Wartortle — カメール (Kameeru) in Japanese — is the Stage 1 middle link between Squirtle and Blastoise, the Water-type evolution most Kanto starter runs pass straight through on the way to the final form. A search of Limitless’s Japanese card database for Wartortle turns up ten prints spread across nine different sets, but this guide only gives full card-by-card treatment to the ones we’ve individually fetched and confirmed: an Art Rare and an Uncommon/Master Ball Mirror pair from 2023’s Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a), plus a considerably older 1999 promo tied to the Southern Islands release.
All three of those verified prints are anchors we currently list — two PSA 10 graded singles from Pokemon Card 151, a PSA 10 of the 1999 promo, and the SV2a booster box the two newer prints are pulled from. The rest of Limitless’s search results exist in the index but haven’t been re-fetched individually for this guide, so we’re not attaching illustrator or HP claims to them here.
Three Japanese Wartortle prints are verified in full here, spanning 1999 to 2023. The modern pair both come from Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a): PSA 10 Wartortle AR [SV2a 171/165] currently listed at ¥16,496 (~$104), and PSA 10 Wartortle Master Ball Mirror [SV2a 008/165] currently listed at ¥11,799 (~$74). Exchange rate used throughout: ¥159/USD (September 2026).
Every Verified Japanese Wartortle Card
Limitless’s Japanese-card search for Wartortle returns ten prints across nine different sets, but we’ve only individually fetched and verified three of those prints card-by-card. Those three are the anchors for the rest of this guide:
| Card | Set / Number | Rarity | Illustrator | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wartortle | SV2a 171/165 | Art Rare | Mitsuhiro Arita | Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a), 2023 |
| Wartortle (base print) | SV2a 8/165 | Uncommon (Master Ball Mirror is a foil parallel of this print) | kantaro | Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a), 2023 |
| Wartortle | PMCG-P No.008 | Promo (Old Back) | unverified | Southern Islands, 17 Jul 1999 |
The search index also confirms Wartortle appears in eight further Japanese sets — SVG, S10b, SM12a, SM9b, SM9, KK, and both BW6c and BWP — but we haven’t re-fetched those individual card pages, so we’re not citing illustrator or HP for them here:
| Set | Number |
|---|---|
| SVG | 15 |
| S10b | 16 |
| SM12a | 30 |
| SM9b | 9 |
| SM9 | 22 |
| KK | 2 |
| BW6c | 13 |
| BWP | 166 |
The takeaway: the prints we’ve verified in detail are the two SV2a treatments and the 1999 promo below. The other eight are real cards confirmed by the search index, but we’re not making rarity or illustrator claims about them until they’ve been checked individually.
Pokemon Card 151: The Art Rare and Master Ball Mirror
Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a), released in 2023, is the Japanese release built around reprinting the original 151 Kanto Pokemon across a mix of finishes. It corresponds to the broader Pokemon 151 English release from the same year, though we haven’t confirmed the exact matching English card number for Wartortle’s Art Rare, so we’re marking that unverified.
The Art Rare at 171/165 sits past the set’s base 165-card checklist, which places it in the secret/point-card numbering range rather than among the set’s standard-numbered cards. It’s illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita — the original Pokemon TCG artist — and lists at 100 HP, Water type.
The base Uncommon print at 8/165 is illustrated by kantaro, also 100 HP and Water type. Limitless’s card page for this number shows no separately numbered Master Ball Mirror or Poke Ball Mirror listing — the Master Ball Mirror our second PSA 10 anchor carries is a foil parallel of this same 8/165 print rather than a distinct card number. Our Master Ball Mirror Pokemon cards guide covers how that parallel tier works across the rest of SV2a.
The 1999 Old Back Promo: Southern Islands
Our oldest verified Wartortle print is listed as “PMCG-P No.008, Southern Island movie release commemoration.” This exact designation doesn’t turn up in Limitless’s database, but the underlying release is well documented: it corresponds to Southern Islands (Japanese: ミナミの島 / Minami no Shima), released in Japan on 17 July 1999 and distributed alongside the Japanese theatrical release of the second Pokemon movie. The promo went out as two nine-card folders — “Rainbow Island” and “Tropical Island” — 18 cards total, unlimited edition, Japan-exclusive.
Wartortle appears in the Tropical Island (Beach region) folder. The English-market Southern Islands Collection checklist numbers the equivalent card 15/18, while our listing carries the internal designation “No.008” — we’re not resolving that numbering discrepancy here, just noting both exist. Illustrator credit for this specific card hasn’t been confirmed, so we’re marking it unverified.
