One Piece Card Game, OP09: the advent of the Emperors of the New World

Tokyo, at dawn on August 31, 2024. In front of the specialist shops, a queue already stretches out well before opening: the OP09 set « The Emperors of the New World » of the One Piece Card Game is released today in Japan, sparking unprecedented excitement among collectors and players alike. This ninth set celebrates the second anniversary of the card game, and its theme centred on the Four Emperors makes it all the more anticipated. The announced cards promise sumptuous, never-seen designs, some even bearing illustrations taken from the original manga or exclusive golden finishes, enough to fuel every fan's desire over the past weeks. Now the first opened boosters finally reveal their long-awaited treasures. This Japanese launch of OP09 stands as a true event, marking a turning point for the community as it celebrates two years of success with a set as rich in surprises as in collector pieces.

The leaders of this set

The OP09 set introduces six new Leader cards, foremost among them, naturally, the emblematic Four Emperors of the New World. The new wave of Emperors, Shanks the Red, Marshall D. « Blackbeard » Teach, Monkey D. Luffy and Buggy the Clown, proudly steps in as brand-new deck leaders. Each of these iconic characters now has a Leader card in their likeness, reflecting their unique style and power: Shanks imposes his serene authority, Blackbeard deploys a menacing charisma, Luffy radiates the energy of the future Pirate King, while Buggy adds an offbeat touch as an Emperor as unexpected as he is amusing. Alongside them, two more unexpected faces complete the leader list: Nico Robin, the crew's archaeologist, and Lim, the heroine from the One Piece Odyssey video game.

Behind the scenes, it is above all the alternate versions of these Leader cards that drive collectors wild. Bandai had already offered alternate-art Leaders in previous editions, and their return in OP09 causes a sensation, all the more so as they feature such popular characters. The Shanks Leader, for example, comes in a full-art alternate card where the Red-Haired stands in all his presence, a brand-new illustration that draws fans' admiration. Luffy also sports a spectacular alternate Leader celebrating his new Emperor status with a dynamic, symbolic visual. These alternate versions, printed in very limited quantities, are already among the hardest cards of the set to obtain. Collectors are fighting over them, sending their prices soaring on the secondary market. Beyond the in-game power these Leaders give players, it is their collector dimension and the artistic quality of their visuals that enshrine these OP09 Leader cards in the game's pantheon.

The new alternate cards

The alternate-art frenzy does not stop at the Leaders. OP09 also abounds with alternate versions for many character cards, offering visuals sometimes original, sometimes directly inspired by the One Piece universe. One of OP09's striking surprises is the « Wanted poster » card series: Shanks's card, for instance, has an alternate version illustrated as a wanted poster, faithfully reproducing his legendary bounty and his face plastered in the manner of the manga's posters. Other beloved characters also receive sumptuous alternate illustrations: the diva Uta stands alongside the faithful Benn Beckman, the gothic Perona, plus Adio and Lim, the faces of One Piece Odyssey building a bridge between the card game and the video game.

By common consent, these alternate-art cards count among the most memorable elements of every set, and OP09 is no exception. For collectors they are true jewels to hunt, on a par with the rarest cards. Opening a booster and discovering one of these alternate versions is often the highlight of the experience: many share photos of their find online, whether Luffy's freshly pulled Wanted poster or a vividly coloured alternate. These cards remain tournament-legal, and some bold players even slot these luxury versions into their decks to impress opponents. Many, however, choose to keep them carefully protected, or even graded, given their aesthetic and financial value. It is already clear that OP09's alternate cards, from the WANTED posters to the exclusive character illustrations, will remain one of the memorable signatures of this set.

The new Special (SP) cards

A new rarity category makes a remarkable entrance in OP09: the « Special » (SP) cards. This SP designation highlights particularly prestigious alternate versions, usually applied to flagship characters. In practice these are alternate illustrations of certain Super Rares or Leaders, endowed with an even more luxurious finish. For example, Nami and Boa Hancock, two highly prized figures, each get an SP card in this set. Their special versions sport a sumptuous new artwork, enhanced by dazzling foil and heightened details (textures, holographic effects) that magnify every aspect of the character. Visually, these cards stand out instantly in a booster, bearing a distinctive SP rarity symbol. OP09 offers ten in total, a true feast for collectors hunting exceptional pieces. In play, owning your favourite character's SP card lets you strengthen your deck in style, but their collecting value comes first: these OP09 Special Rares, produced in ultra-limited quantities, already trade at high prices and are becoming coveted trophies.

