric Breaker were the most substantial sets since Shiny Treasure ex, with an adorable Pikachu and soaring Latias as premier chases in addition to some other gorgeous arts of fan favorites. Terastal Festival dwarfed the influence of the Surging Sparks analogs, as the Evolving Skies reboot ushered in a madcap phase of ballooning prices and English product shortages.

Given the high demand and prices of boxes and chase cards, it's wild to think of Battle Partners as a reprieve. The return of Trainer’s Pokémon has its own charm and plenty of hype, but doesn’t quite match the cultural phenomenon of Terastal Festival’s inexhaustible SAR and Master Ball hunt.

That reprieve, such as it is, may be short-lived. Heat Wave Arena released in Japan on March 14th, and it seems we have another certifiable banger on our hands. It continues the theme of Trainer’s Pokémon and brings some big names into the fold from early Generations, such as Misty, Cynthia, and Ethan. These characters are iconic, and their signature Pokémon are very popular as well, such as Garchomp, Psyduck, and Ho-oh.

As a general concept, this is a great set with lots of promise. However, how does the actual execution hold up? In my opinion, very well. The only fumble is failing to include a Misty’s Pokémon SAR, which would have been all but guaranteed as an extremely high-value card. As it stands, the SARs we have should be very popular, and the Misty’s ARs figure to be some of the most chased in the set outside the top rarities. With the foundational considerations out of the way, let’s dive into some of the specific cards that have me excited for Heat Wave Arena!

I’ll start with what I expect to be a bit of a sleeper: Arven’s Mabostiff SAR. Arven and his Mabostiff figured prominently in one of the most popular storylines of Scarlet/Violet. This card may be coveted by young fans introduced to the series in the present Generation. The art does a lovely job of representing their close bond, as they take a break together from their Treasure Hunt to share some of Arven’s signature sandwiches. It’s a nice card that at time of writing, one day after release, can be found for a very reasonable $20-25.


Speaking of sleepers, Heat Wave Arena gives some love to a Pokémon that often gets left in the lurch of its more popular peers: Yanmega. The imposing Generation 4 Bug is granted its moment in the sun with a lovely SAR that depicts it skimming at top speed over the water. Yanmega hasn’t made an appearance at all yet in the Scarlet/Violet TCG era, and this is the first time it has ever had an alternate full art of any kind. To the best of my knowledge, it hasn’t even been granted as much as a Rare Holo since 2016. It’s always nice when The Pokémon Company throws a bone to underappreciated Pokémon. It’s a really nice card, and at time of writing is commanding a respectable $30-35.


Taking a step down in rarity but not in quality, let’s address the two AR cards featuring fan favorite Misty. The Red/Blue/Yellow Water-type Gym Leader and frequent recipient of Ash Ketchum’s savage roasts in early seasons of the anime is paired here with two beloved Generation 1 Pokémon in Psyduck and Lapras.

Misty’s Psyduck comes out the gate commanding a somewhat ridiculous $30 at time of writing. While I’d expect that to drop significantly due to the sheer volume of Japanese AR cards that hit the market, it’s unsurprising that initial demand is carrying it to prices on par with some of the set’s scarcer SAR cards. The art hearkens back to the popular Starmie TG Ultra Rare from Astral Radiance, with Misty happily backstroking as her friend Psyduck paddles beside her. It’s an adorable card and seems like a slam dunk to be the top AR of the set.

Misty’s Lapras has debuted from singles sellers at a more measured $12-15. It features Misty less prominently, and anecdotally Lapras is a bit more of a deep cut from the Gen 1 roster. However, it’s a beautiful card, and every bit as endearing as the Psyduck. The art depicts them sharing a moment on a tropical beach, as Misty takes advantage of Lapras’s huge dimensions to catch a bit of shade from the hot day. I love the card, and it’s nice to see Lapras get attention after it was passed over for an AR in the Gen 1-focused SV 151.


Now we’ll address the heavy hitters, beginning with Ethan. The male protagonist of Gold/Silver is nostalgic and dearly loved by trainers the world over, with Crystal still routinely being hailed as one of the greatest triumphs of the video game series 25 years after its release. The remakes HeartGold/SoulSilver were also wildly popular. The Pokémon Company takes full advantage, giving Ethan not one but two SARs in the set.

Ethan’s Adventure shows him running through the forest as Pichu rides on his shoulder and Cyndaquil and Slugma follow alongside. It’s wonderful to see Pichu get some love, as according to my cursory research, it hasn’t appeared outside of rare promo cards in at least 15 years. Often overshadowed by franchise mascot Pikachu, I always enjoy it when Pichu and Raichu can steal some of the spotlight. Cyndaquil is a popular starter as well, and Slugma represents another welcome deep cut. Overall it’s a really cute card that also has some nice art for the background trees and grass. As of March 15, it has a minimum $65 price tag. Listings range as high as $100 though, and it could be a bit volatile as the market finds a resting place for the value, likely around that $65 current minimum.


Ethan’s other SAR features Ho-oh. The Pokémon Gold box Legendary is very popular, and its appearance here is a big deal after it was passed over for an Alternate Art in the Sword/Shield era, ceding the glory to its counterpart, Lugia. The artistic choice here is interesting for the imposing Legendary, as Ethan joyfully watches it soar in the sky above him. While I would’ve expected a bit more aggressive direction for the illustration, the lighthearted choice fits with the tone of the set, and it makes for a beautiful tribute to the Gen 2 icon. It debuts on the singles market as a firm second-place chase card, with sellers at release asking $150 minimum. I’d expect that to drop once the card releases in English. However, that is a long way off, and Trainer cards in general are more popular in Japan than in the USA, the largest market for English cards. That dynamic gives Heat Wave Arena’s Trainer’s Pokémon SARs a bit of volatile uncertainty. Regardless, it seems a high price tag is here to stay as fans of Ho-oh chase this lovely ode to the beloved Moltres reprise.


The top chase from initial indications is absolutely no surprise to any fan of the TCG or video games: Cynthia’s Garchomp SAR. Cynthia and her Garchomp continue to fuel the nightmares and trauma therapy sessions of gamers to this day, who cower at the mere mention of her devastating Swords Dance/Earthquake spam in Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum. The pair made an appearance together in Astral Radiance’s Trainer Gallery, and it remains one of the big chases from that set. For my money, this present iteration eclipses its SwSh era predecessor. Heat Wave Arena’s take treats us to intense artwork that shows a sinister, rampaging Garchomp throwing hands at the beholder, as Cynthia rides atop her terrifying steed into battle and rocks are rent asunder from the very earth. In short, it’s everything I personally hoped the Ho-oh would be. Debutante artist Hico Kim knocked it out of the park with a truly fantastic card that perfectly encapsulates the vibe. Initial price is a soul-crushing $250, and I’m not terribly hopeful that will fall substantially anytime soon.


With all of these exciting cards, plus 10 ARs not discussed, a group of SR/HR, and much more, Heat Wave Arena is truly a wonderful set. It may not match the popularity of the runaway Terastal Festival, but it’s doing its best to compete, and seems primed to go down as a top-5 set of one of PTCG’s deepest and most rewarding eras to date.