Search “Riolu CHR” and you’ll find plenty of price trackers and forum threads pointing confidently at a Character Holo Rare print. Search Japan’s actual card database for Riolu and that card isn’t in it. What does exist is a smaller, genuinely interesting run of alt-art and shiny prints spread across six Japanese sets, one of which is the direct on-ramp to a much bigger Lucario evolution chase.
This guide runs through every current Japanese Riolu print, sorts out the alt-art-versus-shiny confusion between the Scarlet ex and Shiny Treasure ex versions, and shows which sealed product each one actually comes out of. We ship Japanese sealed product out of Tokyo every week, and the box pricing below reflects our own current catalog.
Six current Japanese Riolu prints span six sets released between 2019 and 2025 — and despite what search results claim, none of them is a Character Holo Rare (CHR). The two prints most people are actually hunting are AR and Shiny tier: the Scarlet ex Art Rare (SV1S 86/078) and the Shiny Treasure ex Shiny Rare (SV4a 280/190). The set that opened the Scarlet & Violet-era alt-art run, Scarlet ex Booster Box, is currently listed at ¥11,648 (~$71), and the shiny print’s home set, Shiny Treasure ex Booster Box, is currently listed at ¥17,680 (~$108) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). Sourcing requests for any print in this guide run through our Quick Order page.
Box prices reflect our own catalog listings as of August 2026, converted at ¥163/USD (2026-07 basis). We don’t price individual cards here — where we mention a price, it’s a sealed-box listing, not a card-by-card market value.
Every Riolu Print, Set by Set
Six prints across six Japanese sets, from the newest Mega-era release back to a 2019 common:
| Card | Number | Rarity | Set | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riolu | M1L 68/092 | AR | Mega Brave | 2025 |
| Riolu | M2a 91/250 | — | Mega Dream ex | 2025 |
| Riolu (Shiny) | SV4a 280/190 | S | Shiny Treasure ex | 2023 |
| Riolu | SV1S 86/078 | AR | Scarlet ex | 2023 |
| Riolu | S12a 201/172 | AR | VSTAR Universe | 2022 |
| Riolu | SM9b 27/054 | C | Full Metal Wall | 2019 |
Two patterns stand out. First, half of Riolu’s prints are Art Rare tier, spread across three different sets and three different illustrators rather than clustered in one release — unusual for a Basic Pokemon that isn’t itself a set’s headline card. Second, there’s no CHR, no VMAX, and no ex line here; Riolu’s own printings stay firmly in the AR / Shiny / common range, while the bigger money in this evolution family sits with what it becomes.
The CHR Myth: What Riolu’s Top Prints Actually Are
A search for “Riolu CHR” turning up Character Holo Rare price pages is a common result, but it doesn’t match what’s actually been printed. Character Holo Rare is a real Sword & Shield-era rarity tier — it shows up on plenty of Pokemon across that era — but a full search of Japan’s card database returns no CHR print of Riolu anywhere in its history. If you’re cross-referencing a listing that calls itself a “Riolu CHR,” that label doesn’t match anything currently catalogued on the Japanese side.
What Riolu actually got instead is three separate Art Rare prints (VSTAR Universe, Scarlet ex, Mega Brave) and one Shiny Rare recolor (Shiny Treasure ex) — covered set by set below. Riolu’s evolved form, Lucario, has its own alt-art history that does include higher-tier chase prints; that side of the evolution line is covered separately in our Lucario cards guide. This page sticks to Riolu itself, the pre-evolution Basic that most buyers are chasing to pair with a Lucario pickup rather than as a standalone grail.
If you’re sourcing AR-tier singles in volume rather than chasing one specific print, our Japanese AR bulk cards for resellers guide covers buying alt-art commons and uncommons at scale.
The Scarlet & Violet Era’s First Alt Art: Scarlet ex (SV1S)
![Riolu [SV1S 86/078] AR, Scarlet ex](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_riolu_sv1s_86_r_jp_2f0c00a880ec-1.webp)
Scarlet ex (SV1S), released January 20, 2023, gave Riolu its first Art Rare print in the current era. It’s a Fighting-type, 70 HP Basic illustrated by Nelnal, with two attacks: Punch, which does 10 damage, and Reckless Charge, which does 50 damage but also does 20 damage to Riolu itself. The set’s regular, non-alt-art Riolu sits at SV1S 40/078. The English-language release of the same design appears as an Illustration Rare (IR) in Scarlet & Violet, card #215.
This is the print that started the alt-art run for Riolu in the Scarlet & Violet era.
The Shiny Treasure ex Print (SV4a)
![Riolu [SV4a 280/190] S, Shiny Treasure ex](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_riolu_sv4a_280_r_jp_443052856c0d-1.webp)
Shiny Treasure ex, released December 1, 2023 — about eleven months after Scarlet ex — is a Shiny Rare with the same card text but new sowsow artwork. Same Fighting-type, 70 HP stat line, same Punch (10 damage) and Reckless Charge (50 damage, 20 to itself) attacks, but a different illustrator, sowsow, and Shiny Treasure ex’s Shiny Rare (S) finish rather than a standard Art Rare frame. The set’s regular, non-shiny Riolu sits at SV4a 104/190.
SV1S 86 and SV4a 280 share identical attack text, so listings sometimes blur them together. The fastest way to tell them apart is the illustrator credit and the color treatment — Nelnal’s Scarlet ex version runs standard colors, while sowsow’s Shiny Treasure ex version is the shiny recolor.
