SM5+ Ultra Force (ウルトラフォース) is a Japanese Sun & Moon enhanced expansion released on January 19, 2018. It is not a cheap opening product anymore. In the June 2026 local pricing cache, the SM5+ box sits around ¥74,000 on SNKRDUNK, ¥95,300 on Fuji-style Japan pricing, and $591 in SST product data. That changes the buying answer completely: buy sealed for the old Japanese box, Ultra Beast theme, and collection value; buy singles if you only want one HR/UR card.
Key takeaway: SM5+ Ultra Force should be treated as a sealed Sun & Moon collectible first. The best-card list is led by Palkia GX HR 057/050, Energy Recycler UR 061/050, Lucario GX HR 059/050, Beast Ring UR 062/050, and Arceus Prism Star 037/050. Opening one box for a specific card is a poor risk/reward decision at current sealed prices.
SM5+ Ultra Force: Set Overview
Ultra Force is the enhanced sub-set around the Ultra Beast and Sinnoh-legendary side of the SM5 era. It shares English-market DNA with Ultra Prism, but the Japanese product is its own box with its own numbering, sealed-market behavior, and collector audience. The set is small at the main-card level, which makes it easy to understand, but the premium layer is where buyers need to be careful.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Set code | SM5+ |
| Japanese name | ウルトラフォース (Ultra Force) |
| Japanese release date | January 19, 2018 |
| Box format | 30 packs per box, 5 cards per pack |
| Main set | 50 cards |
| Known premium / secret layer in local price cache | Cards through 063/050, including SR, HR, and UR entries |
| English relationship | Part of the broader Ultra Prism card pool, not a one-to-one English product |
| Current box read | Old sealed Sun & Moon collectible, not an EV-first opening box |
Why the old version was misleading
The old article treated SM5+ like a low-priced box around ¥8,000 and highlighted the wrong image set. That is no longer acceptable for a page targeting pull rates and best cards. The current version separates three things that were previously blurred: official set identity, actual high-value cards, and the sealed-box buying decision.
Top Cards in SM5+ Ultra Force
The top-card conversation should not start with unrelated English Ultra Prism cards. For SM5+, the strongest current buying checks are Palkia GX HR, Energy Recycler UR, Lucario GX HR, Beast Ring UR, Ultra Recon Squad SR, Dialga GX SR/HR, Metal Frying Pan UR, and Arceus Prism Star. The exact order changes with live listings, but the old Cynthia/Buzzwole framing was the wrong axis for this Japanese article.
| Rank | Card | Why it matters | Local price signal | Buyer note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palkia GX HR 057/050 | Top single-card price signal in the local cache and a recognizable Sinnoh legendary. | $108.64 | Buy as a single if this is the only target. |
| 2 | Energy Recycler UR 061/050 | Gold Trainer/Item demand makes this more important than the old article suggested. | $102.76 | High-value utility UR; verify condition carefully. |
| 3 | Lucario GX HR 059/050 | Lucario has character/Pokemon collector demand beyond pure play value. | $57.50 | Strong graded and character-card watch item. |
| 4 | Beast Ring UR 062/050 | Ultra Beast-era competitive memory plus gold Item appeal. | $31.19 | Better as a single than a sealed chase. |
| 5 | Ultra Recon Squad SR 055/050 | Set-specific supporter tied directly to the Ultra Beast theme. | $26.56 | Relevant for full-set and trainer collectors. |
| 6 | Dialga GX SR 054/050 | Sinnoh legendary lane and a natural pair with Palkia GX. | $26.49 | Compare SR vs HR price before buying. |
| 7 | Lucario GX SR 053/050 | Lower-premium Lucario route below the HR version. | $22.00 | Good if the HR has moved too high. |
| 8 | Metal Frying Pan UR 063/050 | Gold Trainer card and metal-type support theme. | $21.90 | Condition and centering matter. |
| 9 | Dialga GX HR 060/050 | Rainbow legendary card, but local signal trails Palkia/Lucario. | $18.76 | Useful for complete secret-rare sets. |
| 10 | Arceus Prism Star 037/050 | Not the highest raw price, but it is one of the cleanest identity cards in SM5+. | $10.51 | Important set-completion and character-search card. |
Palkia GX HR
Palkia GX HR is the current top card by local ungraded cache signal. The regular Palkia GX also matters because it anchors the water-type Sinnoh legendary side of the box.
Energy Recycler UR
The old article ignored the gold Item/Trainer layer. Energy Recycler UR is one of the cards that makes SM5+ more than a simple GX-box article.
Lucario GX HR / SR
Lucario gives the set a recognizable Pokemon chase outside the Palkia/Dialga legendary lane and should be in any serious buyer shortlist.
