Chi Yu ex
Quick take
- One of the four Treasures of Ruin legendaries, debuting in card form in Paldea Evolved
- Special Illustration Rare, the full-art chase tier collectors prioritize
- Painted by AKIRA EGAWA, a draw for illustrator-focused collectors
- A mid-to-upper SIR in the set, not the top grail but a steady hold
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Paldea Evolved
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 259/193 · $53.40 — 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 legendary debut SIR from the first big Scarlet & Violet expansion
Chi-Yu is one of the four Treasures of Ruin introduced in Scarlet & Violet, a Dark/Fire goldfish whose body is made of flame and whose jade-and-white beads carry the envy of people who once warred over them. Paldea Evolved was where a lot of those new legendaries first showed up in card form. Chi-Yu ex landed a Special Illustration Rare at number 259.
“One of the four Treasures of Ruin legendaries, debuting in card form in Paldea Evolved”
For master set builders, this is one of the cards that defines the back end of the Paldea Evolved checklist. SIRs are the slot most collectors chase hardest, and Chi-Yu sits in that group alongside the other headline pulls from the set. It carries the AKIRA EGAWA name, which matters to people who track illustrators.
It is not the single most expensive card in the set, but it holds its own. A recognizable Gen 9 legendary, a clean full-art presentation, and a popular artist keep demand steady well after the set left print.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This is a solid mid-to-upper SIR within Paldea Evolved. It does not top the set, where the big-name SIRs pull ahead, but it sits well above the Double Rares and Illustration Rares. Think strong collector-grade card rather than a marquee grail.
Raw copies softened from the post-release spike as supply caught up, then settled into a stable range typical of a popular legendary SIR a couple of years out from print. Graded gem-mint copies command a clear step up over raw.
A dependable hold rather than a moonshot. Legendary SIRs from foundational Scarlet & Violet sets tend to keep a floor because they are checklist staples. Upside is modest and tied to broader Gen 9 nostalgia and any future Chi-Yu appearances.
Gem-mint grades carry a meaningful premium over raw, which is the norm for a heavily printed modern SIR where centering and surface separate the clean copies from the rest.
In Scarlet & Violet sets, any Special Illustration Rare lands around 1 in 90 packs. For context, any Double Rare is roughly 1 in 5, any Illustration Rare around 1 in 12, any Ultra Rare around 1 in 15, and Hyper Rares run anywhere from 1 in 300 to 1 in 700. Those numbers are for hitting any card of that rarity. Because each set has many different SIRs, the odds of pulling this specific Chi-Yu ex run much longer, often into the hundreds of packs.
Rarer than the Double Rares and Illustration Rares most collectors fill in early, but more attainable than the set's Hyper Rares. It is a real chase card without being one of the rarest pulls in the set.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
AKIRA EGAWA has illustrated official Pokemon TCG cards since 2019, starting with a Riolu in Unified Minds, and brings a 3D-modeling background to her work. Her cards are known for detailed textures and confident, dynamic poses. She has also done booster pack art for several international Sword & Shield-era expansions, including Battle Styles, Chilling Reign, Evolving Skies, and Fusion Strike.
The Special Illustration Rare presents Chi-Yu as a full-art scene, showing the legendary's fiery goldfish form with its signature jade-and-white beads circling its eyes. The SIR format extends the art across the whole card and frames the Pokemon in its own environment rather than the boxed-in look of a standard card.
Card 259/193, a Special Illustration Rare, so it sits in the secret-numbered range above the set's printed 193. It is a Fire-type Basic Pokemon ex with a holofoil treatment across the full-art layout.
It pairs a fan-favorite new legendary with EGAWA's textured, high-detail style in the SIR slot collectors care about most. The full-bleed art and the character's distinctive fire-and-beads design make it read instantly, even at a glance in a binder page.
BackgroundAbout Chi Yu ex
Chi-Yu debuted in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet as one of the four Treasures of Ruin, a Dark/Fire legendary that resembles a small goldfish made of fire. It controls flames hot enough to melt rock into the lava it swims through. The beads around its eyes are said to hold the envy of people who once started wars over them. In game it carries the Beads of Ruin ability, which lowers the Special Defense of every other Pokemon in play.
- ›Part of the recognizable Treasures of Ruin legendary quartet from Gen 9
- ›Distinctive design, a fish made of fire with telescope-eye beads
- ›Dark/Fire typing and a memorable competitive ability
- ›Strong lore tied to envy and the ruinous beads
- ›Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, sealed in a shrine in northern Paldea
- ›Paldea Evolved TCG set as both a standard ex and this Special Illustration Rare
Chi-Yu ex saw some play in standard during the Scarlet & Violet era as a Fire attacker, though this SIR is collected mainly for the art rather than for the deck.
Own it wellCollector guide
Paldea Evolved was opened in huge volume, so raw copies are common but clean ones are not. Check centering on the full-art borders, look for holo scratches across the large foil area, and watch the edges for whitening. Surface marks show up easily on a card this dark and glossy.
Worth grading if your copy is clean. The graded premium on a gem-mint example is meaningful, and a high grade also settles authenticity for buyers. If the card has visible edge wear or off-center borders, the grade likely will not justify the fee. This is a modern card, so condition is the question, not authenticity. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader or one-touch right away. Keep it out of direct light and away from heat and humidity. For long-term binder storage, use side-loading pages so the foil surface does not rub on entry. See the storage guide →
Buy the best raw condition you can verify from photos, or buy already graded if you want a gem-mint copy without the lottery. Prices for raw copies are sane for a card this recognizable, so there is little reason to settle for a beat-up one. For master set purposes, raw near-mint is usually the practical buy. See the singles buying guide →
As a modern SIR, fakes are less of a worry than with vintage chase cards, but still buy from reputable sellers. Compare the foil pattern and texture against a known-good listing, check the back swirl and print quality, and be cautious of prices that look too good for the grade claimed.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors generally like this card. The Treasures of Ruin were a popular addition in Gen 9, and Chi-Yu's fiery design translates well to the SIR format. It is frequently cited as one of the more desirable non-marquee pulls from Paldea Evolved.
Discussion centers on it being a satisfying legendary SIR to complete the Paldea Evolved master set, with the AKIRA EGAWA illustration coming up often among artist-focused collectors. It tends to be framed as a strong card to own rather than a hype-driven flip.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
Keep collectingRelated cards
Plan your Scarlet & Violet Paldea Evolved master set
Track every card, see what you're missing, and lay out your binder page by page.
