Shiny Star V (S4a, 2020): English Equivalent and Card Mapping
By Dexhaul Team · October 12, 2026 · 7 min read
Japanese Shiny Star V (S4a) is the High Class Pack that became English Shining Fates.
S4a released in Japan on November 27, 2020, per Limitless TCG. The English counterpart, Shining Fates (SHF), arrived on February 19, 2021. Both sets introduced a new pull category to the Sword & Shield era: Shiny-form V and Shiny-form VMAX cards, where every Pokémon appears in its alternate color instead of the standard version.
Shiny Star V to Shining Fates: Set Mapping at a Glance
| Detail | Japanese: Shiny Star V (S4a) | English: Shining Fates (SHF) |
|---|---|---|
| Set code | S4a | SHF |
| Release date | November 27, 2020 | February 19, 2021 |
| Set type | High Class Pack | High Class Set |
| Total cards | 307 (per Limitless TCG) | 195 (73 base + 122 Shiny Vault) |
| Cards per pack | 10 | 10 |
| Packs per booster box | 10 | Not sold in booster boxes |
| Shiny Pokémon mechanic | Yes (debut) | Yes (Shiny Vault, SV001-SV122) |
| Key chase card | Shiny Charizard VMAX | Shiny Charizard VMAX (SV107/SV122) |
| Language | Japanese | English |
S4a is the primary Japanese source for Shining Fates. The most striking difference is card count: S4a has 307 cards while Shining Fates has 195. The gap exists because Shining Fates deliberately omitted a portion of S4a's highest-rarity parallel cards, including some Character Rare (CHR) trainer cards that have never received an official English printing.
DexHaul's Japanese sets and English equivalents reference page covers the full Sword & Shield through Mega Evolution era mapping.
On this page 6 sections
Pack and Box Differences
| Feature | JP S4a Booster Box | EN Shining Fates ETB |
|---|---|---|
| Packs per product | 10 | 10 (Elite Trainer Box) |
| Cards per pack | 10 | 10 |
| Total cards per product | 100 | 100 (ETB only) |
| Language | Japanese only | English |
| Available sealed formats | 10-pack booster box | ETB, Mad Party Pin Collections |
| Card stock | Thinner, single holofoil layer | Standard SWSH English stock |
| Official JP MSRP per pack | 440 yen (pokemon-card.com) | $4.99 USD at US retail |
Both formats give you 100 cards per product at the standard retail configuration. The Japanese booster box is a self-contained 10-pack unit. English Shining Fates was never sold in a traditional 36-pack booster box format: it shipped exclusively in Elite Trainer Boxes and smaller premium products, which is why EN sealed stock looks and prices differently to most other SWSH sets.
Key Card Crosswalk
The cards below appear in both S4a and Shining Fates. For the full numbered crosswalk, Limitless TCG's S4a page lists every JP card alongside its English counterpart where one exists.
| Card | JP Rarity (S4a) | In EN Shining Fates |
|---|---|---|
| Shiny Charizard VMAX | SSR (Shiny Super Rare) | Yes (SV107/SV122 Shiny Vault) |
| Shiny Eevee | Shiny Rare | Yes (Shiny Vault) |
| Shiny Mew | Shiny Rare | Yes (Shiny Vault) |
| Shiny Dragapult VMAX | SSR | Yes (SV122/SV122 Shiny Vault) |
| Shiny Rillaboom VMAX | SSR | Yes (Shiny Vault) |
| Shiny Inteleon VMAX | SSR | Yes (Shiny Vault) |
| Shiny Cinderace VMAX | SSR | Yes (Shiny Vault) |
| Bea's Sirfetch'd V (CHR) | CHR (Character Rare) | No English equivalent |
| Nessa's Drednaw V (CHR) | CHR | No English equivalent |
| Marnie's Morpeko V (CHR) | CHR | No English equivalent |
The Shiny V and Shiny VMAX cards translate directly: every shiny-form Pokémon in S4a has a corresponding card in Shining Fates' Shiny Vault, with the same artwork. The Character Rare (CHR) trainer cards are where the gap opens up. These illustrated full-art cards feature a trainer character alongside their Pokémon and were included in S4a's card pool. Most did not carry forward to Shining Fates EN, making them JP-exclusive pulls with no official English counterpart.
Why the 112-Card Gap Matters
S4a has 307 total cards. Shining Fates has 195. That 112-card difference is not random filler.
