Japanese Pokemon card sets in order run through six naming eras and more than ninety numbered expansions, and the set code — not the artwork — is what tells you where a set sits in that timeline. This guide gives full release-date, product-type, MSRP and card-count tables for the current MEGA era back through Scarlet & Violet and Sword & Shield, a condensed table for Sun & Moon, and era-level summaries for XY and BW, each with the closest English-language TCG equivalent where one exists.
We stock and ship Japanese sealed product out of Tokyo, so the tables below are cross-checked against our own listings as well as the official pokemon-card.com product pages and Bulbapedia’s expansion list. Where a figure is not confirmed on an official page, it is left blank or flagged rather than estimated.
- Japanese sets run in four modern naming eras — SM (2016–2019), S (2019–2022), SV (2023–2025) and M (2025–present) — plus XY and BW before them.
- Pack MSRP has stepped up twice: ¥165 to ¥180 at the S→SV transition (January 2023), and ¥180 to ¥200 from M5 onward (May 2026).
- An “a” or “b” suffix marks a smaller companion release (enhanced or high-class pack) between two main numbered sets — it is not a rarity indicator by itself.
- The current MEGA era runs from M1L Mega Brave (August 2025) to M6a 30th CELEBRATION (September 2026), the newest Japanese Pokemon set as of October 19, 2026.
- Sealed boxes from the S, SV and MEGA eras are listed in our Pokemon sealed booster box collection, shipped from Tokyo.
- As of October 19, 2026, M6a 30th CELEBRATION (released September 16, 2026) is the newest Japanese Pokemon set, ahead of M6 Storm Emeralda (July 31, 2026). No newer expansion has been officially announced; the nine-type 30th CELEBRATION Card Set was released on October 16, 2026, and the next dated Japanese product is the Special Deck Set MEGA deck product on November 13, 2026.
- Our M6a Booster Box: No Shrink option currently listed at ¥25,117 (~$163); the Sealed option is sold out at the time of this update.
- Full card list: a compiled, illustrated list of the set’s cards, in number order — 30th CELEBRATION (M6a) card list, and every other set in the card list hub.
The era tables below list manufacturer MSRP per pack, sourced from official pokemon-card.com product pages and Bulbapedia’s Japanese TCG expansion list; unverified fields are left blank rather than guessed. The currently-listed product table further down the page shows Samurai Sword Tokyo’s own listings, checked on October 19, 2026. Figures added in the October 19, 2026 update convert at ¥154/USD, approximate.
How Japanese Pokemon set codes work
Every numbered Japanese expansion covered here starts with a letter tied to its era, followed by a number in release order, with an occasional suffix marking a smaller companion release. (Promotional card series such as S-P, SV-P and M-P are labeled by era but don’t follow this numbering.) Once you know the prefix, you can place any numbered set on the timeline without looking up the release date.
| Prefix/suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| SM | Sun & Moon era (2016–2019) | SM1–SM12a |
| S | Sword & Shield era (2019–2022) | S1–S12a |
| SV | Scarlet & Violet era (2023–2025) | SV1–SV11 |
| M | MEGA era (2025– ) | M1–M6a |
a suffix |
Enhanced expansion pack or high-class pack — a smaller companion release between two main numbered sets. The category is set by the product’s own listing, not by the letter alone. | S6a Eevee Heroes (enhanced); SV4a Shiny Treasure ex (high-class) |
b suffix |
A second enhanced/high-class companion paired with the same main set number as an existing “a” release | S8b VMAX Climax, paired with S8a |
| Single-letter side codes (no a/b) | Two simultaneously released main-set versions with different mascots, mirroring the two-game-version marketing used since Sun & Moon | S1W/S1H (Sword/Shield); SV1S/SV1V (Scarlet ex/Violet ex); M1L/M1S (Mega Brave/Mega Symphonia) |
P suffix |
Promotional card series tied to an era, distinct from numbered expansions | S-P, SV-P, M-P promo cards |
This document’s own shorthand for product type follows the same three buckets throughout: EXP (regular expansion pack), ENH (enhanced expansion pack / 強化拡張パック) and HC (high-class pack / ハイクラスパック). For pack counts and box configurations, see our guide to packs per Japanese booster box; for what the rarity marks on the cards mean, see our Japanese card rarities breakdown.
