Bookstores on alert for scalpers gunning for bonus ‘One Piece’ card

July 10, 2026 at 18:00 JST

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Listings for a commemorative “One Piece” trading card on a major thrifting site ahead of its release. (Captured from a flea market platform’s website)

Bookstores across Japan are on alert ahead of the July 13 release of the “Weekly Shonen Jump” comic anthology

The magazine comes bundled with a commemorative card for the 29thanniversary of the popular manga series “One Piece.” Shops are concerned that a deluge of customers may cause disruptions and confusion

Scalping is already rampant, even before the latest issue of the weekly magazine goes on sale, with the card available at a high markup on flea market sites. Aside from being a collectible, it is part of the “One Piece” trading card game, which was launched worldwide in 2022 to mark the series’ 25th anniversary

Some of the cards featuring specific designs from the game have previously sold for high prices on the secondhand market

A senior executive at a nationwide bookstore chain said, “There will definitely be a rush of customers on the release day.”

The chain has hastily put measures in place that include preparing line markers for waiting customers

According to the executive, Shueisha has asked retailers to limit sales to one copy per customer. However, he expressed concern about enforcing the restriction

“Some people line up at the register multiple times, while others change their jackets and pretend to be different customers. It’s difficult to stop them,” he said

At another bookstore in Tokyo, long lines formed as soon as the store began accepting reservations for the issue. Those making reservations included many foreign nationals

“The bonus card is probably viewed as highly valuable because of its rarity,” a store employee said

“In the past, many people took only the bonus item and threw the magazine away before leaving,” the staff member added. “I expect the same thing will happen again this time. I wonder how much affection they really have for the magazine itself.”

PREYING ON SCARCITY WORRIES

While a copy of “Weekly Shonen Jump” costs 340 yen ($2.10) including tax, the bonus card has been listed on flea market sites for between 2,000 and 4,000 yen

Major online marketplace Mercari prohibits the sale of items that sellers do not actually own yet, but such listings have nevertheless been rapidly selling out

A 40-year-old man living in Kanagawa Prefecture who operates a resale business said that such “futures trading” tends to emerge when product generates a buzz and can be obtained with a high degree of certainty, even before its official release

This issue’s print run will have 500,000 copies more than usual. As a result, many readers are expected to be able to find and purchase it

Even so, the reseller said, “This kind of transaction is onlyy that they may not be able to get a copy. Once the magazine is out, demand is likely to decline.”

Shueisha has opted not to comment on such activities, saying only that, “The product has not yet been released.”

PREVENTING SCALPING

Kensaku Fukui, a lawyer with expertise in resale-related issues, pointed out that, “The problem of high-priced resales is generally premised on the improper acquisition of products.”

He said that if people obtain products despite clearly stated purchase limits or scalping bans, their actions are likely to constitute crimes such as fraud

He also warned that those who buy scalped items risk their purchases never arriving or receiving products that differ from those advertised

To combat the problem, Fukui said, “It is important for flea market platforms and similar services to establish systems that do not allow listings of improperly obtained goods.”

“High-priced resales exist because there are buyers willing to pay for them,” he said. “The money does not go to the creators. If people truly care about the works they love, I would like them to stop buying these resold products.”

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