2022 Pokémon Japanese Sword: Complete Guide to the Sword & Shield Sets of 2022

2022 Pokémon Japanese Sword refers to the Japanese Sword & Shield era sets released in 2022. The two with confirmed 2022 dates are S12 Paradigm Trigger (October 21, 2022) and S12A VSTAR Universe (December 2, 2022). The original “Sword” expansion pack is a separate 2019 product.

📋 Full card list: VSTAR Universe card list → every card by number with rarity, individual card pages and in-stock PSA 10 prices.

Updated November 9, 2026

What are the key facts for 2022 Pokémon Japanese Sword products?

The table below lists the 2022 Sword & Shield sets and, for contrast, the 2019 Sword pack. All are Japanese edition products, and the S1 row is taken from the official Pokémon Card site.

What does “2022 Pokémon Japanese Sword” actually mean?

It is a search phrase, and the clearest reading is “Sword & Shield era Japanese Pokémon products from 2022”. There is no single product called “2022 Sword”, because the original Sword pack is a 2019 release.

The first Sword & Shield product was the pair of expansion packs “Sword” and “Shield”, released December 6, 2019 at a suggested retail price of 165 yen including tax, with 5 cards per pack and The Pokémon Company as publisher (official Pokémon Card site). The two sets that carry a 2022 date on our product pages are S12 and S12A.

This guide covers the sealed Japanese boxes from the end of the Sword & Shield era, the chase cards listed for them, and how to check that a listing labelled “Sword” is a 2022 item. The set codes are the fixed reference throughout.

Both 2022 sets sit in the Sword & Shield era alongside other sets we also carry as damaged boxes. Those are covered in a later section so you can see which ones are 2022 products and which are not.

Which Japanese Sword & Shield sets came out in 2022?

Two sets have a confirmed 2022 release date: S12 Paradigm Trigger on October 21 and S12A VSTAR Universe on December 2. They are very different products, even though they belong to the same era.

S12 is the standard expansion with many small packs. S12A is the celebration set with fewer, larger packs and a wider card list. Both product pages state that the specific cards in each box are randomly packed at the factory, and that no individual card is promised.

The simplest way to remember the split: S12 is the finale of the mainline expansion line, and S12A is the celebration release that followed it about six weeks later. The gap between the two release dates, October 21 to December 2, is the whole 2022 window for the era on our pages.

What is inside 2022 Sword set S12 Paradigm Trigger?

S12 Paradigm Trigger is a 30-pack box with 5 cards per pack, 150 cards in total, and 98 card types. According to our S12 product page, it features Lugia VSTAR and marks the grand finale of the mainline Sword & Shield expansion sets.

The rarities listed for S12 are Commons (C), Uncommons (U), Rares (R), Double Rares (RR), Art Rares (AR), Super Art Rares (SAR), Ultra Rares (UR) and the Ace Spec cards. The key cards named on the page are:

• SR SA Lugia V
• SR SA Regidrago VSTAR
• SR Serena
• HR Lugia VSTAR Gold
• UR V Guard Energy Gold

The page lists HR Lugia VSTAR Gold alongside SR SA Lugia V, so S12 is the set to look at if Lugia is your target. The list also shows that the set’s chase cards are not all Pokémon: it names SR Serena and UR V Guard Energy Gold alongside the Lugia and Regidrago cards.

The box format matters for how the product feels to open. Thirty packs of five cards means thirty separate pack openings per box, which is a long session compared with a ten-pack High Class box. A box holds 150 cards, so the cards-per-pack count is low but the total card count is the higher of the two 2022 boxes.

We do not publish a pull-rate figure for S12, and the product page promises no specific card.

What is inside S12A VSTAR Universe, the December 2022 Sword set?

S12A VSTAR Universe is a High Class Pack box with 10 packs of 10 cards (100 cards) and 172 card types. Our S12A product page calls it the ultimate celebration set, with Art Rare reprints and God Packs, released December 2, 2022.

The rarities include C, U, R, RR, AR, SAR, SSR (Shiny Super Rare), and UR. The key cards listed are SAR Giratina VSTAR, SAR Charizard VSTAR, SAR Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR, SAR Arceus VSTAR and UR Giratina VSTAR Gold.

Compared with S12, the card list is much wider: 172 card types against 98. The headline cards are all VSTAR Pokémon in SAR form, plus the gold Giratina VSTAR at UR.

