The VSTAR mechanic itself traces back to one box. Released January 14, 2022, S9 “スターバース” (Star Birth) is the set that introduced the VSTAR mechanic to the game — and it did it with Arceus VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR, and Shaymin VSTAR all debuting in the same 127-card release.
This guide covers what’s actually inside a sealed Star Birth box, which cards make it the set collectors still ask about four years on, how the box is currently listed on our site, and how it compares to its English-language counterpart. We ship Japanese sealed product out of Tokyo, so the listing price below reflects what’s currently live.
Star Birth (S9) is a 127-card set — 100 base cards plus a 27-card secret tier — and the set that introduced the VSTAR mechanic to the Pokemon TCG. The headline chase is Charizard V, SR with a Special Art treatment, 103/100. A sealed S9-Star Birth Japanese Pokemon Booster Box is currently listed at ¥22,575 (~$142). No Charizard V SA, Arceus V SA, or other Star Birth singles are currently listed on our site; sourcing requests for those go through Quick Order.
Prices below are converted at ¥159/USD (September 2026). The box price is our own currently listed price on samuraiswordtokyo.com; no pull-rate figures are quoted anywhere in this guide.
What’s in a Star Birth Booster Box
Star Birth was released in Japan on January 14, 2022, as a Sword & Shield-era main expansion, and it holds a specific place in the game’s history: it’s the set that introduced the VSTAR mechanic, with Arceus VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR, and Shaymin VSTAR all making their first appearance here.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Release date (JP) | January 14, 2022 |
| Set size | 127 cards |
| Packs per box | 30 |
| Cards per pack | 5 |
The 127-card total splits into a 100-card base set and a 27-card secret tier, numbered from 101/100 up through 127/100. That secret tier is where the set’s headline pulls live — it spans Secret Rare (SR) Pokemon and Trainer cards, including Special Art treatments, plus Hyper Rare (HR) and Ultra Rare (UR) cards, with the VSTAR and V cards covered below sitting across those bands.
For the complete 127-card breakdown by number and rarity, see our companion Star Birth (S9) complete card list.
Chase Cards in Star Birth
Star Birth’s chase list is built around Charizard and Arceus, the two Pokemon the set uses to introduce the VSTAR era.
Charizard V, SR with Special Art Treatment (103/100)
This is the set’s headline chase — an SR with a full-scene Special Art treatment, alongside a separate, regular full-art printing of the same card (covered below). It isn’t currently listed as a single on our site; sourcing requests go through Quick Order.
Arceus VSTAR, Ultra Rare (125/100)
A gold-treatment Ultra Rare, and historically significant beyond its own rarity tier: this is one of the first VSTAR cards the Pokemon TCG ever printed. As with the Charizard V SA above, we don’t currently have an Arceus VSTAR single listed; requests go through Quick Order.
The Rest of the VSTAR-Era Lineup
Charizard V (102/100) is the regular full-art printing of the same Charizard V that gets the Special Art treatment at 103/100 — two very different cards from the same character in the same set. Charizard VSTAR (118/100) carries the set’s rainbow HR treatment, one step below the top Ultra Rare tier. Arceus V (112/100) is an SR with a Special Art treatment that precedes Arceus VSTAR’s own Ultra Rare printing at 125/100, mirroring the Charizard V / Charizard VSTAR pairing.
| # | Card | Rarity |
|---|---|---|
| 102/100 | Charizard V (regular full art) | Secret Rare |
| 103/100 | Charizard V | SR (Special Art treatment) |
| 112/100 | Arceus V | SR (Special Art treatment) |
| 118/100 | Charizard VSTAR | HR (rainbow) |
| 125/100 | Arceus VSTAR | Ultra Rare (gold) |
A sixth name worth knowing is Cynthia’s Ambition, a Secret Rare Trainer card — we don’t have a confirmed card number for it in our verified sources, so we’re not attaching one here. For the full accounting of every card in the secret tier, see our Star Birth pull rates and best cards guide. If you’re comparing this set against the adjacent S-series releases, our S8 Fusion Arts and S9a Battle Region guides cover the set before and the enhanced-expansion companion set that followed Star Birth.
Regular Box vs Damaged Box vs No Shrink on Our Site
On sets where box condition varies, we list separate Regular, Damaged Box, and No Shrink listings so buyers can choose based on what they’re planning to do with the box. A Regular listing is factory-sealed with an intact shrink wrap. A Damaged Box listing is a condition category we use for sealed boxes where the outer box — not the contents — is affected; the booster packs inside stay factory-sealed and you’re still getting the same booster packs, in the same box count, just at a price that moves independently of the regular box. A No Shrink listing is a separate listing name used on the product page itself for sealed product without its original shrink wrap.
For Star Birth specifically, only the standard Regular listing is currently on our site: the S9-Star Birth Japanese Pokemon Booster Box, currently listed at ¥22,575 (~$142). A Damaged Box or No Shrink listing for this particular set is not currently on our site — sourcing requests for either go through Quick Order.
Where to Buy a Star Birth Booster Box from Tokyo
We ship sealed Japanese Pokemon product worldwide from Tokyo with tracked delivery. The box above is the direct way into Star Birth itself — the set that introduced Arceus VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR, and the whole VSTAR mechanic to the game.
For the full range of Japanese Pokemon boxes we currently list, including the adjacent S8 Fusion Arts and S9a Battle Region sets, browse our Pokemon booster box collection. For the Charizard V SA, Arceus V SA, Arceus VSTAR, or any other Star Birth single not currently listed, the Quick Order page is the fastest way to flag what you’re after or build a mixed order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Star Birth (S9) historically significant?
It’s the set that introduced the VSTAR mechanic to the Pokemon TCG. Arceus VSTAR, Charizard VSTAR, and Shaymin VSTAR all make their first appearance in this 127-card release, dated January 14, 2022.
What is the headline chase card in Star Birth?
Charizard V, SR with a Special Art treatment, at 103/100 — a full-scene secret-tier printing distinct from the set’s regular full-art Charizard V at 102/100. It’s not currently listed as a single on our site; sourcing requests go through Quick Order.
How many cards are in the Star Birth set?
127 cards total: a 100-card base set plus a 27-card secret tier numbered 101/100 through 127/100, spanning SR cards including Special Art treatments, plus HR and UR rarities.
Is Brilliant Stars the same as Star Birth?
No, but they’re closely related. Brilliant Stars is the English-language set released about a month after Star Birth, and it combines Star Birth’s main-set cards. The Japanese rarity label and card number do not carry across unchanged, though Brilliant Stars does carry the same Ryota Murayama artwork as an Ultra Rare at 154/172.
Does our site sell a Damaged Box or No Shrink version of the Star Birth box?
Not currently. Only the standard Regular sealed listing is live for this set at present. Requests for a Damaged Box or No Shrink listing can be flagged through Quick Order.
What is Cynthia’s Ambition?
It’s a Secret Rare Trainer card in Star Birth. We don’t have a confirmed card number for it in our verified sources, so we haven’t attached one here — see our Star Birth pull rates and best cards guide for the full secret-tier breakdown.
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