# Japanese Pokemon card rarity symbols explained: C to SAR, MUR, MA and FUR
URL: https://sugoicards.com/pokemon/basics/japanese-pokemon-card-rarity-symbols/
Author: SugoiCards editors
Updated: Oct 25, 2026
## Summary
Japanese Pokemon cards print their rarity as letters in the bottom-left corner, after the regulation mark, set code and collector number. As of October 2026 the ladder runs C, U, R, RR, AR, SR, SAR and a gold top card (UR, or MUR in MEGA-era sets), plus MA, BWR and FUR in specific sets. AR matches the English Illustration Rare, SAR matches Special Illustration Rare, SR matches Ultra Rare. Umbreon ex SAR was $399.20 on TCGplayer on 25 October 2026; the RR was $2.85.
## Key facts
- Where to look: Bottom-left corner, after the set code and number
- Top codes: SAR, MUR, UR, FUR, MA
- SAR vs RR: Umbreon ex $399 vs $2.85 (TCGplayer, 25 Oct 2026)
- Newest codes: MA (Nov 2025), FUR (Sep 2026)
Japanese Pokemon card rarity symbols are letters, not stars. They sit in the **bottom-left corner** after the set code and collector number: C, U, R and RR for the regular cards, then AR, SR, SAR and a gold top card (UR, or MUR in the MEGA-era sets) for the chase cards. As of October 2026 two newer codes matter too: MA (Mega Attack Rare) and FUR (Futuristic Rare). The gap between tiers is real: Umbreon ex SAR was $399.20 on TCGplayer on 25 October 2026, the RR version $2.85.
## Where is the rarity symbol on a Japanese Pokemon card?
Turn the card over to the front and look at the bottom-left corner. On current cards, one short line holds four things in this order:
1. **Regulation mark**: a single letter in a small box (H, I or J on current cards). The Pokemon Company confirms it sits at the bottom left and that H, I and J are the Standard-legal marks from 23 January 2026, when G rotated out.
2. **Set code** (the "expansion mark"): sv8a, M6, M2a and so on. The official rules page notes that cards from the XY BREAK series and earlier print this at the bottom right instead.
3. **Collector number**: 217/187. The left number is the card's position, the right number is the set total.
4. **Rarity code**: the letters this guide is about.
The collector number already hints at rarity. SR and higher cards are numbered above the set total, so a card like Umbreon ex 217/187 or Mega Rayquaza ex 113/076 is a "secret" card before you read its code. Regular commons and rares stay inside the total.
## Japanese Pokemon card rarity symbols list (Scarlet & Violet and MEGA era)
This is the ladder you will meet in sets from 2023 onward. Japanese names are as the official pages print them; English equivalents follow The Pokemon Company International's March 2023 rarity explainer and the labels TCGplayer uses for Japanese singles.
| Code | Name | What it looks like | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| | Common (コモン) | No foil, no pattern | Common |
| | Uncommon (アンコモン) | No foil, diamond pattern around the art | Uncommon |
| | Rare (レア) | Part of the art is foil | Rare (holo) |
| | Double Rare (ダブルレア) | Foil frame; the regular Pokemon ex cards | Double Rare |
| | Art Rare (アートレア) | Full-art version of a C, U or R Pokemon | Illustration Rare |
| | Super Rare (スーパーレア) | Full-art ex or Supporter, diagonal-line background | Ultra Rare |
| | Special Art Rare (スペシャルアートレア) | Full-card illustration with its own background and frame | Special Illustration Rare |
| | Ultra Rare (ウルトラレア) | Whole card gold, swirl background; the Scarlet & Violet-era top slot | Hyper Rare |
| | Mega Ultra Rare (メガウルトラレア) | Whole card gold; the MEGA-era top slot since Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia, 1 August 2025 | TCGplayer: Mega Ultra Rare |
| | Mega Attack Rare (メガアタックレア) | A Mega Evolution Pokemon mid-attack, attack name in large English letters; introduced in MEGA Dream ex, 28 November 2025 | TCGplayer: Mega Attack Rare |
| | B-W Rare (ビーダブリューレア) | Zekrom ex and Reshiram ex in Black Bolt and White Flare, 6 June 2025 | Not confirmed |
| | Futuristic Rare (フューチャリスティックレア) | Mew ex and Mewtwo ex by YOSHIROTTEN in 30th CELEBRATION, 16 September 2026 | TCGplayer: Futuristic Rare |
| | ACE SPEC (エーススペック) | One-per-deck Trainer or Energy, in sets since 26 January 2024 | TCGplayer: ACE Rare |
Two naming traps catch English-speaking buyers. Japanese **SR is the English Ultra Rare**, and Japanese **UR is the English Hyper Rare** (the gold card that pokemon.com says "were previously known as secret rare cards"). A listing that says "UR" means gold, not the two-foil-star tier.
