Piplup, Turtwig, and Chimchar are three of the most-searched Sinnoh starters, and their Japanese card history runs a lot deeper than the original 2006 base prints. Piplup alone has picked up a character rare, a TAG TEAM GX teammate, a Sword & Shield promo, and its own evolved-form V card in Empoleon — a wider spread than either Turtwig or Chimchar’s lines have collected.
This guide catalogs the current, verifiable Piplup, Turtwig, and Chimchar-line prints in the Japanese TCG: what set each one comes from, what it does on the field, and how the artwork and rarity differ across printings. We ship Japanese sealed product and singles out of Tokyo every week, and several graded PSA 10 Sinnoh starters singles are currently listed on our site — noted card by card below.
Several Sinnoh starters singles — the Piplup CHR, the Blastoise & Piplup GX RR, the Turtwig AR, and the Piplup AR — are currently listed as graded PSA 10 copies on our site; see each card section below for price and link, or check availability on anything else via our Quick Order page. For current Sinnoh-era sealed product, S10D Time Gazer is currently listed at ¥17,325 (~$109) and S10P Space Juggler is currently listed at ¥14,700 (~$92) — though neither box contains a Piplup, Turtwig, or Chimchar-line card. Both are built around Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia.
S10D Time Gazer and S10P Space Juggler prices refreshed to today’s listings (¥17,325 and ¥14,700). Four graded PSA 10 Sinnoh starters singles named in this guide — Piplup CHR, Blastoise & Piplup GX RR, Turtwig AR, and Piplup AR — are now confirmed on our site with current prices and links added to each card’s section.
Card and set details below are sourced from the Japanese TCG database as of August 2026. Sealed product pricing above reflects our own current store listings, converted at ¥159/USD. Four of the twelve prints below now have a graded PSA 10 copy on our site; the rest are Quick Order sourcing requests, covered in the sourcing section below.
Sinnoh Starters Card List: All 12 Prints at a Glance
Twelve verifiable prints across the three lines, from a 2019 character rare through 2025’s mega-era reprints:
| Card | Number | Rarity | Set | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piplup CHR | SM11b 052/049 | CHR | Dream League | 2019 |
| Piplup | S9 025/100 | C | Star Birth | 2022 |
| Piplup AR | M2 #85 | AR | Inferno X | 2025 |
| Blastoise & Piplup GX | SM11a 016/064 | RR | Remix Bout | 2019 |
| Piplup | S-P #232 | PROMO | Sword & Shield Promo | — |
| Empoleon V (SA) | S5R 074/070 | SR | Rapid Strike Master | 2021 |
| Empoleon ex | M2 #58 / #99 | RR / SR | Inferno X | 2025 |
| Turtwig AR | S12a 206/172 | AR | VSTAR Universe | 2022 |
| Torterra | S9 008/100 | C | Star Birth | 2022 |
| Torterra ex | SV5K 005 / 084 | RR / SR | Wild Force | 2024 |
| Infernape | S9 021/100 | C | Star Birth | 2022 |
| Infernape AR | SV5a #70 | AR | Crimson Haze | 2024 |
Piplup’s line has the widest spread by far — a character rare, a TAG TEAM GX card, a dedicated promo, and two separate Empoleon chase cards across two different eras. Turtwig and Chimchar’s lines, by comparison, each have one alternate-art era print and one affordable Star Birth reprint documented here. The sections below cover each line in order, and note where a graded PSA 10 copy is currently listed on our site.
Piplup to Empoleon: The Water Starter Line
Piplup CHR (SM11b 052/049) comes from 2019’s Dream League set, illustrated by Tomomi Kaneko. It’s a Water Basic at 60 HP with an attack that deals 80 damage and, if the target Basic Pokemon is still in play, stops it from attacking on its next turn. As a Character Rare, the card features trainer Hikari (Dawn) alongside Piplup rather than a plain in-game illustration, which is what separates the CHR slot from a standard rare. A graded PSA 10 copy of this exact print is currently listed at ¥34,055 (~$214).
The line’s most affordable modern entry is Piplup (S9 025/100), a Common reprinted in 2022’s Star Birth set alongside the rest of the Sinnoh trio. If you’re after a straightforward, current-era copy rather than a chase print, this is the one to ask for.
Piplup also shows up in the current mega-era lineup as Piplup AR (M2 #85) from 2025’s Inferno X, at 70 HP with an ability that lets you search your deck for a Supporter card and add it to your hand. A graded PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥6,820 (~$43).
Blastoise & Piplup GX (SM11a 016/064 RR) is Piplup’s TAG TEAM appearance, from 2019’s Remix Bout, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. At 270 HP, the pairing carries an attack for 150 damage that also lets you attach up to three Water Energy from your hand to your Pokemon and heal damage from them. A second copy of the same card exists at secret-rare card numbers 069/064 and 070/064 — the exact rarity split between those two hasn’t been individually verified here, so treat any specific rarity label for those two beyond “secret” as unconfirmed. A graded PSA 10 copy of the 016/064 RR print is currently listed at ¥21,046 (~$132).
On the evolved-form side, Empoleon V SA (S5R 074/070 SR) comes from 2021’s Rapid Strike Master, illustrated by chibi. At 210 HP, its ability “Emperor’s Eyes” removes the Abilities of all of your opponent’s Basic Pokemon in play (Rule Box Pokemon excluded) for as long as Empoleon V stays in the Active Spot. A second SR print exists at 073/070 as a full-art version, and a standard non-secret Empoleon V sits at 026/070 RR. The current mega-era lineup adds Empoleon ex (M2 #58 RR / #99 SR) from 2025’s Inferno X, another current print in the water starter line.
