Star Birth (S9, 2022) English Equivalent: Brilliant Stars
By Dexhaul Team · October 12, 2026 · 6 min read
Japanese Star Birth (S9) is the direct Japanese equivalent of English Brilliant Stars (SWSH09). Every card from the Japanese set received its English printing in Brilliant Stars, making it one of the cleanest one-to-one mappings in the Sword & Shield era.
The two sets introduced VSTAR as a brand-new mechanic, with Arceus VSTAR and Charizard VSTAR as the headline chase cards. Star Birth landed in Japan on January 14, 2022. English Brilliant Stars followed on February 25, 2022, giving importers a six-week head start on the mechanic.
Today the set matters to collectors for a different reason. Japanese Star Birth boxes remain available from independent retailers at a range of price points, and knowing the JP-to-EN card number mapping is essential for anyone pricing singles or submitting cards for grading.
On this page 5 sections
Set overview: Star Birth vs Brilliant Stars
| Japanese (Star Birth) | English (Brilliant Stars) | |
|---|---|---|
| Set code | S9 | SWSH09 / BRS |
| Release date | January 14, 2022 | February 25, 2022 |
| Numbered to | 100 | 172 |
| Total cards (incl. Secret Rares) | 127 | 186 |
| Packs per booster box | 30 | 36 |
| Cards per pack | 5 | 10 |
| New mechanic introduced | VSTAR (both sets) | |
The numbering gap (100 JP vs 172 EN) is the most important practical difference. English Brilliant Stars added extra Full Art and Rainbow Rare variants that do not exist in the Japanese set, which is why the card pool is larger. The Limitless TCG JP S9 database lists every Star Birth card with its corresponding English print, making it the fastest way to look up a card you pulled from a Japanese box.
What changes inside the box
Opening a Japanese Star Birth box and an English Brilliant Stars box feels very different, even though the cards map to the same set.
| Feature | JP Star Birth (S9) | EN Brilliant Stars (BRS) |
|---|---|---|
| Packs per box | 30 | 36 |
| Cards per pack | 5 | 10 |
| Total cards per box | 150 | 360 |
| Card text language | Japanese | English |
| Set-specific variants | SR, HR, UR, SSR tiers | Double Rare, Ultra Rare, Special Illustration Rare, Hyper Rare |
| Rainbow Rares | No (UR replaces this) | Yes (HR, 7 cards) |
| Official MSRP | 165 yen per pack (official Japanese set page) | $4.99 per pack (MSRP) |
The JP box gives you 150 cards across 30 packs, compared to 360 cards in an English box. That means fewer packs to open, but each pack lands at a slightly lower per-pack cost when bought at JP retail pricing. The trade-off is that you have fewer shots at the Secret Rare slots per box.
JP Star Birth uses different rarity tier names. What English collectors call a "Special Illustration Rare" is labeled SSR in Japanese packaging. The visual treatment is identical: both use the same full-art card stock.
The naming difference matters mainly when importing from Japanese auction sites.
Key cards and English number crosswalk
The most common reason collectors look up the JP-to-EN crosswalk is pricing. Price guides and grading services (PSA, CGC) use English card numbers, so pulling an Arceus VSTAR from a Japanese Star Birth box requires you to identify its EN number before submitting.
| Card | EN card number (BRS) | Rarity tier |
|---|---|---|
| Arceus VSTAR | 123/172 | Double Rare |
| Arceus VSTAR (Full Art) | 184/172 | Ultra Rare |
| Arceus VSTAR (Alt Art) | 176/172 | Special Illustration Rare |
| Charizard VSTAR | 018/172 | Double Rare |
| Charizard VSTAR (Alt Art) | 174/172 | Special Illustration Rare |
| Shaymin V (Alt Art) | 155/172 | Special Illustration Rare |
| Mimikyu VMAX | 068/172 | Double Rare |
JP card numbers run on a shorter scale (numbered to 100, with Secret Rares above that), so the EN numbers above will not match what is printed on your Japanese card. Use the Limitless TCG JP S9 set page to search by the JP number or card name and confirm the EN equivalent before grading or selling.
The Arceus VSTAR Alt Art (176/172) is the most hunted card from this set. It carries the same EN number whether you pull it from a Japanese Star Birth box or an English Brilliant Stars pack.
PSA and CGC both accept Japanese-language cards and grade them using the EN equivalent designation. See the fake card check guide to verify your pulls before submission.
Japanese or English: how to choose
The right version depends on why you are opening the set.
Price per pack
Japanese Star Birth boxes were priced at 165 yen per pack at Japanese retail. Imported boxes observed on DexHaul ranged from $126 to $373 USD as of October 2026, reflecting import margin and exchange rates.
English Brilliant Stars has a $4.99 MSRP per pack. Compare current listings on both sides before committing.
Play legality
Japanese and English Sword & Shield cards are both legal in Standard while a set is in rotation and both rotate on the same schedule. There is no competitive advantage to playing the Japanese print. Tournament organizers may require card sleeves for non-English prints, so check the event rules before travelling with a JP deck.
Language and the grading market
Japanese Star Birth Arceus VSTAR and Charizard VSTAR cards exist in a single print run from January 2022, before any reprint window. That makes high-grade raw copies desirable to a segment of JP-language collectors.
PSA and CGC grade Japanese cards without a penalty. The practical catch: grading labels show the EN card number, so use the crosswalk table above plus Limitless TCG before submitting.
For more context on the full Sword & Shield Japanese set lineup, the Japanese Pokémon sets and their English equivalents guide covers every set from 2020 onward in a single reference table.
Frequently asked questions
What English set is Japanese Star Birth equivalent to?
Star Birth (S9, January 14, 2022) is the Japanese equivalent of English Brilliant Stars (SWSH09), released February 25, 2022. All Star Birth cards received English prints in Brilliant Stars, per Limitless TCG's card database.
Are Japanese Star Birth cards tournament legal?
Yes. Japanese and English Sword & Shield sets share the same rotation schedule. JP Star Birth cards are legal in any format where English Brilliant Stars cards are legal, including Standard while the set is in rotation.
How many cards are in a Japanese Star Birth booster box?
A Japanese Star Birth booster box contains 30 packs with 5 cards per pack, for 150 cards total. English Brilliant Stars booster boxes contain 36 packs of 10 cards, totalling 360 cards.
Is the Arceus VSTAR in Star Birth the same card as in Brilliant Stars?
The Japanese Star Birth Arceus VSTAR is the same card as EN BRS Arceus VSTAR, with a different card number and Japanese text. The Double Rare version is 123/172 in EN. Grading services use the EN number even for Japanese-language copies.
Does Japanese Star Birth have Rainbow Rares?
No. Japanese sets use a UR (Ultra Rare) tier that fills the same slot as Rainbow Rares in English sets. The UR versions in Star Birth have the same foil treatment as EN Rainbow Rares, but they are labeled and numbered differently.
Independent shops on DexHaul carry Star Birth booster boxes, loose Japanese packs, and English Brilliant Stars singles from this VSTAR-era set. Browse the full selection at dexhaul.com/collections/tcg/japanese-cards to compare current prices across sellers. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, not affiliated with The Pokémon Company.
Catch 'em all
More Star Birth and Brilliant Stars finds from independent shops.