“Texture” comes up constantly around Japanese Pokémon cards — gold foil on an AR, a raised-looking SAR, glassy highlights on an art rare. Some of that is confirmed in an official page. Some of it is illustrator language about the artwork itself, not a statement about the physical card. This guide separates the two, and explains why the distinction actually matters once a card goes to a grading company.
We pulled the official pages that use the word 加工 (“finish” or “processing”) for Japanese card rarities, plus the English side’s own language for its highest tiers, and checked which claims are confirmed in writing and which aren’t.
An official Sun & Moon–era page states plainly that SR cards get “特別な加工” (a special finish): “大迫力のイラストに特別な加工がされていて、とても高級感のあるカードだ.” For AR/SAR cards, illustrators interviewed for the High Class Pack “VSTAR Universe” describe techniques like “金箔テクスチャ” (gold foil texture) and “ガラスの透明表現” (glass transparency effect) — but that is illustrator language about the artwork, not an official confirmation that the physical card is embossed. A PSA 10 Salamence ex 129/100 SAR (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) is sold out at the time of this update — sourcing requests go through Quick Order.
Store prices and availability checked September 25, 2026 at 13:48 JST. Marketplace observations retain their stated dates. USD conversions use ¥154 per US dollar.
Official quotes below are as printed on September 18, 2026. Store prices are as listed on September 25, 2026 at 13:48 JST; USD figures convert at ¥154/USD, approximate.
What “Texture” Means for These Cards
When collectors say a Japanese card is “textured,” they usually mean one of two things: a visibly special foil or glossy treatment applied across the card’s higher rarities (SR, AR, SAR and similar), or a genuinely raised, embossed physical surface you can feel with a fingertip. Those are not the same claim, and the official record only clearly supports the first one for one rarity so far.
The Official SR Statement
An official Sun & Moon–era feature page, titled “キミは、SR（スーパーレア）カードを見たことがあるか？”, states: “ごくまれにSRというレアリティのカードが入っている。大迫力のイラストに特別な加工がされていて、とても高級感のあるカードだ” — an SR-rarity card occasionally appears, its dramatic illustration given a special finish (特別な加工), giving it a premium, high-end feel. That is an official, direct statement that SR-rarity cards receive a special finish.
What AR/SAR Illustrators Say About Finish
For AR (Art Rare) and SAR (Special Art Rare) cards, the clearest official-adjacent source is an interview feature: “16人のイラストレーターにインタビュー！ AR（アートレア）・SAR（スペシャルアート）の秘密に迫る！”, covering cards from the High Class Pack “VSTAR Universe” (S12a). Two of the sixteen illustrators describe their technique in terms that sound like physical texture:
- 七原しえ, on Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR: “金箔テクスチャも使用し、描き込みも含め全てゴージャスに仕上げさせていただきました” — “I used gold foil texture too, finishing everything gorgeously, including the linework.”
- さすも次郎, on Leafeon VSTAR: “ガラスの透明表現を工夫して、質感の緩急をつけています” — “I worked on the glass transparency effect to create variation in the sense of texture.”
Both quotes are illustrators describing how they rendered the artwork — a gold-foil look, a glass-like transparency effect — not an official statement that the finished, printed card has a raised or embossed surface. Read literally, these are statements about illustration technique, not card manufacturing. Whether AR/SAR cards are physically embossed is not confirmed by either page we could check.
The English Side: Foil Patterns and Identification
On the English side, a Pokémon press media alert for Scarlet & Violet—Shrouded Fable confirms the rarity names exist — “15 illustration rare Pokémon” and “Five special illustration rare Pokémon and Supporter cards” — and describes a specific foil-identification detail for that set’s parallel cards: “parallel foil cards in Scarlet & Violet—Shrouded Fable will feature a new, unique foil pattern surrounding the card artwork. Players can identify cards in the parallel foil set by viewing the expansion code at the bottom-left corner of the card. It’s normally in a black box with white text, but in this case, it will be illustrated in a white box with black text.” The same alert mentions “one special illustration rare-style promo card featuring Kingdra ex in a unique Ukiyo-e (woodblock) art style.”
That confirms a foil pattern exists and gives a concrete way to spot it (the inverted expansion-code box). It does not amount to a formal definition of “Illustration Rare” or “Special Illustration Rare” as English rarity terms — no official English page defining those terms was available to quote.
Why Texture Matters When Grading
PSA’s own Gem Mint 10 definition (as printed on September 18, 2026) sets the bar any card — textured or not — has to clear: “Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn’t impair the overall appeal of the card.” Our own condition-guide article, corroborating the same PSA standard, breaks grading down into four pillars: centering, corners, edges, and “Surface — Gloss, print quality, and freedom from staining, scratches, or print defects.”
A card with a special finish or a foil-heavy illustration gives the surface pillar more to inspect.
Our Currently Listed SAR Examples
Here are several PSA 10 SAR-rarity cards currently listed on our site:
| Card | Currently listed |
|---|---|
| PSA 10 Charizard ex 134/108 SAR | ¥71,735 (~$466) |
| PSA 10 Pikachu ex 234/193 SAR | ¥46,446 (~$302) |
| PSA 10 MEGA Gengar ex 240/193 SAR | ¥62,712 (~$407) |
| PSA 10 Salamence ex 129/100 SAR | Sold out |
The 30th CELEBRATION set (M6a) has its own AR/SAR/FUR block at numbers 104–135, still compiled from official images and PokeBeach’s list rather than the official card database as of this update. See the full 30th Celebration card list for that block in context.
Where to Buy
The SAR prints above are listed at the prices shown, except the PSA 10 Salamence ex 129/100 SAR, which is sold out at the time of this update — sourcing requests go through Quick Order. Browse the full PSA 10 collection or the wider Japanese Pokémon card collection, or use Quick Order to ask about a specific print that isn’t listed yet. For more on rarity naming, see our Japanese Alt Art (SAR) cards guide, our Japanese Pokemon card rarities explained hub, and our HR Rainbow Rare guide. Our companion piece on Trainer Gallery vs Japanese CHR/CSR covers a different Japanese rarity family in the same detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Japanese SR cards officially confirmed to have a special finish?
Yes. An official Sun & Moon–era page states SR cards receive “特別な加工” (a special finish) applied to the illustration, giving the card a premium feel.
Are AR and SAR cards physically embossed or raised?
Not officially confirmed. Illustrators interviewed for the VSTAR Universe (S12a) AR/SAR feature describe techniques like “gold foil texture” and a “glass transparency effect” in their artwork, but neither statement confirms the finished card has a raised physical surface.
Does the English side have an official definition of Illustration Rare or Special Illustration Rare?
No official English page defining those terms was available to quote. A Pokémon press media alert does confirm both rarity names exist and describes a specific new foil pattern for Scarlet & Violet—Shrouded Fable’s parallel cards.
Why does texture matter for PSA grading?
PSA’s Gem Mint 10 standard requires “full original gloss” and freedom from staining, and our own condition guide lists “Surface” — gloss, print quality, and freedom from defects — as one of the four pillars graders check. A heavily foiled or special-finish card gives that pillar more surface to inspect closely.
What rarities does 30th CELEBRATION’s AR/SAR/FUR block cover?
Numbers 104–135, still compiled from official images and PokeBeach’s list rather than the official card database as of this update. See the full 30th Celebration card list for the complete set.
Where can I buy a graded SAR card?
Several PSA 10 SAR prints are currently listed on our site, including a PSA 10 Charizard ex 134/108 SAR at ¥71,735 (~$466). See the table above or use Quick Order for a specific print.
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