First of all, I want to clearly mention that we are still invested in Pokemon as well as One Piece. Throughout this breakdown, we will compare One Piece to Pokemon and other TCGs quite a bit. Please note that this is purely for comparison purposes and doesn't downplay the massive appeal of Pokemon, which we absolutely believe still holds a very strong long-term appeal for any serious collector or investor.
Now, let's address some of the heavy pushback that One Piece has received lately, or what we call the bearish case . Critics argue that the game is still too new and unproven. They point out that modern card quality is incredibly high out of the pack, meaning PSA 10s simply don't have that same elusive appeal or scarcity as vintage Pokemon. Skeptics also claim that card prices are currently too high, the franchise doesn't possess the same "magic repeatable formula" of pocket monsters, and that the overarching story is just too dauntingly long to attract casual fans.
But let's turn those perceived negatives into positives. If you look at the sales data from eBay and TCGplayer, Pokemon has incredibly high liquidity—there is lots of supply and plenty of rapid-fire sales. When looking into One Piece, you see a significantly smaller portion of sales and liquidity, but this negative is actually a massive positive when you factor in supply . For example, with rare slabbed Pokemon cards, you are routinely looking at graded populations of 10,000+. In contrast, One Piece has populations of less than 1,000 for even the most popular chases. I personally would much rather own a pop of 900 than a pop of 14,000. Granted, this lower liquidity is the trade-off and a card may take longer to sell, but in my opinion, the premium difference is entirely worth it .
The total supply in the sealed market is a fantastic indicator to look at as well. Though scarcity alone cannot prove market movement—since it desperately needs demand to match—the One Piece market shows daily sales and transactions against a very low product float, pointing to healthy demand. Let's look at OP05 booster boxes as a real example: they are currently showing steady daily sales volume, yet there are only 79 currently listed on TCGplayer and a mere 28 cases left at the time of this writing. Fervent demand has swallowed up these boxes, placing a high premium on the product. Any current retracing we are seeing is simply a healthy consolidation .
Let's talk about the singles. When it comes to Pokemon, some collectors are almost losing interest in the chase cards, which are not only notoriously difficult to pull but are often only worth a few hundred dollars. Looking at Surging Sparks , a genuinely good set, the ultimate chase card (the SIR Pikachu) is valued around $250 while the booster boxes are going for $260+. This is a painfully common theme. Let's look at a current hot set for comparison: Destined Rivals . The current booster box price is hovering around $550, while the top chase Team Rocket's Mewtwo is around $440. From a pure value perspective, there is almost no reason to open modern TCG boxes .
Looking over to One Piece for comparison, sets like OP05 have their top two chases going for $5,000+. Even if those cards were to suffer a massive drop and get cut in half to $2,500, you still have a legitimate chance of hitting a pull that dramatically exceeds the cost of the booster box. The high singles prices completely justify the sealed prices. But that's a premium, foundational set, so let's look at a "less desirable" one like OP10 Royal Blood . The current booster box price sits around $215, yet the top chase card commands $800+. It's hard to perfectly speculate since the One Piece TCG is so young, but the current singles and sealed pricing show a much more desirable value factor than most established TCGs.
Furthermore, One Piece has an incredible pipeline of collaborations, upcoming catalysts, and future growth incentives that prove it's no one-trick pony. The IP has been slowly building up immense mainstream steam since its inception, and the fruits of that labor are really showing now. The second season of the Netflix live-action series is releasing next month; the first season alone brought in massive outside fan interest, and the trailers for season two look drastically better as the production kinks get worked out. On top of that, the manga is ongoing, hitting legendary panel after legendary panel. The collaborations have been back-to-back hits, from the LA Dodgers Luffy promo to College Basketball Luffy, with more high-profile partnerships around the corner. They are even revamping the anime—giving it the Dragon Ball "Kai" treatment for a beautiful, no-filler experience—which guarantees the future looks incredibly bright.
Additionally, for those who get invested in One Piece, they truly develop a deeper love and connection that goes far beyond other TCGs or video games. It is a story that transcends the typical shonen tropes, exploring profound themes and mirroring modern realities we face today. You only need to look at global news stories or real-world protests to see the Straw Hat flag flying high, which is a massive testament to the cultural power of this IP .
All in all, the smallness of the One Piece TCG compared to the other giants in the space is actually one of its greatest strengths. A smaller TCG has much more room to expand and grow, which is a flashing bullish signal for anyone getting into the market while it's still young. Though it may be more unproven than a titan like Pokemon, investing now feels like getting into the Neo and Johto sets before the explosion of the Sworld & Shield modern eras. That prospect is much more appealing to savvy fans than buying into a TCG that has long since matured and is actively looking to print even more product than it already has with their new printing facility. At the end of the day, most people want to be there for the ride up .