Sealed product from this set is available in two forms on our site: the regular box, and a version with the outer wrap removed. For the second version the inner box remains unopened and the contents are factory-original. Pick the regular box if you want the outer wrap on, and the wrap-removed version if the outer wrap does not matter to you.

Our S12A pages also point to a full S12A card list, which is the right place to look up individual cards by number and rarity. This article does not copy that list.

How do High Class Packs compare with Expansion Packs in the Sword & Shield era?

In 2022 the two formats differ clearly: S12A, a High Class Pack, has 10 cards per pack in a 10-pack box, while S12, an Expansion Pack, has 5 cards per pack in a 30-pack box.

An earlier High Class Pack of the era, “VMAX Climax”, released December 3, 2021 at a suggested retail price of 550 yen including tax, with 11 cards per pack and one foil Basic Energy card in every pack (official Pokémon Card site). Its highlight rarities were CSR (Character Super Rare) and CHR (Character Rare). The CSR cards named on the page are Pikachu VMAX, Blaziken V, Zamazenta V and Blissey V. That page belongs to a 2021 set, so it is not a 2022 product.

If you collect for the cards rather than the opening experience, the rarity lists are what to compare. S12A lists SAR, SSR and UR rarities in a 172-type list, while S12 lists SAR, UR and Ace Spec cards across 98 types in a larger box.

How is the original Sword pack different from the 2022 Sword sets?

The original Sword pack is a 2019 product with a low suggested price and simple pack contents. The “Sword” and “Shield” expansion packs released December 6, 2019 at 165 yen including tax, 5 cards per pack, published by The Pokémon Company (official page).

The Sword side features Zacian V, whose ability attaches up to 3 Metal Energy from the top of your deck, plus Lapras VMAX (HP 320) and Stonjourner V. Other Sword cards listed include Rillaboom, Inteleon, Ordinary Rod, Bede and Professor’s Research. The Shield side features Zamazenta V and Indeedee V, with Cinderace, Galarian Zigzagoon, Metal Saucer, Team Yell Grunt and Marnie also listed. The page also notes that when a VMAX is knocked out, the opponent takes 3 Prize cards. A Super Rare Marnie in the Shield side is featured on the official announcement: both players shuffle their hands into the bottom of their decks, then you draw 5 cards and the opponent draws 4.

The 2019 pack shares one thing with S12: both use 5 cards per pack. Everything else differs. The 2019 product is a pair of packs, while S12 is sold as a 30-pack box.

None of those cards are 2022 releases. If a seller labels something “2022 Sword”, check the set code: S12 and S12A are the 2022 codes, while S1 is 2019.

Which 2022 Japanese Sword box should you buy?

Buy S12 Paradigm Trigger if you want a large box of 150 cards and Lugia chase cards. Buy S12A VSTAR Universe if you want the SAR Charizard VSTAR and Giratina VSTAR chase cards in a smaller 100-card box.

Our recommendation: if you only buy one, pick by Pokémon. S12A is the 2022 box that lists Charizard VSTAR, Giratina VSTAR, Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR and Arceus VSTAR. S12 is the 2022 box on our pages that lists Lugia VSTAR cards. If you are building a complete set of 2022 boxes, you need both.

Neither listing promises any specific card. They are randomized sealed products, so the chase cards above are the cards the set contains, not a prediction of what a given box holds.

What are the damaged boxes from the Sword & Shield era?

Damaged boxes are sealed boxes sold at a discount because the outer box has cosmetic damage such as dents or scratches. Per the product pages, the cards inside are unaffected, photos are samples, and the item is sold as-is with no returns or refunds.

The pages explain where these boxes come from. Our warehouse is in Tokyo, we buy large volumes of Japanese trading cards every day, and some boxes arrive with dents or scratches. Staff inspect every item against defined condition standards, and boxes that cannot be sold as mint-condition products are separated and offered at a lower price than regular stock. The listings also state that we do not respond to inquiries about these items.

Shop this setS12-Paradigm Trigger Japanese Pokemon Booster Box

¥20,193In stock

Ships from Tokyo with tracking

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The Sword & Shield era damaged boxes on our site include:

• S10P Space Juggler damaged box (Expansion Pack; Origin Forme Palkia and the Hisui region)
• S10A Dark Phantasma damaged box (Enhanced Expansion Pack; explore the mysteries of the Hisui region)
• S9A Battle Region damaged box (Enhanced Expansion Pack)
• S11A Incandescent Arcana damaged box (Enhanced Expansion Pack)
• S12 Paradigm Trigger damaged box (Expansion Pack)

Release dates for S9A, S10P, S10A and S11A are not stated on those pages, so treat only S12 and S12A as confirmed 2022 dates.

