Pokemon TCG collectors say new Abyss Eye packs can reveal cards before opening sparking resale fears

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Okay, so as a Pokemon TCG collector, I’m hearing some pretty worrying stuff about the new Abyss Eye set coming out of Japan. Apparently, some people are saying the booster packs are super thin, and you can actually see the card numbers through the packaging before you even open them. It’s a big deal because it could ruin the surprise and potentially lead to people picking and choosing packs, which isn’t fair to anyone.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game set, Abyss Eye, launched in Japan on May 22, 2026, featuring Mega Darkrai ex as its most prominent card. Collectors are already very interested in this set due to rare and valuable cards like Mega Darkrai, Mega Zeraora, and Kasumi.

Soon after the Abyss Eye packs were released, photos started appearing on X (formerly Twitter) showing people holding them up to the light from their phones. While the packs aren’t fully transparent, some collectors say you can see glimpses of the card inside by shining a light through the bottom corner of the packaging.

A worry exists with Pokemon trading card game packs: the card number printed on a card can reveal what’s inside. If you can see the number through the packaging, you might be able to tell if the pack contains a rare or highly sought-after card without even opening it.

ふはははは
２枚目www
114メガダークライSAR
超絶バクアド↑
これ綺麗に撮れましたww#アビスアイ

— ポケポケ焼き💚❤️💙 (@KINON4775311) May 22, 2026

Collectors debate whether Abyss Eye packs can be searched

I saw this crazy thing online! A collector in Japan was shining light through sealed Abyss Eye packs, and they said they could actually see the cards inside! Apparently, they were able to tell if they had valuable pulls like Mega Darkrai, Mega Zeraora, or even the Kasumi card just by looking at the wrapper. It’s pretty wild!

They announced the arrival of Mega Darkrai, playfully mentioning it was difficult to photograph but visible to the naked eye. They also noted that Mega Zeraora looks particularly striking when illuminated from the left.

Pokemon TCG creator ItsMeCooper shared the photos and noted that Japanese card pack foil is already known to be thinner than English packs. However, he expressed concern about the issue with the ‘Abyss Eye’ cards, calling it potentially damaging for collectors.

Cooper expressed disbelief and concern, writing, “I can’t believe this is really happening. This is terrible, really terrible,” after another collector verified they’d received faulty Abyss Eye packs.

Can’t believe so this is actually true?

This is bad. Very bad.

— ItsMeCooper (@ItsaMeCooper) May 23, 2026

However, not everyone is convinced the images prove loose Abyss Eye packs can be reliably searched.

Some people wondered if the card shown was genuinely in the correct spot within a sealed pack. One person suggested the rare card wasn’t actually the first one in the pack, and that the demonstration might have involved someone opening a pack, switching cards around, and then putting it back together before shining a light through it.

One user dismissed the idea as false, explaining that it would be hard to shift the cards within a sealed pack to reveal the fourth one without potentially causing damage.

Some collectors offered a more cautious perspective. One explained that while light can sometimes show the edge of the top card in Japanese trading card packs, it’s difficult to see the card clearly and won’t allow people to reliably identify winning packs.

I hope it is like you are saying but we need more info on this

— ItsMeCooper (@ItsaMeCooper) May 23, 2026

ItsMeCooper admitted there was some doubt about whether cards could be slipped into the packs, but he hadn’t received any Abyss Eye packs yet to confirm it himself.

Japanese Pokémon card booster packs are noticeably different from their English counterparts. They’re usually smaller in size and contain fewer cards. The foil wrapping is also thinner and feels softer to the touch. More recently, Japanese packs have been designed with an easy-to-open tear strip or pull-tab, unlike many English packs which use a thicker, plastic-like wrapper.

Due to these variations, many collectors recommend either buying unopened booster boxes or purchasing from well-known retailers instead of buying individual packs from other sellers.

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2026-05-23 23:19