Pokémon Releases New Limited Edition 30th Anniversary Deluxe Character Guide
Image by James RichardsonPokémon has released one of its most comprehensive official reference books to date, collecting all 1,025 currently known Pokémon into a 336-page hardcover created as part of the franchise’s 30th anniversary celebrations.
The “Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide” has been developed by Pikachu Press in partnership with Dark Horse Comics, combining information and artwork drawn from the Pokémon video games, Pokémon Trading Card Game and animated series rather than concentrating on a single part of the franchise.
Entries are arranged in National Pokédex order and organized by region, beginning with Bulbasaur at #0001 and continuing all the way through to Pecharunt at #1025.
That means the book covers every generation from Kanto through Paldea, with individual entries providing Pokémon information, Evolutions, statistics, facts and artwork gathered from across 30 years of the series.
Some of the most popular Pokémon receive additional attention throughout the guide, while Pikachu has an entire dedicated chapter before readers begin moving through the different regions.
A separate section towards the end of the book focuses specifically on Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, providing another way to explore some of the franchise’s most important characters outside the standard Pokédex progression.
The hardcover itself has also been designed with collectors in mind, with Pikachu and more than 160 other Pokémon appearing across its cover.
Inside, the presentation includes gold-gilded page edges, Pikachu-themed endpapers, a ribbon bookmark and an extensive index designed to make finding individual Pokémon easier.
The book also opens with a foreword written by The Pokémon Company President and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, adding some direct perspective from one of the people most closely associated with the franchise’s history.
Author Alex Irvine has previously worked across major franchises including Marvel, DC, Transformers and Halo, alongside writing other reference and nonfiction books.
For collectors wanting more than the standalone hardcover, Pokémon has also created a Limited Edition Box Set containing the same 336-page guide alongside exclusive items covering several different parts of the franchise.
The box uses a multi-layered construction with a magnetic closure, foil-debossed details and die-cut elements, with the additional collectibles stored inside their own themed packaging.
An exclusive Pokémon TCG playmat measures approximately 61 cm by 36 cm and features Pikachu alongside more than 130 other Pokémon.
Two collectible prints using original Pokémon video game artwork are included inside a game-inspired folio, while another pair of prints featuring artwork from the animated series comes inside its own animation-themed folio.
A numbered-style collector presentation is completed by a Certificate of Authenticity supplied inside a custom Pikachu envelope.
The Limited Edition Box Set is only being released in the US and Canada, while the standalone book is also receiving an official release in the UK, Australia and New Zealand through HarperCollins imprint Expanse.
The standalone “Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide” is available now from the official Pokémon Center as well as online and physical book stores, with a US list price of $59.99, while the UK edition is priced at £50.
The “Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide Limited Edition Box Set Collection” is priced at $199.99 in the US, with Pokémon Center currently estimating September 2026 shipping for its own pre-orders.
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