Not every high-value chase in VSTAR Universe is a Pokemon. Friends in Hisui is a Supporter — a Trainer card, plain text, no attack, no HP — and it still pulls at Secret Rare, the same tier the set reserves for its most sought-after full-art Pokemon.
ヒスイの仲間たち (Friends in Hisui) is card #249 in VSTAR Universe (S12a), illustrated by Kinu Nishimura. It draws three cards when played, which is a strong but not unusual effect for a Supporter — the reason collectors chase this particular printing is the SR treatment, not the card text. This guide covers what the card is, how its numbering works, its English reprint history, and where it sits next to the set’s other chase cards. A PSA 10 graded copy is currently listed on our site.
The Friends in Hisui SR (249/172) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) is card #249 from VSTAR Universe (S12a, JP release 2 December 2022), a Supporter Trainer card illustrated by Kinu Nishimura, one of 254 total cards in the set. It was later reprinted in English as part of Crown Zenith. We currently list a PSA 10 graded copy at ¥19,184 (~$121 at ¥159/USD, September 2026).
Prices are current listings as of September 2026, converted at ¥159/USD.
What Is Friends in Hisui SR (249/172)?
ヒスイの仲間たち (Friends in Hisui) is card #249 in VSTAR Universe, the Japanese set coded S12a. It’s a Trainer card in the Supporter subcategory — a once-per-turn card played from hand rather than a Pokemon — and its effect draws three cards. The artwork, a wide scene of Hisuian-region Pokemon and their trainers, is credited to illustrator Kinu Nishimura.
It’s printed at Secret Rare (SR), a chase-tier rarity VSTAR Universe uses across both Pokemon and Trainer cards alike. A PSA 10 graded copy is currently listed at ¥19,184 (~$121) (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order).
VSTAR Universe (S12a): The Set Behind the Card
VSTAR Universe released in Japan on 2 December 2022 and runs to 254 cards in total — a large count built by stacking multiple special-rarity tiers (SR, SAR, UR) on top of a standard base set rather than a conventional single expansion.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Carta | ヒスイの仲間たち (Friends in Hisui) |
| Card number | 249/172 |
| Colección | VSTAR Universe (S12a) |
| Rarity | Secret Rare (SR) |
| Card type | Trainer – Supporter |
| Effect | Draw 3 cards |
| Artist | Kinu Nishimura |
| JP release date | 2 December 2022 |
| Total cards in set | 254 |
For the full breakdown of what else is in the set, see our VSTAR Universe (S12a) card list, and for box-buying context see our VSTAR Universe booster box buying guide.
Reading the 249/172 Numbering
The «172» printed against Friends in Hisui isn’t the set’s actual total — it’s the anchor point shared by every VSTAR Universe chase card. Card #172 in the set is Fusion Energy, a Special Energy trainer card sitting at the top of the standard base-set run. Chase-tier cards like Friends in Hisui continue the sequential numbering past that point, through the SR, SAR, and UR tiers, up to a set-wide total of 254 cards.
So «249/172» tells you two things: card #249 in the full print run, denominated against «172,» the number that marks where the base set ends and the special-rarity run begins. It’s the same convention that applies to the set’s Simisear VSTAR SAR (214/172) and every other VSTAR Universe chase card — not something unique to this Supporter.
The English Crown Zenith Reprint
Friends in Hisui isn’t exclusive to VSTAR Universe. The same Supporter — same draw-3 effect, same card — was later printed in English as part of Crown Zenith, appearing at both #130 and #148 in that set. That’s a cross-reference on the card’s international print history, not a claim about how this specific Japanese SR is numbered; the 249/172 numbering above applies only to the S12a printing.
Because a Supporter’s game text doesn’t change between printings, the Crown Zenith copies are functionally identical on the table. What differs is presentation and market: the Japanese SR carries the set’s full-art secret-rare treatment and its own collector demand, separate from the English reprint’s pricing.
Friends in Hisui vs Hisuian Zoroark: Don’t Confuse Them
Both cards share the word «Hisui» and the same set, which makes them easy to mix up in a search or a want-list — but they’re different cards entirely. Friends in Hisui (#249) is the Trainer Supporter covered here, drawing three cards. Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR is a separate Pokemon card, a different chase tier and card type from the same S12a set. If you’re after the Pokemon-side Hisuian chase, our Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR guide covers that card specifically; for the broader Zoroark family across sets, see our Zoroark cards guide.
The two Simisear and Spiritomb cards above are shown for set context only — neither is a Hisuian-themed card, they’re simply other VSTAR Universe printings that illustrate how varied the set’s card pool is, from full-art SARs down to ordinary base-set holos.
Secret Rare: A Trainer Card at the Top of the Set
Secret Rare (SR) in VSTAR Universe covers full-art cards printed above the set’s numbered card count — a tier that includes both Pokemon and Trainer cards, which is unusual compared with sets where the highest rarities are Pokemon-only. Friends in Hisui is one of the set’s Trainer-side SRs, alongside a small number of other Supporter and Item cards that received the same full-art treatment.
If you want the general rundown of how SR compares to the SAR and UR tiers across Japanese sets, our SAR and alt-art rarity explainer covers that in depth. We won’t restate pull-rate figures for VSTAR Universe here since we don’t have a sourced number specific to this card — for that side of the set, see our VSTAR Universe pull rates and best cards breakdown.
Where to Buy the Friends in Hisui SR from Japan
We ship graded Japanese singles worldwide out of Tokyo with tracked delivery. Our PSA 10 Friends in Hisui SR is currently listed at ¥19,184 (~$121).
If this exact copy has already sold by the time you’re reading this, we’re regularly sourcing more VSTAR Universe singles — the fastest way to request one is through our Quick Order page. For the rest of the set, our VSTAR Universe (S12a) card list is the full reference, and the Friends in Hisui SR listing (update: currently sold out — restock requests via Quick Order) itself has our current stock notes.
Preguntas frecuentes
What is Friends in Hisui SR (249/172)?
It’s ヒスイの仲間たち (Friends in Hisui), card #249 in VSTAR Universe (S12a), a Japanese Pokemon TCG set released 2 December 2022. It’s a Trainer – Supporter card that draws three cards, printed at Secret Rare (SR) and illustrated by Kinu Nishimura.
What does the «172» in 249/172 mean?
172 refers to card #172, Fusion Energy, the card at the top of VSTAR Universe’s standard base-set run. Chase-tier SR, SAR, and UR cards like this one continue the numbering past that point, up to a set-wide total of 254 cards, and are denominated against 172 as a result.
Is Friends in Hisui the same card as Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR?
No. Friends in Hisui is a Trainer Supporter card that draws three cards. Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR is a separate Pokemon card in the same VSTAR Universe set. They share a «Hisui» theme and a set, but they are different cards with different card types and rarities.
Was Friends in Hisui reprinted in English?
Yes. The same Supporter card was printed in English as part of Crown Zenith, appearing at #130 and #148 in that set. This is a cross-reference to the same card text, not a claim about how the Japanese Secret Rare printing is numbered.
How much does the Friends in Hisui SR cost?
A PSA 10 graded copy is currently listed at ¥19,184, roughly $121 at ¥159/USD (September 2026 rate).
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