Pokémon’s 30th anniversary celebrations are set to continue through the end of 2026, with Game Freak preparing a massive three-volume art book collection documenting the franchise’s visual history.

The collection will arrive in Japan on December 18, 2026, giving fans one more major Pokémon release before the anniversary year comes to a close. While an international release has not been confirmed, the collection promises an extensive look at how the franchise has evolved since its earliest days.Game Freak has created three separate volumes, with each book covering a different period in Pokémon history. Combined, the collection will contain approximately 1,500 pages of material, making it one of the most comprehensive visual retrospectives of the franchise to date.

The first volume covers the earliest era, beginning with Pokémon Red and Green and continuing through Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. It will showcase the evolution of Pokémon designs and artwork throughout the franchise's early generations.

Volume two moves into the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS eras, covering everything from Pokémon Black and White through Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.

The third volume focuses on Pokémon's Nintendo Switch era. It begins with Pokémon Let's Go and continues through Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Mega Dimension. Interestingly, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are not included in this particular volume.

Each book will be B5-sized, fully colored, and contain roughly 500 pages. The material will include sprites, 3D CG assets, illustrations, promotional artwork, and previously unpublished setting materials.

The collection will also feature interviews with Game Freak creators, with each volume containing a lengthy interview alongside development materials that have never previously been made public.The books are being published by Overlap under the supervision of The Pokémon Company and Game Freak, with Motomiya Shusuke serving as editor-in-chief.

Japanese fans will be able to purchase each volume individually for 5,500 yen, or approximately $35. All three books are scheduled to release simultaneously on December 18.

The art books aren't the only major Pokémon reference material arriving during the franchise's anniversary year. The Pokémon Official National Pokédex 1996-2026 was released in Japan on August 7, providing information on all 1,025 Pokémon currently in the series.

That 448-page reference book includes Pokémon types, abilities, measurements, Pokédex descriptions, evolution charts, and information about mechanics such as Regional Forms and Mega Evolution. It is priced at 2,750 yen, roughly $17.45.With the next generation already on the horizon through Pokémon Winds and Waves, the new art books arrive at an appropriate moment for looking back at where the franchise has been before its next major chapter begins.

For longtime fans, the three-volume collection could offer an unusually detailed glimpse into the design process behind three decades of Pokémon, including artwork and development material that has never been publicly available before.