Ninja Spinner M4 English Equivalent: Chaos Rising ME04 (2026)
By Dexhaul Team · October 4, 2026
Japanese Ninja Spinner (M4) released March 13, 2026 and became English Chaos Rising (ME04) on May 22, 2026: the fourth main set in the Mega Evolution series. That 70-day window between JP and EN was the longest localization gap in the series to that point; ME05 Pitch Black later shortened it to 56 days.
Every card in JP M4 has an English equivalent in ME04. The EN set added 13 regular cards (EN regular set: 086 vs JP regular set: 073), and brought formats unavailable in Japan: the Elite Trainer Box, Booster Bundle, and Build & Battle Kit. For the same comparison on ME05, see Abyss Eye M5 vs Pitch Black ME05.
JP M4 to EN ME04: Set mapping
| Detail | JP Ninja Spinner (M4) | EN Chaos Rising (ME04) |
|---|---|---|
| Set code | M4 | ME04 |
| Release date | March 13, 2026 | May 22, 2026 |
| JP-to-EN gap | 70 days (longest in ME series at release) | |
| Packs per booster box | 30 | 36 |
| Cards per pack | 5 | 10 |
| Cards per box | 150 | 360 |
| Regular set size | 073 cards | 086 cards |
| Language | Japanese only | English only |
| Chase SIR | Mega Greninja ex SIR | Mega Greninja ex SIR (116/086) |
What's different in the box
The JP M4 booster box and EN ME04 booster box look similar on the outside. The gap is significant once you open them.
A JP M4 box holds 30 packs of 5 cards each: 150 cards total. An EN ME04 box holds 36 packs of 10 cards each: 360 cards total.
The EN box delivers 2.4 times as many cards. EN also arrives with product formats that have no JP equivalent.
| Format | JP M4 | EN ME04 | Key difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booster Box | 30 packs × 5 cards (150 total) | 36 packs × 10 cards (360 total) | EN box has 2.4x more cards |
| Elite Trainer Box | Not available | $69.99 (observed Oct 4, 2026) | EN-only; includes MEP 081 Mega Greninja ex oversized card |
| Booster Bundle | Not available | $32.99 (observed Oct 4, 2026) | EN-only multi-pack format |
| Build & Battle Kit | Not available | CA$49.99 (observed Oct 4, 2026) | EN-only prerelease format |
| Single booster pack | $5.99 USD (observed Oct 4, 2026) | $6.95 USD (observed Oct 4, 2026) | Small per-pack premium for EN |
The EN ME04 Elite Trainer Box is the most format-unique product. It contains 9 booster packs, standard accessories, and the exclusive MEP 081 Mega Greninja ex oversized jumbo card. That card cannot be pulled from any ME04 booster pack; the ETB or the Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection are the only paths to it.
Card-number crosswalk: top ME04 cards and their M4 equivalents
Cards numbered 001 through 073 share the same base number in both JP M4 and EN ME04. The EN set added cards 074 through 086 with no JP equivalents.
Secret rares are numbered above 086 in EN and above 073 in JP, with the EN sequence running higher due to the expanded regular set. The full JP M4 card list is on Limitless TCG; EN ME04 cards are indexed on Serebii's Chaos Rising set page.
| Card | JP M4 number | EN ME04 number | Rarity | EN observed price (Oct 4, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesnaught | 013/073 | 013/086 | Holo Rare | $0.71 |
| Dragalge ex | DR (above 073) | DR (above 086) | Double Rare | $2.77 |
| Mega Dragalge ex | SIR (above 073) | SIR (above 086) | Special Illustration Rare | $38.61 |
| Mega Greninja ex | DR (above 073) | DR (above 086) | Double Rare | market rate varies |
| Mega Greninja ex SIR | SIR (above 073) | 116/086 | Special Illustration Rare | $182–240 |
Mega Dragalge ex is the only Mega Evolution in the entire ME series to be a TCG-only Mega form: Dragalge's Mega Evolution has no counterpart in any mainline Pokémon game, making ME04 the first and only English release to feature it.
