Dragon Ball Super Card Game Fusion World World Story Booster 02 ST02
ST02
Story Booster 02
Bandai's second story-focused Fusion World set leaves the Majin Buu saga behind and lands on Namek — Goku versus Frieza, in anime art.
STORY BOOSTER 02 [ST02] is the second entry in Bandai's story-focused Fusion World line, releasing in Japan on 16 January 2027 and built around the Frieza saga — the Goku versus Frieza confrontation on Namek. Bandai has not revealed the card list yet, so this is what is confirmed, what is only expected, and what ST01 taught us about buying these sets.
Set at a Glance
(Expected)
ST01 landed on 8 August 2026 and did exactly what a Story Booster is meant to do: it took the moments people actually remember from the anime, gave them animation-cel-inspired alternate art, and let the secondary market decide what that nostalgia was worth. The answer was — loudly — a lot.
ST02 now points that same formula at the arc that made Dragon Ball what it is. If ST01 was the emotional set, ST02 is the iconic one. And with a third Story Booster already planned, this line is clearly not a one-off experiment.
Confirmed vs Unannounced
The set is real and dated. The card list is not public. We've kept the two clearly separated — anything below marked Expected is ST01's specification, not ST02's.
Japanese retailer and distributor schedules list ST02 for Saturday 16 January 2027. The English edition is dated 15 January 2027, so for once the two editions land effectively together.
Bandai's product roadmap places ST02 on the anime's Frieza saga, centred on the Goku–Frieza battle. A third Story Booster is already in development behind it.
5 Leader, 36 Common, 20 Rare, 10 Super Rare, 2 Secret Rare and 12 Energy Markers — an exact structural match to ST01. Same shape, new arc.
Not yet published for ST02. This is the ST01 Japanese configuration, and Story Boosters have only ever shipped in one format so far.
ST01 was distributed by lottery through official Japanese channels and sold through fast. Story Boosters are a limited line rather than an evergreen product, so expect ST02 to be allocated rather than freely restocked.
No cards revealed. New or reprinted Goku and Frieza Leaders are the obvious expectation given the theme — but that is a read, not an announcement. Bandai typically drops the full parallel reveal in the weeks before launch.
Rarity Structure
Story Boosters are a small-print, high-chase format. Only 85 base types — but ST01 expanded past 170 versions once every parallel treatment was counted, and the top-end cards sit behind pull rates measured in cartons, not boxes. The rates below are ST01's reported figures and are the best available guide to ST02.
| Rarity | Types in ST02 | ST01 Reported Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | 5 | L★ ~1 per carton | Foil front and back; alt-art versions are the chase |
| Common | 36 | Every pack | All available with Dragon Ball pattern foil |
| Rare | 20 | Multiple per box | Alt-art versions exist for a subset |
| Super Rare | 10 | SR ~4 per box · SR★ ~8 per carton | The reliable hit; the parallel is where the value sits |
| Secret Rare | 2 | SCR ~3/carton · SCR★★ ~1 per 20 cartons | The double-star Super Alt-Art is a case-break lottery |
| Energy Marker | 12 | Varies by treatment | Foil, frameless alt-art versions — ST01's sleeper hit |
What ST01 Actually Did
There is exactly one release of history for this product line, and it is the only honest benchmark we have. Shortly after ST01's launch, Japanese market trackers were reporting the following:
| ST01 Card | Rarity | Reported JP Value |
|---|---|---|
| Vegito | SCR★★ | ¥500,000 |
| Vegeta | SCR★★ | ¥480,000 |
| Energy Marker E-157 | EM★ | ¥240,000 |
| Vegito | SCR★ | ¥30,000 |
| Vegeta | SCR★ | ¥30,000 |
The number that tells the real story is the sealed one. ST01 boxes were changing hands at a multiple of their retail price within weeks of launch. That is not a normal Fusion World pattern. It is what happens when a low-print, nostalgia-driven set meets a collector base that mostly wants the alt-arts — and it is the single best argument for securing ST02 before allocation closes rather than after.