Piplup also appears on a Sword & Shield-era promo, Piplup (S-P #232), illustrated by Saya Tsuruta — a 60 HP Basic with “Ganbari Jump” for 30 damage plus 30 more on a coin-flip heads. The specific distribution campaign for this promo number isn’t documented in our sourcing, so we’re not naming one here.
Turtwig to Torterra: The Grass Starter Line
Turtwig AR (S12a 206/172) is the grass starter’s alternate-art entry, from December 2022’s VSTAR Universe high-class pack, illustrated by Kouki Saitou. It’s a Grass Basic at 80 HP carrying two attack options on the card. A graded PSA 10 copy is currently listed at ¥9,335 (~$59) — one of the graded Sinnoh starters currently listed.
The final evolution shows up as Torterra ex, split across a regular RR print at card number 005 and a Secret Rare (SR) at 084 in 2024’s Wild Force, with the SR version illustrated by PLANETA Tsuji. At 340 HP, one attack deals 30 damage for each Grass Pokemon on your bench, and “Jungle Hammer” hits for 150 plus heals 50 damage from Torterra ex. The set’s total card count for this print hasn’t been independently confirmed here, so we’re citing it by set name rather than a full card-number fraction.
For a current, affordable copy of the pre-ex evolution, Torterra (S9 008/100) is a Common from 2022’s Star Birth, reprinted alongside the rest of the Sinnoh trio in that set.
Chimchar to Infernape: The Fire Starter Line
Chimchar’s fire starter line is documented here through its final evolution. Infernape AR (SV5a #70) comes from March 2024’s Crimson Haze, illustrated by Krgc. This two-stage evolution sits at 140 HP with an ability that lets you attach one Fire Energy and one Fighting Energy from your hand to your Pokemon in one move. A standard, non-alternate-art print of the same card exists at card number 017 in the same set.
As with the other two starters, Infernape (S9 021/100) is the affordable current-era reprint from 2022’s Star Birth — the same set that carries the Piplup and Torterra Commons above, making it the easiest set to reference if you’re trying to source all three evolved forms from one release. A separate Infernape V promo at card number S-P #257 also exists, though its full print details aren’t confirmed here, so we’re noting it without further specifics.
Sourcing Sinnoh Starter Singles
Four of these twelve prints — the Piplup CHR, the Blastoise & Piplup GX RR, the Turtwig AR, and the Piplup AR — are currently listed as graded PSA 10 copies on our site, linked in the sections above. For the remaining Piplup, Turtwig, or Chimchar-line cards, check current availability via Quick Order. Note the specific card number and set name from the table above, since several of these prints share a Pokemon name across different sets and rarities.
Current Sealed Sinnoh-Era Boxes
S10D Time Gazer and S10P Space Juggler are both Sinnoh-mythical-themed sets from the same competitive era as these starters, but neither one includes a Piplup, Turtwig, or Chimchar-line card in its list. Time Gazer is built around Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR; Space Juggler is built around Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR.
If you’re collecting the wider Sinnoh-region Japanese catalog while you check on starter singles availability, sealed product from these two sets is currently listed and ships from Tokyo.
The companion release, S10P Space Juggler, is currently listed at ¥14,700 (~$92). For a full breakdown of what each box actually contains, see our Time Gazer best cards guide and our Space Juggler best cards guide.
Where to Buy Sinnoh Starter Cards
We ship Japanese sealed product and singles worldwide from Tokyo with tracked delivery. Four Sinnoh starters singles are currently graded and listed on our site — the Piplup CHR (¥34,055), the Blastoise & Piplup GX RR (¥21,046), the Turtwig AR (¥9,335), and the Piplup AR (¥6,820) — each linked in the card sections above. For any other Piplup, Turtwig, or Chimchar-line singles, check availability through our Quick Order page with the card number and set from the tables above. For sealed Sinnoh-era product in the meantime, see the S10D Time Gazer and S10P Space Juggler boxes above.
For the two chase VSTAR cards behind the Time Gazer and Space Juggler boxes, see our Dialga cards guide and our Palkia cards guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the S10D Time Gazer and S10P Space Juggler booster boxes contain Piplup, Turtwig, or Chimchar cards?
No. Both sets are built around Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR (Time Gazer) and Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR (Space Juggler). The Sinnoh starter trio isn’t part of either set’s card list, even though both releases share the Sinnoh-region theming.
What is the CHR Piplup card from Dream League?
Piplup CHR (SM11b 052/049) is a Character Rare from the 2019 Dream League set, illustrated by Tomomi Kaneko, featuring trainer Hikari (Dawn) alongside Piplup. A graded PSA 10 copy is currently listed on our site at ¥34,055.
Is there a TAG TEAM card with Piplup?
Yes. Blastoise & Piplup GX (SM11a 016/064 RR) from the 2019 Remix Bout set, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, pairs Piplup with Blastoise as a TAG TEAM GX card. A graded PSA 10 copy is currently listed on our site at ¥21,046.
Which Sinnoh starters cards are currently listed as graded PSA 10s?
Four: the Piplup CHR (SM11b 052/049, ¥34,055), the Blastoise & Piplup GX RR (SM11a 016/064, ¥21,046), the Turtwig AR (S12a 206/172, ¥9,335), and the Piplup AR (M2 #85, ¥6,820). Everything else in this guide is available through our Quick Order want-list process.
What’s the most recent Sinnoh starter card print?
Piplup AR (M2 #85) and Empoleon ex (M2 #58 / #99) from the 2025 Inferno X mega-era set are the newest prints currently documented for this line.
Picked for this article
📩 Get member-only sale alerts & coupons
Sale alerts, coupons and restock notices by email — straight from Tokyo.