MEGA era sets in order (2025–2026)
The MEGA era began in August 2025 and is the current naming line, tied to the Mega Evolution-focused generation. The newest Japanese Pokemon set is M6a 30th CELEBRATION (September 16, 2026); newest release first:
| Code | Japanese name | English/fan name | Release date | Type | MSRP/pack | Main-set cards | Closest EN set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M6a | 30th CELEBRATION | 30th Celebration | 2026-09-16 | EXP (30th-anniversary special) | ¥360 | 103 (+32 secrets, compiled; the official database lists 001–103) | 30th Celebration (English expansion released the same day) |
| M6 | ストームエメラルダ | Storm Emeralda | 2026-07-31 | EXP | ¥200 | 76 | No confirmed English counterpart |
| M5 | アビスアイ | Abyss Eye | 2026-05-22 | EXP | ¥200 (revised from ¥180) | 81 | Pitch Black |
| M4 | ニンジャスピナー | Ninja Spinner | 2026-03-13 | EXP | ¥180 | 83 | Chaos Rising |
| M3 | ムニキスゼロ | Nihil Zero | 2026-01-23 | EXP | ¥180 | 80 | Perfect Order |
| M2a | MEGAドリームex | MEGA Dream ex | 2025-11-28 | HC | ¥550 | 193 | Ascended Heroes |
| M2 | インフェルノX | Inferno X | 2025-09-26 | EXP | ¥180 | 80 | Phantasmal Flames |
| M1S | メガシンフォニア | Mega Symphonia | 2025-08-01 | EXP | ¥180 | 63 | Mega Evolution |
| M1L | メガブレイブ | Mega Brave | 2025-08-01 | EXP | ¥180 | 63 | Mega Evolution |
The Closest EN set column follows collector mapping, not an official pairing.
M6a 30th CELEBRATION is the outlier in the table: a worldwide simultaneous Japanese/English launch (excluding some regions) for Pokemon’s 30th anniversary, packaged differently from the standard MEGA EXP line: ¥360 per pack with six foil cards, against the ¥180–¥200, 5-card packs every other MEGA-era main set has used since M1. The box count is not printed on official pages (a 20-pack box is 20 × the ¥360 pack MSRP = ¥7,200; the pack count is printed on the box, not on the official page). Our MEGA era sets in order guide covers the release cadence for this line in more depth.
