Pikachu VMAX is not one card. It is at least seven of them — spread across five separate Japanese releases, three different rarity tiers, and a price range that runs from five figures to nearly sixty thousand yen. If you searched “Pikachu VMAX” expecting a single answer, the honest one is: it depends which print you mean.
This guide catalogs every Pikachu VMAX printing we track in Japanese sets — not a ranking, not a “best of,” just the full print history in release order, with what each card actually is and what a PSA 10 copy is currently listed at from our Tokyo inventory. For Pikachu’s broader card history across V, GX, ex and everything else, see our general Pikachu ranking guide instead — this one stays inside the VMAX mechanic only.
We currently track seven distinct Pikachu VMAX prints across five Japanese releases. The entry point is the original S4 Amazing Volt Tackle RRR, PSA 10 currently listed at ¥10,135. The VMAX Climax Character Super Rare (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) sits well above it, currently listed at ¥46,223.
Prices are current listings from our Tokyo inventory as of August 2026, converted where noted at ¥163/USD. Every card below is a PSA 10 graded single unless stated otherwise, and each is a one-of-one stock item — when a listed copy sells, it’s gone until we source another.
Every Pikachu VMAX Print We Track
VMAX itself is a card type built to stage a Pokemon’s Gigantamax form, running through Japan’s Sword & Shield-era sets. Pikachu VMAX specifically shows up in five separate contexts, listed here in release order where a date is confirmed:
| Set | Card # | Rarity | Currently listed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu VMAX | S4 Amazing Volt Tackle (2020-09-18) | 031/100 | RRR | ¥10,135 |
| Flying Pikachu VMAX | S8a 25th Anniversary Collection (2021-10-21) | 024/028 | RRR | ¥17,178 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
| Surfing Pikachu VMAX | S8a 25th Anniversary Collection (2021-10-21) | 022/028 | RRR | ¥17,201 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
| Pikachu VMAX | Sword & Shield Promotional Cards | 265/S-P | Promo | ¥15,409 |
| Pikachu VMAX | S8b VMAX Climax (2021-12-03) | 223/184 | CSR | ¥46,223 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
| Pikachu VMAX | S8b VMAX Climax | 279/184 | UR (unverified numbering) | ¥59,925 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
| Pikachu VMAX | 25th Anniversary Golden Box | 006/015 | Box exclusive | ¥14,708 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
Two things stand out reading down that list. First, the price spread isn’t tied to age — the newest release in the table (VMAX Climax, December 2021) holds both the cheapest CSR-adjacent entry point in relative terms and the most expensive listing overall. Second, “Pikachu VMAX” alone tells you almost nothing about which card someone means. The set code and card number are what actually identify it. The sections below walk through each release.
The Original: S4 Amazing Volt Tackle (2020)
Pikachu VMAX’s first Japanese printing came in S4 Amazing Volt Tackle, released September 18, 2020, as card 031/100 out of a 111-card set. It’s an RRR — the rainbow-treatment chase tier that S4 used for its headline cards. HP 310, Lightning type, evolving from Pikachu V, with the attack “Gigantamax Volt Tackle” dealing 120-plus damage. The illustration is credited to aky CG Works.
This is the print most people picture when they hear “Pikachu VMAX” — it’s the one that started the run, and it’s community-reported as one of the more widely recognized Pikachu VMAX cards among Japanese-set collectors, though we’re not making any “most famous” claim beyond that reputation. A PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥10,135, which also makes it the lowest-priced entry point into this whole print family.
Look for “031/100” in the bottom corner and the Amazing Volt Tackle set symbol. It’s the plain RRR treatment — no character-illustration border, no promo stamp.
The 25th Anniversary Pair: Flying & Surfing Pikachu VMAX
S8a 25th Anniversary Collection released October 21, 2021, and it’s where Pikachu VMAX splits into two distinct characters. Flying Pikachu VMAX (024/028) evolves from Flying Pikachu V, and Surfing Pikachu VMAX (022/028) evolves from Surfing Pikachu V — both HP 310, both Lightning type, both RRR. Surfing Pikachu VMAX’s attack, “Max Surf,” hits for 160-plus and adds damage across the opponent’s bench.
Both sit inside S8a’s regular numbering (denominator “028”). The set lists 37 cards in total on the database we use — the numbered run through 29 plus eight basic energy cards. Both S8a Pikachu VMAX prints have documented Celebrations counterparts: Flying Pikachu VMAX (024/028) corresponds to card #7, and Surfing Pikachu VMAX (022/028) corresponds to card #9, in 2021’s international Celebrations set.
| Card | Card # | Currently listed |
|---|---|---|
| Flying Pikachu VMAX RRR | 024/028 | ¥17,178 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
| Surfing Pikachu VMAX RRR | 022/028 | ¥17,201 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) |
Notice the two prices sit within ¥23 of each other. Neither has pulled ahead as a clear chase within the pair — based on our current listings, they trade as near-equivalents, not as a “better” and “worse” version of the same idea.
