Gem Packs Explained: The Simplified Chinese Pokémon TCG Sets You Need to Know About

Exclusive only to mainland China, Gem Packs are a product line unlike anything in the wider Pokémon TCG ecosystem. 

Every card is holographic. Every set has a theme. And every volume contains artwork you simply cannot find in any other language. For collectors who want something genuinely different on their shelves, this is it. 

Here’s everything you need to know, volume by volume.

What is a Gem Pack?

The Simplified Chinese Pokémon TCG first launched in 2022, initially catching up to the Japanese and English release schedule with its own print run of existing sets. 

The Gem Pack series sits apart from those standard releases. It’s a dedicated product line created exclusively for the Chinese market, built around a collector-first philosophy.

The format is consistent across every volume, with four holographic cards per pack, a guaranteed hit of Rare rarity or above in every pack, and a unique rarity system. 

Existing exclusively on this series, it includes: Common (●), Uncommon (◆), Rare (★), Double Rare (★★), and Triple Rare (★★★). 

Each volume also features a set of exclusive Illustration Rare cards with artwork created specifically for the Chinese market, with no confirmed plans to release them in any other language. 

That exclusivity is what drives collector demand – and what makes each new volume worth paying attention to.

Gem Pack Vol. 1 – Pokémon Horizons (January 2025)

The series launched in January 2025 with a Pokémon Horizons theme, spotlighting the Horizons cast. This included Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Captain Pikachu, alongside their trainers in anime-inspired full-art illustrations. 

It introduced the Gem Pack format to collectors for the first time and established the template every subsequent volume would follow. 

Early boxes have since climbed significantly in secondary market value as the series has grown in profile.

Gem Pack Vol. 2 – Eeveelutions (May 2025)

Released on May 16, 2025, Vol. 2 is an Eeveelution collector’s dream. 

The headline cards are four exclusive ARs by HYOGONOSUKE featuring Eevee, Umbreon, Leafeon, and Sylveon, forming a connected forest-themed panorama when placed side by side. 

HYOGONOSUKE is known for a soft, painterly style and storybook-like layouts – and this set is one of the finest examples of that approach in the entire TCG. 

Gem Pack Vol. 3 – Nocturnal Pokémon (September 2025)

Gem Pack Vol. 3 released in September 2025, and leaned into a nocturnal theme.

This third iteration centred on Gengar, Cubone, Meowth, Ceruledge, Chandelure, Mismagius, and Houndstone. The Cubone in particular, which shows two Pokémon sitting side-by-side looking forlorn, has been a standout for collectors. 

Where previous volumes offered four exclusive Illustration Rares, Vol. 3 went one further with five making it the biggest number in the series at that point. 

This was also the first Gem Pack volume to introduce EX cards into the line, adding another layer of chase value alongside the exclusive artwork.

Gem Pack Vol. 4 – Lunar New Year/Springtime (February 2026)

Gem Pack Vol. 4 released in February 2026 – timed deliberately to the Lunar New Year – and adopted a distinctly seasonal tone. 

With 2026 being the Year of the Fire Horse, Ponyta takes centre stage as the set’s mascot. The headline card is the first-ever Ponyta Illustration Rare, illustrated by MINAMINAMI Take, whose expressive, character-driven style has become a fan favourite. 

The broader set carries a springtime atmosphere, with Deerling and Sawsbuck in their spring forms among the featured cards, contributing to a woodsy feel that runs throughout. 

Vol. 4 is the largest Gem Pack to date, featuring 28 different Pokémon with multiple foil variants each.

Gem Pack Vol. 5 – Pokémon Horizons Returns (April 2026)

The newest Gem Pack in the series, Vol. 5, returns to the Pokémon Horizons theme first introduced in Vol. 1. However, this time, it focuses on the middle evolutions of the Horizons starter Pokémon.  

The four exclusive Illustration Rares feature Captain Pikachu with Friede, Floragato with Liko, Crocalor with Roy, and Quaxwell with Dot – each an evolution of the Pokémon featured in Vol. 1, making the two sets a natural pair.

The set draws heavy inspiration from the Pokémon Horizons anime, with the official Pokémon China site encouraging fans to watch the series alongside collecting, as many of the card moments echo specific episodes and character relationships.

 

Why Collect Gem Packs?

Gem Packs contain cards that will never see an English or Japanese print run. The artwork is produced to Japanese printing standards. And with every pack guaranteed to contain a hit, the opening experience is as satisfying as it gets.

Whether you’re a display collector chasing the HYOGONOSUKE connecting art from Vol. 2, a Horizons fan wanting the full AR set across Vol. 1 and Vol. 5, or simply someone who wants a genuinely different piece of Pokémon history, the Gem Pack series delivers every time.

Order Chinese-exclusive Gem Packs at Kabuto Cards here! 

Written By Nick Witts