Hello everyone,
It’s been a while!
First of all, thank you to everyone who still visits this blog, even when I disappear for weeks or months at a time.
The truth is, there’s no dramatic reason why I don’t update more often.
Life gets busy, and whenever I try to write as part of my business, the articles naturally turn into sales posts.
I’d rather write when I genuinely have something interesting to share.
For me, the most enjoyable blogs are not the ones trying to sell something—they’re the ones that let you peek into someone else’s world.
So today, instead of talking about a specific card, I want to share something different:
What is actually happening in Japan right now?
Of course, this is only my personal view based on what I see every day. It’s not market research, and I certainly haven’t interviewed the entire country!
Think of it as one collector’s observations from inside Japan.
Japan Loves Whatever Is New
One thing that has always fascinated me about Japan is how much people love new things.
Sometimes I joke that Japanese collectors receive information faster than the government itself.
Just a few days ago, Bandai officially announced that a Naruto Trading Card Game will launch in 2027.
The reaction was immediate.
X (formerly Twitter) exploded with Naruto discussions.
For many fans, this is the missing piece.
We already have:
- One Piece
- Dragon Ball
- Pokémon
And now Naruto joins the party.
To make things even more interesting, a limited Dodgers × Naruto promotional card is scheduled to be distributed at a baseball game later this year.
As you can imagine, excitement is everywhere.
But Excitement and Reality Are Different Things
Personally, I expect Naruto cards to become extremely expensive at first.
Not because of collectors.
Not because of players.
Because of expectations.
Modern trading card markets are very different from what they were 10 or 20 years ago.
Today, many people buy cards not because they love them, but because they expect them to increase in value.
When a new product is announced, prices often rise before the cards even exist.
That’s why I always ask myself:
Who will actually buy these cards at those prices later?
A card’s true value isn’t determined on announcement day.
It’s determined years later.
Naruto is one of the most beloved anime franchises in the world, but a successful trading card game needs more than popularity.
It needs players.
It needs collectors.
And most importantly, it needs time.
The real test begins after 2027.
Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary Has Created Another Problem
Pokémon is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the excitement is incredible.
But something interesting is happening.
People are no longer asking:
“What’s inside the product?”
Instead they’re asking:
“Can I even buy one?”
Because of anti-scalping measures and lottery systems, many products are difficult to obtain.
As a result, pre-orders are already appearing online at astonishing prices.
The funny part?
Nobody can guarantee they will actually receive the products yet.
People are paying for the possibility of getting one.
That alone says a lot about the current market.
Even Small Pokémon Goods Are Going Crazy
The card market isn’t the only thing affected.
The merchandise market is just as wild.
I recently tried buying some Pokémon Center anniversary goods myself.
The website was so crowded that I couldn’t even log in for nearly an hour.
By the time I finally entered, many of the most popular items had already sold out.
Then I checked resale prices.
One example really made me laugh.
A pin badge that originally sold for around ¥1,300 was already being listed on eBay for around ¥17,000.
Even within Japan, similar items were selling for around ¥9,000.
As a market observer, I understand why.
But as a normal human being?
Paying 43 euros for a pin still feels a little crazy. 😂
Where I Think The Real Opportunities Are
This is where my opinion differs from many people.
I watch prices every day, but I rarely chase products that are already exploding.
Instead, I often look at cards released one or two years ago.
Those are the cards most people have already forgotten.
Sometimes they quietly rise in value while everyone else is staring at the newest release.
For example, one card I purchased for about ¥500 eight months ago is now selling for around ¥6,500.
A 13x increase sounds unbelievable.
But surprisingly, it happens more often than people think.
Especially in Dragon Ball right now, there are still many interesting opportunities hiding in plain sight.
Final Thoughts
Whenever the market becomes obsessed with the newest product, I try to look somewhere else.
Sometimes the most interesting discoveries are found where nobody is looking.
The newest cards are exciting.
The hype is fun.
But the real stories often begin long after the excitement fades.
I intended to write a short update today…
As usual, I ended up writing far more than expected.
Thank you for reading.
See you next time.
Shinobu🇯🇵
HAKATA7 