SM5+ Pull Rates & Box EV
The Pokemon Company does not publish exact pull rates for Japanese booster boxes, so any rate language should be treated as an estimate. The safe buyer model is simple: Japanese Sun & Moon boxes generally give regular GX/holo hits plus a premium SR-or-better style slot, while exact HR/UR outcomes and exact card hits remain low-probability events.
| Pull question | Practical answer | Buyer implication |
|---|---|---|
| Are SM5+ pull rates official? | No. Treat exact odds as estimates unless an official source states them. | Do not make a sealed-box purchase on exact-card odds alone. |
| Is one premium card likely? | A Japanese SM-era box is commonly treated as having an SR-or-better style premium slot. | You may hit a premium card, but not necessarily the one you want. |
| Can one box reasonably chase Palkia GX HR? | No. A specific HR/UR is only one outcome inside the premium pool. | Buy Palkia GX HR directly if that card is the goal. |
| Does box EV justify opening? | Not at current sealed prices. Singles signals are far below the sealed-box collectible premium. | Open for experience, not expected return. |
Box EV model
At current sealed prices, a normal EV table can be actively misleading if it makes the box look mathematically attractive. The useful comparison is not “Can I get one premium card?” The useful comparison is “How many realistic single-card outcomes can justify opening a box now priced around old sealed Sun & Moon supply?” For SM5+, the answer is very few.
| Buyer type | Better path | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Exact Palkia GX HR buyer | Single card | The top single is far cheaper than the sealed box. |
| Full SM5+ collector | Singles plus card list | Use the card list first, then fill missing premium cards one by one. |
| Old sealed-box collector | Sealed box | Condition, authenticity, and old Japanese supply matter more than EV. |
| Pack opener | Open only if variance is acceptable | The opening experience is real, but financial return is not the main reason. |
| Store / repeat buyer | SST product or wholesale route | Confirm availability, condition, and shipping before buying older sealed product in volume. |
SM5+ Market Price: Japan vs Overseas
The old page said SM5+ boxes were around ¥8,000. That is no longer useful. The June 2026 local cache places SM5+ around ¥74,000 on SNKRDUNK-style Japan marketplace data, around ¥95,300 on Fuji-style Japan pricing, and $591 in SST product data. These should be treated as directional buyer signals, not permanent quotes.
| Signal | June 2026 local value | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| SNKRDUNK-style Japan signal | ¥74,000 | Useful for domestic Japan floor context. |
| Fuji-style Japan signal | ¥95,300 | Useful for shop/listing-side Japan range. |
| SST product signal | $591 | Useful for overseas buyer landed-retail context. |
| Launch MSRP context | ¥4,950 per box in the old article data | Shows why this is now an old sealed product, not a casual opening box. |
Price note: older Japanese boxes move quickly and condition matters. Recheck live listings before buying, especially if the box seal, shrink, corners, or display condition are important.
Should You Open SM5+ Ultra Force or Buy Singles?
For most buyers, singles are the rational answer. The main exception is a collector who specifically wants a sealed Japanese SM5+ box. That buyer is not buying a lottery ticket; they are buying an old Sun & Moon product with a specific Ultra Beast theme and shrinking supply.
Buy the sealed box if…
- You collect sealed Japanese Sun & Moon boxes.
- You care about the Ultra Beast and Sinnoh legendary product identity.
- You value condition, authenticity, and the box as a display piece.
- You accept that opening is mostly for the experience, not EV.
Buy singles if…
- You only want Palkia GX HR, Lucario GX HR, Energy Recycler UR, or Arceus Prism Star.
- You are building a binder set and do not need sealed product.
- You want to control condition, centering, and grading potential.
- You do not want to pay the old sealed-box premium.
Where to Buy SM5+ Ultra Force
Looking for SM5+ Ultra Force?
Check current SST availability first, then compare the sealed-box route against the full card list and singles needs.
View SM5+ Ultra Force Box
See SM5+ Card List
Browse Sun & Moon
Pokemon Booster Boxes
FAQ
What does the “+” mean in SM5+?
The “+” in SM5+ Ultra Force marks it as a Japanese enhanced expansion rather than one of the main SM5S or SM5M boxes. Enhanced expansions are smaller Japanese products that can include competitive cards, special themes, and premium cards that later relate to broader English sets.
What is the best card in SM5+ Ultra Force?
In the June 2026 local price cache, Palkia GX HR 057/050 is the leading ungraded single-card signal. Energy Recycler UR 061/050 is very close, and Lucario GX HR 059/050 is the next major Pokemon chase.
Are SM5+ Ultra Force pull rates official?
No. The Pokemon Company does not normally publish exact pull rates for Japanese booster boxes. Treat any exact SM5+ pull-rate number as an estimate based on box patterns, opening reports, and community assumptions.
Is SM5+ Ultra Force worth opening in 2026?
Only if you want the opening experience and accept the sealed-box premium. At current old-box prices, most exact-card buyers are better off buying singles such as Palkia GX HR, Energy Recycler UR, or Lucario GX HR directly.
Is SM5+ Ultra Force the same as Ultra Prism?
No. Ultra Prism is the English-market relationship, while SM5+ Ultra Force is a Japanese enhanced expansion with its own box, card numbering, release context, and sealed-market behavior.
How expensive is an SM5+ Ultra Force box now?
The June 2026 local cache shows SM5+ around ¥74,000 on SNKRDUNK-style Japan data, around ¥95,300 on Fuji-style Japan pricing, and $591 in SST product data. Treat those as directional signals and verify live prices before buying.
Which SM5+ cards should buyers check first?
Start with Palkia GX HR, Energy Recycler UR, Lucario GX HR, Beast Ring UR, Ultra Recon Squad SR, Dialga GX SR or HR, Metal Frying Pan UR, and Arceus Prism Star. These give a better buyer map than the old Cynthia/Buzzwole framing.
Should I buy SM5+ sealed or buy singles?
Buy sealed if you collect old Japanese Sun & Moon boxes and care about condition, authenticity, and long-term product scarcity. Buy singles if you only want one specific premium card or are building a binder set.
Use the card list first, then decide whether SM5+ should be a sealed-box purchase or a singles purchase.
