ARS (Arsales Co., Ltd.) (ARS): Complete Guide

In trading cards, “ARS” can refer to multiple things (including unrelated businesses and acronyms). Here it refers to ARS (アルス), the Japan-based TCG grading and authentication service run by Arsales Co., Ltd., because the official site https://ars-grading.com/ documents grading services, pricing, submission flow, and a public lookup database (ARS official site, Company profile).

Quick facts

Where ARS fits in the grading market

ARS is a Japan-centric TCG grading service. The biggest practical implication is market geography: ARS is designed around domestic workflows (application windows, Japan domestic addresses, domestic shipping) which can create friction for international collectors and buyers (FAQ: overseas applications, Request terms: shipping/addresses, Request flow).

Relative positioning vs PSA/BGS/SGC/CGC in buyer behavior (qualitative, because ARS does not publish cross-market premium/discount studies):

• PSA/BGS are often default “sell-fast” slabs in many international markets, while ARS tends to require more buyer education outside Japan (verification steps, explanation of scale/centering policy) (Database search, Grading standards: centering not deducted).
• ARS’s “centering not deducted” policy can create grade outcomes that surprise PSA/BGS buyers, so listing context matters in resale listings (Grading standards: centering not deducted).

Services offered

From ARS’s official “Service” and “Request” documentation, ARS offers:

• Grading (authentication + grading + encapsulation) (Pricing page, Service overview).
• Grading + certificate issuance (“鑑定証明書発行”) as an add-on tier/product (Pricing page, Service: certificate section).
• Authentication-only as an outcome: Grade AU (authentic) with no numeric grade, and it appears in the distribution without a number (Grading standards section).
• Holder change (“ホルダーチェンジ”) where ARS opens a third-party case and encapsulates in an ARS holder (additional fees apply) (Pricing page, Request terms: holder change rules).
• Reholder service (“リホルダーサービス”) for ARS-encapsulated cards (additional fees apply) (Pricing page, Request terms: reholder rules).
• Submission via web forms with windows and constraints (e.g., per-person limits are announced per window; different services may open/close based on capacity) (Request page, FAQ).
• Store: official online store link exists (not a grading service, but part of ecosystem) (ARS online store, Request terms: related products).

Grading scale and standards (deep dive)

The scale and grade definitions

ARS publishes grade definitions focused on surface wear/damage, with a top-end definition for Grade 10 and 10+:

• Grade 10: “完璧、または完璧に非常に近い。” (perfect or extremely close to perfect)
• Grade 10+: only for “perfect condition,” and ARS notes older-issued cards can qualify for 10+ if they perfectly retain original condition
• Grade 9–1: descending descriptions centered on increasing amount/severity of scratches/dirt and wear
• Grade AU: authenticity-only grade (no numeric), and the card appears in the distribution without numeric grade (Grading standards section).

Centering/corners/edges/surface definitions/tolerances (as published)

ARS does not publish numeric centering tolerances. Instead, it makes an explicit policy statement:

• ARS states the grade evaluation inspects the card’s pure condition and that printing misalignment (centering) is not a deduction factor (Grading standards section).

That means ARS’s standards are closer to a “condition-only” model than typical US collectors assume, which matters when comparing outcomes to PSA/BGS/CGC style expectations (Grading standards section).

Human vs hybrid vs tech-first process (what they claim)

ARS describes “special techniques” to identify counterfeits and to detect fine whitening/scratches, but does not publish a technical breakdown of tooling (e.g., exact imaging stack, AI models, etc.) (Service: appraisal section).

How to interpret the label (example)

ARS provides a “caption”/label spec that includes:

• Grade
• 2D barcode
• anti-counterfeit hologram engraving
• ARS Genuine Mark

and shows “Grade 10” as an example label image (with the note that the grade number changes by card condition) (Holder section: caption details).

Concrete interpretation example:

• If you see Grade AU, ARS states this means authenticity-only grading without a numeric score, and it appears in distribution as “AU” (Grading standards section).

