Zapdos

Zapdos on screen and on the page: legendary guardian, captured generator

In Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One, the collector Lawrence III captures Moltres and then Zapdos as he hunts the three legendary birds, and the disruption throws the world's weather into chaos. Once freed, the birds battle one another and turn on Lugia before Ash restores the balance.

The Pokémon Adventures manga gives Zapdos a darker role: Lt. Surge, who in that manga is both a Gym Leader and one of Team Rocket's sub-leaders, captures it at the Power Plant and uses it to power his side of a battle against the hero Red at Silph Co. As Zapdos charges a Thunder attack, Red has his Venusaur, Saur, use its remaining Razor Leaf to cut Surge's electric-proof undersuit, so the attack strikes Surge instead. Zapdos is later caught by Green, another of the manga's Kanto Pokédex holders.

Zapdos on cards: Base Set holo to special illustration rare

Zapdos's first card is Base Set #16 from January 1999, a holo rare illustrated by Ken Sugimori, followed later that year by a Fossil holo illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Our catalog lists 49 Zapdos printings across 35 sets, most heavily in the Sword & Shield era (11) and the original WOTC era (9).

Team Rocket's hold on the bird runs through several sets: Gym Challenge's Rocket's Zapdos, a 2000 holo, got a Classic Collection reprint in Celebrations two decades later, Team Rocket Returns printed Rocket's Zapdos ex in the EX era, and Destined Rivals (2025) added Team Rocket's Zapdos. Hidden Fates' Moltres & Zapdos & Articuno GX (2019) puts all three Kanto birds on one Tag Team card, printed as a Secret Rare at #69. Galarian Zapdos V debuted in Chilling Reign (2021) and returned as a Secret Rare in Brilliant Stars (2022), and 151 (2023) gave Zapdos ex a special illustration rare by Shiburingaru.

5ban Graphics holds the most Zapdos credits in our catalog (5), with Ken Sugimori, Ryo Ueda and Mitsuhiro Arita at 4 each.

Why collectors care about Zapdos

Zapdos gives collectors a Base Set holo, a Team Rocket storyline that spans the WOTC, EX and Scarlet & Violet eras, a Tag Team card with its fellow birds, a Fighting type Galarian form and a special illustration rare in 151. That range makes a Zapdos collection a route through several distinct chapters of the card game.

Cards to know

• Zapdos (Base Set #16)

  Zapdos's first card, a 1999 Base Set holo rare illustrated by Ken Sugimori.

• Rocket's Zapdos (Gym Challenge #15)

  A 2000 holo of Team Rocket's Zapdos, later reprinted in Celebrations' Classic Collection.

• Rocket's Zapdos ex (Team Rocket Returns #106)

  An EX-era ex card of Team Rocket's Zapdos.

• Moltres & Zapdos & Articuno GX (Hidden Fates #69)

  A Secret Rare Tag Team GX card uniting all three Kanto legendary birds.

• Galarian Zapdos V (Brilliant Stars #182)

  A Secret Rare of Zapdos's Fighting type Galarian form.

• Zapdos ex (151 #202)

  A special illustration rare from 151, the Scarlet & Violet set revisiting the original Kanto Pokémon.