Highlights
- An exclusive Monkey D. Luffy promo card included with Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 33 caused widespread sellouts across Japan.
- Retailers reported shortages, lottery sales, and long queues.
- Demand surged for related One Piece Card Game promotions, and also due to the final chapter of Blue Box featured in the same issue.
Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump faced an unusual supply crunch this week after overwhelming demand for an exclusive Monkey D. Luffy promotional card bundled with the magazine’s 33rd issue, released on July 13. Despite Shueisha printing 500K additional copies of Issue 33, retailers across Japan reported shortages as fans and collectors rushed to secure the card.
The issue, released to mark the 29th anniversary of One Piece, includes the P-159 Luffy card for the One Piece Card Game. It is an attacker in the One Piece trading card game (TCG), compatible with the Starter Deck ST-31.
Shueisha rarely discloses its print increases, making the announcement from July 12 an indication of the publisher’s expectations for exceptionally high demand. However, the total number of printed copies has not been disclosed.
Weekly Shonen Jump Extra Print Fails to Match Collector Demand
The surge highlights how collectible trading cards are increasingly driving demand in Japan’s anime and manga collectibles market. Despite the reprint, many bookstores had already sold out of pre-orders about a week before Shonen Jump’s Issue 33 release.
According to a Yahoo Japan report, TSUTAYA retail stores resorted to lottery sales, an unusual step for a weekly magazine. Some reports have indicated chaotic scenes across bookstores. Fans gathered in line before the store opening, and a frenzy ensued as soon as the stores opened.
The shortage extended beyond print sales. By July 9, applications for a separate eight-card set offered to digital subscribers of Shonen Jump Plus and Zebrack had already crossed 68K sets, or 2.14M cards.
One Piece Card Demand Results in Price Swings
The huge demand for the latest issue of Jump has also led to a price hike and increased flea market activity. Secondary-market listings are going for roughly ¥10K or (~$61.6 USD), well above the magazine’s price.
Oricon reported that a few outlets in Tokyo are buying the Luffy card for around ¥1K ($6.16) and they are being sold at secondary markets just like the magazine. The resale surge rattled Japan’s trading card retail sector.
Card shops nationwide announced that they would not be able to buy the card, citing unstable market prices. Nabari’s Sanyodo Trading Card Shop said it would not be able to purchase the card for the time being, while S CARD OASIS Shinmisato Store said it would pause buybacks until prices settle.
The shortage reflects the continued momentum of the One Piece Card Game, which has become one of Bandai's flagship trading card products since its 2022 debut. Limited promotional cards distributed through magazines and retail campaigns have repeatedly generated strong demand, with collector interest extending beyond Japan in some cases.
The promotion also underscores the enduring commercial strength of the One Piece franchise. The manga has surpassed 600M copies in circulation worldwide, with a projection to reach 725M copies by 2031. The original One Piece anime is currently airing its Elbaf arc; and with the WIT Studio remake scheduled to release in April 2027, resulting in continuous visibility and demand for one of anime’s most popular and acclaimed franchises.
