A Raikou Pokémon card from the newest Japanese sets is not one card but five official database entries spread over three set codes: M1S 030/063, three Raikou ex prints in M6 (024/076, 092/076, 108/076) and a reprint numbered M6a 162/103. This guide walks through each of the five, from the plain Basic ライコウ in M1S to the HP 200 ライコウex in Storm Emeralda, and shows how they differ in illustrator, HP and card text, so you can tell which Raikou you are looking at before you buy or sell.
We sell Japanese sealed product and PSA 10 singles from Tokyo. Every card fact below comes from the official Pokémon Card Game database on pokemon-card.com (checked on October 29, 2026); every yen figure is a price on our own store, converted at ¥154/USD, approximate. The database does not print rarity letters, so this guide names a rarity only where our own earlier guides or our listing names state it.
- The official database lists five Raikou entries in M-code sets: ライコウ M1S 030/063 (Takumi Wada, HP 120), ライコウex M6 024/076, 092/076 and 108/076 (HP 200), and ライコウ M6a 162/103 (Hideki Ishikawa, HP 110).
- The three M6 prints share one card text; 024/076 and 092/076 credit aky CG Works and 108/076 credits Oku.
- The M6a 162/103 print carries the same card text and illustrator credit as the Legendary Heartbeat Raikou S3a 015/076 — see our Raikou 162/103 guide for the reprint story.
The Five Mega-Era Raikou Prints at a Glance
The sets in this guide all carry an “M” set code in the official database: M1S (listed on our store as Mega Symphonia), M6 (Storm Emeralda) and M6a (30th CELEBRATION). Raikou appears in each of them, but in three different roles: a plain Basic Pokémon, a Pokémon ex, and a reprint of an older card. The table lists every entry with the values the database prints.
| Card | Set code | Illustrator | HP | Card type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ライコウ 030/063 | M1S | Takumi Wada | 120 | Basic Pokémon, No.243 |
| ライコウex 024/076 | M6 | aky CG Works | 200 | Basic Pokémon ex |
| ライコウex 092/076 | M6 | aky CG Works | 200 | Basic Pokémon ex (number above the set count) |
| ライコウex 108/076 | M6 | Oku | 200 | Basic Pokémon ex (number above the set count) |
| ライコウ 162/103 | M6a | Hideki Ishikawa | 110 | Basic Pokémon, No.243 (number above the set count) |
Three of the five carry a number higher than the printed set size (092/076, 108/076 and 162/103), meaning the number is above the set’s printed card count. The database itself does not say which rarity those slots are. Where a rarity letter matters, we say who reported it.
Raikou is one of the three legendary beasts that collectors group with Entei and Suicune; the wider history of the trio is in our Entei, Raikou & Suicune card value guide. This article stays with the newest Raikou prints only.
M1S 030/063: The Basic Raikou by Takumi Wada
The lowest set code of the five is M1S: ライコウ numbered 030/063. The database lists Takumi Wada as the illustrator, gives the category line いかずちポケモン (rendering: Thunderbolt Pokémon) with the Pokédex number No.243, and prints HP 120. It is a Basic Pokémon with no ability and a single attack.
The attack is エレキフォール (rendering: Electro Fall), 30 damage plus a condition: if you have 4 or more Energy in play on your side, the attack does 90 more damage (rendering of the printed text). That makes the card a two-step attack: a modest base number and a much larger number once the board is built up.
M1S is the set our store lists as M1S-Mega Symphonia Japanese Pokemon Booster Box. The product page names two variations, and the booster box is currently listed at Sealed ¥7,918 (~$51) / No Shrink ¥6,543 (~$42) — see the product page for the variation you want. For the other cards of that set and their prices, the Mega-era card list is the page to open.
M6 Storm Emeralda: Raikou ex 024/076, 092/076 and 108/076
Storm Emeralda (M6) was released on Friday, July 31, 2026 and is the set that brings Raikou back as a Pokémon ex. The official database lists three entries for ライコウex in M6, and all three print the same stats and the same card text: Basic Pokémon, HP 200, two attacks and the ex rule printed on the card (when a Pokémon ex is Knocked Out, the opponent takes 2 Prize cards).
| Number | Illustrator | Database ID | What the number tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 024/076 | aky CG Works | 50362 | Inside the 76-card main set; our earlier guides list it as RR |
| 092/076 | aky CG Works | 50533 | Above the set count; reported as SR by Bulbapedia, not printed in the database |
| 108/076 | Oku | 50549 | Above the set count; reported as SAR by Bulbapedia, not printed in the database |
So the same Raikou ex exists as a regular-numbered print and two higher-numbered prints. Two of them credit aky CG Works, while 108/076 credits Oku. Whether the 024/076 and 092/076 artworks are the same image in a different finish is not stated in the database, so we do not claim it.