The other lesson: the Energy Marker was the sleeper. Nobody was pricing a marker card at ¥240,000 before ST01 shipped. ST02 has twelve of them, and most casual buyers still treat markers as filler.
Japanese vs English
Normally the Japanese print leads and JP buyers get first look. ST02 breaks that pattern — English is dated 15 January and Japanese 16 January 2027. So the case for Japanese is the structural one, not a head start:
- Print Quality
- The Japanese run is the one the alt-art foiling was designed around, and it is what the Japanese grading and secondary markets price off.
- Pack Economics
- Japanese packs contain six cards. The English release is configured and priced differently, so the two editions aren't directly comparable pack for pack.
- Liquidity
- Japanese ST01 chase cards trade into a deeper, more established market. If you are holding rather than playing, that matters.
- Availability
- Japanese Story Boosters run tight — ST01 saw lottery-based allocation through official Japanese channels. Expect ST02 to be allocated, not stacked on shelves.
- English Case
- Readable cards for your local table, and easier to replace if you're playing rather than collecting.
How to Approach the Drop
These two strategies want opposite behaviour. If you want one specific alt-art Goku or Frieza, ripping boxes at carton-level pull rates is the expensive route — wait for the reveal, then buy the single. If you want the sealed product itself, you need to be committed before allocation closes.
Bandai's pattern is a full parallel-card reveal in the run-up to launch via the official Dragon Ball site. That is the moment sealed pre-order prices move and the set's real chase cards become obvious. Being on a notification list before that beats scrambling after it.
If ST02 tracks ST01, the number that matters isn't the sticker. It's what a box costs once allocation dries up. Work out the position you actually want and budget for it at a realistic price, not an optimistic one.
Twelve types, foil, frameless alt-art versions. ST01 proved this slot can carry serious value while most buyers still treat markers as filler. That gap is the opportunity.
Product Details
- Set
- ST02 — STORY BOOSTER 02 (ストーリーブースター02)
- Game
- Dragon Ball Super Card Game — Fusion World
- Story Arc
- Frieza saga — Goku vs Frieza, Namek (anime art)
- Japan Release
- 16 January 2027 · English edition 15 January 2027
- Total Cards
- 85 types — 5 Leader, 36 Common, 20 Rare, 10 Super Rare, 2 Secret Rare, 12 Energy Marker
- Box Contents
- 20 packs · 6 cards per pack (expected, based on ST01 — not yet confirmed for ST02)
- Language
- Japanese
- Ships from
- United Kingdom — stock held in the UK
Japanese sealed product · UK stock · ships on release day
ST02 FAQ
When does Japanese ST02 release?
Saturday 16 January 2027, per Japanese retailer and distributor schedules. The English edition is listed for 15 January 2027. Dates this far out can move — we update this page if Bandai shifts it.
What arc does Story Booster 02 cover?
The Frieza saga, centred on the Goku versus Frieza battle, using anime-derived artwork. ST01 covered the Majin Buu saga, and a third Story Booster is already planned.
What's in a box?
Not confirmed for ST02 yet. ST01's Japanese configuration was 6 cards per pack and 20 packs per box. ST02 matches ST01's 85-type set structure exactly, so the same configuration is the reasonable expectation.
What are the rarities in ST02?
5 Leader, 36 Common, 20 Rare, 10 Super Rare, 2 Secret Rare and 12 Energy Markers — 85 types before parallel versions. ST01 expanded past 170 total versions once every parallel was counted.
Should I buy Japanese or English ST02?
Japanese if you're collecting, grading or holding for value — deeper secondary market and the print the art was designed for. English if you're playing locally and want readable cards at the table. Timing isn't the deciding factor this time: the editions land a day apart.
Which cards will be the chase?
Unannounced. Given the theme, alt-art Goku and Frieza Leaders and the two Secret Rares are the obvious candidates — and ST01 showed the parallel Energy Markers can outperform expectations. We'll update this page when Bandai publishes the list.
Questions about ST02 boxes, pre-order timelines, or wholesale pricing? Get in touch at support@japanesetcgsupply.com — we're happy to help.