Scarlet & Violet era (SV) sets in order
SV ran from January 2023 to June 2025, in release order:
| Code | Japanese name | English/fan name | Release date | Type | MSRP/pack | Main-set cards | Closest EN set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SV1S | スカーレットex | Scarlet ex | 2023-01-20 | EXP | ¥180 | 78 | Scarlet & Violet |
| SV1V | バイオレットex | Violet ex | 2023-01-20 | EXP | ¥180 | 78 | Scarlet & Violet |
| SV1a | トリプレットビート | Triplet Beat | 2023-03-10 | ENH | ¥180 | 73 | one-third of Paldea Evolved |
| SV2P | スノーハザード | Snow Hazard | 2023-04-14 | EXP | ¥180 | 71 | two-thirds of Paldea Evolved |
| SV2D | クレイバースト | Clay Burst | 2023-04-14 | EXP | ¥180 | 71 | two-thirds of Paldea Evolved |
| SV2a | ポケモンカード151 | Pokemon Card 151 | 2023-06-16 | ENH | ¥290 | 165 | 151 |
| SV3 | 黒炎の支配者 | Ruler of the Black Flame | 2023-07-28 | EXP | ¥180 | 108 | Obsidian Flames |
| SV3a | レイジングサーフ | Raging Surf | 2023-09-22 | ENH | ¥180 | 62 | one-third of Paradox Rift |
| SV4 | 古代の咆哮/未来の一閃 | Ancient Roar / Future Flash | 2023-10-27 | EXP | ¥180 | 66 | two-thirds of Paradox Rift |
| SV4a | シャイニートレジャーex | Shiny Treasure ex | 2023-12-01 | HC | ¥550 | 190 | Paldean Fates |
| SV5 | ワイルドフォース/サイバージャッジ | Wild Force / Cyber Judge | 2024-01-26 | EXP | ¥180 | 71 | Temporal Forces |
| SV5a | クリムゾンヘイズ | Crimson Haze | 2024-03-22 | ENH | ¥180 | 66 | one-third of Twilight Masquerade |
| SV6 | 変幻の仮面 | Transformation Mask | 2024-04-26 | EXP | ¥180 | 101 | two-thirds of Twilight Masquerade |
| SV6a | ナイトワンダラー | Night Wanderer | 2024-06-07 | ENH | ¥180 | 64 | Shrouded Fable |
| SV7 | ステラミラクル | Stellar Miracle | 2024-07-19 | EXP | ¥180 | 102 | Stellar Crown |
| SV7a | 楽園ドラゴーナ | Paradise Dragona | 2024-09-13 | ENH | ¥180 | 64 | one-third of Surging Sparks |
| SV8 | 超電ブレイカー | Super Electric Breaker | 2024-10-18 | EXP | ¥180 | 106 | two-thirds of Surging Sparks |
| SV8a | テラスタルフェスex | Terastal Fest ex | 2024-12-06 | HC | ¥550 | 187 | Prismatic Evolutions |
| SV9 | バトルパートナーズ | Battle Partners | 2025-01-24 | EXP | ¥180 | 100 | Journey Together |
| SV9a | 熱風のアリーナ | Hot Wind Arena | 2025-03-14 | ENH | ¥180 | 63 | one-third of Destined Rivals |
| SV10 | ロケット団の栄光 | Glory of Rocket Gang | 2025-04-18 | EXP | ¥180 | 98 | two-thirds of Destined Rivals |
| SV11 | ブラックボルト | Black Bolt | 2025-06-06 | ENH (crossover set) | ¥290 | 86 | Black Bolt & White Flare |
| SV11 | ホワイトフレア | White Flare | 2025-06-06 | ENH (crossover set) | ¥290 | 86 | Black Bolt & White Flare |
SV4a Shiny Treasure ex and SV8a Terastal Fest ex are the era’s two ¥550/pack high-class packs. SV11 (Black Bolt & White Flare) closed out the era as a two-version crossover set at a higher ¥290/pack tier, mirroring SV2a, which sat above its era’s standard pack price.
