Raikou V PSA 10 searches usually point at one of four Japanese ライコウV rows in the official Pokémon Card Game database on pokemon-card.com, as printed on October 29, 2026: S12a 038/172, S12a 218/172, and two separate entries that are both printed SI 137/414. All four show HP 200, and the printed ability and attack are word for word the same on every row.
So the differences are not in the rules text. They are in the set, the printed number, and the illustrator credit. The S12a 038/172 and both SI entries credit PLANETA Mochizuki, while the S12a 218/172 credits nagimiso. This guide lays the four rows side by side, shows each official card image, and says plainly what the database does and does not print, so you can place the card in your hand or on a slab label.
We sell Japanese sealed product and graded singles from Tokyo. USD figures convert at ¥154/USD, approximate.
- The official database lists four ライコウV rows: S12a 038/172, S12a 218/172, and two entries both printed SI 137/414 (database ids 40379 and 40620). Every row shows HP 200 and identical card text.
- 038/172 and both SI entries credit PLANETA Mochizuki; 218/172 credits nagimiso. The 218/172 is numbered above the set’s printed 172, and the database does not print a rarity letter for it.
- The 218/172 is the print we list: our listing names it SAR, and it is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121), sourced to order.
All Four Raikou V Rows in One Table
The official database holds four rows for the exact name ライコウV. Two belong to the high-class pack VSTAR Universe (set code S12a) and two to the Start Deck 100 set (set code SI). The table below uses only values the database prints; the last column adds what we list.
| Set · number | Database id | Illustrator | HP | Number above the set count? | Our listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S12a 038/172 | 42299 | PLANETA Mochizuki | 200 | No | No listing of this row in our sources |
| S12a 218/172 | 42868 | nagimiso | 200 | Yes (218 against 172) | PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121) |
| SI 137/414 | 40379 | PLANETA Mochizuki | 200 | No | No listing of this row in our sources |
| SI 137/414 | 40620 | PLANETA Mochizuki | 200 | No | No listing of this row in our sources |
Two things stand out. First, the same printed number appears twice in the SI set with two different database ids; the database does not explain why. Second, only one row carries a number higher than its set count. That is the 218/172, and it is the print our PSA 10 listing carries. Our Raikou V PSA 10 guide looks at the graded card; this article stays on the versions themselves.
S12a 038/172: The Regular Raikou V
VSTAR Universe (S12a) is a high-class pack. Our legendary beasts guide dates the set to Friday, December 2, 2022. The Raikou V in the main numbering is 038/172, credited to PLANETA Mochizuki, with HP 200 and the Basic stage.
This is the card sitting in the ordinary part of the set: its number is below the printed 172, so it is part of the main list rather than the secret-numbered range. The same illustrator credit, PLANETA Mochizuki, also appears on the Entei V in the same set (019/172) and on the Entei V in the Start Deck 100 set (SI 056/414). Whether two cards credited to the same illustrator share identical artwork is not something the credit alone establishes, and we do not claim it.
We do not have a listing for this row in our sources. If you want it, sourcing requests for a specific card go through Quick Order.
S12a 218/172: The nagimiso Print
The 218/172 is the S12a print numbered above the set’s printed 172, credited to nagimiso. The database shows the same HP 200 and the same ability and attack as the 038/172, but a different illustrator. The database does not print a rarity letter. Our own listing names the card “PSA10 Raikou V SAR [s12a 218/172]”, so we call it the SAR (as our listing names it) and nowhere else claim a rarity the database does not show.
nagimiso is also the illustrator credited on a different Raikou in the database, the SM12a 044/173 Raikou, so the name is not new to the beast. That card is a Basic Raikou with HP 120 and not a V, so it is a different card.
Here is the same card in the slab form we list, a PSA 10 copy of the 218/172:
Because the number is the first thing to check, the slab label for this card should show 218/172 and the S12a set. A label that shows 038/172 is the regular print, not this one.