What the card text says
The first attack is いかずちをまとう (rendering: Wrapped in Lightning). It has no damage number. The text says this attack can be used even on the first player’s first turn, and that you search your deck for one Energy card, attach it to this Pokémon, and then shuffle your deck. The second attack is パワーラッシュ (rendering: Power Rush) for 200 damage; you flip a coin, and on tails this Pokémon cannot use attacks during your next turn. These are renderings of the printed Japanese text, not official English names.
Because the text is identical on all three prints, the choice between them is about artwork and the number in the corner, not about how the card plays. If you are deciding which print to look for, our companion guides go print by print: Raikou ex 024/076 and Raikou ex 108/076 and 092/076.
For the whole set — every card, not just Raikou — see our Storm Emeralda (M6) card list and the Storm Emeralda complete guide.
One Attack Shape Across the Beasts
The M1S Raikou has a sibling pattern in two other recent beast cards from the same database. エンテイ in M2a (020/193, Kazumasa Yasukuni) prints フレアフォール with the same structure (rendering: 30 damage, plus 90 more if you have 4 or more Energy in play on your side), and スイクン in M2 (026/080, Takeshi Nakamura) prints クリスタルフォール with the same structure (rendering: the same condition of 4 or more Energy in play on your side). What changes is HP and artist. The table puts the three side by side.
| Card | Set code | Attack (JP) | Damage text (rendering) | HP | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| エンテイ 020/193 | M2a | フレアフォール | 30+, 90 more with 4+ Energy in play | 140 | Kazumasa Yasukuni |
| スイクン 026/080 | M2 | クリスタルフォール | 30+, 90 more with 4+ Energy in play | 130 | Takeshi Nakamura |
| ライコウ 030/063 | M1S | エレキフォール | 30+, 90 more with 4+ Energy in play | 120 | Takumi Wada |
The takeaway for a collector is simple: the attack text alone does not identify the beast or the set, so always read the name line and the number in the corner. We do not draw any competitive conclusion from the shared pattern.
M6a 162/103: The Classic Collection Reprint
The fifth entry is ライコウ 162/103 in M6a, the 30th CELEBRATION set released on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. In our earlier guide the card sits in the Classic Collection block (numbers 136–165) of that set. The database credits Hideki Ishikawa, prints HP 110 and the Pokédex line No.243, and shows one attack: アメイジングシュート (rendering: Amazing Shot) for 120 damage, which also does 120 damage to 1 of the opponent’s Benched Pokémon; damage to Benched Pokémon ignores weakness and resistance.
The same name, HP 110, the same illustrator and the same attack text appear on ライコウ S3a 015/076 from Legendary Heartbeat (Friday, July 10, 2020). That is why our guide to the card calls the M6a print a reprint. The older S3a card is the Amazing Rare from Legendary Heartbeat; the M6a card carries a different number and a different set code. Read the full story in the Raikou 162/103 Classic reprint guide.
Boxes for the M6a set
The M6a 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box Japanese Pokemon Card is currently listed at Sealed ¥23,750 (~$154) / No Shrink ¥23,021 (~$149). The set page is our M6a card list.
How to Tell Which Raikou You Hold
Raikou cards from different sets can look alike at a glance, and the Basic prints share the same Pokédex number. Four things on the card separate them reliably.
| Check | M1S 030/063 | M6 ex prints | M6a 162/103 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name line | ライコウ | ライコウex | ライコウ |
| HP | 120 | 200 | 110 |
| Attacks | エレキフォール | いかずちをまとう, パワーラッシュ | アメイジングシュート |
| Illustrator credit | Takumi Wada | aky CG Works (024, 092) or Oku (108) | Hideki Ishikawa |
Start with the name line: only the M6 prints carry the lower-case “ex” in the name. Then check HP. If you hold a plain ライコウ with HP 110, compare the number and set code with the S3a 015/076 original before concluding it is the reprint; the card text is the same on both.
