Kyurem ex
Quick take
- Special Illustration Rare from Black Bolt (SV, July 2025), the Zekrom-led half of a split Unova expansion
- Illustrated by chibi, distinct from the N-DESIGN Inc. art on the regular and full-art prints
- Third member of the Tao trio, pairing thematically with Reshiram and Zekrom across the two sets
- A mandatory slot for any Black Bolt master set
Collector's readWhat it means for your master set
Set landscapeWhere this card sits in Black Bolt
VariantsCard variants
Holofoil 165/86 · $72.68 — the only variant this card was printed in (no reverse holo or special pattern), so a master set needs just this one copy.
The storyThe cold counterweight to Black Bolt's Zekrom hype
Black Bolt launched on July 18, 2025 as one half of a split special expansion alongside White Flare. Both sets cover the 156 Pokemon of the Unova region. Black Bolt is the Zekrom side, and that legendary soaks up most of the attention with its monochrome BWR treatment. Kyurem ex sits a tier below in the spotlight, which is exactly why it is worth a look.
“Special Illustration Rare from Black Bolt (SV, July 2025), the Zekrom-led half of a split Unova expansion”
Kyurem is the third member of the Tao trio, the dragon tied to Reshiram and Zekrom in Unova lore. That gives this card a clean narrative hook if you are assembling the trio across Black Bolt and White Flare. The Special Illustration Rare is the version people actually chase. The regular and full-art prints use N-DESIGN Inc. artwork, while chibi handles the SIR, and the chibi piece is what defines the card's identity.
For master set builders this is a required slot. You cannot complete a Black Bolt master set without the SIR, and it is one of the prints most likely to move in value once sealed supply dries up.
By the numbersMarket analysis
This sits in the upper-mid range of Black Bolt's chase cards. It trades clearly above the set's Illustration Rares and standard ex prints, but it does not command what the Zekrom BWR or the very top of the set pulls. Think solid three-figure SIR territory rather than top-of-set money.
Pricing softened through the heavy print run after the July 2025 launch, which is normal for a high-supply SV special set. As sealed product thins out, the SIR is the print most likely to firm up. Watch box availability as the lead indicator.
A reasonable hold for the patient. The art carries it, and SV special expansions printed at scale tend to reward collectors who buy after the launch flood clears rather than during it. Do not expect it to outrun the set's headline Zekrom prints.
Graded gem-mint copies carry a meaningful premium over raw, as they do for most SV Special Illustration Rares. Centering and clean edges are the usual gatekeepers, so the spread between a 10 and a 9 is real.
In Scarlet & Violet sets, a Double Rare lands roughly 1 in 5 packs, an Illustration Rare around 1 in 12, an Ultra Rare about 1 in 15, and any Special Illustration Rare around 1 in 90 packs. Those are odds for hitting any card of that tier, not this specific one. Because each set carries many SIRs, pulling this exact Kyurem ex runs far longer, often into the hundreds of packs. Hyper Rares are rarer still, roughly 1 in 300 to 700. For most collectors the math favors buying the single over chasing it from packs.
Rarer than the set's Illustration Rares and full-art ex prints, but it is one of several SIRs in Black Bolt and sits below the headline Zekrom BWR in both scarcity-driven demand and price.
ArtworkWhy the art matters
chibi is a Pokemon TCG illustrator who has contributed art across recent Scarlet & Violet sets. The work tends toward atmospheric, character-forward scenes, and the Kyurem ex SIR is a representative example of that approach.
The SIR shows Kyurem in an icy cavern, with a cold blue-and-white palette and sharp, angular shading. The composition gives Kyurem a sense of motion rather than a static pose. It reads as frostbitten and predatory, which suits the Pokemon.
Full-art Special Illustration Rare layout with holographic treatment across the extended scene. It is a Water type, 230 HP Basic ex, with the artwork bleeding to the card edges in the SIR frame. The N-DESIGN Inc. prints use different art, so the chibi scene is exclusive to this SIR, card 165.
The cold palette is the hook. Where most chase cards reach for warm color and glow, this one commits to ice, and that contrast makes it pop on a binder page full of brighter SV art. It is the rare case where a non-headliner reads better on a shelf than the headliner.
BackgroundAbout Kyurem ex
Kyurem debuted in Pokemon Black and White and went on to headline the sequel pair, Black 2 and White 2, as a boxart legendary. It is the Boundary Pokemon, treated in lore as the empty shell left behind when the original dragon split into Reshiram and Zekrom. It can fuse with either to become Black Kyurem or White Kyurem, which is why it anchors the Tao trio.
- ›Headlined a mainline game generation as a boxart legendary
- ›Central to the Tao trio fusion lore that ties Black Bolt and White Flare together
- ›Strong ice-dragon design that has aged well with collectors
- ›Recurring competitive and crossover appearances keep the name familiar
- ›Boxart legendary of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
- ›Featured in the Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice film
Own it wellCollector guide
Like most SV Special Illustration Rares, the full-bleed holo surface shows whitening on edges and corners fast, and the dark icy areas make print lines and scratches easy to spot. Inspect under angled light before buying raw.
Worth grading if your copy has strong centering and clean corners, since the gem-mint premium is real here. If centering is off or edges show wear, the raw card is usually the smarter hold given grading costs. Read the grading guide →
Sleeve and toploader immediately, or slab it if graded. Keep it out of direct light to protect the holo and the cool blue tones, and store upright in a binder or box rather than loose. See the storage guide →
Buy the single rather than ripping packs. With high SV print runs the SIR is more accessible than its rarity tier suggests, so be patient and wait for a clean, well-centered copy at a fair number rather than overpaying in the launch window. See the singles buying guide →
For a modern SV SIR, check the holo pattern, the crisp small-text print, and the texture on the illustration. Compare against a known-genuine SV Special Illustration Rare. Counterfeits of modern chase cards exist, so for serious money buy graded from a reputable grader.
Protect your card
High Chase Score — protect and consider grading. · Amazon affiliate links · Storage guideWord on the streetCommunity sentiment
Collectors generally rate the chibi Kyurem ex as one of the stronger art pieces in Black Bolt, even while acknowledging it plays second fiddle to Zekrom in overall demand. The icy scene gets specific praise as a display card.
Discussion frames it as a mid-to-upper chase in the set, a card people are happy to pull but not the one driving box-break excitement. Sentiment is steady rather than hyped, which tends to make for healthier long-term holds.
Good to knowFrequently asked questions
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