Because Southern Islands released in July 1999, well before the July 2001 card-back change, this is a genuine Old Back print. For more on how Old Back cards from this era are identified and valued generally, see our Japanese Old Back Pokemon cards guide and our Old Back vs New Back Explained design-history breakdown.
Chase Prints and What Makes Them Collectible
The three verified Wartortle prints sit in three structurally different tiers. The Southern Islands promo is the oldest and the most limited by distribution — a Japan-exclusive, movie-tie-in giveaway from 1999 that predates the July 2001 card-back change entirely, which is what makes it a genuine Old Back print rather than a later reprint carrying the older artwork.
Between the two modern SV2a prints, the Art Rare’s 171/165 numbering places it in the set’s secret/point-card range, above the standard 165-card checklist — a step up in the set’s own structure from the standard-numbered Uncommon base print at 8/165. The Master Ball Mirror foil parallel of that Uncommon is a separate foil finish, which is why the base 8/165 and its Mirror parallel are worth telling apart even though they share a card number.
If your card reads “SV2a” and a number past 165, you’re holding the Art Rare. “SV2a 008/165” with a mirror-foil surface is the Master Ball Mirror; the same number without the mirror foil is the standard Uncommon. Anything reading “PMCG-P” or carrying a Southern Islands folder design is the 1999 Old Back promo.
Which Japanese Box to Open for Wartortle
Only one of the confirmed Wartortle prints comes packed inside a currently listed Japanese booster box: the Art Rare and the Uncommon/Master Ball Mirror pair both come from Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a). The 1999 Southern Islands promo was distributed through movie-tie-in folders, not booster packs, so there’s no current sealed product that carries it.
For the rest of the set’s checklist, see our Pokemon 151 (SV2a) card list.
Where to Buy Wartortle Cards from Tokyo
We ship Japanese cards and sealed product worldwide out of Tokyo with tracked delivery. All three verified Wartortle prints are currently listed:
- PSA 10 Wartortle Old Back [PMCG-P No.008] — currently listed at ¥177,000 (~$1,113)
- PSA 10 Wartortle AR [SV2a 171/165] — currently listed at ¥16,496 (~$104)
- PSA 10 Wartortle Master Ball Mirror [SV2a 008/165] — currently listed at ¥11,799 (~$74)
- SV2A-Pokemon 151 Japanese Pokemon Booster Box — currently listed at ¥43,860 (~$276)
Browse the wider PSA 10 graded card collection or the Japanese Pokemon booster box collection for related listings. One of the eight index-confirmed Wartortle prints not covered in detail above — the KK 2 print (CLK 002/032) — is currently listed as a PSA 10 single at ¥7,688 (~$48). For the other seven, request a quote via Quick Order — no timing guarantees, but sourcing requests for specific cards go through that page.
For the wider Squirtle evolution line, see our Squirtle & Blastoise cards guide, which covers the full family across promos and mainline sets. For Wartortle’s pre-evolution specifically, our Squirtle full art cards guide is the closest single-species companion piece — that one covers Squirtle’s AR, Full Illustration, and Old Back prints, while this guide is a Wartortle-only deep dive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Japanese Wartortle card prints are there?
Three are verified in full detail in this guide: the SV2a Art Rare (171/165), the SV2a Uncommon/Master Ball Mirror pair (8/165), and the 1999 Southern Islands promo (PMCG-P No.008). Limitless’s search index confirms Wartortle also appears in eight further sets, but we haven’t individually verified those card pages.
What is the oldest Japanese Wartortle card?
A 1999 Southern Islands promo, listed as PMCG-P No.008, distributed in Japan on 17 July 1999 alongside the second Pokemon movie’s theatrical release. It predates the July 2001 card-back change, making it a genuine Old Back print.
What’s the difference between the SV2a Uncommon and Master Ball Mirror Wartortle?
They’re the same 8/165 print. The standard Uncommon is the base non-foil card; the Master Ball Mirror is a foil parallel of that same print rather than a separately numbered card.
Is the Southern Islands Wartortle an Old Back card?
Yes. Southern Islands released 17 July 1999, well before the July 2001 change to the Japanese card back design, so this promo carries the genuine Old Back.
Was Wartortle’s SV2a Art Rare part of the English Pokemon 151 set?
Pokemon Card 151 (SV2a) corresponds to the broader Pokemon 151 English release from 2023, but we haven’t confirmed the exact matching English card number for this specific Art Rare, so we’re marking that unverified rather than stating a number.
Where can I buy Japanese Wartortle cards?
We ship from Tokyo with tracked delivery. Three PSA 10 graded Wartortle prints and the SV2a booster box they come from are currently listed, and sourcing requests for any other Wartortle print go through our Quick Order page.
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