On July 14, 2026, an article titled "'Weekly Shonen Jump' appendix cards bought up by resellers" was published on the Chinese portal site Sohu.

The article stated, "On the 13th of this month, 'Weekly Shonen Jump' 2026 Issue No. 33 was released. At first glance, it appeared to be a regular weekly issue, but to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the 'ONE PIECE' serialization, the editorial department included a limited Luffy card as an appendix, causing unexpected market chaos. 'Weekly Shonen Jump' is one of Japan's largest-circulation manga magazines, serializing numerous popular works. Therefore, many readers look forward to purchasing the latest issue at convenience stores and bookstores every Monday."

However, it explained, "this time, many readers were unable to experience that joy. According to multiple Japanese media outlets, long queues formed at bookstores across the country from early morning on the release day. But for many, the main attraction was not the magazine itself, but the limited Luffy card appendix. This card was a limited edition of the 'ONE PIECE Card Game,' a collector's item that could only be obtained by purchasing this issue, making it a prime target for resellers."

It further noted, "As soon as stores opened, people rushed to put multiple copies of the magazine into their shopping baskets, and many stores sold out shortly after opening. This resulted in a situation where regular readers who buy Jump every week couldn't get a single copy. Even more surprisingly, shortly after its release, a large number of resold items appeared on Japanese flea market sites. While no one paid attention to the magazine itself, which retailed for 340 yen, the appendix card was priced at around 2,500 yen. Some resellers even opened the magazines, sold only the cards, and treated the manga magazine itself as a bonus item."

It also mentioned, "Anticipating this scramble, Shueisha, the publisher of 'Weekly Shonen Jump,' had taken countermeasures. It was reported that they printed 500,000 more copies than usual, an unusually large increase for a weekly manga magazine. Many large bookstores also implemented measures such as selling only to pre-order customers, limiting the number of purchases, and having staff hand copies directly to customers. Furthermore, some shops that deal in trading cards announced that they would not buy back these appendix cards."

It then stated, "However, even these measures could not completely stop the market frenzy. As long as there are people willing to buy at high prices, demand will not disappear, nor will reselling. What was more regrettable than resellers profiting was the impact on general readers. According to NTV's coverage, many manga fans expressed their dissatisfaction. The manga that should have been read became the least noticed item."

On the other hand, it introduced, "Amidst this, a certain convenience store's response in Japan became a hot topic on social media. They placed a single copy of 'Weekly Shonen Jump' in the store and put up a sign saying 'Reading allowed.' This was a considerate gesture, allowing those who simply wanted to read the latest chapter to do so freely on the spot, even if they couldn't buy it or compete with resellers. Although it was just one magazine, many internet users seemed to feel warmth in this thoughtfulness."

The article pointed out, "The original purpose of publishers including appendices is sales promotion and giving back to fans. However, when the value of the appendix far exceeds the content of the magazine itself, the market quickly loses its true form. For resellers, what matters is not the content of the manga, but how much profit they can make, and the readers who truly supported the work end up bearing the brunt of this."

It concluded, "This 'ONE PIECE' 29th-anniversary serialization project, which should have been a celebratory event, unfortunately escalated into a nationwide buying frenzy. For the publisher, it may have resulted in record-breaking sales. However, for readers who truly love manga, it was not necessarily a joyous occasion. This is because the true value of a manga magazine should be the story contained within it, not a single card tucked into its cover."

Furthermore, comments from Chinese internet users included: "Shueisha, I really don't get it. Don't sell weekly magazines like this," "Since you can pre-order online, why sell them in stores for resellers and not leave enough for regular people?" "If you just want the book, there are plenty at BOOKOFF. Resellers are only after the cards," and "Last year's Mos Burger lucky bag came with 'ONE PIECE' cards, but they weren't popular at all and remained unsold until the end. And this year it's such a commotion..." (Translation/Editing by Iwata)