Your Guide to the Lycanroc Mezastar Arcade Tag

Lycanroc Mezastar Arcade Tag, Midday Form (Code 2-5-020)

From Arcade Machine to Display Case

A Pokemon Mezastar tag is a small oval disk of hard plastic — part game token, part collectible. Players insert it into a Mezastar arcade cabinet to battle, and the machine can print new tags as in-game prizes; the tags also circulate independently as standalone collectibles. This one features Lycanroc in its Midday Form, stamped with an energy value of 124, a four-star rarity rating on a five-point scale (above mid-range, though not the top tier), and the series code 2-5-020. The leading “2” in that code most likely marks it as part of Mezastar’s second release wave, estimated to have arrived in late 2020 or sometime in 2021 — though the exact release month has not been officially confirmed.

Mezastar launched in Japan in July 2020, the latest in a continuous lineage of Pokemon arcade collectible series: Battrio from 2007, Tretta from 2012, Ga-Ole from 2016, and now Mezastar. Each generation introduced its own token or disk format alongside a dedicated cabinet, and each built its own collector community in parallel. The game and its tags are produced by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. — the Takara Tomy subsidiary that specializes in arcade and capsule-toy merchandise — in collaboration with Marvelous Inc., under license from The Pokemon Company.

Lycanroc and the Sun and Moon Era

Lycanroc is a Rock-type Pokemon introduced in the seventh generation, debuting in Pokemon Sun and Moon for the Nintendo 3DS in 2016. It evolves from Rockruff and comes in three distinct forms: Midday, Midnight, and Dusk. The Midday Form — the one depicted here — is a quadrupedal, wolf-like creature with white fur, orange eyes, and orange-tipped ears. In the games, it was obtainable by evolving Rockruff during daytime hours in Pokemon Sun.

The character’s profile among fans received a notable boost from the anime series Pokemon: Sun and Moon, which ran from 2016 to 2019 and was broadcast internationally. In that series, protagonist Ash raises a Lycanroc in its Midday Form, giving the character a sustained presence across the show’s run. That anime exposure built a dedicated fan base for Lycanroc in English-speaking and other international markets. The Mezastar tag itself uses custom artwork created specifically for the format, with a holographic treatment and the swirled green-and-yellow background pattern typical of Mezastar tag design.

Japan-Only Arcade Culture and the Collector Appeal

Pokemon Mezastar cabinets operate exclusively within Japanese arcades and dedicated game centers. There is no official distribution outside Japan — the tags are earned through arcade play or bought secondhand within Japan. For collectors based elsewhere, import is the only route to ownership, which gives these tags a Japan-only character that is a core part of their appeal to international audiences.

The physical format also sets Mezastar tags apart from standard trading cards. The oval plastic disk has a weight and dimension unlike a flat card, attracting a different category of collector — those who focus on arcade merchandise or three-dimensional character goods rather than card games. The four-star rarity indicates that this tag was not among the most common arcade drops, which reflects the real-world effort required to obtain one through gameplay. Combined with Lycanroc’s anime-driven international recognition and the global reach of the Pokemon brand, that combination of exclusivity and format distinctiveness is what draws sustained interest from collectors well outside Japan.