Slab, label, and security features

ARS publishes several holder and security claims:

• Materials and presentation: a thick, high-clarity holder plus a stainless caption is presented as part of their “display” proposition (Holder section).
• Anti-counterfeit: ARS claims it uses stainless materials plus “special laser engraving” and that counterfeiting is “extremely difficult” (Holder section).
• Tamper resistance: ARS states it uses ultrasonic welding and that it prevents opening/tampering and helps prevent swapping (“すり替え”) (Holder section, Request terms: ultrasonic process and disclaimers).
• Water/dust: ARS claims the holder has high dustproof/waterproof performance and lists handling/storage caveats (e.g., don’t submerge, avoid direct sun/high humidity, etc.) (Holder section, Request terms: holder design limitations).

Label/version changes over time:

• ARS explicitly warns that caption/database contents can be updated over time, and reholder can be required (paid) if you want updates; it also notes older “authenticity-only” labels can be migrated to a “AU + appraisal number” style during reholder (policy and scope as stated in terms) (Request terms: database/caption updates + reholder).

Verification and data tools

Cert lookup workflow (step-by-step)

1. Open the ARS database search page: ars-grading.com/search.
2. Choose Search by appraisal number (“鑑定番号から検索”) or search by card name (“カード名から検索”) (Database search).
3. If searching by number, the UI submits a GET request to /grading/searchNumber (Search by number endpoint).
4. If searching by name, the UI submits a GET request to /grading/searchName and uses pagination parameters like page=1 (Search by name endpoint).

Pop report limitations

ARS positions its database as a way to check how many graded cards exist, but it does not publish:

• a clear “population report” product spec page,
• update cadence/SLA,
• or a definition of what is included/excluded from the database.

Treat the database as useful, but limited unless ARS publishes more about scope and update rules (Service: database card, Database search).

Registry mechanics

Unknown (no collector registry feature is documented in the official pages captured for this write-up) (ARS official site).

Grader notes / reports (if any)

ARS offers a certificate issuance service and describes it as letting you view “all evaluations visually,” but it does not present a public per-card digital grader-notes tool like some tech-first graders do (Service: certificate section, Pricing page).

Pricing and turnaround (how it works, not just numbers)

ARS pricing is tied to your declared value band (“申告価格”) and the service type.

Pricing model (declared value, per-card, add-ons)

From ARS’s pricing page (verified 2025-12-24):

• Fees are per card (“単位：円 / 枚”).
• Express is an add-on: “エクスプレス鑑定(早期納品) は追加で税込¥2,200/枚が必要” (Pricing page).
• ARS can adjust your price if your declared value band is materially inconsistent with market value (and can also treat missing declared value as a reason for return or for ARS to decide) (Request terms: pricing + declared value).

Current prices and stated turnaround (table) (verified 2025-12-24)

Small representative table (JPY; per card):

Sources: prices from Pricing page. Turnaround language and windows from Request page (it shows “一般鑑定 納期：約2-3ヵ月” and “エクスプレス鑑定 納期：15日”).

Shipping/insurance expectations

ARS states:

• shipping and return shipping are customer-paid,
• ARS does not accept overseas shipping or overseas return addresses at this time,
• and shipping damage/loss during transit is not ARS’s responsibility (you must work with the carrier)

(Request terms: shipping, responsibility, addresses, FAQ: overseas applications).

Turnaround time claims vs user-reported reality

• Official: ARS defines “納期” as time from arrival confirmation to billing notice, states express is measured in business days, and says timelines can be delayed based on order volume; it also refuses to answer individual “progress” requests (Request terms: turnaround definition and inquiry policy, FAQ: progress inquiry, Request page: displayed estimated TATs).
• Community: external collectors often describe ARS as Japan-centric and note that access can involve intermediaries and limited windows; treat these as community reports, not official policy (Elite Fourum thread).

Submission experience

Official step-by-step (simplified from ARS docs):

1. Check the next application window; ARS states you cannot apply outside the posted times (Request page).
2. During the window, submit via the appropriate web form (general, express, holder change, reholder) (Request page).
3. Generate an application number and create/print the application form using ARS’s form workflow; ARS states non-web-generated forms are not accepted (Request page).
4. Package cards following their guidance. ARS references a packaging guideline PDF and provides sleeve guidance in the FAQ (avoid tight “perfect fit” sleeves; use new soft sleeves) (Request page, FAQ: sleeves + packaging PDF link, Packaging PDF).
5. Ship so cards arrive within 1 month of application number issuance (deadline rules also reiterated in the FAQ and terms) (Request page, FAQ: shipping deadline, Request terms: deadline).
6. ARS emails arrival confirmation, then later emails the final invoice amount. Pay within 14 days (or late fees apply) (Request page, Request terms: payment).

