25th Anniversary Collection (S8a, 2021): English Equivalent
By Dexhaul Team · October 13, 2026 · 6 min read
The Japanese 25th Anniversary Collection (S8a, released October 22, 2021 on Serebii) has no English equivalent. There is no English-language version of this set.
The closest match is the English Celebrations set (CEL25), but the two are not translations of each other. They share a 25th anniversary theme and feature many of the same Pokémon, but carry entirely different card lists, pack designs, and formats.
Here is what is worth knowing before you import S8a, and how to choose between the two anniversary products. For a full overview of how Japanese sets map to English releases across other years, see our Japanese Pokémon sets and English equivalents guide.
Set mapping at a glance
| Category | Japanese 25th Anniversary Collection | English Celebrations |
|---|---|---|
| Set code | S8a | CEL25 |
| Release date | October 22, 2021 (Japan only) | October 8, 2021 (international) |
| Market | Japan only, no EN release | English-language international |
| Numbered cards | 28 (001/028) | 25 main set (001/025) + 25 Classic Collection inserts |
| Format tier | High-Class Pack (premium) | Standard booster products |
| Promo companion | Yes (S8a-P, sold separately through Pokémon Center Japan) | No standalone promo set |
| EN tournament legal? | No | Yes (Expanded format) |
One detail stands out in that table.
Celebrations reached English-speaking collectors on October 8, 2021. S8a reached Japanese collectors on October 22. The English anniversary product landed two weeks before the Japanese one.
On this page 5 sections
What is different inside the two sets
Both sets celebrate 25 years of Pokémon through classic character designs. The execution is different at almost every point.
S8a is a High-Class Pack, Japan's premium booster tier. These products carry a higher pack price than standard Japanese boosters and guarantee at least one rare or higher per pack.
The 28-card main set spans 001/028 and features classic Gen 1 Pokémon rendered in anniversary art styles, including Charizard, Pikachu, and Mewtwo. The promo companion set S8a-P adds further anniversary cards sold exclusively through Pokémon Center Japan at the time of release.
Celebrations packs work differently. The 25-card main set (CEL25 001/025) covers the same generation of Pokémon with new anniversary artwork.
Each Celebrations product also includes Classic Collection sub-set pulls: 25 reprints of iconic early-era cards reproduced in their original pre-2003 card borders and artwork. Those Classic Collection inserts do not exist in S8a.
The bottom line on contents: S8a gives you more cards in the numbered set (28 vs 25), a promo companion, and a premium pack format. Celebrations gives you Classic Collection reprints and a Standard-format booster experience. Neither set includes the other's unique cards.
Key card crosswalk: same Pokémon, different cards
Both sets feature Pikachu, Charizard, Mewtwo, Blastoise, and Venusaur. Those are not the same cards.
Each set features its own artwork, HP totals, and attacks for every shared Pokémon. Owning the Celebrations Charizard does not mean you own the S8a Charizard. They are distinct cards that happen to share a subject.
The Pikachu card from S8a is documented by collectors as 001/028 on Limitless TCG, confirmed by the S8a single-card market. Celebrations Pikachu sits at 001/025 in the CEL25 numbering. Different cards with different numbering and different art.
| Pokémon | In S8a? | In Celebrations (CEL25)? | Are they the same card? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu | Yes (001/028) | Yes (001/025) | No: different art and stats |
| Charizard | Yes | Yes | No: different art and stats |
| Mewtwo | Yes | Yes | No: different art and stats |
| Blastoise | Yes | Yes | No: different art and stats |
| Venusaur | Yes | Yes | No: different art and stats |
| Classic Collection reprints | No | Yes (25 cards, sub-set) | Exclusive to Celebrations |
The full S8a card list is at Limitless TCG (S8a). For the Celebrations card list see Serebii's 25th Anniversary Collection page. None of the S8a cards appear in the CEL25 numbered set, and vice versa.
If you want to compare the two anniversary sets head to head on price and value, the Japanese 25th Anniversary Collection vs Celebrations guide covers the per-pack math and collector verdict in detail.
Japanese or English: which should you buy?
Price per pack
Individual S8a booster packs list at $39.99 at import shops as of October 2026, while full S8a booster boxes run $360.00. That is a meaningful premium over original JP MSRP. Celebrations products in sealed form now trade at collector prices too, though individual packs are rarely sold alone since they were packaged into larger sets.
If budget is the main consideration, Celebrations products (ETBs, collector chests, pin collections) typically offer more sealed product value per dollar than importing individual S8a packs at current prices.
Play legality
Japanese-language cards, including every S8a card, are not legal in English-format official Pokémon tournament events. Only cards from the official English release are eligible for Standard or Expanded format sanctioned play.
Celebrations cards are legal in Expanded. If competitive play is any part of your reason for buying, S8a is not for you.
Collecting and language
For collectors who want Japanese-language anniversary cards, S8a is the only product for several of these designs. There is no English version of the S8a Pikachu, S8a Charizard, or any other S8a card. The set represents a distinct chapter of the anniversary coverage, not a duplicate of what Celebrations offers.
The Sword and Shield era card frame, combined with anniversary artwork, makes S8a a time-specific piece of Pokémon TCG history. Collectors looking for a complete picture of the 25th anniversary release program need both the English Celebrations product and the Japanese S8a product. They are complements, not alternatives.
Grading
PSA and CGC both accept Japanese Pokémon cards. Japanese cards from High-Class Pack products like S8a tend to arrive in strong condition due to the premium packaging. Import handling adds transit risk, so sleeve immediately on opening and pack grades carefully if submission is the goal.
For context on how other Japanese sets map to their English equivalents, the Fusion Arts (S8) to Fusion Strike guide uses the same framework for the set released one generation earlier in the same era.
Pokemon Trading Card Game, Sword & Shield: Limited 25th Anniversary Collection (Japanese)
$641.42 USD
Q&A
Is S8a the same set as English Celebrations?
No. S8a and Celebrations share a 25th anniversary theme but have completely different card lists. S8a was designed for the Japanese market and released October 22, 2021, two weeks after Celebrations reached international markets on October 8, 2021.
Will the 25th Anniversary Collection S8a ever get an English release?
No English version has been announced. S8a was released in 2021 and the window for an EN equivalent has long passed. It is a Japanese-market-only product.
Can I use S8a cards in English tournament play?
No. Japanese-language cards, including S8a, are not permitted in English-format sanctioned Pokémon events. Celebrations (CEL25) cards are Expanded-format legal.
How many cards are in S8a?
The S8a main set has 28 cards, numbered 001/028. There is also a promo companion set (S8a-P) with additional anniversary art cards that were sold separately through Pokémon Center Japan.
How does S8a compare to Celebrations on price?
Individual S8a booster packs run around $39.99 at import shops as of October 2026. Celebrations products are now collector-grade sealed items as well. For a full price comparison, see the Japanese 25th Anniversary Collection vs Celebrations guide.
Browse current S8a booster packs, boxes, complete sets, and promo products from independent shops at DexHaul's Japanese cards collection. Listings are from independent sellers and update in real time. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, not affiliated with The Pokémon Company.
Catch 'em all
More S8a and Japanese anniversary products from independent shops.