Manectric
Quick take
- Secret-block Illustration Rare, numbered 089/084 in Pitch Black
- Full art by HICO KIM, who debuted in Destined Rivals (2025)
- One of just eleven Illustration Rares in the set, so the IR run is finishable
- Sits mid-table among Pitch Black chase cards, well below the Darkrai cards
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Pitch Black
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 89/84 · $1.66 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyA quiet mid-tier chase from Pitch Black's secret block
Pitch Black launched on July 17, 2026, and most of the noise went straight to the Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare. That leaves cards like this Manectric doing steady work in the background. It is numbered 089/084, past the printed set count, which puts it in the secret block that master set collectors chase after the base checklist is done.
“Secret-block Illustration Rare, numbered 089/084 in Pitch Black”
The card matters for two reasons. First, it is one of only eleven Illustration Rares in the set, so the IR block here is short and finishable. Second, it carries art by HICO KIM, a Korean illustrator who joined the TCG with Destined Rivals in 2025 and still has a small portfolio. Early cards from new illustrators tend to age interestingly, especially if the artist goes on to bigger commissions.
Manectric itself is a Hoenn favorite with real TCG pedigree. Manectric-EX and its Mega saw genuine competitive play back in the 2014-2015 XY era, so the line has fans who remember it as more than binder filler. This print gives them a modern full-art version at a price that does not require selling anything else.
By the numbersMarket analysis
Mid-pack for Pitch Black chase cards two weeks after release. Among the eleven Illustration Rares it is neither the headliner nor the cheapest, and the launch-window churn has settled — numbers at this tier move slowly now.
Too early to call a trend. The set released on July 17, 2026 and singles supply is still thin. The usual pattern for a mid-tier IR is a slow drift down over the first two to three months as booster boxes get cracked, then stabilization. Nothing about this card suggests it will break that pattern.
Modest. This is a collection card, not an investment piece. Mid-tier IRs from popular sets usually soften after launch and then track the set's overall popularity. If HICO KIM's profile grows, early cards like this one could pick up artist-collector demand, but that is speculation, not a plan.
Thin at this tier. Grading fees eat most of the upside on a mid-priced IR unless the card comes back a gem. Two weeks in, population data barely exists. Raw near mint copies will serve most collectors better than slabs here.
TCGPlayer's count of just over 4,000 Pitch Black packs puts Illustration Rares at 1 in 9 packs — a measured ME05 number now. With eleven IRs in the set, hitting this specific Manectric works out to roughly 1 in 100 packs. Buying the single is almost always cheaper than chasing it from packs.
Within the set, this is a mid-table chase, around 17th by early market value. The Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare by Akira Egawa owns the top of the checklist and most of the conversation, with the Mega Zeraora ex and Gwynn SIRs close behind. Compared to other IRs in the set, Manectric holds a respectable early price, likely helped by the species' fanbase and the new-artist angle.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
HICO KIM is a Korean illustrator who made their Pokemon TCG debut in the 2025 Destined Rivals set with the Cynthia's Garchomp ex Special Illustration Rare. Outside the TCG, they have done promotional illustration for games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves. Their Pokemon portfolio is still small, under twenty cards a year in, which makes the run easy to track for artist collectors.
A full-art Illustration Rare treatment of Manectric, the Discharge Pokemon. Like the other IRs in the Mega Evolution era, the artwork runs edge to edge with no frame, showing the Pokemon in a full scene rather than posed against a plain backdrop. The regular print of this same card, number 024, uses different art by Uninori, so the set gives Manectric two distinct looks.
Standard Illustration Rare production for the Mega Evolution era: borderless full-art layout, holofoil finish across the card face, secret numbering above the printed set count of 084. Stage 1 Lightning type, 120 HP, evolving from Electrike, regulation mark J.
It is an early commission from a new illustrator on a Pokemon with a real fanbase. HICO KIM's card list is still short, so artist-focused collectors can own the complete run without much outlay. That situation does not last if the artist takes off.
BackgroundAbout Manectric
Manectric debuted in Generation 3 as the evolved form of Electrike, a Hoenn Electric-type styled after a wolf-like hound with a lightning-bolt mane. Its Pokedex lore says it discharges electricity from its mane and forms thunderclouds overhead. It gained a Mega Evolution in Pokemon X and Y, which raised its profile considerably and gave it a striking blue-and-yellow redesign.
- ›Mega Manectric's video game form gave the line lasting recognition
- ›Manectric-EX and M Manectric-EX were real competitive cards in the 2014-2015 XY era
- ›Canine Electric-types collect well as a category
- ›Hoenn nostalgia keeps steady demand for Gen 3 Pokemon in modern sets
- ›Received a Mega Evolution in Pokemon X and Y (2013)
- ›M Manectric-EX from XY Phantom Forces saw genuine competitive play in 2014-2015
- ›Recurring Hoenn-region presence in the games and anime since 2003
This print is playable but fringe. Flashing Barrier for two Energy does 50 and prevents all damage done to Manectric by attacks from Evolution Pokemon on the following turn, a niche wall effect. Sonic Edge for three does 110 and ignores effects on the opponent's Active Pokemon. Useful tech text, but a single-prize Stage 1 with 120 HP is not where the meta lives. Buy it for the binder, not the deck.
Own it wellCollector guide
Full-art holofoil cards show handling fast. Check the borderless edges for whitening, the holo surface for print lines and scratches, and the back for centering, which runs off-center more often than collectors would like on modern product. Fresh-from-pack copies can still carry factory print lines, so inspect before you sleeve.
Skip grading unless you pull a flawless copy and want a gem for the personal collection. At this price tier the fees rarely pay off, and the population report is essentially empty this soon after release. A clean raw copy in a binder does the same job. Read the grading guide →
Penny sleeve into a side-loading binder page for master set builds, or sleeve plus semi-rigid in a box if you are holding it loose. Keep it away from sunlight, since full-art holos fade unevenly. Nothing exotic needed at this tier. See the storage guide →
Wait two to four weeks if you can. The set released days ago, singles supply is thin, and launch-window prices on mid-tier IRs usually drift down as boxes get opened through August. If you are ripping packs anyway, count this as a pleasant hit rather than a target. Buy the single from a photo listing so you can check edges and centering first. See the singles buying guide →
Counterfeit risk is low on a mid-priced modern IR, but the basics still apply: real cards show the black core layer on the edge under bright light, the holofoil shifts correctly when tilted, and the text printing is crisp. Buy from established sellers and you are fine.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Early days. Pitch Black discussion is dominated by the Mega Darkrai ex Special Illustration Rare, and the IR block is still being sorted into favorites. Manectric's early price rank suggests it landed in the respectable middle of the set's Illustration Rares rather than as a breakout or a dud.
Set-opening content since launch treats the card as a solid secondary hit. There is some curiosity around HICO KIM as a newer name, since artist collectors track debut-era illustrators closely. No viral moment attached to this card specifically, and given the Darkrai gravity in this set, it is unlikely to get one.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Mega Evolution Pitch Black master set
Track every card, see what you're missing, and lay out your binder page by page.
