Rayquaza

Rayquaza's reputation: a fan-favorite mascot

Rayquaza tops fan polls. It drew the most votes of any pre-Generation V Pokémon in a Korean Pokémon Global Link promotion poll, and a Japanese 15th-anniversary poll of core-series game mascots named it the favorite. In The Pokémon Company's 2020 Pokémon of the Year poll it was the most popular Generation III Pokémon and the only Legendary in the overall top ten.

Rayquaza on cards: ex, Gold Star, Shining and VMAX

Rayquaza arrived on cards in the EX era as a Rayquaza ex, both as a Nintendo Black Star promo illustrated by Ryo Ueda and in the Dragon expansion (2003). Deoxys (2005) added another Rayquaza ex and a Gold Star Rayquaza ☆, and Dragon Frontiers (2006) printed a Delta Species Rayquaza ex δ. Our catalog lists 59 Rayquaza printings across 31 sets, concentrated in the Sword & Shield (15), XY (12) and EX (11) eras. 5ban Graphics is credited on 15 of them, followed by PLANETA Mochizuki (8) and Ryo Ueda (6).

Later eras kept the special treatments coming: a Rayquaza C LV.X in Supreme Victors (2009), a Rayquaza & Deoxys LEGEND in Undaunted (2010), a Secret Rare Rayquaza in Dragons Exalted (2012), Secret Rare M Rayquaza EX and Rayquaza GX cards in Ancient Origins (2015) and Celestial Storm (2018), a Shining Rayquaza in Shining Legends (2017) and an Amazing Rare in Vivid Voltage (2020). Evolving Skies (2021) printed two different Secret Rare Rayquaza VMAX cards, Celebrations' Classic Collection (2021) reprinted an M Rayquaza EX, and Silver Tempest's Trainer Gallery (2022) added a further Secret Rare VMAX. Its most recent card, in Ascended Heroes (2026), is a Rare.

Why collectors care about Rayquaza

As Emerald's mascot and a poll favorite, Rayquaza has received almost every premium format the card game has used: EX-era ex, a Gold Star, LV.X, LEGEND, Secret Rare EX and GX, Shining, Amazing Rare and two different Secret Rare VMAX printings in Evolving Skies alone.

Cards to know

• Rayquaza ex (Nintendo Black Star Promos #39)

  One of Rayquaza's first cards, an EX-era promo illustrated by Ryo Ueda.

• Rayquaza ex (Deoxys #102)

  A 2005 Rayquaza ex illustrated by Shin-ichi Yoshikawa, from the same set as its Gold Star card.

• M Rayquaza EX (Ancient Origins #98)

  A 2015 Secret Rare illustrated by 5ban Graphics.

• Rayquaza GX (Celestial Storm #177)

  A 2018 Secret Rare illustrated by 5ban Graphics.

• Rayquaza VMAX (Evolving Skies #217)

  A 2021 Secret Rare illustrated by PLANETA Mochizuki.

• Rayquaza (Ascended Heroes #153)

  Rayquaza's most recent card, a 2026 Rare illustrated by nagimiso.