Japanese or English Four questions that decide it
Price per card
A JP M4 box floors at $66 USD (observed October 4, 2026) for 150 cards: $0.44 per card. An EN ME04 box floors at $179.99 USD (observed October 4, 2026) for 360 cards: $0.50 per card.
The $114 headline price gap narrows to a $0.06 per-card difference once pack structure is accounted for. Importers are not getting 2.7 times more card value per dollar. They are getting a language format, not a volume discount.
Play legality
JP M4 cards are legal only in the Japanese TCG Standard format. EN ME04 cards are legal only in the English Standard format.
A collector who imported JP M4 in March 2026 had a 70-day head start on seeing the set's contents and top cards. That lead came with a trade-off: none of those JP cards could be sleeved up for an English local game store tournament. For competitive players who need cards for English events, only ME04 English cards count.
Language, artwork, and display
JP M4 cards carry Japanese text and use Japanese promotional numbering above 073 for secret rares. EN ME04 cards run 087 through at least 116 for secret rares. The two sets share identical artwork for every card in positions 001 through 073; the 13 EN-only additions (074–086) have no JP equivalent art.
For sealed display, the JP M4 box features the original Japanese packaging and branding. Collectors who prefer that aesthetic buy JP; those displaying English sealed products buy EN.
Grading
PSA and CGC both accept JP M4 and EN ME04 cards for grading. JP Holo Rares from M4 can command a modest premium for PSA 10 copies due to the smaller print run compared with EN ME04.
The Mega Greninja ex SIR at 116/086 is the chase card in either version. Its EN price of $182–240 raw makes it the highest-observed single across all in-print ME sets. See our Chaos Rising format guide for the full sealed product breakdown.
Chaos Rising ME04 as a gift this holiday season
The EN ME04 Elite Trainer Box at $69.99 sits in the strongest range for a Pokémon TCG gift: enough packs to open, accessories to actually use, and the exclusive MEP 081 Mega Greninja ex oversized card as the headline item.
JP M4 boxes are a strong alternative for a collector who displays sealed Japanese product. The lower observed price ($66–68 vs $179.99 for the EN booster box) reads as a deal, but the per-card comparison above shows the real difference is small. Match the format to what the recipient actually opens or displays, not just the sticker price.
For more ME04 format comparisons and full contents, see the Chaos Rising buyers guide or browse the full Q4 2026 TCG release calendar.
FAQ
Is Ninja Spinner M4 the same as Chaos Rising ME04?
Yes. Ninja Spinner is the official Japanese set name (released March 13, 2026 on pokemon-card.com); Chaos Rising is the English localization of the same set, released May 22, 2026. The set codes are M4 (JP) and ME04 (EN).
Can I use JP M4 cards in English TCG tournaments?
No. JP M4 cards are legal only in the Japanese TCG Standard format.
English Standard tournaments require EN ME04 cards. DexHaul is independent and unofficial; confirm legality with your tournament organizer before an event.
Why does the EN ME04 set have more cards than JP M4?
EN ME04 has 086 regular cards versus JP M4's 073. The English release added 13 cards (positions 074–086) with no JP equivalents. This is consistent with the EN localization process adding regional promo integrations and additional art treatments.
Which is cheaper to open, JP M4 or EN ME04?
On a per-card basis the difference is $0.06 (JP $0.44 vs EN $0.50, at observed October 4, 2026 floor prices). The JP booster box has a lower headline price ($66 vs $179.99) because it contains 2.4 times fewer cards. Single EN packs at $6.95 are slightly more expensive than JP packs at $5.99.
What is the best card in Chaos Rising ME04?
By observed secondary market price as of October 4, 2026, the Mega Greninja ex Special Illustration Rare (116/086) is the highest-priced single in ME04 at $182–240 raw. It is also the highest-priced single across all in-print ME sets. Mega Dragalge ex SIR is the second-highest at $38.61.
Browse every in-stock Japanese and English Chaos Rising ME04 listing from independent shops at DexHaul's Japanese Cards collection. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, not affiliated with The Pokémon Company.