Sword & Shield era (S) sets in order
S ran from December 2019 to December 2022, in release order:
| Code | Japanese name | English/fan name | Release date | Type | MSRP/pack | Main-set cards | Closest EN set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1W | ソード | Sword | 2019-12-06 | EXP | ¥165 | 60 | Sword & Shield |
| S1H | シールド | Shield | 2019-12-06 | EXP | ¥165 | 60 | Sword & Shield |
| S1a | VMAXライジング | VMAX Rising | 2020-02-07 | ENH | ¥165 | 70 | part of Rebel Clash |
| S2 | 反逆クラッシュ | Rebellion Crash | 2020-03-06 | EXP | ¥165 | 96 | Rebel Clash |
| S2a | 爆炎ウォーカー | Explosive Walker | 2020-04-24 | ENH | ¥165 | 70 | part of Darkness Ablaze |
| S3 | ムゲンゾーン | Infinity Zone | 2020-06-05 | EXP | ¥165 | 100 | Darkness Ablaze |
| S3a | 伝説の鼓動 | Legendary Heartbeat | 2020-07-10 | ENH | ¥253 | 76 | part of Vivid Voltage |
| S4 | 仰天のボルテッカー | Amazing Volt Tackle | 2020-09-18 | EXP | ¥165 | 100 | Vivid Voltage |
| S4a | シャイニースターV | Shiny Star V | 2020-11-20 | HC | ¥550 | 190 | Shining Fates |
| S5I | 一撃マスター | Single Strike Master | 2021-01-22 | EXP | ¥165 | 70 | Battle Styles |
| S5R | 連撃マスター | Rapid Strike Master | 2021-01-22 | EXP | ¥165 | 70 | Battle Styles |
| S5a | 双璧のファイター | Peerless Fighters | 2021-03-19 | ENH | ¥165 | 70 | part of Chilling Reign |
| S6H | 白銀のランス | Silver Lance | 2021-04-23 | EXP | ¥165 | 70 | Chilling Reign |
| S6K | 漆黒のガイスト | Jet-Black Spirit | 2021-04-23 | EXP | ¥165 | 70 | Chilling Reign |
| S6a | イーブイヒーローズ | Eevee Heroes | 2021-05-28 | ENH | ¥165 | 69 | parts of Fusion Strike & Evolving Skies |
| S7D | 摩天パーフェクト | Skyscraping Perfection | 2021-07-09 | EXP | ¥165 | 67 | Evolving Skies |
| S7R | 蒼空ストリーム | Blue Sky Stream | 2021-07-09 | EXP | ¥165 | 67 | Evolving Skies |
| S8 | フュージョンアーツ | Fusion Arts | 2021-09-24 | EXP | ¥165 | 100 | Fusion Strike |
| S8a | 25th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION | 25th Anniversary Collection | 2021-10-22 | EXP (anniversary special) | ¥297 | 28 (+8 special holo Energy) | Celebrations |
| S8b | VMAXクライマックス | VMAX Climax | 2021-12-03 | HC | ¥550 | 184 (+8 special holo Energy) | Trainer Galleries (BRS/AR/LOR/SIT) |
| S9 | スターバース | Star Birth | 2022-01-14 | EXP | ¥165 | 100 | Brilliant Stars |
| S9a | バトルリージョン | Battle Region | 2022-02-25 | ENH | ¥260 | 67 | parts of Astral Radiance & Lost Origin |
| S10D | タイムゲイザー | Time Gazer | 2022-04-08 | EXP | ¥165 | 67 | Astral Radiance |
| S10P | スペースジャグラー | Space Juggler | 2022-04-08 | EXP | ¥165 | 67 | Astral Radiance |
| S10a | ダークファンタズマ | Dark Phantasma | 2022-05-13 | ENH | ¥260 | 71 | part of Lost Origin |
| S10b | Pokemon GO | Pokemon GO | 2022-06-17 | ENH | ¥260 | 71 (+8 special holo Energy) | Pokemon GO |
| S11 | ロストアビス | Lost Abyss | 2022-07-15 | EXP | ¥165 | 100 | Lost Origin |
| S11a | 白熱のアルカナ | Incandescent Arcana | 2022-09-02 | ENH | ¥260 | 68 | part of Silver Tempest |
| S12 | パラダイムトリガー | Paradigm Trigger | 2022-10-21 | EXP | ¥165 | 98 | Silver Tempest |
| S12a | VSTARユニバース | VSTAR Universe | 2022-12-02 | HC | ¥550 | 172 | Crown Zenith |
The Sword & Shield era had three high-class pack releases: S4a Shiny Star V, S8b VMAX Climax and S12a VSTAR Universe, each ten ¥550 packs per box, with main sets ranging from 172 to 190 cards. If you’re weighing a high-class box against a standard expansion, our Japanese high-class packs guide covers the format in more depth.