Shiny Treasure ex and Scarlet ex both sit in the same window of Japan’s Scarlet & Violet-era output; our Scarlet & Violet-era Japanese Pokemon guide covers what else came out of that stretch of sets.
The VSTAR Universe Art Rare and Its Promo Origins
![Riolu [S12a 201/172] AR, VSTAR Universe](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_riolu_s12a_201_r_jp_fcd246ed8d86-1.webp)
VSTAR Universe (S12a), released December 2, 2022, carries the oldest of Riolu’s three Art Rare prints, at card number 201/172. It’s a Fighting-type, 60 HP Basic illustrated by Kouki Saitou, with a single attack, Low Kick, for 50 damage. The set’s regular version sits at S12a 76/172.
This particular artwork has a longer history than the AR print alone: it first appeared as an SP promo card (#260), then as part of Star Birth (S9) at card 54, before this VSTAR Universe reprint gave it the full Art Rare treatment. Kouki Saitou’s design also crossed into English-language product as part of Crown Zenith’s Galarian Gallery subset, card #GG26.
The Current-Era Print: Mega Brave (M1L)
![Riolu [M1L 68/092] AR, Mega Brave](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_riolu_m1l_68_r_jp_8083515f0336-1.webp)
Mega Brave (M1L), released August 1, 2025, is the newest and most current of Riolu’s prints. It’s a Fighting-type, 80 HP Basic illustrated by GOSSAN, with the attack Accelerating Stab for 30 damage — with the condition that you can’t use the same attack again on your next turn. The set’s regular version sits at M1L 28/092, and the same design also appears as MP promo card #22.
At 80 HP, this has the highest HP among the confirmed prints in this guide, and it’s the newest of Riolu’s Basic printings.
The Common Print and the Newest Unconfirmed Listing
![Riolu [SM9b 27/054] C, Full Metal Wall](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_riolu_sm9b_27_r_jp_12f88f877971-1.webp)
Full Metal Wall (SM9b), released February 1, 2019, is the oldest print in this guide and the only one at common rarity. It’s a Fighting-type, 70 HP Basic illustrated by Mizue, with the attack Feint for 10 damage that ignores Resistance. The English-language equivalent appears in Unbroken Bonds, card #102.
The newest listing is Mega Dream ex (M2a 91/250), released November 28, 2025. Its inclusion is confirmed by set search listings, but we haven’t pulled the individual card page yet, so we can’t confirm its HP, attacks, or illustrator here — treat it as a print that exists rather than one we can describe in detail. It also doesn’t currently have matching sealed box stock in our catalog, so request it through Quick Order.
Sourcing Riolu Through Sealed Product
Because the two most-searched Riolu prints — the Scarlet ex alt art and its Shiny Treasure ex recolor — each come from a single set, sealed booster boxes are the direct route into either one.
For the shiny version, Shiny Treasure ex boxes are currently listed at ¥17,680 (~$108) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order). For the other three prints, VSTAR Universe is currently listed at ¥33,280 (~$204) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), Mega Brave is currently listed at ¥10,486 (~$64), and Full Metal Wall is currently listed at ¥52,500 (~$322), reflecting that set’s age and overall collector demand well beyond this one common Riolu.
Restock requests, mixed sourcing across any set in this guide, or single-card sourcing requests for the unconfirmed Mega Dream ex print run through our Quick Order page.
Where to Buy Japanese Riolu Cards
We ship Japanese sealed product worldwide from Tokyo with tracked delivery. For the two alt-art prints most buyers are after, Scarlet ex covers the original AR and Shiny Treasure ex (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) covers the Shiny Rare. For the rest of the lineup, VSTAR Universe (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order), Mega Brave, and Full Metal Wall cover the remaining AR, current-era, and common prints. Use our Quick Order page to combine any of these into one order or to submit a single-card sourcing request for the Mega Dream ex print.
If you’re building a budget-conscious order around this evolution line, our best PSA 10 Japanese cards under ¥10,000 guide is a useful companion list while you decide where to spend on the Riolu side versus the Lucario side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Riolu have a CHR (Character Holo Rare) Pokemon card?
No. Despite search results that suggest otherwise, a full search of Japan’s card database turns up no Character Holo Rare print of Riolu. Its highest-rarity prints are three Art Rare cards (VSTAR Universe, Scarlet ex, Mega Brave) and one Shiny Rare recolor (Shiny Treasure ex).
What is the rarest Riolu Pokemon card from Japan?
Among the six prints in this guide, the three AR-tier cards — S12a 201/172, SV1S 86/078, and M1L 68/092 — along with the shiny SV4a 280/190, represent the highest rarity Riolu has received. We don’t price individual cards here; sealed product from each one’s home set is available via Quick Order or the box links above.
What’s the difference between the Scarlet ex alt art and the Shiny Treasure ex shiny Riolu?
They share identical attack text — Punch (10 damage) and Reckless Charge (50 damage, 20 to itself) — and the same 70 HP Fighting-type stat line. The difference is the illustrator and finish: Nelnal’s Scarlet ex print (SV1S 86/078) runs standard colors, while sowsow’s Shiny Treasure ex print (SV4a 280/190), released about eleven months later, is the shiny recolor.
Where can I buy Japanese Riolu Pokemon cards?
We ship Japanese sealed product worldwide from Tokyo. Scarlet ex booster boxes are currently listed at ¥11,648 and cover the original alt art; Shiny Treasure ex, VSTAR Universe, Mega Brave, and Full Metal Wall boxes cover the remaining prints, and our Quick Order page handles mixed orders and single-card sourcing requests.
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