Why I Stock Japanese & Korean Pokémon Cards (And Why You Should Buy Them)
Solving the English Pokémon scarcity problem - one beautiful Japanese booster at a time
Here's the uncomfortable truth about collecting Pokémon cards in the UK right now: English product is incredibly hard to source.
Popular sets sell out instantly due to widespread, sophisticated botting. Restocks are unpredictable. Prices are inflated because everyone's competing for limited stock. And if you're running a small TCG shop like me? Getting reliable English Pokémon allocation from distributors is like winning the lottery.
So I did what any reasonable person would do: I pivoted to Japanese and Korean Pokémon cards.
Best decision I've made for Topaz Cards.
The English Pokémon Problem
Let me paint the picture: A new English set drops. Within hours, every major retailer is sold out. Smaller shops like mine get minimal allocation - if we get any at all. Prices on the secondary market immediately spike.
Meanwhile, my customers are asking: "Do you have Prismatic Evolutions?" "Any Surging Sparks?" "When's your next restock?"
And I'm stood there going, "I literally don't know. My distributor can't tell me either."
This isn't sustainable for a business. More importantly, it's frustrating for collectors who just want to buy cards at reasonable prices.
Japanese & Korean Cards: The Solution Nobody Talks About
Here's what I discovered: Japanese and Korean Pokémon products are significantly easier to source.
Japan has better production capacity. Distribution is more reliable. Print runs are larger relative to demand. Korean products follow similar patterns. These are getting more and more popular with the Pokémon investment groups, so who knows how long it will last!
For a UK retailer, this means:
Consistent stock availability
Predictable restocking schedules
Competitive wholesale pricing
Less competition from major chains who focus on English only
For customers, this means:
Actually being able to buy cards from sets you want
Often at better prices than English equivalents
Frequently, superior product quality
Wait, what? Better quality?
The Quality Difference Is Real
I've opened enough packs of both to notice patterns:
Japanese cards consistently have:
Better centering (the card image is properly positioned on the cardstock)
Sharper print quality
More vibrant colours
Fewer quality control issues, like print lines or silvering on edges
Korean cards are:
Similar quality to Japanese
Sometimes slightly different card stock feel
Generally excellent quality control
English cards... vary. Recent English print runs have had well-documented quality issues. Off-center cards, print lines, whitening straight out of the pack. The Pokémon Company's English printing facilities have struggled to keep up with demand, and quality has suffered.
I'm not saying English cards are bad - but Japanese quality control is noticeably more consistent.
The Price Advantage
Here's where it gets interesting for collectors:
Japanese booster boxes are often 30-50% cheaper than English equivalents, even accounting for import and shipping costs.
Example pricing (approximate):
English booster box: £120-140
Japanese booster box: £50-70
Why? Japan prints more. Distribution is efficient. The domestic Japanese market is huge, so production scales better.
Individual Japanese cards on the secondary market are also frequently cheaper than English versions - UNLESS it's a specific card where English collectors have driven up demand.
For singles collectors using CardMarket: You'll find Japanese versions of expensive English cards for a fraction of the price.
When Should You Buy Japanese/Korean vs English?
Choose Japanese/Korean if you:
Are collecting for yourself (artwork matters more than language)
Want better value for money
Appreciate superior print quality
Play competitively (they're tournament legal - more on this below)
Don't mind using translation resources
Choose English if you:
Are teaching young children to play (readability matters)
Specifically collect English variants
Want to avoid explaining card effects every game
Prefer the convenience of reading without references
My household: I buy Japanese for my personal collection. My 7-year-old gets English cards for his nightly rewards because he likes to read the English text.
Tournament Legality: Yes, They're Legal
This surprises people: Japanese and Korean Pokémon cards ARE legal in official Pokémon tournaments, including VGC (Video Game Championships) side events and TCG tournaments.
The requirement: You need a translation reference available. This can be:
The official Pokémon TCG app
A printed English version of the card
Official translation sheets
Judges may ask to verify translations, but the cards themselves are fully legal.
So if you're building competitive decks and want to save money? Japanese cards work perfectly.
Avoiding Fakes (Still Important)
Japanese and Korean cards get faked too, though less commonly than English.
Red flags:
Prices too good to be true on AliExpress or similar sites
Seller has unlimited stock of expensive cards
Card texture feels wrong (authentic cards have specific texture patterns)
Colours look slightly off compared to verified authentic cards
Before buying expensive singles: Check r/IsMyPokemonCardFake on Reddit. Post photos. The community will often help authenticate before you spend money.
Buy from reputable sources:
Established retailers (like us!)
CardMarket sellers with high ratings
Local game stores you trust
Official Japanese Pokémon Center website
Chinese Pokémon Cards: The Third Option
We also stock some Chinese Pokémon cards, which occupy an interesting middle ground:
Officially licensed by The Pokémon Company
Often use traditional Chinese characters
Different set releases and numbering from English/Japanese
Generally good availability and pricing
Less commonly collected in the UK (opportunity for unique collections)
If you're learning Chinese or have family connections to Chinese-speaking regions, these can be particularly appealing.
Why Topaz Cards Focuses on Japanese & Korean Stock
Running a small TCG shop means making strategic decisions about inventory.
I can't compete with major retailers for English Pokémon allocation. I simply don't have the volume or relationships they do.
But I CAN:
Source consistent Japanese and Korean product
Offer competitive pricing because my costs are lower
Provide products that are genuinely hard to find elsewhere in the UK
Educate customers about why these products are excellent alternatives
My philosophy: Offer what's actually available at fair prices, rather than promising English stock I can't consistently deliver.
This means our Japanese Pokémon section and Korean Pokémon section are reliably stocked, while English product comes and goes based on allocation.
The Collector's Perspective
Since returning to Pokémon collecting after 25 years away, I've become genuinely enthusiastic about Japanese cards.
The artwork often hits differently. Japan gets exclusive promotional cards and box arts that never release in English. Set presentations are frequently more elegant.
Plus, there's something special about owning cards in their "original" form - Pokémon is, after all, a Japanese franchise.
My collection now mixes English nostalgia pieces (what's left of my 90’s cards), English cards for playing with my son, and Japanese cards for personal collecting.
Getting Started with Japanese/Korean Cards
Step 1: Start small. Buy a single booster pack or a few singles to test the waters.
Step 2: Learn basic card reading. You don't need to read Japanese - after a few games, you'll memorise your deck's effects. Attack damage and energy costs are numbers (universal).
Step 3: Use translation resources. The Pokémon TCG app and websites like pkmncards.com have English equivalents of every card.
Step 4: Decide your purpose - collecting, playing, or both - and invest accordingly.
The Bottom Line
English Pokémon cards in the UK are scarce, expensive, and unreliable to source.
Japanese and Korean Pokémon cards are available, affordable, often better quality, and tournament legal.
For collectors and players willing to adapt slightly, they're simply the better option right now.
That's why Topaz Cards prioritises them. And after opening hundreds of packs, I genuinely believe they're the smarter choice for most collectors.
Browse our current stock:
Fair prices. Consistent availability. Superior quality.
Welcome to the international Pokémon collecting world.
Next time: I'll be comparing pre-made decks versus custom deck building, and whether my Leafeon ex deck can compete with official products. Spoiler: I genuinely don't know yet.