Sun & Moon era (SM), condensed
SM ran from December 2016 to October 2019. Per-pack pricing and box configuration were not compiled for this era; the table below covers name, release date, type, main-set card count and closest English equivalent.
| Code | Japanese name | Release date | Type | Main-set cards | Closest EN set |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM1 | コレクション サン・コレクション ムーン (Collection Sun / Collection Moon) | 2016-12-09 | EXP | 60 | Sun & Moon |
| SM1+ | サン&ムーン (Sun & Moon) | 2017-01-27 | ENH | 51 | part of Guardians Rising |
| SM2 | キミを待つ島々・アローラの月光 (Islands Await You / Alolan Moonlight) | 2017-03-17 | EXP | 50 | Guardians Rising |
| SM2+ | 新たなる試練の向こう (Facing a New Trial) | 2017-04-21 | ENH | 49 | part of Burning Shadows |
| SM3 | 闘う虹を見たか・光を喰らう闇 (To Have Seen the Battle Rainbow / Darkness that Consumes Light) | 2017-06-16 | EXP | 51 | Burning Shadows |
| SM3+ | ひかる伝説 (Shining Legends) | 2017-07-15 | ENH | 72 | Shining Legends |
| SM4 | 覚醒の勇者・超次元の暴獣 (Awakened Heroes / Ultradimensional Beasts) | 2017-09-15 | EXP | 50 | Crimson Invasion |
| SM4+ | GXバトルブースト (GX Battle Boost) | 2017-10-20 | HC | 114 | part of Ultra Prism |
| SM5 | ウルトラサン・ウルトラムーン (Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon) | 2017-12-08 | EXP | 66 | Ultra Prism |
| SM5+ | ウルトラフォース (Ultra Force) | 2018-01-19 | ENH | 50 | part of Forbidden Light |
| SM6 | 禁断の光 (Forbidden Light) | 2018-03-02 | EXP | 94 | Forbidden Light |
| SM6a | ドラゴンストーム (Dragon Storm) | 2018-04-06 | ENH | 53 | Dragon Majesty |
| SM6b | チャンピオンロード (Champion Road) | 2018-05-30 | ENH | 66 | part of Celestial Storm |
| SM7 | 裂空のカリスマ (Sky-Splitting Charisma) | 2018-06-01 | EXP | 96 | Celestial Storm |
| SM7a | 迅雷スパーク (Thunderclap Spark) | 2018-07-06 | ENH | 60 | part of Lost Thunder |
| SM7b | フェアリーライズ (Fairy Rise) | 2018-08-03 | ENH | 50 | part of Lost Thunder |
| SM8 | 超爆インパクト (Super-Burst Impact) | 2018-09-07 | EXP | 95 | Lost Thunder |
| SM8a | ダークオーダー (Dark Order) | 2018-10-05 | ENH | 52 | part of Team Up |
| SM8b | GXウルトラシャイニー (GX Ultra Shiny) | 2018-11-02 | HC | 150 | Hidden Fates (Shiny Vault) |
| SM9 | タッグボルト (Tag Bolt) | 2018-12-07 | EXP | 95 | Team Up |
| SM9a | ナイトユニゾン (Night Unison) | 2019-01-11 | ENH | 55 | part of Unbroken Bonds |
| SM9b | フルメタルウォール (Full Metal Wall) | 2019-02-01 | ENH | 54 | part of Unbroken Bonds |
| SM10 | ダブルブレイズ (Double Blaze) | 2019-03-01 | EXP | 95 | Unbroken Bonds |
| SM10a | ジージーエンド (GG End) | 2019-04-05 | ENH | 54 | part of Unified Minds |
| SM10b | スカイレジェンド (Sky Legend) | 2019-04-26 | ENH | 54 | parts of Hidden Fates & Unified Minds |
| SM11 | ミラクルツイン (Miracle Twin) | 2019-05-31 | EXP | 94 | Unified Minds |
| SM11a | リミックスバウト (Remix Bout) | 2019-07-05 | ENH | 64 | part of Cosmic Eclipse |
| SM11b | ドリームリーグ (Dream League) | 2019-08-02 | ENH | 49 | part of Cosmic Eclipse |
| SM12 | オルタージェネシス (Alter Genesis) | 2019-09-06 | EXP | 95 | Cosmic Eclipse |
| SM12a | TAG TEAM GX タッグオールスターズ (Tag All Stars) | 2019-10-04 | HC | 173 | no direct EN equivalent |
SM0 (ピカチュウと新しい仲間たち, “Pikachu’s New Friends,” 4 cards, 2016-11-18) is a promo precursor released before SM1 and is not counted as a numbered expansion in the total above.