SI 137/414: The Two Start Deck 100 Entries
The Start Deck 100 set (code SI) went on sale in Japan on Friday, December 17, 2021 at an official price of ¥790 per deck. The official wording says each deck is one of 100 kinds, picked at random by deck number from 001 to 100. The Raikou V in that set is printed 137/414, credited to PLANETA Mochizuki, with HP 200.
The database holds two separate entries for it, ids 40379 and 40620. Both are printed SI 137/414 and both show the same credit, HP and text. We show both images so you can see them.
Our Start Deck 100 Battle Collection guide covers the later product in the line. The MEGA Start Deck 100 Battle Collection (MC, released Friday, December 19, 2025) is a different product from the 2021 SI set; we currently list it at ¥1,097 (~$7), and it does not contain the SI Raikou V.
This box is not from the Raikou V’s set. We show it because a different Raikou, the 162/103 in the Classic Collection of M6a 30th CELEBRATION (released Wednesday, September 16, 2026), is covered in our Raikou 162/103 guide.
The Card Text, Rendered
All four database rows print the same text. The table renders the Japanese in English (rendering).
| Name (as printed) | Type | Effect, rendered |
|---|---|---|
| しゅんそく | Ability | While this Pokémon is in the Active Spot, you may use this once during your turn. Draw 1 card from your deck. (rendering) |
| ライトニングロンド | Attack, 20+ | Does 20 damage, plus 20 more for each Benched Pokémon on both sides. (rendering) |
| Special rule | Pokémon V | When this Pokémon is Knocked Out, your opponent takes 2 Prize cards. (rendering) |
Because the text is identical on S12a 038/172, S12a 218/172 and both SI entries, nothing printed on the cards separates one version from another except the set, the number and the illustrator credit. The rendering above is a plain-English reading of the printed Japanese and not an official translation, and it does not say anything about how well the card performs in play.
How to Tell Which Raikou V You Hold
A Raikou V is placed by its number over the denominator and by the illustrator credit.
| What the card shows | Version it points to |
|---|---|
| 038/172 with the S12a set mark | VSTAR Universe regular print, credited to PLANETA Mochizuki |
| 218/172 with the S12a set mark | VSTAR Universe print numbered above the set count, credited to nagimiso |
| 137/414 with the SI set mark | Start Deck 100 print, credited to PLANETA Mochizuki; the database holds two entries for it |
| A card named Raikou without the V | A different card; see our legendary beasts guide |
If two sleeves hold a 038/172 and a 218/172, the first check is the number in the lower corner. The two S12a prints look different because the 218/172 carries the nagimiso art, and a PSA 10 slab will print the number on its label as well. The illustrator credit is the second check, because it is printed on the card face.
Raikou V Next to Entei V and Suicune V
VSTAR Universe prints a V for each of the three legendary beasts, each with a regular number and a number above the set count. The table puts them side by side with the illustrator credits from the database and the PSA 10 back orders we list.
| Beast | Regular V | Number above set count | Illustrator of that print | Our PSA 10 back order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entei V | 019/172 (PLANETA Mochizuki) | 213/172 | Shigenori Negishi | ¥15,525 (~$101) |
| Raikou V | 038/172 (PLANETA Mochizuki) | 218/172 | nagimiso | ¥18,574 (~$121) |
| Suicune V | 024/172 (Ayaka Yoshida) | 215/172 | Atsushi Furusawa | ¥18,620 (~$121) |
Our listing names for the three numbered-above prints all read SAR, as our listing names them. Each of the three has a different illustrator, and each beast’s regular V is a separate database row. For the other two beasts see our Entei V PSA 10 guide and the Suicune Japanese cards guide. Each back order is sourced to order, and each product page shows the current terms.
The PSA 10 Back Order for 218/172
The Raikou V SAR 218/172 is offered as a PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121) — sourced to order; the product page shows the current terms. A back order means we source a PSA 10 copy after you order, which is different from a slab already waiting on a shelf, so the page describes terms rather than a stock count.
