Pokémon MEGA Starter Set ex: Which of the Three Decks Should You Buy?
By Dexhaul Team · August 11, 2026
Three decks. Three very different Pokémon. One right answer for most buyers.
The Pokémon MEGA Starter Set ex launched in Japan on July 31, 2026 as the entry-level product line for the Mega Evolution Series. Three separate releases shipped simultaneously: MEM (Sprigatito & Meowscarada ex), MEE (Eevee ex), and MEZ (Zorua & Zoroark ex). Each is a pre-built Japanese-format deck with a Mega Evolution Pokémon ex as its headliner. Each costs between $23 and $49 USD depending on the seller, making them the lowest-cost way into the current Mega Evolution catalogue.
Choosing between them mostly comes down to which Pokémon you want to play, but the three lines have genuinely different characters worth understanding before you buy.
What all three decks share
Before the differences: every MEGA Starter Set ex is a Japanese-language, pre-built deck designed for the Mega Evolution Series format. They are sold sealed and are not English-format releases. If you only play the English competitive game, these are collector or casual items. For anyone who plays the Japanese format, imports, or collects the product line, they're legitimate entry points.
Mega Evolution Pokémon ex in this series are worth three Prize cards on defeat, which is the defining risk-reward dynamic of the entire format. Bulbapedia's Mega Evolution TCG page covers the series mechanics in detail. The starter decks are lighter expressions of those mechanics compared to the full booster sets.
MEM: Sprigatito & Meowscarada ex
The Sprigatito deck (MEM) is the Grass-type option. Sprigatito is the Paldean Grass-type starter from Scarlet and Violet, evolving through Floragato into Meowscarada. It is one of the most popular Generation IX starters by design appeal, and players who chose Sprigatito in the video games will find this the natural pick.
Meowscarada ex is the headliner card. Grass-type decks in the Mega Evolution series tend to play around speed and energy efficiency, which fits Meowscarada's magician-trickster personality well. The MEM deck represents the broadest collector appeal of the three, given Sprigatito's popularity in the wider Pokémon community.
Price range: $24.00 from Fandom Tokyo, $25.44 from Japan Figure Store, up to $46.98 from Zenpan. If you're buying one MEM, the Japan Figure Store and Fandom Tokyo listings are the sharpest on price for single units.
MEE: Eevee ex
The Eevee deck (MEE) is the most unusual of the three, and the most interesting from a design standpoint.
Eevee has no Mega Evolution in the mainline Pokémon games. Every other Pokémon in this Mega Evolution series is one that Mega Evolved in the XY and ORAS era, or a new design built on that precedent. Eevee ex in the MEE deck represents something new: a Pokémon given a Mega Evolution identity that it never had in the main series. For collectors specifically interested in what the Mega Evolution Series is doing beyond direct XY callbacks, MEE is the one to watch.
The MEE deck lists at $34.53 from Japan Figure Store and $48.98 from Zenpan. It runs slightly higher than MEM and MEZ on average because Eevee commands a persistent price premium across Pokémon products generally.
MEZ: Zorua & Zoroark ex
The Zorua deck (MEZ) leads with the cheapest single-unit price in the line.
Zorua is a Dark-type Pokémon from Generation V, known for its illusion ability and evolution into Zoroark. The MEZ deck features Zoroark ex as the Mega Evolution Pokémon, making it the Dark-type option in this trio. Dark-type Mega Evolution builds in the broader series have leaned into disruption and hand-denial patterns; MEZ fits that arc.
At $23.00 from Fandom Tokyo and $23.17 from Japan Figure Store, MEZ is the lowest entry point of the three. If budget is the main constraint and you don't have a strong Pokémon preference, MEZ gets you into the product line at the least cost. Zenpan also stocks it at $46.98 for buyers who prefer that seller.
Which deck should you buy?
Buy MEM if you played Scarlet or Violet and chose Sprigatito, or if you want the deck most likely to have broad display and trade value alongside pure play appeal. The Meowscarada line is consistently among the most sought Paldean designs.
Buy MEE if the design angle matters to you. Eevee as a Mega Evolution ex is an original concept in this series, and MEE will be the rarest of the three to find in the long run given Eevee's consistent collector draw across every format it appears in.
Buy MEZ if you want the lowest price or you prefer Dark-type Pokémon. Zoroark is well-regarded in the competitive community and the Zorua line has a dedicated fanbase since its Generation V debut.
Buy all three if you want the complete set. Silvermine lists a bundle of all three at $25.00 USD, which works out to under $8.50 per deck and is the most efficient route if you're not choosing between them. Sawadeekard also lists a three-deck set for $101.00 USD, so compare listings before buying the bundle.
Where to buy and what to expect on price
The three decks ship from Japanese import sellers. Every unit available right now is a Japanese-format product: there is no announced English-language version of the MEGA Starter Set ex at this time. Sellers currently stocking all three include Japan Figure Store, Fandom Tokyo, Zenpan, and WAFUU Japan.
Price spreads across sellers are wider than usual for starter products. Japan Figure Store and Fandom Tokyo sit at the low end ($23–$35), Zenpan at the high end ($47–$49). The gap reflects seller premium rather than any difference in product. All are sealed, first-print Japanese units from the July 31, 2026 release date.
Pokémon TCG: MEGA Starter Set ex Sprigatito & Meowscarada ex (Zenpan)
$46.98 USD
If you're also exploring the wider Mega Evolution series: the Pitch Black (ME05) and Ascended Heroes booster sets sit above these in price and complexity, and the Storm Emeralda M6 Japanese booster box starts at $136 USD from import sellers. The MEGA Starter Set ex line is the correct first step before moving to those formats.
All three MEGA Starter Set ex decks are available from independent shops right now. Search MEGA Starter Set ex on Dexhaul to compare current listings from Japan Figure Store, Fandom Tokyo, Zenpan, and others in one place. Dexhaul is an independent product finder, not affiliated with or endorsed by The Pokémon Company.