XY and BW eras at a glance
Before Sun & Moon, two further eras cover the sets you’ll see referenced in older price guides and vintage listings. Per-set detail is out of scope here; the summary below places each era on the timeline.
| Era | Years | First set | Last set |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEGA | 2025–present | M1L/M1S Mega Brave / Mega Symphonia (2025-08-01) | M6a 30th CELEBRATION (2026-09-16) |
| Scarlet & Violet (SV) | 2023–2025 | SV1S/SV1V Scarlet ex / Violet ex (2023-01-20) | SV11 Black Bolt / White Flare (2025-06-06) |
| Sword & Shield (S) | 2019–2022 | S1W/S1H Sword / Shield (2019-12-06) | S12a VSTAR Universe (2022-12-02) |
| Sun & Moon (SM) | 2016–2019 | SM1 Collection Sun / Collection Moon (2016-12-09) | SM12a Tag All Stars (2019-10-04) |
| XY (incl. XY BREAK) | 2013–2016 | XY1 Collection X · Collection Y (2013-12-13) | XY11 Fever-Burst Fighter · Cruel Traitor (2016-06-17) |
| BW | 2010–2013 | BW1 Black Collection · White Collection (2010-12-17) | BW9 Megalo Cannon (2013-03-15) |
New to the hobby and starting further back than the current era? Our best Japanese Pokemon sets for beginners guide takes a ranking-first approach rather than this chronological one, and is a better starting point if you want a small shortlist instead of the full timeline.
Upcoming Japanese Pokemon sets
No expansion beyond M6a has been officially announced as of October 19, 2026. The next dated Japanese product is a deck set, not an expansion: Special Deck Set MEGA (Mega Feraligatr, Mega Dragonite, Mega Gengar), November 13, 2026, ¥5,500. The only official hint of a new line is the ex★ series logo, and the naming of “Mega Lucario Z ex,” in news dated August 31, 2026.
Fan sites link the name ハドウシーカー (Aura Seeker in fan translations) to an unannounced set, and reports of the Worlds 2026 video say Mega Lucario Z ex has an in-game Ability named “Hadou Seeker”; the official news text itself names only the card, and the company has not confirmed that any set carries the name. Release dates and spec sheets for it circulate on fan and retail aggregator sites, but none appears on an official Pokemon Company product page, so no date or spec figure for it is repeated here. No English-language equivalent has been announced.