S4a was the first Sword & Shield High Class Pack, a format where The Pokémon Company (Japan) collects V and VMAX cards from across multiple earlier sets and reprints them alongside brand-new high-rarity alternates in a single premium release. The set draws from S1 through S4, which is why its total card count dwarfs a single standard expansion.
When Shining Fates was built from S4a, the English team carried across the full Shiny Vault (the 122 shiny-form parallels) and the main V and VMAX cards. They left behind most of the CHR (Character Rare) trainer cards. These CHR cards feature illustrated scenes of trainer characters alongside their Pokémon: Bea with Sirfetch'd, Nessa with Drednaw, Marnie with Morpeko. They are printed only in Japanese. No official English versions of these specific S4a CHR cards were released through Shining Fates or any subsequent set. Collectors who want them must buy the Japanese cards directly.
Japanese or English: Which Should You Buy?
Chasing shiny-form cards
For Shiny V and Shiny VMAX cards, both the Japanese and English versions give the same artwork. A sealed JP S4a box and a sealed EN Shining Fates ETB both deliver 10 packs of 10 cards, so the raw pack count per product is identical. The pull rate for specific Shiny cards is roughly comparable per product opened.
In October 2026, sealed JP S4a boxes are observed between $137 and $329 USD across DexHaul listings. English Shining Fates ETBs command higher premiums on the secondary market, and single Shiny Vault cards are often more cost-efficient than sealed EN product for buyers targeting specific pulls.
Completing the CHR set
If the Character Rare trainer cards are the target, the JP S4a booster box is the only path: these have no English equivalent. Confirm the CHR list on Limitless TCG's S4a page before building a want list.
Play legality
Both S4a and Shining Fates cards are legal in Expanded format as of October 2026. Neither set is currently Standard-legal following the Sword & Shield era rotation. Japanese-language cards are permitted in official Pokémon TCG events; most tournaments expect an English reference card when running Japanese copies. Confirm legality with your local organizer before building a Japanese S4a Expanded deck.
Grading
PSA and BGS grade both Japanese and English cards from this set. Shiny Charizard VMAX is the most submitted S4a card by volume, based on collector community reports. Japanese copies of S4a high-rarity cards sometimes grade higher than English equivalents because they bypass the bulk US retail distribution chain, which introduces more handling risk before cards reach collector hands. Serebii's Shining Fates card list provides English card numbers for submission reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shiny Star V the same as Shining Fates?
S4a Shiny Star V is the primary Japanese source for English Shining Fates, but the two sets are not identical. Shining Fates has 195 total cards while S4a has 307. All Shiny Vault cards in Shining Fates correspond to shiny-form cards in S4a with the same artwork, but many Character Rare (CHR) trainer cards from S4a were not reprinted in the English release.
What is the Shiny Star V chase card?
Shiny Charizard VMAX is the most sought-after pull from S4a and Shining Fates: SV107/SV122 in the EN Shiny Vault, featuring Charizard's black shiny form at VMAX size with full-art foil.
Are there Shiny Star V cards with no English equivalent?
Yes. S4a's Character Rare (CHR) cards are full-art trainer cards featuring characters such as Bea, Nessa, and Marnie alongside their Pokémon. They were not included in Shining Fates. No official English versions of these specific cards exist. Collectors must buy the Japanese originals. Confirm the current CHR list on Limitless TCG.
How many packs are in a Shiny Star V booster box?
A Japanese S4a Shiny Star V booster box contains 10 packs, with 10 cards per pack, for 100 cards total. Shining Fates was not sold in traditional booster boxes in English: it was available in Elite Trainer Boxes (10 packs of 10) and other premium bundles.
Are Japanese S4a cards legal in Pokémon TCG play?
S4a and Shining Fates cards are both currently Expanded-legal. Neither set is Standard-legal following the Sword & Shield era rotation. Japanese cards are permitted in official play. Most Regional Championships and League Cups require an English reference card alongside Japanese copies; confirm with your local organizer before building a Japanese Expanded deck.
What set came after Shiny Star V in Japan?
VMAX Climax (S8b), released December 3, 2021, is the next SWSH High Class Pack. It maps to English Crown Zenith (January 20, 2023) and draws from S5 through S8, the sets that followed S4a's S1-S4 pool.
Browse sealed Japanese Shiny Star V boxes and single packs from independent shops at DexHaul's Japanese cards collection. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, not affiliated with Nintendo, Game Freak, or The Pokémon Company.
Catch 'em all
More Shiny Star V and Shining Fates sealed products from independent shops.