Common pitfalls (official + policy-driven):

• Missing the window: ARS uses stated acceptance periods and says the form may close when capacity is reached (for some services) (Request page).
• Declared value mismatch: ARS can adjust fees if declared value is far from market value (Request terms).
• Packaging choices: ARS warns against tight sleeves and refers to packaging rules in the PDF (FAQ, Packaging PDF).
• International logistics: ARS currently restricts applications to Japan residents and requires Japan domestic addresses (so international collectors may need a Japan-based intermediary) (FAQ: overseas applications, Request terms: addresses).

Resale liquidity: what happens on the secondary market

ARS’s resale liquidity depends heavily on where your buyers are and whether they understand ARS’s:

• cert lookup workflow,
• grading definitions (including “centering not deducted”),
• and holder/security tells.

Practically, sellers can reduce buyer friction by:

• linking verification steps to ARS’s database search,
• clearly disclosing ARS’s grading policy on centering when it matters,
• and including photos of both sides of the holder/caption elements.

Sources for the mechanics: Database search and Grading standards.

Public opinion: Reddit, X, and hobby communities

This section is constrained by data access limits (verified 2025-12-24):

• Reddit is blocked from this environment (reddit.com returns a “whoa there, pardner!” block page), so I cannot reliably compile or validate 5 direct Reddit thread URLs here.
• X (Twitter) is blocked from this environment (twitter.com returns HTTP 403), and common mirrors tested did not return content reliably, so I cannot validate 5 direct X post URLs here.

To avoid guessing, this synthesis uses sources we can actually fetch/verify plus ARS’s own published policies (which shape many user complaints/praise points).

Recurring positive themes (from verifiable sources)

• Strong emphasis on holder presentation and “display” value (ARS holder section).
• Explicit “condition-only” model appeals to collectors who want centering not to tank the grade (Grading standards).
• A public database search exists (reduces “unknown slab” risk compared to graders with no lookup) (Database search).

Recurring negative themes (from verifiable sources)

• Submission access constraints (windows, limits, capacity closures) create frustration for people who want always-on submissions (Request page, FAQ).
• International access is currently restricted (Japan residents only for applications; domestic addresses required), which can push non-Japan collectors to intermediaries (FAQ: overseas applications, Request terms: addresses).
• No subgrades + centering not deducted can create mismatch with buyer expectations outside Japan (Grading standards).

Most common misconceptions (grounded in official docs)

• “ARS is open to international submissions.” ARS currently says overseas applications are not available and requires Japan domestic addresses (FAQ, Request terms).
• “Centering matters like PSA/BGS.” ARS explicitly states centering is not a deduction factor (Grading standards).

Controversies, trust signals, and red flags

What was checked (and where):

• Official policy for shipping, declared value adjustments, disputes, and liability: Request terms, FAQ.
• Holder security claims and anti-counterfeit posture: Holder section.

Findings:

• Trust signals: published company identity and address, published grading scale and policy notes, public lookup database, and explicit liability/payment/turnaround definitions (Company profile, Grading standards, Database search, Request terms).
• Red flags / friction points: strict submission windows and Japan-only application constraints; limited transparency for aspects like pop-report scope/SLAs; strong “no disputes” policy on grade outcomes (Request page, Request terms).

Who should use ARS (and who shouldn’t)

Use ARS if:

• You live in Japan (or have a Japan-based address workflow) and want an officially supported domestic TCG grading flow (FAQ: overseas applications, Request terms: addresses).
• You value a condition-only grading model where centering does not reduce the grade (Grading standards).
• You want a publicly accessible database lookup tool for verification (Database search).

Avoid ARS if:

• You primarily sell to non-Japan buyers who strongly prefer PSA/BGS/CGC, and you need maximum liquidity with minimal buyer education (this is market-behavior dependent; ARS itself publishes the policies that create that education burden) (Grading standards, Database search).
• You require subgrades, centering tolerances, or centering as part of grading outcomes (Grading standards).
• You need an always-open submission portal and international return shipping from the grader directly (Request page, FAQ: overseas applications).

