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Japanese Pokémon card rarities explained (AR, SAR, SR, UR, CHR and more)

Japanese Pokémon cards print a rarity code next to the card number. The codes changed between eras, so here is what each one means.

Scarlet & Violet era (2023–2025)

CodeMeaning
C / U / RCommon, Uncommon, Rare
RRDouble Rare — Pokémon ex
ARArt Rare — illustrated Pokémon card
SRSuper Rare — full-art Pokémon ex or trainer
SARSpecial Art Rare — fully illustrated Pokémon ex or trainer, usually the chase cards
URUltra Rare — gold card
ACEACE SPEC card

Sword & Shield era (2019–2022)

CodeMeaning
RR / RRRPokémon V / VMAX and VSTAR
SRFull art, including alternate-art "SA" versions
HRHyper Rare — rainbow cards
URGold cards
CHR / CSRCharacter Rare / Character Super Rare — Pokémon drawn with their trainer (from VMAX Climax)
ARArt Rare (from VSTAR Universe)
K / ARadiant and Amazing Rare Pokémon

Sun & Moon era (2017–2019)

RR marks Pokémon-GX, SR is full art, HR is rainbow and UR is gold. Shiny sets such as GX Ultra Shiny add S (shiny) and SSR (shiny full art).

Where to find the code

Look at the bottom of the card: the set code (for example SV2a), the card number (for example 201/165) and the rarity code sit together. Numbers above the set total are secret rares.

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