# When did Brilliant Stars come out?

> Brilliant Stars was released on 25 February 2022, in the Sword & Shield series.
>
> Source: https://www.nomekop.app/faqs/when-did-brilliant-stars-come-out — NOMEKOP, an independent Pokémon TCG binder tool
> (not affiliated with Nintendo / The Pokémon Company). Figures as of June 2026.

**Brilliant Stars was released on 25 February 2022, in the Sword & Shield series.**

## Brilliant Stars release date

Brilliant Stars launched on 25 February 2022 as a Sword & Shield-series expansion. It carries 172 main-set cards, or 186 counting its 14 secret rares — the #18 largest set Nomekop tracks by printed count, with 0 Illustration and Special Illustration Rares in the pool and marquee Pokémon like Charizard, Arceus, Pikachu, Galarian Moltres and Galarian Articuno.

## What the 2022 set brought

The standout cards that arrived with Brilliant Stars:

- [Charizard V (#154)](/card/swsh9-154) — Rare Ultra (~$356.51)
- [Charizard VSTAR (#174)](/card/swsh9-174) — Rare Rainbow (~$80.57)
- [Arceus V (#166)](/card/swsh9-166) — Rare Ultra (~$62.22)
- [Charizard V (#153)](/card/swsh9-153) — Rare Ultra (~$39.82)
- [Pikachu V (#157)](/card/swsh9-157) — Rare Ultra (~$27.99)

Its top card on the secondary market is Charizard V (#154), around $356.51.

## Star Pokémon from the Brilliant Stars release

The marquee Pokémon that debuted (or returned) in Brilliant Stars, with their prints:

- **Charizard** — Charizard V (#153), Charizard V (#154), Charizard VSTAR (#174)
- **Arceus** — Arceus V (#165), Arceus V (#166), Arceus VSTAR (#176), Arceus VSTAR (#184)
- **Pikachu** — Pikachu V (#157)
- **Galarian Moltres** — Galarian Moltres V (#183)
- **Galarian Articuno** — Galarian Articuno V (#181)

## Where Brilliant Stars sits in the lineup

Among the sets Nomekop tracks, Brilliant Stars is the #18 largest set Nomekop tracks. A full master set of it runs to 318 cards including 124 reverse holos, so the 25 February 2022 release still gives collectors plenty to chase well after launch day — whether you're after the 172-card base set or every print.

Figures from the pokemontcg.io dataset, as of June 2026.