When you read that product page, compare three things against this guide: the number (218/172), the set (S12a, VSTAR Universe) and the card name (Raikou V). Those three together point to the nagimiso print. If a listing for a Raikou V does not show 218/172, it is another version from the table above.
The PSA 10 designation is PSA’s own grade; this article does not rank the condition of any specific copy and does not make a statement about the grade of a copy we have not handled. For a longer look at the card as a graded single, the Raikou V PSA 10 guide is the companion piece to this one.
What the Database Does Not Say
The official database is precise about numbers, credits and card text and silent on other points. These are the gaps, and none of them is filled in by guesswork here.
| Question | What is stated |
|---|---|
| Rarity letter of 038/172, 218/172 and the SI entries | Not printed by the database. Our listing names the 218/172 SAR; nothing in our sources gives a letter for the other rows. |
| Why SI 137/414 has two database ids | Not stated. |
| Whether PLANETA Mochizuki’s three Raikou V credits share one artwork | Not established by the credit alone. |
| Which Start Deck 100 deck contains the SI Raikou V | The official page features the Raikou V in deck No.100 with Entei V and Suicune V; other deck numbers are not stated in our sources. |
| English-language equivalent of the Raikou V | Collectors search the English print as “Raikou V GG41”; we do not give its number, date or price as fact. |
| Grade population of the 218/172 | Not in our sources. |
Where a point is missing, the honest answer on the page is “not stated in the official database / our sources”, and that is how we write it.
Raikou and the October 29 Trademark Reports
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 article explains what is confirmed and what is not, and the round-up of the four reported marks puts them side by side.
If you came here for the current Raikou prints, the recent Raikou ex from Storm Emeralda is the subject of a sibling article: Storm Emeralda Booster Box vs Raikou ex Singles.
Where to Buy Raikou Cards from Japan
Raikou V SAR 218/172: PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121), sourced to order. The same VSTAR Universe set has the Entei V SAR 213/172 as a PSA 10 back order at ¥15,525 (~$101) and the Suicune V SAR 215/172 at ¥18,620 (~$121).
For a sealed box, the M6a 30th CELEBRATION Booster Box is currently listed at Sealed ¥23,750 (~$154) / No Shrink ¥23,021 (~$149), and the M6 Storm Emeralda Booster Box at Sealed ¥8,926 (~$58) / No Shrink ¥8,853 (~$57). Neither box is from the Raikou V’s set.
Browse the S12a VSTAR Universe card list for the set as a whole. Sourcing requests for a specific print, such as the 038/172 or the SI entries, go through Quick Order.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Japanese Raikou V prints are there?
The official database lists four rows for ライコウV as of October 29, 2026: S12a 038/172, S12a 218/172, and two entries that are both printed SI 137/414 (ids 40379 and 40620). All four show HP 200.
What is the difference between Raikou V 038/172 and 218/172?
Both are VSTAR Universe (S12a) cards with the same text and HP 200. The 038/172 is credited to PLANETA Mochizuki; the 218/172 is numbered above the set’s 172 and credited to nagimiso.
How much is a Raikou V 218/172 PSA 10?
We offer it as a PSA 10 back order at ¥18,574 (~$121), sourced to order; the product page shows the current terms.
Is the Raikou V in Start Deck 100 the same as the S12a card?
It has the same HP and text and the same PLANETA Mochizuki credit as the 038/172, but it is a separate database entry printed SI 137/414. The database holds two such entries, with ids 40379 and 40620.
Does the official database show the rarity of Raikou V 218/172?
No. The database prints the number, the illustrator, the HP and the text, but not a rarity letter. Our listing names the 218/172 SAR, and the number sits above the set count of 172.
How do I order a Raikou V print you do not list?
Sourcing requests for a specific card go through Quick Order at samuraiswordtokyo.com/#quick-order. The product page for the 218/172 back order shows its current terms.
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