What the Database Says and What It Leaves Out
Card databases answer some questions precisely and are silent on others. Before relying on any single source for a Raikou print, it helps to separate the two. The table below applies that split to the five prints in this guide.
| Question | Answer in the official database | Where else to look |
|---|---|---|
| Number, set code, HP, attack text | Printed for all five entries | — |
| Illustrator | Printed for all five entries | — |
| Rarity letter (RR, SR, SAR) | Not printed | Our earlier guides and listing names; Bulbapedia for M6 092/076 and 108/076 (reported) |
| Whether two prints share one artwork | Not stated | Compare the card images yourself |
| Pull rates or box contents for one print | Not stated | Not available from official sources; we publish none |
| Resale value | Not applicable | Our listing pages show what we currently list |
The practical effect is that two statements in circulation about these cards are worth checking. The first is any rarity letter attached to 092/076 or 108/076: it is a report, and the database does not confirm it. The second is any claim that the M6a Raikou is “the same card” as S3a 015/076: the text and illustrator match, but the number and set code do not, and that is the precise statement the database supports.
Older Raikou Listings That Are Different Cards
Searches for “Raikou Pokémon card” also surface older Japanese prints that are not part of the M-code sets above. We list a few of them as PSA 10 back orders. A back order is sourced to order, and the product page shows the current terms.
- Raikou V SAR 218/172 from VSTAR Universe (S12a) is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121), sourced to order. The database credits nagimiso for the 218/172 artwork. Our Raikou V PSA 10 guide covers that card.
- Raikou EX SR 1ED [BW4 071/069] from Dark Rush is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥148,720 (~$966), sourced to order. It is the Raikou EX from Dark Rush (released Friday, December 16, 2011), a different card from the 2026 Raikou ex.
The wider checklist of Raikou prints across all eras is in the legendary beasts guide.
Where to Buy These Sets and Raikou Cards
Raikou in the M-code sets comes from boxes and from singles. The three boxes below are the sealed products that match the set codes in this guide, each with its own listing and its own variations.
| Set | Raikou print inside | Our listing and variations |
|---|---|---|
| M1S Mega Symphonia | ライコウ 030/063 | M1S booster box: Sealed ¥7,918 (~$51) / No Shrink ¥6,543 (~$42) |
| M6 Storm Emeralda | ライコウex 024/076, 092/076, 108/076 | M6 booster box: Sealed ¥8,926 (~$58) / No Shrink ¥8,853 (~$57) |
| M6a 30th CELEBRATION | ライコウ 162/103 | M6a booster box: Sealed ¥23,750 (~$154) / No Shrink ¥23,021 (~$149) |
A sealed box contains a random assortment, so opening one is not the same as buying a specific print; we state no pull rates and make no promise about what a box contains for a particular card. If you want one specific Raikou, sourcing requests for a specific card go through Quick Order, and the listing pages (Mega-era card list, M6, M6a) show what is currently listed for each set.
A note on the Raikou trademark reports
On October 29, 2026 fan sites reported a Japanese trademark filing for 「イナズマの衝撃」 (working English translation: Lightning Impact; no official English name exists), which collectors read as a possible Raikou set; nothing is announced. Our Raikou trademark guide explains what is confirmed and what is not, and the ex★ 2027 round-up covers all four marks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Raikou cards from M1S, M6 and M6a are in the official database?
Five entries: ライコウ M1S 030/063, ライコウex M6 024/076, 092/076 and 108/076, and ライコウ M6a 162/103.
Who illustrated the Storm Emeralda Raikou ex cards?
The database credits aky CG Works for 024/076 and 092/076, and Oku for 108/076. All three print HP 200 and the same card text.
Is Raikou 162/103 the same card as Raikou S3a 015/076?
The database shows the same name, HP 110, illustrator credit (Hideki Ishikawa) and attack text, Amazing Shot 120. The M6a card has a different number and set code, which is why our guide calls it a reprint.
What does the Raikou ex card do?
Rendered from the printed Japanese text: the first attack lets you use it on the first player’s first turn, attach an Energy from your deck and shuffle; the second, Power Rush, does 200 damage with a coin flip that can stop it attacking next turn. When it is Knocked Out the opponent takes 2 Prize cards.
Where can I buy the sets that contain these Raikou cards?
We list booster boxes for M1S, M6 and M6a, each with Sealed and No Shrink variations; see the Where to Buy section for the linked prices, and use Quick Order for sourcing requests on a specific single.
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