Nessa’s Japanese card record runs to six printings across three sets and a stand-alone promo — five distinct illustrations across those six printings, since the VMAX Climax standard print mirrors her original Amazing Volt Tackle artwork, over about a year and a half. Two of those prints share a set and a card effect but look almost nothing alike on the shelf.
This guide identifies every Japanese Nessa print, walks through what separates the VMAX Climax full-art SR from its plainer set-mate, and points to what’s actually in stock right now. We ship Japanese sealed product and singles out of Tokyo every week, so the stock referenced here comes straight from our own catalog.
Unlike some Trainer characters who eventually get a dedicated “owner’s Pokemon” card — a Pokemon card built around the character rather than a Supporter card named for them — Nessa hasn’t received one in the Japanese TCG. Every one of her six appearances is the same Supporter effect, which makes this guide as much an artwork-identification exercise as a set list: the card text never changes, but the illustration, illustrator, and print context often do.
Nessa has six Japanese printings across Amazing Volt Tackle (S4), the Blastoise VMAX Starter Set, VMAX Climax (S8b), and a stand-alone promo. Right now we have PSA 10 Nessa SR [S8b 277/184] currently listed at ¥14,420 (~$88) — a graded copy of the VMAX Climax full-art SR, the set’s final card number and its full-art Nessa print. Looking for sealed product instead? The VMAX Climax Booster Box is currently listed at ¥39,900 (~$245).
Stock and pricing reflect our own catalog as of August 2026, converted at ¥163/USD.
Every Japanese Nessa Card
Six printings, from her 2020 debut through the VMAX Climax full-art SR:
| Card | Number | Rarity | Set | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nessa (promo) | SP 231 | Promo | SP Promo Card | — |
| Nessa | S4 096/100 | U | Amazing Volt Tackle | 2020 |
| Nessa | S4 111/100 | SR | Amazing Volt Tackle | 2020 |
| Nessa | SEK 020/020 | — | Blastoise VMAX Starter Set | 2020 |
| Nessa | S8b 164/184 | — | VMAX Climax | 2021 |
| Nessa | S8b 277/184 | SR | VMAX Climax | 2021 |
Every print listed is the same named Supporter card across five distinct illustrations — one print (the VMAX Climax standard version) mirrors an earlier illustration rather than introducing a new one. There’s no “Nessa’s Pokemon” card in the Japanese TCG, so the full run of her appearances is these six. The sections below cover what distinguishes each one.
| Card | Illustrator | Set |
|---|---|---|
| SP 231 (promo) | Souichirou Gunjima | SP Promo Card |
| S4 096/100 U | take | Amazing Volt Tackle |
| S4 111/100 SR | Ryuta Fuse | Amazing Volt Tackle |
| SEK 020/020 | take | Blastoise VMAX Starter Set |
| S8b 164/184 | take | VMAX Climax |
| S8b 277/184 SR | saino misaki | VMAX Climax |
Three of the six prints — the S4 uncommon, the starter-set card, and the VMAX Climax standard print — are credited to the same illustrator, take. The other three are each by a different artist: the S4 SR is by Ryuta Fuse, the SP promo is by Souichirou Gunjima, and the VMAX Climax full-art SR is illustrated by saino misaki in a full-bleed style unlike any of her other prints.
Nessa’s First Card: Amazing Volt Tackle (S4)
Nessa’s first Japanese Pokemon card came in Amazing Volt Tackle (S4), released September 18, 2020. The set gave her two printings: a standard uncommon at 096/100, illustrated by take, and a super rare at 111/100 SR, illustrated by Ryuta Fuse — two distinct illustrations sharing the same card text.
As with most of her prints, the S4 uncommon is the version most collectors run into first — it’s the base print of the card, while the SR steps up to the set’s super-rare treatment with its own separate illustration. It’s worth checking the illustrator credit before assuming a 096/100 and a 111/100 are the same artwork — in this case, they’re two distinct illustrations at two rarity tiers.
Nessa’s debut in Amazing Volt Tackle places her among the early wave of character Supporter cards from the Sword & Shield era.
The Blastoise VMAX Starter Set Print
Nessa’s second print arrived just months later in the Blastoise VMAX Starter Set, released December 4, 2020, again illustrated by take. This is a new illustration rather than a reprint of the S4 artwork — the scene places Nessa in front of a lighthouse and pier, a clean water-themed setting that fits the Blastoise-headlined starter product she was included in.
As the closing card in a 20-card starter set (numbered 020/020), this print circulated as part of a themed introductory product rather than a standard booster set, which puts it in a different distribution category than her S4 or S8b appearances. For collectors specifically tracking down starter-set exclusives, that distribution path is worth noting — the card wasn’t sold in random booster packs, so its availability depends on the starter product itself rather than pack odds.
