Blog · Mega Evolution & Modern Sets
Mega Lucario Z: The Anime Arc, the Legends Z-A Window, and the ME07 Collector Play
By Dexhaul Team · October 1, 2026
The "Z" in Mega Lucario Z is not decorative. It refers directly to Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the mainline title arriving October 16, and that naming choice makes this form one of the most collector-relevant Lucario variants in the franchise right now.
Mega Lucario Z is the evolved battle form of Roy's Lucario in Pokémon Horizons: The Series, the current anime following Liko and Roy. It debuted as an explicit tie to the Legends: Z-A game's Kalos setting. The suffix "Z" was not assigned at random: it anchors the anime's narrative arc to the same Lumiose City storyline the game explores.
For collectors, that naming linkage runs across three separate product lines at once: official Pokémon Center Japan plush, Takara Tomy licensed figures, and the ME07 Aura Seeker TCG set (JP launch November 27). All three are in active commerce right now. The question is which one fits your collection goals and budget.
Why Kalos and Lucario Are Inseparable
Lucario's Pokédex entry in XY places it as the demonstration partner for Mega Evolution. Korrina, the Shalour City Gym Leader, used her Lucario to show the player character how Mega Evolution worked for the first time in any mainline game. That was 2013.
Shalour City's Tower of Mastery is the in-game location where Mega Evolution was originally unlocked for player use. No other Pokémon and no other character introduced Mega Evolution to the games. Lucario's role as the mechanical anchor of the entire Mega Evolution system is not shared.
Legends: Z-A returns to Kalos exclusively, set within Lumiose City, 13 years after XY. The Mega Evolution revival in both the anime and the TCG Mega Evolution series is built around that same regional identity. Mega Lucario Z carrying a "Z" suffix is the clearest signal yet that the TCG and anime are running parallel to the game's Kalos arc on purpose.
The Plush Range: Three Tiers from Roy to Pokémon Center
Two distinct plush lines are currently in stock for Mega Lucario Z, and they represent different things.
The Takara Tomy Roy plush ($37.57 from Japan Figure Store) is the anime-character-paired version, depicting Roy's specific Mega Lucario Z as it appears in Pokémon Horizons. At 34 cm it is the larger of the two Takara Tomy entries. Takara Tomy's licensed production for the current anime is standard practice, and Roy's Shiny Mega Lucario Z version ($41 at Ichiba Japan) adds a second colorway to the range.
The Pokémon Center Japan official plush ($62 at Ichiba Japan) is a separate product line entirely. It is the canonical Pokémon Center representation of the form, not an anime-specific accessory. Pokémon Center Japan does not release a plush for every Mega Evolution: Mega Lucario Z getting one is a sign of where The Pokémon Company has placed its marketing weight for this particular form.
The gap between the Takara Tomy entry ($37.57) and the Pokémon Center version ($62) is $24.43 for the same character in different product lines. Both are legitimate licensed merchandise. The Pokémon Center version is the collectible-shelf target; the Takara Tomy is the display-with-intent option.
The TCG Entry Ladder: From $0.90 to $185
The ME07 Aura Seeker ex★ card for Mega Lucario Z does not have a price yet. It has no release date in English. What it does have is a benchmark: Mega Lucario ex 179/132 SIR from ME01 Mega Evolution Base Set at $175–$185 raw.
That SIR is the only comparable Lucario card in the Mega Evolution TCG series. It is above the set ceiling (132) by design, uses full-art holographic treatment, and is the highest-demand Lucario single in ME01.
The ex★ will sit structurally higher than SIR, using its own above-ceiling number. Whether its floor exceeds $185 depends entirely on ex★ pull rates once ME07 opens at the JP launch on November 27.
Below the SIR, the ME01 tier structure gives collectors several entry points without waiting for ME07. The standard 077/132 Mega Lucario ex costs under a dollar from multiple sellers.
The Full Art 160/132 sits at $12. The Figure Collection ($57.26 from KanZenGames) includes the MEP 033 promo card, which cannot be pulled from any booster pack: it is exclusive to that product.
The Legends: Z-A TCG set also has a Lucario card in the catalogue right now. The #0448 Lucario [Legends Z-A] at $7.99 from PKM.gg is a physical card from the game-tied TCG expansion. It is an entry-level bridge between the game release and the broader Mega Evolution arc, at a price point that puts Lucario from both timelines on the same shelf.
The 42-Day Window: Why October to November Matters
Pokémon Legends: Z-A releases October 16. Mega Evolution ME07 Aura Seeker releases in Japan on November 27. That is exactly 42 days between them.
The game and the TCG set share a commercial peak window that no prior ME series entry has had. ME01 through ME06 launched with no concurrent mainline game carrying Mega Evolution as a central mechanic.
ME07 does. Every player and fan who engages with Legends: Z-A in October is a potential ME07 buyer in November.
That context changes how to read the pre-order landscape. The ME07 ETB is currently available at $108 from Gemzy with an acrylic case included, the same bundled format that ME06 introduced and that the market accepted as standard. Pre-order stock at that price level will not last past the JP launch window.
Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution ME07 Elite Trainer Box + Acrylic Case (Pre-Order)
$108.00 USD
English ME07 has no release date yet. That means the JP November launch is the only way to open ME07 packs before an English announcement arrives. For collectors who want early price discovery on Lucario Z ex★, the JP route is the only path right now.
The benchmark to watch is the ME01 SIR at $175–$185. That card has had 12 months of market settlement since ME01 launched.
The ex★ is structurally above it in rarity tier, carries the "Z" name directly linked to both the anime arc and the game, and has no prior ex★ equivalent to price-anchor against.
Pull rates on JP launch day will set the floor. Pre-launch plush and the ME01 SIR are the two collector entry points that exist right now without waiting.
Search for Mega Lucario Z products at DexHaul to see current in-stock plush, TCG products, and pre-orders across independent shops. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, and is not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.