Before ex Star Launches: ME01 Mega Lucario ex and ME04's Greninja SIR to Own Right Now
By Dexhaul Team · September 7, 2026
Mega Lucario Z ex is the first ex★ card ever confirmed in the Pokémon TCG, and the collecting arc it opens reaches back to two sets already on the market.
The ex★ rarity class was announced at Pokémon Worlds 2026 on August 31, with Mega Lucario Z ex as its debut card in Aura Seeker ME07. That confirmation made two existing products worth examining: ME01's Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection and ME04 Chaos Rising's Mega Greninja ex SIR.
Both are in stock now at independent retailers. Neither requires waiting for a future release date.
The Japanese launch of Aura Seeker is scheduled for November 27, 2026. That gives collectors a defined window before ex★ cards arrive in the market and raise awareness of the ME series as a whole.
ME01 Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection: The Lucario ex Foundation
ME01 is the set that introduced Mega Lucario ex to the new ME TCG series. The Figure Collection is the product that stands apart from the standard ME01 booster pool: it includes a six-inch Mega Lucario ex figure, a foil promo card, and three booster packs drawn from ME01, ME02, and ME03.
The promo card is numbered 078/076.
That above-set-limit number is the important detail. Cards numbered beyond the printed set total are product-exclusive by design: they do not appear in standard booster packs and cannot be obtained by opening ME01 booster boxes. The only route to the ME01 Mega Lucario ex promo in sealed form is this box.
For collectors building a complete Mega Lucario ex record across the ME series, ME01 is chapter one. The Figure Collection is its accessible format: no secondary market hunt required, and no sealed booster box commitment needed. Multiple independent sellers currently list it between $58 and $90, with the spread reflecting seller region and condition grading rather than scarcity.
The Mega Lucario Z ex announced at Worlds 2026 is described as a new Mega Evolution form unique to the TCG: a "Z" variant distinct from the standard Mega Lucario ex found in ME01. That distinction matters.
ME01 established Mega Lucario ex as the ME series' flagship Pokémon; the Z variant in ME07 is a continuation of that lineage, not a replacement. Collectors who own the ME01 promo have the first chapter of the Lucario ex arc in sealed form.
According to Bulbapedia, Mega Lucario was one of the first Mega Evolutions introduced in Pokémon X and Y in 2013, and has been among the most popular Mega forms with collectors ever since. The ME series brought that design back to the TCG as its lead card; ex★ extends it further.
ME04 Chaos Rising: The ME Series' Highest Live Single
Mega Greninja ex SIR (116/086) is the highest-priced single currently trading in any in-print ME set.
Raw copies change hands between $182 and $240 depending on seller and condition. That range exceeds the top SIR in ME01, ME02, ME03, and ME05 at current independent listings. The premium exists because the SIR slot in ME04 landed on one of the ME series' most popular Pokémon in a high-quality illustration treatment, and demand has held without significant decay.
Greninja has been Mega Lucario's consistent co-star across the ME series. Both appear prominently in ME01 and ME04, and both carry high-rarity treatments in their respective sets. The SIR at current pricing signals what the ME series' top card tier commands from collectors without any ex★ announcement behind it: Greninja's Mega Evolution form in the TCG already generates strong demand independent of what ME07 will add.
ME04 Chaos Rising booster boxes run $181 to $190 at current independent listings, making it the sealed-product entry into this set. Collectors who prefer the pull experience over the singles market use the booster box; collectors who want the specific SIR card use the singles market. Both paths are currently open.
What the ex★ Announcement Changes for ME Collectors
The ex★ rarity class sits above SIR in the ME series hierarchy. Mega Lucario Z ex was described at Worlds as a new card frame with an extended illustration treatment, separate from and above the existing SIR slot. MA Rares (Mega Art Rares, a new full-art variant) were also confirmed alongside ex★ as distinct slots in Aura Seeker ME07.
That confirmation changes the hierarchy of what "top rarity" means in the ME series going forward. The SIR ceiling in ME04 currently sits at $182 to $240 raw. An ex★ card in ME07 introduces a new tier above it, bringing renewed attention to the entire ME series for collectors new to the lineup.
The collector who searches "ex★ Pokémon card" or "Aura Seeker ME07" in September 2026 is nine to twelve weeks before the Japanese launch. They are looking for something to collect now, before the set arrives. ME01's Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection and ME04's Mega Greninja ex SIR are the two most direct in-stock answers to that search: one connects directly to the Pokémon that leads ex★, the other represents the current top of the ME singles market.
According to PokeGuardian, the Worlds 2026 closing ceremony on August 31 confirmed Mega Lucario Z ex as the face of the ex★ series, with Aura Seeker set for a November 27, 2026 Japan release. English release timing has not been announced; based on prior ME series releases, English market availability typically follows the Japanese release by several months.
Which Product to Prioritize
The ME01 Figure Collection and ME04 Chaos Rising serve different collector profiles, and buying both is not the only option.
The ME01 Figure Collection suits the Lucario-focused collector or anyone building the ME arc chronologically
At $58 to $90, it is the most accessible entry into the Lucario ex story in the ME series. The product-exclusive promo (078/076) makes it a sealed-format permanent addition to any ME01 collection. If Mega Lucario Z ex★ in ME07 becomes the chase card of the year, ME01's promo card is the predecessor that started the arc.
The ME04 Mega Greninja ex SIR suits the singles collector targeting the ME series' current highest value card
At $182 to $240 raw, it is already the ME series' top single by current price. Buying it now is a sealed singles decision at a price that reflects existing demand, not ex★ speculation. The collector who wants the best card in the ME series at this moment in time has a clear answer: it is in ME04.
The ME04 booster box suits the sealed collector who wants the pull experience
$181 to $190 for a sealed booster box gives access to the full ME04 card pool, including the Mega Greninja ex SIR at pull rates. It is not the cheapest path to the SIR card, but it is the sealed-format path for collectors who prefer the box experience to buying singles.
No ex★ Greninja card has been confirmed for ME07 as of September 2026. The connection between ME04 and Aura Seeker is Greninja's established role in the ME series, not a confirmed ex★ announcement for the Pokémon specifically. Collectors should evaluate ME04 on its current merits, not on speculation about future sets.
Search DexHaul for Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection and Chaos Rising ME04 to compare current listings from independent shops across sellers and regions. Dexhaul is independent and not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or any retailer featured here.