This Raikou Pokemon card guide follows one illustrator across two prints. In the official Japanese card database, ライコウ XY 033/171 (two separate database entries, ids 33585 and 33746) and ライコウ XY8-Br 026/059 all credit Shin Nagasawa, all print HP 120, and all carry the same ability and attack text.
The database prints no rarity letter for any of them, and we do not currently list either print. What we do list for Raikou is a different era entirely, so this guide stays with what the database states and points to our Raikou back orders only at the end. USD figures convert at ¥154/USD, approximate.
- Three database rows, one design: XY 033/171 appears twice (ids 33585 and 33746) and XY8-Br 026/059 once, each credited to Shin Nagasawa with HP 120 and the same ability and attack.
- The ability ひかるからだ and the attack サンダーランス are shared by all three rows, so the number and set are what separate them.
- Raikou we currently offer as a PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121) — sourced to order; the product page shows the current terms: the VSTAR Universe 218/172 SAR, a different card by a different illustrator.
The Three Database Rows
The official card search on pokemon-card.com lists 24 Raikou entries. Three of them are credited to Shin Nagasawa. The table gives each row’s identifiers exactly as the database prints them.
| Card | Set code and number | Database id | Illustrator | HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ライコウ | XY 033/171 | 33585 | Shin Nagasawa | 120 |
| ライコウ | XY 033/171 | 33746 | Shin Nagasawa | 120 |
| ライコウ | XY8-Br 026/059 | 31394 | Shin Nagasawa | 120 |
All three rows show the Pokedex entry No.243, the Thunder Pokemon (いかずちポケモン). The XY 033/171 numbering shares its set code and its /171 count with the Entei XY 011/171 that our listing places in High Class Pack “The Best of XY”, which is why this guide treats the card as the Best of XY print. Our Best of XY guide covers the pack.
The Pokedex numbers also place the beast among its two partners: the database shows No.243 on every Raikou entry that prints a Pokedex number, No.244 on the Entei entries and No.245 on the Suicune entries. In the games, the three beasts trace back to Pokemon Gold & Silver (1999), where lightning struck the Brass Tower, Ho-Oh revived three Pokemon, and the Burned Tower links lightning to Raikou, fire to Entei and rain to Suicune; our legendary beasts guide tells that story in full.
The set code XY8-Br is the Red Flash print: our legendary beasts guide records the Japanese Red Flash number as #026/059, with the English counterpart in BREAKthrough at #55/162 (English numbering, from that guide).
What the Card Says
The database prints identical text for all three rows. It is a Basic Pokemon with one ability and one attack. Rendered from the Japanese (rendering):
| Printed name | Type | Effect (rendering) |
|---|---|---|
| ひかるからだ | Ability | If this Pokemon has Energy attached, the damage it takes from attacks is reduced by 20. |
| サンダーランス | Attack, 50+ | 50 damage, plus 20 more for each Energy attached to this Pokemon. |
The English names for the two effects are our renderings of the Japanese names, not official English card names. The text belongs to these Raikou prints; it says nothing about other Raikou cards. A card with no Energy attached gets no reduction and a base 50 damage; each Energy attached raises the damage by 20 and also satisfies the ability’s condition.
For the Raikou from the same years that credits other illustrators, the text is different, as the later table shows. If you are matching a card from a binder, the ability name ひかるからだ is a quick check before the illustrator credit.
XY 033/171 and Its Two Entries
The database holds two separate entries with the same printed number, XY 033/171: ids 33585 and 33746. Both credit Shin Nagasawa, both print HP 120, and both carry the text above. The database does not explain why there are two entries, and the pages do not state a difference in rarity, set or artwork. Rather than guess, treat them as one print listed twice.
When you check a card against the database, use the number, the set code and the illustrator credit; the id is a database detail that is not printed on the card.