VMAX Climax: Two Nessa Cards, One Set
A year later, VMAX Climax (S8b) — released December 3, 2021 — gave Nessa two more printings, and they look nothing alike. VMAX Climax was issued as a high-class pack rather than a standard main-set booster, a format Japan uses for sets built specifically around the higher-rarity chase cards — the tier the 277/184 SR belongs to.
The 164/184 print is a mirror of the S4 regular illustration by take — the same artist behind the S4 096/100 uncommon and the starter-set card. The 277/184 SR, by contrast, is a full-bleed full-art SR illustrated by saino misaki: a water-toned background built around a lure-ball-shaped orb and rising bubbles, with Nessa posed across the full card face. It’s also the highest card number in the set — S8b’s print run tops out at 277.
Both S8b prints share the same card text and set, so the number in the corner is the fastest way to tell them apart: 164/184 is the standard illustration, 277/184 SR is the full-art version.
The 277/184 SR is the print we currently carry graded — PSA 10 Nessa SR [S8b 277/184] is listed at ¥14,420 (~$88). For the rest of what VMAX Climax pulls, our VMAX Climax card list guide and VMAX Climax best cards guide cover the full set.
The Promo Illustration
Nessa also has a stand-alone promo printing at SP 231, illustrated by Souichirou Gunjima — a different artist from any of her set-issued prints, and a distinct piece of art rather than a reprint of an existing illustration. We don’t have confirmed distribution details for this promo, so we’re not speculating on how it was issued; it’s included here as a genuine sixth printing.
What Nessa Actually Does
Every printing above shares the same card text. As a Supporter card, Nessa reads: choose up to 4 cards, in any combination of Water Pokemon and Water Energy, from your discard pile, show them to your opponent, and put them into your hand.
It’s a straightforward recovery effect built for Water decks — refilling both your attackers and their fuel from the discard pile in a single card. That utility is part of why she’s been reprinted across three sets and a promo rather than appearing just once: Water-deck players have had a reason to want a copy in each new Standard rotation since her 2020 debut.
Because the effect is fixed, the choice a collector or player faces with Nessa is really a choice of artwork and print, not card function — the same reasoning that applies to identifying the right printing before buying, whether that’s confirming a 096/100 versus a 111/100, or a 164/184 versus the 277/184 SR covered above.
Her run also lines up with the wider Sword & Shield era cast of Trainer cards from the same period — if you’re building out that side of a collection, our Sword & Shield era Japanese Pokemon guide and PSA 10 trainer cards guide cover more of the character-Supporter lineup she belongs to.
Where to Buy Nessa Cards from Japan
We ship Japanese sealed product and singles worldwide from Tokyo with tracked delivery. For Nessa specifically, the graded VMAX Climax full-art SR is the print currently in stock as a single, while sealed VMAX Climax boxes are the direct route to pulling either S8b print yourself.
- PSA 10 Nessa SR [S8b 277/184] — currently listed at ¥14,420 (~$88)
- VMAX Climax Booster Box (Japanese) — currently listed at ¥39,900 (~$245)
For other Nessa prints or a mixed order across sets, our Quick Order page is the fastest way to check current availability and build a single checkout. That includes the S4, SEK, and promo prints covered above — none of which we currently hold as graded stock, so Quick Order is the right starting point if you’re specifically after one of those earlier illustrations rather than the VMAX Climax SR.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Japanese Nessa Pokemon cards are there?
Six confirmed printings: a promo (SP 231), two from Amazing Volt Tackle (S4 096/100 U and S4 111/100 SR), one from the Blastoise VMAX Starter Set (SEK 020/020), and two from VMAX Climax (S8b 164/184 and S8b 277/184 SR).
Which Nessa print is currently available at samuraiswordtokyo.com?
PSA 10 Nessa SR [S8b 277/184] from VMAX Climax, currently listed at ¥14,420 (about $88). We also carry the VMAX Climax Booster Box, currently listed at ¥39,900 (about $245), which can pull either S8b print.
When was Nessa’s first Japanese Pokemon card released?
Amazing Volt Tackle (S4), released September 18, 2020. It included two prints: a standard uncommon (096/100), illustrated by take, and a super rare (111/100 SR), illustrated by Ryuta Fuse.
What’s the difference between the two VMAX Climax Nessa cards?
S8b 164/184 carries a standard illustration by take, while S8b 277/184 SR is a full-art SR illustrated by saino misaki, showing Nessa posed against a water-toned background with a lure-ball motif and rising bubbles. Both share the same card text.
Where can I buy a Japanese Nessa Pokemon card?
We ship Japanese sealed product and singles worldwide from Tokyo. The PSA 10 Nessa SR [S8b 277/184] single and the VMAX Climax Booster Box are both currently listed in our catalog; use our Quick Order page for other prints or a mixed order.
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