AR and SAR are the codes that changed Japanese collecting. Both arrived in VSTAR Universe (VSTARユニバース, s12a) on 2 December 2022, and the English side added Illustration Rare and Special Illustration Rare the following March. Black Bolt and White Flare took the idea furthest: all 156 Pokemon in the two sets got an AR or SAR.
## What do RRR, CHR, CSR, HR, K and A mean?
These are Sword & Shield-era codes. Current packs do not print them, but the cards are everywhere on eBay and in Japanese shop binders.
| Code | Name | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| | Triple Rare (トリプルレア) | VMAX, VSTAR and V-UNION cards |
| | Character Rare (キャラクターレア) | A Pokemon drawn with its Trainer on a plain background |
| | Character Super Rare (キャラクタースーパーレア) | The foil, full-art version of a CHR |
| | Hyper Rare (ハイパーレア) | Rainbow-foil SR and RRR cards; not the same as UR |
| | Radiant Pokemon (かがやくポケモン) | Radiant Pokemon cards; TCGplayer lists them as "Kagayaku" |
| | Amazing Rare (アメイジングレア) | Amazing Rare cards of the Sword & Shield era |
| | Shiny (色違い) | Shiny Pokemon, as in Shiny Star V (s4a) |
| | Shiny super rare (name not official) | Shiny full-art cards such as Charizard VMAX SSR 308/190 from Shiny Star V ($142.89 on TCGplayer, 25 October 2026) |
A CHR or CSR can be worth far more than an RRR: Pikachu VMAX CSR 223/184 from VMAX Climax (s8b) was $88.39 on TCGplayer on 25 October 2026, while the RRR Charizard VSTAR 014/172 from VSTAR Universe was $4.59.
## What about PROMO cards and the 30th Pikachu cards?
Promo cards have **no rarity letter**. Where the set code would be, they print PROMO, and the collector number ends in the era's promo suffix: 033/M-P for the MEGA era, SV-P for Scarlet & Violet, S-P for Sword & Shield, SM-P for Sun & Moon. The same card can exist as an RR in a set, a SAR in a high-class pack and an unlabeled promo, so with promos the number and the event it came from decide the value, not a letter.
The 30 Pikachu cards in 30th CELEBRATION (M6a) are a special case. The official page guarantees one in every pack and names no rarity for them; TCGplayer files them as "Pikachu Rare", and most traded between $0.73 and $1.52 on 25 October 2026.
## What do the circle, diamond and star mean on old Japanese cards?
Before the Black & White era, Japanese cards used three symbols: ● for Common, ◆ for Uncommon and ★ for Rare, printed at the bottom right. Letter codes started with Black Collection and White Collection, the first Black & White sets, and have been the rule since.
The very first Japanese cards had nothing at all. Media Factory released the Japanese Base Set (the Expansion Pack) on 20 October 1996, and that first print run carried no rarity symbol. Collectors call these "No Rarity" cards; the earliest documented cards with symbols date to the Jungle set of 5 March 1997. If you see an old-back card with a blank corner where the star should be, that is why sellers make a fuss about it. Have any such card checked by a grading company, as covered in our guide to [grading Japanese Pokemon cards](/pokemon/grading/grading-japanese-pokemon-cards/).
## Which Japanese rarities are worth money?
Value climbs with the code, but not in a straight line, and the gold card is not always the top. One Pokemon across one set shows the shape. Mega Rayquaza ex (メガレックウザex) in Storm Emeralda (ストームエメラルダ, M6), TCGplayer market prices on 25 October 2026:
| Card | Code | TCGplayer market, 25 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Rayquaza ex 058/076 | | $2.09 |
| Mega Rayquaza ex 095/076 | | $19.33 |
| Mega Rayquaza ex 110/076 | | $269.87 |
| Mega Rayquaza ex 113/076 | | $747.33 |
In Japan the same SAR was ¥34,800 at Yuyu-tei on 16 October 2026 (about $222 at ¥157 to the dollar), down from ¥128,000 on 3 August 2026, three days after release. A launch-week SAR price can fall fast, which is one reason to read our guide on whether [Pokemon cards are cheaper in Japan](/pokemon/buying/are-pokemon-cards-cheaper-in-japan/) before paying launch prices.
The SAR can beat the gold card. Mega Charizard X ex (メガリザードンXex) from Inferno X (インフェルノX, M2) was $706.04 as a SAR and $657.84 as a MUR on 25 October 2026. The MA version of the same Pokemon from MEGA Dream ex was $22.68, so far below the SAR. In 30th CELEBRATION the two codes tied: Mew ex SAR 129/103 at $69.01 and Mew ex FUR 135/103 at $69.38, against $1.06 for the RR.
