Original Era · 1998

Leaders’ Stadium

The first Gym set · 96 cards · Gym Leader Pokémon
Release Date
October 24, 1998
Total Cards
96 Cards
Holo Rares
16
Theme
Gym Leaders
Rocket's Moltres — Leaders' Stadium (Japanese)

Set Overview

Leaders’ Stadium, released October 24, 1998, was the first of the two Japanese Gym sets. Its 96 cards give Kanto’s Gym Leaders their own Pokémon, printed under their names.

CategoryDetails
Japanese Nameリーダーズスタジアム (Rīdāzu Sutajiamu)
Release DateOctober 24, 1998
Total Cards96 cards
PublisherMedia Factory
Card Types66 Pokémon · 30 Trainer
Holo Rares16
ThemeGym Leaders

About the Set

Every Pokémon in the set belongs to a trainer — Brock’s, Misty’s, Lt. Surge’s, Erika’s, or Team Rocket’s. Its 30 Trainer cards are the largest Trainer count of any set on this page.

The English counterpart is Gym Heroes, released August 14, 2000 with 132 cards.

How These Cards Are Numbered

Cards from this era carry no collector number. The number printed at the bottom right of the card is the Pokédex number of the Pokémon — the 25th card of Expansion Pack is Staryu, and it reads No. 120. Trainer and Energy cards have no number at all.

What the gallery shows: each tile is numbered by its position in the set (#1 to #96), which is the order the set is catalogued in, not a number printed on the card. Open a card and the lightbox gives both the position and the Pokédex number the card actually prints.

Rarity is shown on the card face instead, as a small symbol next to the Pokédex number: a circle for common, a diamond for uncommon and a star for rare.

All 96 cards from Leaders’ Stadium, in set order. Click any card to view it full size — use the arrow keys (or swipe) to move through the set.

English readers may also want the Gym Heroes set guide, and the Japanese to English set map for how the two release schedules line up.

SetJapanese NameReleasedCards
Expansion Pack拡張パックOctober 20, 1996102 cards
Pokémon JungleポケモンジャングルMarch 5, 199748 cards
Mystery of the Fossils化石の秘密June 21, 199748 cards
Rocket Gangロケット団November 21, 199765 cards
Challenge from the Darkness闇からの挑戦June 25, 199998 cards
Gold, Silver, to a New World...金、銀、新世界へ...February 4, 200096 cards
Crossing the Ruins...遺跡をこえて...July 7, 200056 cards
Awakening Legendsめざめる伝説November 23, 200057 cards

Collecting & Where to Buy

Leaders’ Stadium is a large set for its era and a complete run takes patience. The Misty and Rocket holo rares are among the most in demand.

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Collector tip: Ownership is part of the card name: Misty’s Gyarados and a plain Gyarados are different cards, and the era’s deck rules treat them separately.

Note: external links are provided for reference only. Always confirm a card’s printing, condition and authenticity before purchasing.