First Abyss Eye (M5) cards revealed: Mega Darkrai ex leads new Japanese Pokémon TCG set
The Pokémon Company has turned on «total darkness» mode in the Mega Evolution era. The fifth installment of the Japanese series, Abyss Eye (Collection M5), the May 22, 2026 and headlines a Mega Darkrai ex that many collectors have been waiting for years. Here we review what cards have been revealed so far, what the set looks like, when the western version will be released. Pitch Black and, above all, how to secure a box before the first stock runs out.
Abyss Eye in figures: the fifth Mega set
Abyss Eye is a continuation of the line initiated with Mega Brave at the beginning of the year and maintains the structure we already know from M2 (Inferno X), M3 and M4 (Perfect Order): a compact base set, several mega-evolved protagonists and a generous layer of secret rares to make each envelope interesting.
The data confirmed by The Pokémon Company is as follows:
- 81 letters in the base collection
- Estimate of between 35 and 40 secret rares (keeping the pattern of the previous sets)
- Approximate total: about 120 unique cards
- Set header: Mega Darkrai ex
- Other stars revealed: Mega Excadrill ex y Rampardos ex
If you opened boxes of Perfect Order last winter, the dynamics will be familiar: plain envelope, some well-hidden alternative art, and that paper finish that anyone who has touched a Japanese card notices from the first instant.
Mega Darkrai ex: the return of the Pokémon of nightmares
Few Pokémon convey the «eye of the abyss» concept as well as Darkrai. Its lore in video games has always played with dreams, shadows and moonless nights, and The Pokémon Company takes advantage of that identity to build the whole set around it: titles in black, illustrations with cool palettes, lots of abyssal blue in the frames.
At the competitive level there is no final data yet - we will have to wait for the official translations and the first Japanese tournaments - but the trend of the Mega ex of the era is clear: high punch, high energy cost and synergies with a handful of specific cards in the set. If this holds true, Mega Darkrai ex looks like an interesting piece for sinister-type decks that haven't received competitive love for a couple of blocks.
On a collector's level, even better. Darkrai has had a massive fandom since the eleventh feature film and every card appearance of his flies off the market. The versions full art y special illustration rare Abyss Eye's new Abyss Eye products are going to be noticeable in prices from day one.
Mega Excadrill ex and Rampardos ex: heavyweight and fossil surprise
Mega Excadrill ex brings steel/earth type to the competitive meta, something that hasn't been strongly touched since the middle of the Sword and Shield block. The design respects the industrial aesthetics that we already saw in its past appearances and has all the appearance of being a usable card beyond pure collecting.
Rampardos ex is the nostalgia bet of the set. It brings with it Cranidos and Drilbur as pre-evolutions, and everything points to them appearing in illustrated arts that are highly sought after by collectors of the Sinnoh era and fossil Pokémon in general. It's not the most obvious card to put in a box with Mega Darkrai leading, but that's precisely why it tends to become one of the most talked-about surprises after release.
Timetable: Japan first, Pitch Black next
If there is one thing that differentiates the Japanese Pokémon TCG from the Western Pokémon TCG, it is time. The Japanese expansions are released approximately two months before, in smaller blocks and with their own designs. Abyss Eye does not break the rule:
Pitch Black will combine Abyss Eye with cards from previous Japanese sets to form the western expansion. That has two implications that are worth being clear about:
- Some Abyss Eye cards will not be in Pitch Black, or they will have different numbering.
- The special Japanese illustrations (alternative arts, secret rares with Japanese aesthetics) are exclusives of the Japanese version. Period.
If you have your eye on a particular card from the Abyss Eye revelations and want it in its original version, you have two options: reserve it now, or wait for the secondary market with the corresponding surcharge when the first pulls arrive.
Why is the Japanese version worthwhile?
Here's an unfiltered opinion, based on years of opening boxes from both sides of the pond:
- Different paper and cut. Japanese cards have a finer finish and, for many collectors, more vivid holos. It's a nuance, yes, but it's noticeable.
- More controlled runs. The Japanese sets are printed in tighter quantities than the international version, resulting in a more stable market value in the medium term.
- Unique illustrations. As we have already mentioned, there are arts that only exist in Japan.
- Arrive earlier. Having the set two months before the rest of Europe, opening the cards at the time of the global hype and discussing them on live networks is part of the hobby for many people.
Book Abyss Eye from Spain
The box of 30 Japanese Abyss Eye sachets is now available for pre-sale at ShinyHit. Orders go out on a first-come, first-served basis as soon as the official stock arrives from the distributor - estimated ship date is May 26, 2026, a few days after the launch in Japan.
📦 Abyss Eye Booster Box (Japanese)
30 sealed Japanese envelopes from the M5 collection. Shipment from May 26, 2026 in order of reservation.
If you have never opened a Japanese Booster Box, Abyss Eye is a good opportunity to start: M5 has a very recognizable aesthetic (all that abyssal blue, the shadows, the Darkrai's face looking at you from every secret rare) and the possible cards chase look set to remain in collections for years to come.
What we still don't know
The Pokémon Company has not yet disclosed 100 percent:
- The complete list of secret rares (they usually drop in waves during the two weeks prior to launch).
- The set's trainer cards, almost always key to the competitive meta.
- Whether there will be special products other than the envelope box: possible ETBs, theme decks or promotional bundles.
We will update this article with each official reveal. If you want to receive an email notification when we release Abyss Eye news or when the stock goes in stock, subscribe to our newsletter from the footer.
In the meantime, presales tend to sell out fast on M-series sets. If Abyss Eye is on your list, secure your box here before the first shipment runs out.