BREAKthrough cover card
BREAKthrough symbol

BREAKthrough

XY · 2015/11/04 · 162/165 cards
A large, Pokémon-led set with a commons-to-secrets structure and a consistently bright, playful visual tone. Balanced, focused compositions dominate, punctuated by dynamic action and contrasting color.
Cards165
Pokémon142
Trainers21
Energy2
Illustrators43
Unique Pokémon121
Avg art score70.56
Median art score68.00
Priced cards164
Avg market price$7.36
Median market price$0.28
Collector note
With 43 illustrators and a heavy base of Commons and Uncommons, BREAKthrough offers wide visual range for set-building while still reserving a smaller band of Ultra, BREAK, and Secret cards for collectors who prefer higher-rarity finishes. The most valuable card in the set is Mewtwo-EX (xy8-163), which can concentrate collector attention within the upper end of the checklist.
Visual identity
Vibrant color is the set’s default language, often paired with contrasting accents that keep characters crisp against simplified backgrounds. The prevailing mood is lighthearted and energetic, expressed through clean, readable silhouettes, playful gestures, and frequent motion cues. Even when scenes turn more intense, the overall approach remains graphic and bright, favoring balanced layouts and focused subject framing over dense environmental detail.

About BREAKthrough

BREAKthrough presents a broad, Pokémon-forward collection: 165 cards total, with 142 Pokémon cards supported by 21 Trainers and 2 Energy. Its rarity spread is anchored by Commons and Uncommons, then steps through Rares and holo treatments into Ultra, BREAK, and a small Secret tier. Across the set, compositions tend to stay balanced and focused, while a steady current of dynamic framing keeps the pages moving.

The visual profile is dominated by cartoonish, playful, and colorful illustration, with vibrant palettes and frequent contrast shaping quick readability. Energetic and lighthearted moods appear most often, occasionally sharpened by more intense moments in action-oriented scenes. Among the set’s visual highlights, M Glalie-EX (xy8-156) and M Houndoom-EX (xy8-154) stand out for their heightened impact within this bright, graphic environment. Much of the set’s look is carried by 5ban Graphics, with additional variety from Kouki Saitou, Toyste Beach, and Mitsuhiro Arita.

Illustrators

5ban Graphics contributes the largest share of artwork, giving the set a consistent digital sheen across many of its feature cards. Kouki Saitou and Toyste Beach add additional breadth within the same bright, character-forward sensibility, while Mitsuhiro Arita brings a complementary illustrative touch that helps widen the set’s texture without breaking its overall cohesion.

Format

Printed total162
Set total165
SeriesXY
Release2015/11/04

Top illustrators in BREAKthrough

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5ban Graphics
5ban Graphics
Mitsuhiro Arita
Mitsuhiro Arita
5ban Graphics
5ban Graphics
Ryo Ueda
Mitsuhiro Arita
5ban Graphics
Mizue
5ban Graphics
Ryo Ueda
kawayoo
kawayoo
Saya Tsuruta
TOKIYA
Ryo Ueda
5ban Graphics
Eske Yoshinob
5ban Graphics
5ban Graphics
kirisAki
5ban Graphics
Shin Nagasawa
Megumi Mizutani
5ban Graphics
Sanosuke Sakuma
5ban Graphics
PLANETA
PLANETA
Megumi Mizutani
5ban Graphics
kirisAki
Ayaka Yoshida
Mitsuhiro Arita
Mizue
Kouki Saitou
Ayaka Yoshida
Kagemaru Himeno
Kagemaru Himeno
Midori Harada
Hajime Kusajima
TOKIYA
Mizue
Hajime Kusajima
Kagemaru Himeno