Which Japanese sets are currently listed from Tokyo
A cross-section of sealed boxes we currently list, spanning the MEGA and Sword & Shield high-class tiers:
| Code | Product | Price |
|---|---|---|
| M1L | M1L Mega Brave Booster Box | Sealed option currently listed at ¥8,974 (~$58); No Shrink option currently listed at ¥7,842 (~$51) |
| M2a | M2a MEGA Dream ex Booster Box | No Shrink option currently listed at ¥11,815 (~$77); Sealed option sold out at the time of this update |
| M4 | M4 Ninja Spinner Booster Box | Sealed option currently listed at ¥10,351 (~$67); No Shrink option currently listed at ¥8,469 (~$55) |
| M5 | M5 Abyss Eye Booster Box | Sealed option currently listed at ¥9,712 (~$63); No Shrink option currently listed at ¥7,946 (~$52) |
| M6 | M6 Storm Emeralda Booster Box | Sealed option currently listed at ¥10,765 (~$70); No Shrink option currently listed at ¥8,887 (~$58) |
| M6a | M6a 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box | No Shrink option currently listed at ¥25,117 (~$163); Sealed option sold out at the time of this update |
| S4a | S4a Shiny Star V Booster Box | currently listed at ¥22,265 (~$145) |
| S6a | S6a Eevee Heroes Booster Box | currently listed at ¥122,206 (~$794) |
| S8b | S8b VMAX Climax Booster Box | currently listed at ¥31,567 (~$205) |
| S12a | S12a VSTAR Universe Booster Box | currently listed at ¥27,446 (~$178) |
| SV2a | SV2a Pokemon 151 Booster Box | Sealed option currently listed at ¥54,892 (~$356); No Shrink option sold out at the time of this update |
Availability and pricing change with our own inventory; sourcing requests for a set not in this table go through Quick Order.
Where to buy Japanese Pokemon sets
Where a card list page exists, the code in the tables above links to it. Sealed boxes and graded singles from these sets are split across two separate collections:
- Sealed boosters and high-class packs: Pokemon sealed booster box collection.
- Graded singles pulled from these sets: PSA 10 collection.
- The full card-list index for every set code: card list hub.
- A specific single, an older set not shown above, or a mixed order: Quick Order.
All sealed product ships from Tokyo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order do Japanese Pokemon sets come out in?
By era: XY (2013–2016), BW before that going back further, then Sun & Moon/SM (2016–2019), Sword & Shield/S (2019–2022), Scarlet & Violet/SV (2023–2025) and the current MEGA/M era (2025–present). Within each era, the number after the letter runs in release order, so SV1 releases before SV2, and so on.
What does the “a” or “b” at the end of a Japanese set code mean?
It marks a smaller companion release — either an enhanced expansion pack or a high-class pack — that comes out between two main numbered sets rather than a separate era. S6a Eevee Heroes and SV4a Shiny Treasure ex are both “a” releases; S8b VMAX Climax is a second companion paired with the same S8 main set as S8a.
Which is the newest Japanese Pokemon set?
As of October 19, 2026, M6a 30th CELEBRATION (released September 16, 2026) is the newest Japanese Pokemon set — a worldwide simultaneous Japanese/English launch (excluding some regions), at ¥360 per pack rather than the standard ¥200. The previous newest MEGA-era set was M6 Storm Emeralda (released July 31, 2026).
What is the closest English TCG set to M6 Storm Emeralda?
No official English counterpart for M6 Storm Emeralda has been confirmed. The English Pokemon TCG site lists current expansions such as Pitch Black and Chaos Rising without saying which Japanese set each one matches, so any pairing is collector mapping.
Is there a confirmed Japanese Pokemon set after M6a 30th CELEBRATION?
Not officially. As of October 19, 2026 no expansion after M6a has been announced; the next dated Japanese product is the Special Deck Set MEGA deck product on November 13, 2026. The ex★ series logo and the card Mega Lucario Z ex were named in official news on August 31, 2026, but no set name, release date, card count or price came with it. Any date or spec sheet you see for a new set on other sites is fan-sourced, not official.
How many cards are in a typical Japanese booster box?
It depends on product type. Regular expansion packs (EXP) most commonly run 30 packs of 5 cards per box (150 cards), as with S1, SV9 and M1, though some vary — S8a runs 16 packs per box and SV11 uses 7 cards per pack. High-class packs (HC) run 10 packs of 10 cards per box; enhanced packs (ENH) vary by set, commonly 20 or 30 packs of 5–7 cards. See the MSRP/pack column in the tables above for the specific set you’re checking.
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