Comparison snapshot

Rationale (sources): ARS policy/tooling and holder claims (Company profile, Grading standards, Pricing, Database search, Request terms). PSA/BGS/CGC positioning is qualitative; use their official sites before submitting.

FAQs

Is ARS legit?

ARS is operated by Arsales Co., Ltd. with a published company profile including representative name and Tokyo address, and it publishes grading standards, pricing, submission rules, and a public lookup tool (Company profile, Request terms, Database search).

How to verify an ARS cert?

Use ars-grading.com/search and search by appraisal number (“鑑定番号から検索”). The UI submits to /grading/searchNumber (Database search, Search by number endpoint).

Does ARS have a pop report?

ARS does not publish a separate “population report” page in the official pages captured here, but it promotes its database as a way to check how many graded cards exist and provides name/number search (Service, Database search).

Does ARS offer subgrades?

ARS publishes an overall grade scale and does not present subgrades; it explicitly describes the grade as a condition inspection and notes centering is not deducted (Grading standards).

What’s the ARS top grade?

ARS uses 10 and 10+. ARS states 10+ is for perfect condition only, and older-issued cards can qualify for 10+ if they perfectly retain original condition (Grading standards).

Does ARS count centering?

ARS explicitly states printing misalignment (centering) is not a deduction factor (Grading standards).

What does “Grade AU” mean?

ARS states AU is an authenticity-only outcome without a numeric grade, and it appears in distribution as “AU” (Grading standards).

Can I submit from outside Japan?

ARS states overseas applications are not currently supported and requires Japan domestic addresses for shipping/returns (FAQ, Request terms).

How long does ARS take?

ARS publishes indicative timelines and defines “turnaround” as arrival confirmation to billing notice; it shows general appraisal as “約2-3ヵ月” and express as “15日” (express in business days per terms), while also warning delays can occur and progress inquiries are not answered (Request page, Request terms, FAQ).

Can ARS change my fee after submission?

ARS states it may adjust the declared value band if it is materially inconsistent with market value (including additional charge or reduction), and missing declared value can lead to return or ARS deciding the band (Request terms).

Do I get my sleeves/toploaders back?

ARS states sleeves/loaders used for submission are not returned (FAQ).

What are common reasons a submission gets canceled or returned?

ARS lists conditions such as multiple applications from the same address in the same window, missing the 1-month arrival deadline, mismatch in card count, and other violations; repeated issues can lead to refusal of future applications (Request terms).

Can I dispute an ARS grade?

ARS states no objections to grading results are accepted and results are not disclosed before delivery/billing notice (Request terms).

Sources

Official

• ARS official site
• Company profile
• Services + holder + grading standards
• Grading standards anchor
• Pricing
• Submission flow / windows
• Submission terms
• Database search
• Search by number endpoint
• Search by name endpoint
• Supported titles
• FAQ / contact
• Packaging PDF
• ARS online store
• ARS X account

Reputable hobby/news

• Unknown (no third-party ownership/acquisition reporting was verified during this pass; the company profile is used as the primary source) (Company profile).

Community sentiment (Reddit/X/forums)

• Elite Fourum ARS discussion thread
• Reddit: Blocked from this environment, so direct thread URLs could not be verified here; use on-site search for “ARS grading” / “ARS 鑑定” when verifying externally (Reddit search: ARS grading)
• X: direct post URLs could not be verified here due to access restrictions; start from the official account and search for “受付” (submission windows) and policy updates (ARS X account)

Directories/reference lists

• None used for key claims in this write-up.

Score explanations (with sources)

• Market acceptance (4/10): ARS is Japan-centric and currently restricts overseas applications, which limits broad buyer recognition outside Japan (FAQ, Request terms).
• Transparency (6/10): ARS publishes a grading scale with definitions plus explicit policy notes (centering not deducted; AU meaning) and provides a public database search, but does not provide subgrades and does not publish population-report scope/SLAs (Grading standards, Database search).
• Value for money (5/10): pricing is published and structured by declared value bands with express add-ons; whether it’s “worth it” depends heavily on your market and resale goals (and you may see fee adjustments if declared value is off-market) (Pricing, Request terms).
• Resale liquidity (4/10): ARS’s grading policy (centering not deducted) and Japan-centric operations can increase buyer friction outside Japan; sellers can mitigate with database verification links and clear explanation, but liquidity is market-dependent (Grading standards, Database search).