Patterns instead of letters can matter too. In Terastal Festival ex (sv8a), the plain Umbreon common 092/187 was $0.34 while the Master Ball-pattern version of the same card was $46.35 (TCGplayer, 25 October 2026). The code says C on both.
**Pull rates and prices:** The Pokemon Company publishes no pull rates for any rarity, and Japanese hobby sites disagree with each other by a factor of five, so this guide gives none. Prices above are what collectors paid on the dates shown, not a forecast. Check the code, the number and the condition, and if a deal looks too good, read [how to tell if Japanese Pokemon cards are fake](/pokemon/authenticity/how-to-tell-if-japanese-pokemon-cards-are-fake/).
More guides: [Japanese vs English Pokemon cards](/pokemon/buying/japanese-vs-english-pokemon-cards/), [Japanese sets and their English equivalents](/pokemon/sets/japanese-pokemon-sets-english-equivalents/), [where to buy Japanese Pokemon cards](/pokemon/buying/where-to-buy-japanese-pokemon-cards/), and the [Pokemon hub](/pokemon/).
## Questions people ask
### What does SAR mean on a Japanese Pokemon card?
SAR is Special Art Rare (スペシャルアートレア): a full-card illustration with its own background and frame, introduced in VSTAR Universe on 2 December 2022. It matches the English Special Illustration Rare.
### What is RRR on a Japanese Pokemon card?
RRR is Triple Rare, the Sword & Shield-era code for VMAX, VSTAR and V-UNION cards. Current sets do not use it.
### What is MA on a Japanese Pokemon card?
MA is Mega Attack Rare (メガアタックレア), introduced in the MEGA Dream ex high-class pack on 28 November 2025. The art shows a Mega Evolution Pokemon in the middle of an attack.
### What does ACE mean on a Japanese Pokemon card?
ACE marks an ACE SPEC card: a strong Trainer or Energy card limited to one per deck. Current ACE SPEC cards started with Wild Force and Cyber Judge on 26 January 2024. TCGplayer lists them as ACE Rare.
### Why do some Japanese Pokemon cards have no rarity symbol?
Promo cards print PROMO in place of the set code and carry no rarity letter. The first print of the Japanese Base Set from October 1996 also had no rarity symbols; collectors call those No Rarity cards.
## Sources
- [レギュレーション (Standard regulation and where the marks sit)](https://www.pokemon-card.com/rules/regulation/), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [スタンダードレギュレーション変更のスケジュールについて](https://www.pokemon-card.com/info/005262.html), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [あそびかた: card anatomy](http://www.pokemon-card.com/howtoplay/), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [ハイクラスパック「MEGAドリームex」](https://www.pokemon-card.com/ex/m2a/index.html), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [MEGA 拡張パック「30th CELEBRATION」](https://www.30th.pokemon-card.com/product/m6a), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [拡張パック「ブラックボルト」「ホワイトフレア」](https://www.pokemon-card.com/ex/sv11/index.html), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [拡張パック「ワイルドフォース」「サイバージャッジ」](https://www.pokemon-card.com/ex/sv5/index.html), The Pokemon Company (pokemon-card.com) (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet Revamps Pokémon TCG Card Aesthetic](https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/pokemon-tcg-scarlet-and-violet-revamps-pokemon-tcg-card-aesthetic), The Pokemon Company International (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [Umbreon ex 217/187, SV8a Terastal Fest ex (and Pokemon Japan product data)](https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/602681/pokemon-japan-sv8a-terastal-fest-ex-umbreon-ex-217-187), TCGplayer (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [What Do SAR and AR Mean? Japanese Pokémon Rarity Chart (2026)](https://tokyocardreport.com/articles/japanese-rarities-sar-ar-explained/), Tokyo Card Report (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [ポケカのレア度・見分け方一覧表](https://onlineoripa-mania.jp/pokeca-rarity/), オリパマニア (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [ポケカ レアリティ一覧と見分け方2026](https://tinpanblog.com/pokemon-card-rarity-guide/), ちんぱんブログ (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [MUR(メガウルトラレア)とは｜ポケカ全9種](https://www.tcgpro.co.jp/media/pokeka-mur/), TCG Pro (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [S12a VSTAR Universe Officially Revealed, Art Rare & Special Art Rare Cards](https://www.pokeguardian.com/1068710_s12a-vstar-universe-officially-revealed-art-rare-special-art-rare-cards), PokeGuardian (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [A Guide Explaining Why No Rarity Comes From Packs AND Decks](http://www.elitefourum.com/t/a-guide-explaining-why-no-rarity-comes-from-packs-and-decks/16617), Elite Fourum (accessed Oct 25, 2026)
- [M-P promo cards guide](https://samuraiswordtokyo.com/blogs/news/m-p-promo-cards-guide), Samurai Sword Tokyo (accessed Oct 25, 2026)