There is no single best box, because people open Japanese product for different reasons. Some want the biggest possible hit, some want a first box that feels good to open and some just want their favourite Pokémon. These are the boxes we point people to for each.
For the biggest chase cards
High class sets pack the most chase cards into a box. Mega Dream ex is the standout right now, a 250 card set with 57 secret rares, seventeen of them Special Art Rares, plus a Mega Attack Rare in a typical box. Terastal Festival is the one for Eevee fans with Eevee and all eight of its evolutions as Pokémon ex, while Shiny Treasure ex is built around shiny Pokémon. High class boxes start from $173.88.
For your first Japanese box
A standard Mega era box is the easiest place to start. It holds 30 packs of 5 cards with a steady pattern inside that collectors rely on: typically three Art Rares, a Trainer SR and one card of SR or better. Mega Symphonia is our best seller and a great first box. Mega era boxes start from $118.88.
For Charizard fans
Inferno X is headlined by Mega Charizard X ex, which tops the set as its Mega Ultra Rare. Ruler of the Black Flame is built around Charizard ex with Special Art Rare, Ultra Rare and Super Rare versions in the one set. Our Charizard guide lists every set with a Charizard worth chasing.
For Pikachu fans
Super Electric Breaker is headlined by a Stellar Tera Pikachu ex with Special Art Rare and gold Ultra Rare versions. The 30th Celebration Box has thirty different Pikachu illustrations across the set with one in every pack. The Pikachu guide covers the rest.
For opening on a budget
Pack bundles are five sealed packs from one set, starting from $28.88. They are the cheapest way to open a set, though the box structure only holds across a full box, as the pull rates guide explains.
For collectors who keep boxes sealed
Some collectors buy a box to keep rather than open. The 30th Celebration sets, high class sets and older boxes like VSTAR Universe and Shiny Star V are the ones people tend to put on a shelf. We can't promise any box will rise in value, so buy a sealed box because you want to own it. Our storage guide covers keeping it in top condition.
Ready to open one?
Every box here is sealed Japanese stock on the shelf in Sydney, dispatched in 1 to 3 business days with flat $14 tracked shipping.
Mega Dream ex
Mega SymphoniaKai Chai is a Pokémon card collector in Sydney and the founder of WOOPR, a shop that sells only sealed Japanese product. More about WOOPR.
Sources
- Gamepedia Pokéca, pull rates and rarities by box (Japanese)
- Mirai Card Shop, Japanese booster box hit rates by era
- PokeGuardian, MEGA Dream ex secret rares
More guides
- Japanese vs English Pokémon booster boxesPacks per box, cards per pack, which comes out first and how the rarity names line up.
- How to start collecting Japanese Pokémon cardsWhat to collect, what to buy first and how to look after your cards.
- Pokémon card collecting terms explainedHits, chase cards, SAR, MUR, raw, slabbed and the rest, in plain English.
- Pokémon ex, V, VMAX and VSTAR cards explainedWhat ex, Mega ex, V, VMAX and VSTAR mean and how many Prize cards each gives up.
- Japanese twin sets compared: which one to openEvery twin pair we stock side by side, with top hits, card counts and prices.
- Japanese Pokémon cards as a gift: a buying guideGift picks at every budget, the extras worth adding and when to order.