Set Guides · M6

Japanese Pokémon Rarity Codes Explained: AR, SR, SAR, MUR & More

What AR, SR, SAR, UR and MUR mean on Japanese Pokémon cards, their English names, real card examples, and the new 30th CELEBRATION rarities like Futuristic Rare.

Bryce Watson

Author

Published Oct 13, 2026 4 min readM6

Title Japanese Pokémon Rarity Codes Explained over four Japanese Storm Emeralda cards ranked by rarity, Groudon Art Rare and Mega Rayquaza ex SR, SAR and MUR, each with its code chip, plus a JP-to-EN code legend.

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Japanese Pokémon rarity codes tell you how hard a card is to pull, but the letters don't match the names on English cards. This guide covers each code, what it means, its English name, and a real card for each one, so you can read a Japanese set list or a price board without guessing.

Rarity at a glance

Japanese code	Japanese rarity name	English equivalent	Example (Japanese card)
C	Common	Common	Most 001–076 cards in Storm Emeralda (M6)
U	Uncommon	Uncommon	Main-set trainers and evolutions
R	Rare	Rare	Main-set holo Pokémon
RR	Double Rare	Double Rare	Main-set Pokémon ex
AR	Art Rare	Illustration Rare	Groudon 084/076 (M6)
SR	Super Rare	Ultra Rare	Mega Rayquaza ex 095/076 (M6)
SAR	Special Art Rare	Special Illustration Rare	Mega Rayquaza ex 110/076 (M6)
UR	Ultra Rare (gold)	Hyper Rare (gold)	Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex 130/098 (SV10)
MUR	Mega Ultra Rare	Mega Hyper Rare	Mega Rayquaza ex 113/076 (M6)

Rarity names and card numbers are from TCGplayer's catalog via tcgcsv.com, checked Oct 13, 2026. We matched Japanese and English names set by set. In Abyss Eye (M5) and its English twin Pitch Black, the counts line up: 18 Super Rare vs 18 Ultra Rare, 6 Special Art Rare vs 6 Special Illustration Rare, and 1 Mega Ultra Rare vs 1 Mega Hyper Rare.

Common to Double Rare

C, U and R make up most of a Japanese main set. RR (Double Rare) marks the regular Pokémon ex, numbered inside the main set. Storm Emeralda (M6) has 8 Double Rares. You'll pull these in most packs, so they rarely drive what a box is worth.

Art Rare and Super Rare

Cards numbered above the set's total (for example 077/076 and up) are the secret rares, and that's where Japanese boxes get exciting.

AR (Art Rare) is a full-art illustration of a regular Pokémon. English calls this an Illustration Rare. Storm Emeralda has 12.
SR (Super Rare) is the full-art Pokémon ex or Supporter. English calls it an Ultra Rare. Storm Emeralda has 18.

Groudon 084/076, Art Rare, M6 (Japanese) Pokémon card — Art Rare Groudon 084/076 and Super Rare Mega Rayquaza ex 095/076, from Storm Emeralda (M6)

Mega Rayquaza ex 095/076, Super Rare, M6 (Japanese) Pokémon card — Art Rare Groudon 084/076 and Super Rare Mega Rayquaza ex 095/076, from Storm Emeralda (M6)

Special Art Rare

SAR (Special Art Rare) is the scenic, story-style art version of a Pokémon ex or Supporter. English calls it a Special Illustration Rare. A MEGA-era main set usually has about six; Storm Emeralda has 6.

Rarity

Every Special Art Rare in M6

SAR

Ultra Rare and Mega Ultra Rare

UR (Ultra Rare) is the gold-bordered card that topped Scarlet & Violet-era sets. English calls these Hyper Rares. The Glory of Team Rocket (SV10) has 3.

MUR (Mega Ultra Rare) replaces UR in MEGA-era sets. Mega Brave (M1L), Abyss Eye (M5) and Storm Emeralda (M6) each have exactly one, a gold Mega Pokémon ex, and it's usually the most valuable card in the box. English calls it a Mega Hyper Rare.

Mega Rayquaza ex 113/076, Mega Ultra Rare, M6 (Japanese) Pokémon card — Mega Rayquaza ex 113/076, the Mega Ultra Rare in Storm Emeralda (M6)

Black Bolt (SV11B) has a one-off Black White Rare, Zekrom ex 174/086, in the same top slot.

Special-set rarities (30th CELEBRATION)

Anniversary and special sets bring their own rarities. 30th CELEBRATION (M6A) lists these on TCGplayer:

Rarity	What it is	Example
Futuristic Rare	New for this set: 10 cards, including Mew ex and Mewtwo ex	Mew ex 135/103
Pikachu Rare	30 Pikachu cards	Pikachu 017/103
Classic Collection	Reprints of famous older cards	Lugia 142/103
RGB Rare	A three-card Mew set numbered R, G and B	Mew R/RGB

One card from each 30th CELEBRATION special rarity

TCGplayer's data doesn't give a rarity for 68 cards in this set, including the top Charizard. Expect that gap to close as listings are updated. Our 30th CELEBRATION booster box guide covers that set's chase cards in full.

Which rarities to chase

For opening and buying, the order is usually MUR (or UR), then SAR, then SR and AR. Value still comes down to the Pokémon: a popular AR can outsell a weak SAR. Check the price board for any set before you buy.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between SAR and SIR?

Nothing but the language. SAR (Special Art Rare) is the Japanese name and SIR (Special Illustration Rare) is the English name for the same tier of card.

What does MUR mean?

Mega Ultra Rare. It's the gold Mega Pokémon ex at the top of a MEGA-era Japanese set. English sets call it a Mega Hyper Rare.

What is a Futuristic Rare?

A rarity introduced in 30th CELEBRATION (M6A). TCGplayer lists 10 Futuristic Rare entries in the set, including Mew ex 135/103 and Mewtwo ex 134/103.

Which rarity is the rarest in a MEGA set?

The Mega Ultra Rare. Mega Brave, Abyss Eye and Storm Emeralda each have just one.

Is SR higher than AR?

By slot, yes: SR is a full-art ex or Supporter, while AR is an illustration of a regular Pokémon. By price, not always. Some ARs sell for more than SRs.

Sources: rarity names, card numbers and counts are from TCGplayer's catalog via tcgcsv.com, as of Oct 13, 2026. Card images are TCGplayer product images. All Pokémon images © The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, Creatures and GAME FREAK.

Pacific Card Exchange is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, Creatures, or GAME FREAK. Prices are snapshots and change frequently.