Issue 05 · 7 min
JP vs EN split
Apr 27, 2026
- Market
Don’t blend JP and EN tapes
The Pokémon Company International / Gamespress · Source
English Ascended Heroes chase stayed elevated into late April. Japanese Mega Dream sealed is a different tape. This Monday is about labeling the split — not pasting JP heat onto English Ascended Heroes asks.
How the market was
English still printed loud chase. Apr 28 trends kept Gengar ~$1,292, Pikachu ~$1,177, and Charizard Y ~$613 in the Ascended Heroes chase conversation — confidence high on those English prints. That continues the thin-spike / SAR heat from Issue 02, not a quiet cool-off week.
JP sits beside that story, not inside it. Mega Dream booster boxes averaged about ~$87 in March GMV (GMV #5 on the JP sealed note). A later structural table — EN Gengar around ~$1,305 versus JP around ~$405 — is useful as structure for why the tapes diverge, not as an April 27 sole print. The rule stands: never blend Mega Dream dollars into English Ascended Heroes asks.
Week over week vs Issue 04, binder and Destined Rivals selective chase stay in the rearview. This Monday’s new point is geography: EN chase elevated; JP labeled JP only.
English clears, labeled English
©Pokémon / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK — Official TCG card art · Source
Week movers
- Pokémon EN — ASC chase SARs — Gengar ~$1,292; Pikachu ~$1,177; Charizard Y ~$613 (Apr 28 trends). Confidence high.
- Pokémon JP — Mega Dream booster box — March avg ~$87 GMV #5. Confidence high on JP sealed note. Structural JP≠EN (later table EN Gengar ~$1,305 vs JP ~$405 — use as structure, not an Apr print).
- Our read — Keep Japanese Mega Dream dollars separate from English Ascended Heroes.
Week over week
vs Issue 04 (Binder staples and selective chase): Binder / DR selective heat → geography lesson. EN chase still elevated; add the JP note without blending tapes.
Worth watching
- EN ASC chase SARs (completed depth)
- EN sealed with clear books
- JP Mega Dream — labeled JP only
Note
JP and EN stay separate. No Celebration set.