Japanese fans have now posted all the secret rares from VSTAR Universe to social media, as you can see below! The set will release in Japan on Friday. This is the last Sword and Shield set; Japan will be moving on to Scarlet ex and Violet ex in January.
As expected, all 90 of the set's secret rares are alternate art reprints from the last year.
The set features 37 Art Rares, 25 Special Art Rares, 24 Secret Rares, and 4 Ultra Rares. The Art Rare and Special Art Rares were created just for this set -- to end the SWSH era with a bang!
The last nine Art Rares of the set -- Riolu through Mareep -- are their own set of cards that form a single illustration. They are all drawn by Kouki Saitou. The Pokemon are also purposefully out of order; for example, Turtwig (a Grass type) would usually go first. This is to honor the design of the illustration.
Strangely, the Charizard VMAX we received in our SWSH Ultra-Premium Collection is absent from the set. But the Charizard V and VSTAR are in. Presumably Japan will get the VMAX as a promo in the near-future.
Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Arceus are each featured as golden alternate arts -- the first of their kind. Together, they also form a mini illustration. They're drawn by Akira Egawa. These are fittingly the last cards of the set, and the last cards to be released in a SWSH set.
#259 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR (Astral Radiance)
#260 Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR (Astral Radiance)
#261 Giratina VSTAR (Lost Origin)
#262 Arceus VSTAR (Brilliant Stars)
The set (thankfully) doesn't have any Rainbow Rare cards. Perhaps this is the end of them?
As posted before, the set features basic Energy with a texture that transitions between Poke Balls and Energy symbols:
Here's an example of what can be pulled from a booster box. This fan pulled three Art Rares, one Special Art Rare, and two Secret Rares.
Unfortunately it seems Japan will not be getting the "anachronism" promos from our Celebrations products last year. Unless these will release in some sort of special product in the future, it seems these were created exclusively for the international TCG. This would also be one of the few times Japanese fans are not getting cards released outside of Japan.
SWSH132 Dragapult Prime
SWSH133 Lance’s Charizard V
SWSH135 Zacian LV.X
SWSH136 Mimikyu d
SWSH137 Light Toxtricity
SWSH138 Hydreigon C
SWSH144 Greninja Star
We will be getting all of this set's secret rares in our Crown Zenith set and its associated products. The set will start to release here on January 20th. Its products will slowly release from the winter through spring.
And now on to the VSTAR Universe secret rares!
Art Rares
#173 Hisuian Voltorb (Astral Radiance)
#174 Kricketune (Astral Radiance)
#175 Magmortar (Astral Radiance)
#176 Oricorio (Fusion Strike)
#177 Lapras (Brilliant Stars)
#178 Manaphy (Brilliant Stars)
#179 Keldeo (Astral Radiance)
#180 Electivire (Brilliant Stars)
#181 Toxtricity (Fusion Strike)
#182 Galarian Articuno (Chilling Reign)
#183 Mew (Celebrations)
#184 Lunatone (Pokemon GO)
#185 Deoxys (Fusion Strike)
#186 Diancie (Astral Radiance)
#187 Comfey (Lost Origin)
#188 Galarian Zapdos (Chilling Reign)
#189 Solrock (Pokemon GO)
#190 Galarian Moltres (Chilling Reign)
#191 Absol (Astral Radiance)
#192 Thievul (Astral Radiance)
#193 Magnezone (Astral Radiance)
#194 Altaria (Evolving Skies)
#195 Latias (Fusion Strike)
#196 Hisuian Goodra (Lost Origin)
#197 Ditto (Pokemon GO)
#198 Dunsparce (Fusion Strike)
#199 MIltank (Astral Radiance)
#200 Bibarel (Brilliant Stars)
#201 Swablu (Evolving Skies)
#202 Riolu (Brilliant Stars)
#203 Duskull (Brilliant Stars)
#204 Bidoof (Crown Zenith)
#205 Pikachu (Lost Origin)
#206 Paras (Lost Origin)
#207 Turtwig (Brilliant Stars)
#208 Poochyena (Astral Radiance)
#209 Mareep (Evolving Skies)
Special Art Rares
#210 Leafeon VSTAR
#211 Charizard V (Promo)
#212 Charizard VSTAR (Brilliant Stars)
#213 Entei V (Brilliant Stars)
#214 Simisear VSTAR (Crown Zenith)
#215 Suicune V (Evolving Skies)
#216 Lumineon V (Brilliant Stars)
#217 Glaceon VSTAR
#218 Raikou V (Brilliant Stars)
#219 Zeraora VMAX (Promo)
#220 Zeraora VSTAR (Promo)
#221 Mewtwo VSTAR (Pokemon GO)
#222 Deoxys VMAX (Promo)
#223 Deoxys VSTAR
#224 Hatterene VMAX (Crown Zenith)
#225 Zacian V (Celebrations)
#226 Lucario VSTAR (Promo)
#227 Drapion V (Lost Origin)
#228 Darkrai VSTAR (Astral Radiance)
#229 Hisuian Samurott V (Astral Radiance)
#230 Hisuian Samurott VSTAR (Astral Radiance)
#231 Hoopa V (Fusion Strike)
#232 Zamazenta V (Brilliant Stars)
#233 Regigigas V (Crown Zenith)
Secret Rares
#235 Colress’s Experiment (Lost Origin)
#236 Irida (Astral Radiance)
#237 Raihan (Evolving Skies)
#238 Grant (Astral Radiance)
#239 Cynthia’s Ambition (Brilliant Stars)
#240 Adaman (Astral Radiance)
#241 Cheren’s Care (Brilliant Stars)
#242 Roxanne (Astral Radiance)
#243 Gardenia’s Vigor (Astral Radiance)
#244 Melony (Chilling Reign)
#245 Volo (Lost Origin)
#246 Elesa’s Sparkle (Fusion Strike)
#247 Friends in Sinnoh (Crown Zenith)
#248 Professor’s Research (Rowan) (Brilliant Stars)
#249 Friends in Hisui (Crown Zenith)
#250 Boss’s Orders (Cyrus) (Brilliant Stars)
#152 Grass Energy
#153 Fire Energy
#154 Water Energy
#155 Lightning Energy
#156 Psychic Energy
#157 Fighting Energy
#158 Darkness Energy
#159 Metal Energy
Ultra Rares
#259 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR (Astral Radiance)
#260 Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR (Astral Radiance)
#261 Giratina VSTAR (Lost Origin)
#262 Arceus VSTAR (Brilliant Stars)
Stay tuned for information about the Scarlet and Violet sets! And be sure to follow us on Twitter and on Facebook for the latest Pokemon TCG news!