The S12 damaged box is the one that is a 2022 product. It is the same set as the regular S12 box, with the difference being the outer box condition. The other four are Sword & Shield era sets that are useful if you are building an era collection, but we do not present them as 2022 releases.

Is a damaged box a good way to buy Sword & Shield era boxes?

A damaged box suits you if you care about the sealed cards and not about a clean outer box. It does not suit you if you need a mint box for display or if you want the option to return the item, because returns and refunds are not accepted.

Each damaged-box listing says the box is unopened and sealed in its original wrap, and that the discount comes from cosmetic damage only, for example dents, creases or scuffs. The first image on each listing shows the regular product so you can identify the set, and the condition photos that follow are samples of damaged boxes from the same stock. The type and extent of damage vary by item, so the box you receive may look different from the sample photos.

Use this short checklist before you order a damaged box:

• Display matters to you: choose the regular box instead, where one is listed.
• You mainly want the sealed cards: a damaged box fits, since the cards inside are described as unaffected.
• You need a return option: a damaged box does not offer one, as the item is sold as-is.
• You want a particular box condition: the sample photos show typical damage only, so the exact condition is not selectable.

How can you check that a listing really is a 2022 Sword & Shield product?

Check the set code first: S12 means October 21, 2022 and S12A means December 2, 2022. If the listing shows S1, it is the 2019 Sword pack, and if it shows another code, the code is the thing to look up before you buy.

A listing title that says only “Sword” or “Sword & Shield” does not identify a set. The set code, the pack type (Expansion Pack, Enhanced Expansion Pack, High Class Pack), the packs per box and the cards per pack together identify the product.

Also confirm the edition. Every product described here is the Japanese edition. Our listings state “Japanese Original Edition” in the product overview, and that wording is the one to look for.

How does shipping work for 2022 Japanese Sword boxes?

Orders ship from Tokyo by FedEx. Standard shipping is FedEx International Connect Plus, with a usual transit of 3-7 business days after dispatch, and expedited is FedEx International Priority at usually 2-5 business days. Both are estimates, not delivery commitments (shipping policy).

Shipping cost is calculated automatically at checkout from your delivery address, and there is no minimum order amount or quantity. Most orders are processed and shipped within 5 business days after PayPal or Wise payment has cleared. That window is an estimate, and business days exclude weekends and Japanese national holidays.

The delivery dates you see at checkout or in carrier tools do not include handling time, supplier allocation delays, quality inspection holds, weekends, Japanese national holidays, customs processing, carrier congestion or weather. If dispatch is delayed, we contact you by email as soon as practical with the revised estimate, and for significant delays before handoff to FedEx we may offer the option to wait or to cancel with a full refund.

After handoff to FedEx, timing is controlled by the carrier and destination-country authorities. Customs inspections and import procedures may delay delivery, and such transit delays do not by themselves create a right to cancel or refund after dispatch.

Two address points are worth knowing before you order. FedEx cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes, so give a physical address. And while an order is paid and its shipment has not yet been scheduled, you can update the shipping address yourself from My Account, under Orders. The destination country cannot be changed, and if the new address costs more to ship to, you pay the difference before dispatch.

How do you pay for a Japanese Sword & Shield box?

All payments are made in Japanese yen. You can pay by Wise bank transfer, PayPal, or credit and debit card through PayPal, and Wise is the only method without the 5% payment processing fee (payment methods).

For a Wise transfer, enter the payment reference issued with your order, SST-{order number}, exactly as issued. If you pay by SWIFT, the page states a receiving fee of JPY 611 is deducted before the funds reach us, so you add that amount to your order total. PayPal Pay Later is also shown where PayPal makes it available for your country, and the terms PayPal displays are the ones that apply.

Any difference between the amount charged and the amount on your statement comes from exchange rates and conversion fees set by your card issuer, bank or PayPal, and is outside our control.

More Sword & Shield guides

• Most Expensive Sword & Shield Pokémon Cards: Top Japanese Listings
• Most Expensive Scarlet & Violet Pokémon Cards: Top Japanese Listings
• 30th Celebration Futuristic Box: Contents, Price and the FUR Pikachu ex Promos
• Most Expensive Zekrom Pokémon Cards: Top Japanese Listings

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