With this profusion of SP cards, OP09 asserts itself as one of the most generous sets in exclusive collector cards. Every Special Rare has that little extra that makes it unforgettable, be it a boldly styled illustration, innovative shine effects or simply the choice of a hugely popular character. Corazon, Zoro-Juurou, Rob Lucci, Monkey D. Dragon and the four new Emperors complete a series that spoils every generation of fans. This level of care shows the publisher's will to treat collectors for the game's second anniversary. Opening an OP09 booster means the prospect of finding not only powerful cards for play, but also these SP treasures that make fans' eyes sparkle. So much so that some now consider the SPs essential: they broaden the rarity hunt beyond the Secret Rares alone, making the collecting experience even richer and more thrilling.

The new Secret Rare cards

At the very top of OP09's rarity scale sit two exceptional new Secret Rares (SEC). Unsurprisingly, Monkey D. Luffy inherits one of these precious secret cards, he who has just been crowned an Emperor in the story. Luffy thus appears in an epic illustration worthy of his status: conquering smile and fist raised, ready to leap into battle, symbolising his meteoric rise. The other Secret Rare is none other than Gol D. Roger, the legendary Pirate King. It is the first time Roger is honoured with a card of such a high rank in the card game, and Bandai did not do things by halves. His majestic visual, evoking the scaffold of Loguetown, smiling in the face of death or brandishing his sabre in a triumphant surge, gives the card a mythical aura. These two Secret Rares carry powerful in-game effects, but it is above all their historic and symbolic dimension that fascinates fans. Printed in tiny quantities (usually one or two SEC per display), the Luffy and Roger secret cards immediately became must-haves. For collectors they represent the summit of OP09: rare, iconic pieces carrying all the epic breath of One Piece.

One might think that after these two exceptional Secret Rares, OP09 had revealed all its assets. But Bandai had kept one final surprise up its sleeve, a rarity of a new kind that set passions ablaze as soon as it was mentioned. An even more elusive card hides in this set, surpassing in exclusivity everything the game had offered so far. Teased in half-words before release, surrounded by wild rumours on the forums, it has already entered One Piece TCG legend. Its concept? Mixing the manga's visual style with a golden finish to pay tribute to the greatest treasure of the One Piece universe. This special card, more than a Secret Rare, has become the holy grail of OP09. Some insiders already call it the « golden Manga card »: time to lift the veil on this phenomenon.

The Manga cards

The OP09 set would not be complete without a series of cards that ignited discussions well before release: the famous « Manga » cards. These are ultra-limited edition cards whose illustrations are directly inspired by the panels of Eiichiro Oda's original manga, capturing the stroke and energy of the printed drawing. OP09 has four of them, dedicated to the New Emperors themselves. Monkey D. Luffy, Buggy the Clown, Shanks and Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard) each get their Manga rare card, immortalising an iconic moment of the story. These cards strike with their unique aesthetic: black-and-white backgrounds screened like a comic page, bold contrasts and faithfully rendered expressions, you would think you were holding a manga panel in your hands. Seeing Luffy flash his legendary future-Pirate-King smile or Shanks draw his sabre with gravity, all in the original illustration style, stirs a particular emotion in enthusiasts.

And as if that were not enough, Bandai added a fifth jewel to this Manga collection: an exclusive Gol D. Roger card in a sumptuous golden version. A true Treasure Rare of the set, this Pirate King card is embellished with gold reflections over a manga-style artwork, symbolising both the legendary treasure and the Pirate King's legacy. It is without question the hardest card to obtain in OP09, an absolute grail for collectors. Pulled at an extremely rare frequency, Roger's golden Manga card already trades for staggering sums, and those lucky enough to own it regard it as the pinnacle of their collection. With this Manga series, the OP09 set stands as a vibrant homage to the source material and offers fans the chance to acquire true pieces of the One Piece myth in collector form.

In the end, « The Emperors of the New World » stands as a flagship set that will mark the history of the One Piece Card Game. Thanks to its brand-new cards, dazzling alternates and heartfelt homages to the original manga, OP09 has won collectors' hearts while giving players new weapons. In Japan, the fervour around this release once again demonstrated the unshakeable enthusiasm for the One Piece universe in all its forms. Many fans came out of this set opening with sparkling eyes, whether they had the luck to land Roger's golden grail or simply rejoiced at adding the Four Emperors in manga version to their binder. While the international community waits impatiently for the western release, OP09 already asserts itself as a cult set that has ushered the One Piece TCG into a new era of spectacular rarities. After such a deluge of treasures, one question already burns on every enthusiast's lips: how far will Bandai go to surprise us in the next set?