Every Wednesday, I go to buy Weekly Shonen Sunday.

Most people know Weekly Shonen Jump for One Piece and Dragon Ball,
but Sunday is home to Detective Conan.
This week, a Conan promo card was included as a bonus,
so I picked up one copy for my personal collection.

The bookstore in the photos looks very ordinary.
But bookstores are actually fascinating spaces.

They quietly reflect the mood of the era.

Ten years ago, the business section was filled with titles like
“How to Make Millions” or famous investors’ success philosophies.
Now, I see books about mental health, AI thinking, habit design, and self-understanding.
You can literally see how society changes just by walking past the shelves.

The manga section is still there, of course.
But digital platforms have clearly reduced the habit of owning physical volumes.
Fewer homes have bookshelves now.

When I was a child, I completed the entire Dragon Ball series.
As an adult, family comes first.
Time becomes the rarest luxury.

This week’s Weekly Shonen Sunday cost 400 yen (around $2.6).
Inside is the Detective Conan promo card.

I mainly collect Conan promo cards part collection, part long-term curiosity.

Right now, the market excitement is… normal.
It’s nowhere near Pokémon or One Piece.
If I had to rank it in Japan, maybe 5th or 6th in overall momentum.

But that’s exactly why it’s interesting.

There’s no long line.
No strict purchase limits.
No chaos.

Sometimes the quiet phase is where foundations are built.

The promo character this time is “Gin.”
He definitely looks like a villain (laugh).

I secured it for my collection,
but if someone truly wants it, I can also arrange one.

Weekly Shonen Sunday does not stay on shelves for long.
Most stores will likely stop selling this issue around February 22.
If you’re interested, it’s better not to wait.

On a completely different note I also bought socks at FamilyMart.

If you’ve traveled in Japan, you may recognize these colors.
This is the “FamilyMart color scheme.”
7-Eleven and Lawson each have their own design identity,
but FamilyMart’s palette is instantly recognizable.

Price: 429 yen (about $2.8).

Surprisingly, this makes a great souvenir.

It feels small, ordinary but these everyday objects often capture “real Japan” better than tourist goods.

If any of my customers ever want something uniquely Japanese beyond cards,
feel free to ask.

Japan is not only cards.

---

Instagram: @pokeshopjp
WhatsApp: link
Substack: We share updates and market perspectives