XY8-Br 026/059
The XY8-Br print has a smaller set count: 059 against the 171 of the other print. Same illustrator, same HP, same ability and attack. The card is a separate print in a separate set, so a collector who wants every Shin Nagasawa Raikou needs both numbers, not one.
| Question | XY 033/171 | XY8-Br 026/059 |
|---|---|---|
| Set count printed | 171 | 59 |
| Database entries | 2 (33585 and 33746) | 1 (31394) |
| Illustrator | Shin Nagasawa | Shin Nagasawa |
| HP | 120 | 120 |
| Ability and attack | ひかるからだ, サンダーランス | ひかるからだ, サンダーランス |
| Rarity letter | Not in the database | Not in the database |
Shin Nagasawa and the Legendary Beasts
Shin Nagasawa’s name also appears in the database on two Entei prints: Entei SD 014/127 and Entei SM11a 011/064. Both are regular Entei cards, not Entei V or ex. Among the 25 Suicune entries in the same database, none credits him.
| Beast | Illustrator | HP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raikou | XY 033/171 (ids 33585, 33746) | Shin Nagasawa | 120 |
| Raikou | XY8-Br 026/059 | Shin Nagasawa | 120 |
| Entei | SD 014/127 | Shin Nagasawa | 130 |
| Entei | SM11a 011/064 | Shin Nagasawa | 130 |
The two Entei cards share one set of text with each other and differ from the Raikou text, which fits cards drawn for different Pokemon. The wider Entei story is in our Entei cards guide.
How to Identify a Raikou with HP 120
Raikou prints with HP 120 are common enough in the database that a quick checklist helps. Start from what is printed on the card and work down the table; each line points to one design family, using only the database facts above.
| What you see on the card | What it points to |
|---|---|
| Ability ひかるからだ and attack サンダーランス | The Nagasawa design: XY 033/171 or XY8-Br 026/059 |
| Set count 171 in the number | XY 033/171 (two database entries, ids 33585 and 33746) |
| Set count 059 in the number | XY8-Br 026/059 (id 31394) |
| Attacks とどろくらいめい and ライトニングボール | One of the three Mitsuhiro Arita prints (SM3p, SMH or SM8b) |
| Attack ロストボルテージ | SM8 037/095 (Kagemaru Himeno) or SM12a 044/173 (nagimiso) |
| Attack アメイジングシュート with HP 110 | S3a 015/076 or M6a 162/103 (both Hideki Ishikawa) |
The number over the set count is the decisive field. Two cards can share an illustrator and an HP and still be different prints, which is exactly the situation with the Nagasawa pair.
The two Entei cards by the same illustrator
For contrast, the two Entei cards credited to Shin Nagasawa read differently from his Raikou. Entei SD 014/127 and SM11a 011/064 are both HP 130 with the attacks まきかえす (30 damage, plus 90 more if one of your Pokemon was Knocked Out by an attack during your opponent’s last turn) and ほのおのたてがみ (100 damage) (rendering). The two Entei cards share one card text, just as the three Raikou rows share another.
Where the 24 Raikou Rows Fall
To place the Nagasawa prints in the whole Raikou list, here is how the 24 database rows split by set code.
| Set code(s) | Rows | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LP | 2 | 061/L-P and 064/L-P, Noriko Hotta |
| DP3 | 1 | DPBP#293, Ryo Ueda |
| L2-B | 2 | The Entei & Raikou LEGEND and the Raikou & Suicune LEGEND, Shinji Higuchi |
| BW4-B | 1 | Raikou EX 025/069, shizurow |
| XY and XY8-Br | 3 | The Nagasawa rows in this guide |
| SM3p, SMH, SM8b, SM8, SM12a | 5 | Arita (three), Himeno, nagimiso |
| S3a | 1 | 015/076, Hideki Ishikawa |
| S12a and SI | 4 | Raikou V, including the SAR 218/172 and two SI 137/414 entries |
| M1S, M6, M6a | 5 | Takumi Wada; aky CG Works and Oku; Hideki Ishikawa |
The three Nagasawa rows are therefore one in eight of the Raikou rows. The newest entries are the M1S, M6 and M6a cards, and the Storm Emeralda Raikou ex prints are listed on our M6 card list.
Other Raikou Prints Around the Same Years
If you are comparing the Nagasawa design with the Raikou that followed it, the database gives a clear picture. The Sun & Moon prints below keep HP 120 but change the attacks.
| Illustrator | HP | Attack text (rendering) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| XY 033/171, XY8-Br 026/059 | Shin Nagasawa | 120 | サンダーランス: 50, plus 20 per attached Energy |
| SM3p 033/072 | Mitsuhiro Arita | 120 | とどろくらいめい: attach an Energy from your discard pile to a Benched Pokemon; ライトニングボール 90 |
| SMH 035/131 | Mitsuhiro Arita | 120 | Same two attacks as SM3p 033/072 |
| SM8b 034/150 | Mitsuhiro Arita | 120 | Same two attacks as SM3p 033/072 |
| SM8 037/095 | Kagemaru Himeno | 120 | ロストボルテージ: 30, plus 90 if you have Energy in your Lost Zone |
| SM12a 044/173 | nagimiso | 120 | Same attack as SM8 037/095 |
The ability ひかるからだ appears only on the Nagasawa print, in this table. The three Arita prints share one card text, and the Himeno and nagimiso prints share another. Because the numbers and sets differ while the HP matches, the illustrator credit is what separates one design from another when a binder page is full of Raikou 120s. The three Arita prints are covered in our Mitsuhiro Arita Raikou guide, and the full 24-row list is in our Raikou cards checklist.
