Only 20 Per Store – What’s Happening With the Ichiban Kuji Luffy Promo in Japan

Ichiban Kuji One Piece Promo Luffy

What Really Happened in Japan – February 14

Many of you already know that on February 14, Japan released a new Ichiban Kuji One Piece Card Game promo (Luffy).

Each store gave the promo to only the first 20 people.

Instead of explaining the card design (you’ve probably seen it already),
I want to share what it actually looked like on the ground in Japan.

11PM – Driving Through the Night

Some stores start selling at midnight.

At 11PM, I got in my car and began checking convenience stores near me.

Temperature: 8°C.
Strong wind.
Friday night crowds.

Young people out drinking. Cars everywhere.

And me driving alone in the dark looking for One Piece cards.

I visited 6 stores.

Result: Most would start sales at 7AM or 9AM.

Time to reset.

2AM – While the World Is Awake

Back home at 2AM.

At that time:

  • US West Coast: 9AM
  • UK: 5PM

My DMs started filling up.

Many of you already knew this promo was releasing.
Messages came in through Reddit and Instagram.

The reality is simple:

I can secure only a limited number with certainty.
Anything beyond that becomes reservation-based.

And yes the reserved allocation started filling quickly.

For early buyers, I offered one of the lowest prices available.
Part of it is promotion. Part of it is long-term trust.

But the market was already moving.

Prices were shifting hourly.

By the next morning, matching the same price would not have been realistic.

Morning – The Line

When stores opened, I lined up.

Social media was already reporting long queues, arguments, even line-cutting incidents.

Honestly, I didn’t feel like lining up.

But this is part of the event culture in Japan.

I ended up 6th in line.

By the time sales started, about 30 people were waiting.

Promos were limited to the first 20.

That meant I secured mine.

Wait time: about 50 minutes.

Collectors. Foreigners. Regular fans.

Surprisingly calm atmosphere.

Screenshot
Screenshot

What I Pulled

  • 1 Promo Luffy
  • Card design sticker set
  • Sleeve towel

(Each person can only draw 3 times.)

This specific one is for my personal collection.

Not for sale.

Market Situation

Japanese resale markets started moving immediately.

The impression right now:

Buy pressure is stronger than sell pressure.

Unlike booster boxes, this type of promo is structurally difficult to mass acquire.

You cannot simply “buy 100 easily.”

However …

I hold a licensed Japanese buyback permit.

That means I can legally purchase from the public.

So I can secure sales inventory for clients.

Will There Be a Reprint?

Ichiban Kuji typically ends once tickets are gone.

No reprint announcement.

Usually, the next Kuji replaces it.

That means supply is finite.

At the moment, the price appears to have reached its early floor
and is beginning to trend upward.


Final Thoughts

If you’re considering purchasing,
earlier entry generally means lower financial pressure.

Inventory is limited.

Once allocation is filled, pricing follows market movement.

If interested, message me directly.

Instagram: @pokeshopjp
WhatsApp: Click here
Substack: Market updates and insights

shinobu🇯🇵


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