The Promo Print: S-P 265
Outside the numbered expansions, Pikachu VMAX also exists as a Sword & Shield-era promotional card, numbered 265/S-P. HP 310, Lightning type, with two attacks: “Charge Tail” for 30 damage and “Giant Thunder” for 250 damage, with a listed weakness to Fighting. We were not able to confirm the exact distribution event or timing behind this promo in our research for this guide, so we’re not asserting one here — it’s cataloged simply as an S-P-numbered promotional print.
A PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥15,409 — between the S4 original and the S8a pair in price, and worth checking against those two if a promo stamp specifically is what you’re after.
VMAX Climax: The Character Super Rare and the UR Listing
S8b VMAX Climax released December 3, 2021, as a 277-card set built almost entirely around alternate-art chase cards, and Pikachu VMAX got two treatments inside it. The plain RRR print sits at 046/184; we don’t currently hold graded stock of that specific number, so it isn’t linked here. The card we do carry is the Character Super Rare at 223/184 — the character-illustration treatment VMAX Climax used for its highest-profile cards — HP 310, Lightning type, “Gigantamax Volt Tackle.” A PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥46,223 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), the highest of the confirmed-numbering prints in this guide.
Our listing catalog also includes a graded copy recorded as 279/184 UR, currently listed at ¥59,925 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) — the most expensive Pikachu VMAX print we carry. We want to be direct about this one: that card number falls outside VMAX Climax’s confirmed 277-card total, and we were unable to independently verify 279/184 against the third-party Japanese card database we cross-referenced for the rest of this guide. We’re presenting the price and listing exactly as our own inventory records it, without claiming outside confirmation of the numbering. If precise print verification matters for your purchase, ask us directly before buying and we’ll walk through what we can and can’t confirm on this specific copy.
The Golden Box Exclusive
Separate from the numbered S8a set entirely, Pikachu VMAX also appears as card 006/015 inside the 25th Anniversary Golden Box — a standalone special product distinct from the mainline 25th Anniversary Collection release, and one we also carry as a sealed box in its own right. We don’t have confirmed HP, typing, or attack details for this specific print in our research, so we’re not listing card stats for it here — only that it exists as a Golden-Box-exclusive numbering, separate from the 024/028 and 022/028 pair covered above.
A PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥14,708 (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order).
Where VMAX Fits Among Pikachu’s Other Cards
VMAX is one mechanic inside a much larger Pikachu card history that also includes V, GX, ex, and dozens of promo-only prints across three decades of Japanese sets. If you’re weighing a VMAX purchase against Pikachu’s full lineup — including higher and lower price points outside the VMAX mechanic — our general Pikachu ranking guide covers that ground.
Pikachu VMAX also isn’t the only VMAX worth tracking from these two releases. VMAX Climax in particular built its reputation on pull rates and chase depth across its full roster, not just Pikachu — our S8b VMAX Climax pull rates and best cards guide breaks that down set-wide. And if you’re comparing Pikachu VMAX against VMAX prints of other Pokemon across multiple Japanese sets, our best Japanese VMAX cards guide is the cross-character version of this same catalog approach.
Where to Buy Pikachu VMAX from Japan
All seven prints above ship from our Tokyo inventory as PSA 10 graded singles, each a single physical copy — once a listing sells, it’s off the site until we source a replacement. If you want to browse the full Pikachu lineup rather than jump straight to a single print, our Pikachu collection page holds everything we currently carry across every mechanic and set, VMAX included.
For a mixed order — a VMAX single alongside sealed product or cards from other characters — our Quick Order page is the fastest way to build one checkout across multiple items.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pikachu VMAX?
VMAX is a Japanese Pokemon TCG card type that stages a Pokemon’s Gigantamax form, running through the Sword & Shield era. Pikachu VMAX cards evolve from a corresponding Pikachu V card and appear across at least seven distinct Japanese prints spanning five separate releases.
How many different Pikachu VMAX cards are there?
We track seven: the original S4 Amazing Volt Tackle RRR (031/100), the S8a 25th Anniversary Collection pair (Flying 024/028 and Surfing 022/028, both RRR), the S-P promotional print (265/S-P), the S8b VMAX Climax Character Super Rare (223/184) and a UR-listed copy (279/184), and a 25th Anniversary Golden Box exclusive (006/015).
Which Pikachu VMAX is the most expensive?
Among the seven prints we currently carry as PSA 10 graded singles, our S8b VMAX Climax listing recorded as 279/184 UR is the highest at ¥59,925, followed by the 223/184 Character Super Rare at ¥46,223. The 279/184 numbering falls outside VMAX Climax’s confirmed 277-card total and we were unable to independently verify it, so we present that price with that caveat attached.
Is Flying Pikachu VMAX or Surfing Pikachu VMAX worth more?
They currently list within ¥23 of each other — ¥17,178 for Flying Pikachu VMAX (024/028) versus ¥17,201 for Surfing Pikachu VMAX (022/028) — effectively equivalent based on our current inventory.
Does any Pikachu VMAX card have an English-set equivalent?
Flying Pikachu VMAX (S8a 024/028) corresponds to card #7, and Surfing Pikachu VMAX (S8a 022/028) corresponds to card #9, in the 2021 international Celebrations set. The S-P promo (265) corresponds to Sword & Shield Promos #286. The CSR (223/184) and the 25th Anniversary Golden Box print don’t have a confirmed English-set equivalent in our records.
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