For the Raikou V in VSTAR Universe, see our Raikou V PSA 10 guide; for the beasts together, the legendary beasts guide; and for the 2026 reprint, the Raikou 162/103 guide.
The M6 Storm Emeralda booster box in the shop card earlier in this guide is the set with the three Raikou ex prints: 024/076 and 092/076 by aky CG Works and 108/076 by Oku. The box is a different product from the XY Raikou above.
What We Currently List for Raikou
We do not currently list the XY 033/171 or XY8-Br 026/059 print. The Raikou back orders we do list are different cards, each with its own illustrator and set.
| Listing (as named by us) | Set | Our price |
|---|---|---|
| PSA10 Raikou V SAR [s12a 218/172] | High Class Pack “VSTAR Universe” | PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121) |
| PSA10 Raikou EX SR :1ED [BW4 071/069] | Expansion Pack “Dark Rush” | PSA 10 back order at ¥148,720 (~$966) |
| PSA10 Raikou :1ED [e4 039/088] | Expansion Pack Vol.4 “Split Earth” | PSA 10 back order at ¥264,600 (~$1,718) |
Each back order is sourced to order; the product page shows the current terms. The V SAR 218/172 is credited to nagimiso in the database, the same credit as the SM12a 044/173 Raikou in the table above.
The October 29, 2026 Trademark Report
On October 29, 2026 fan sites reported a Japanese trademark filing for 「イナズマの衝撃」 (working English translation: Lightning Impact; no official English name exists), which collectors read as a possible Raikou set; nothing is announced. Our Lightning Impact trademark guide explains what is confirmed and what is not, and the ex★ 2027 round-up sets it beside the other three reported names.
Where to Buy Raikou Cards from Japan
Raikou V SAR 218/172: PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121). Raikou EX SR 1st Edition BW4 071/069: PSA 10 back order at ¥148,720 (~$966). Raikou 1st Edition e4 039/088: PSA 10 back order at ¥264,600 (~$1,718). All three are sourced to order and the product pages show the current terms.
For a sealed box with Raikou ex prints, the M6 Storm Emeralda Booster Box is listed at Sealed ¥8,926 (~$58) / No Shrink ¥8,853 (~$57); the set is also on the M6 card list. Browse every set on the card list hub. A request for the XY Raikou, which we do not list, goes through Quick Order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who illustrated Raikou XY 033/171 and XY8-Br 026/059?
The official Japanese card database credits Shin Nagasawa on both prints. XY 033/171 appears as two database entries (ids 33585 and 33746) and XY8-Br 026/059 as one (id 31394).
What does Raikou XY 033/171 do?
Rendered from the printed Japanese: the ability ひかるからだ reduces the damage this Pokemon takes from attacks by 20 while it has Energy attached, and the attack サンダーランス does 50 damage plus 20 more for each Energy attached. HP is 120.
Why are there two database entries for XY 033/171?
The database holds both entries with the same number, illustrator, HP and text, and does not say why. We treat them as one print listed twice and use the number, set code and illustrator to identify a card.
What rarity are these Raikou cards?
The official database does not print a rarity letter for either print, so this guide does not name one.
Do you sell Raikou XY 033/171?
We do not currently list it. The Raikou cards we offer as PSA 10 back orders, sourced to order, are the VSTAR Universe 218/172 SAR at ¥18,574 (~$121), the BW4 071/069 1st Edition SR at ¥148,720 (~$966) and the e4 039/088 1st Edition at ¥264,600 (~$1,718); the product pages show the current terms. Requests for a card we do not list go through Quick Order.
Did Shin Nagasawa illustrate any Entei or Suicune cards?
The database credits him on two Entei prints, SD 014/127 and SM11a 011/064. None of the 25 Suicune entries credits him.
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