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Market Manipulation – This Week in Anime

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5 months ago

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Coop and Lucas discuss the nature of greed-based “collectibles” and its impact on the anime and manga community.

The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.

Coop


You know how we occasionally look up and realize that the internet grifter hellscape has encroached on our neck of the woods, Lucas? Well, we’re doing that again today. A particularly petulant professional wrestler popped up in the news recently, bragging about how he’d nabbed a pair of key Shonen Jump issues and had them slabbed up.

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© 1997 by Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA Inc.

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© 1984 by BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA Inc.

Then, some guy who’s apparently relevant for running fast (but isn’t an Olympian or actual athlete) “ratio’d” said wrestler in an alleged backhanded attempt to raise the slabbed manga’s perceived value so they could allegedly collude on a pump-and-dump. We’re not mentioning the specific names of these people because it’ll just play into their nonsense—they want the attention. Geoff Thew and comics essayist Matt have gone deeper into the nasty specifics of this obvious grift, but we’re now finding ourselves in world where manga could become the next weird con-man scam—right alongside slabbed trading cards, VHS tapes, and copies of Kiss x sis on Blu-ray for some reason.

Lucas


Coop, I’m so glad we’re talking about this today. Mostly because it’s our obligation to use our platform to act as responsible stewards of this space, but also because I sold US$20,000 in Pokémon cards for my fiancée’s grandmother last year, and that experience nearly broke me psychologically and irreparably damaged my sense of nostalgic whimsy.

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Photo by Lucas DeRuyter

So you could say that you “psyducked around and found out”?

I did! I traveled to collectables conventions to source buyer information, cold called collectables content creators and resellers, let a strange man into my apartment so that he could weigh each pack individually, then drove an hour on a work day to buy some of the packs BACK from him after he had the gall to suggest that he overpaid when he was the one who made the offer that my partner and I agreed to and asked for a refund.

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© 2026 Pokémon

While the Pokémon brand, company, and fandom are too big to be entirely defined by one group of people, Pokémon TCG grifters are a blight upon this space and have turned a children’s card game into an exercise of the greater fool theory, while forever tainting a piece of media that’s deeply meaningful to me.

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© 2026 Pokémon

While we’re never going to be able to get these greedy sociopaths out of the Pokémon TCG scene, I wanna do everything in my power to keep these sweaty losers from running the same playbook in the anime/manga collectables community.

I’m right there with you. Addressing these topics is doubly important in our current “needy streamer overdose” of a world. Folks who’ve been around the block for a while know a thing or two about dealing with scalpers and con-artists, but that’s not always the case for people who are jumping into the hobby for the first time. Especially when one considers that anime and manga’s current run of mainstream dominance (and the accompanying audience) is still fairly new, having only bubbled up during the pandemic.

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© WSS playground / NEEDY GIRL PROJECT

Oh, and while we’re here, let’s take the word “tourist” out of this discussion because I’ve seen it too much already. There’s so much gatekeep-y stink around that word, and pushing new people away from the hobby isn’t it, chief. Conflating new fans with grifters is just a recipe for unnecessary internet screaming, and we’ve got enough of that going around as it is.

Agreed. That kind of tribalism isn’t productive, and as anime has become more popular and ubiquitous, the idea of people being “tourists” is counterintuitive when, like, just about everyone under the age of 50 nowadays has heard of Dragon Ball, One Piece, Sailor Moon and other big titles.

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© Monkey Punch © TMS

Now, the big thing people need to know about internet grifters suddenly (supposedly) spending obscene amounts of money on “graded” vintage manga is that the high-end collectables scene has been equal parts a pump-and-dump and money laundering scam for a LONG time. The short of it is that the social popularity of an IP raises the hypothetical value of “rare” merchandise connected to it, meaning something like an old manga volume can both be sold for as much as someone is willing to pay for it while also being worthless for tax purposes. All it takes is one person famous enough saying that a collectable is worth X amount of money, and suddenly, a thing they bought is worth as much as a greater fool is willing to pay for it.

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© 2026 Pokémon

This has been happening in the world of high end art for generations, but recently cropped up in video games just before the pandemic when trusted voices and pundits noted how strange it was that fairly common retro games like Super Mario Bros were selling at auction for much more than what they should be. Pokémon cards and other TCGs were especially vulnerable to this grift as the blindbox nature of how they’re distributed creates even more speculation, and now we’re seeing people try to inflate the cost of fairly ubiquitous manga for their own gain.

That ubiquity makes the situation even more head-scratching—most titles can easily be found in bookstores, big box stores, and digitally. The slabbing and “we’ve got the most” nonsense is just another way to build up “value” to fleece people who don’t know better. And if any specific titles turn into a rat race, there’s always your friend and mine, “limit one item per customer.” Some Japanese retailers have allegedly turned to quizzing potential buyers before letting them purchase Pokémon cards, but that solution can be rather repellent to folks who get into a hobby on a whim. A whim is more or less how I got into Beyblade X a while back.

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Photo by Coop Bicknell

But there’s a related social media trend that ties into this topic—one I’ve been keeping tabs on over the past couple of years. It seems that a good handful of folks are hunting down certain items solely for their perceived financial value. Not because they’re a huge fan of a title, are interested in it, or just want it, but rather, a potential cash out. It’s as if a growing number of folks see their collections as a measuring stick for their wealth and success—something Chris mentioned to me while talking about his recent TFCon excursion. For example, I didn’t hunt down the entire Raijin Comics run of Slam Dunk because the latter volumes are usually expensive. I did it because I love the series, and I’m a freak who likes to compare approaches in localization.

On a similar note, I’ve come across quite a few manga collection and haul videos that focus squarely on the money aspect of it. These videos often feature titles like “US$10,000 Manga Collection” and “US$1,000 Manga Haul”, so it’s clear that the emphasis isn’t really on the titles or the joy of collecting itself. Again, it’s about the money and having “the most” of something. A video with cold, hard numbers makes perfect sense for insurance purposes, but it’s unnecessary otherwise.

Listen, I bailed on TikTok after the company flipped its servers off for half a day and then thanked the current admin when they flipped them back on in a shameless attempt to curry favor with a wannabe autocrat. However, even just a couple of years ago, I remember how put off I was by the manga tokers showing off their collections that filled entire rooms of their house. There’s nothing enviable about that level of excess, and it kind of cheapens the work in that kind of collection in my eyes.

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© 2018 by Tatsuki Fujimoto/SHUEISHA Inc.

As someone who has read A LOT of manga, having “the most” of something doesn’t make you any kind of authority on it. It’s way more important and rewarding to actually engage with the community around this media, or turn your familiarity with it into analysis or other kinds of experiences and insights that can help you grow as a person. Having a personal library filled with manga can be a consequence of being active in and caring deeply about this space, but it shouldn’t be anyone’s principal goal.

This applies more to anime Blu-rays than it does manga in my case, but I’m a big fan of trimming my collection hedges from time to time. I keep what I truly love or appreciate, and say goodbye to anything that no longer sparks joy. And if I really want to reacquire something, it’ll be around. For reference, these were some hard-learned lessons from my Transformers collecting days as a teen in the late aughts.
If I’m a collector of anything, I think it’s video games. Though that’s not really a thing I’m doing with any kind of intention, and more a consequence of how I grew up with the medium. While anime and manga were largely mediums I got into through the internet, as there was no way for me to purchase either in my incredibly small hometown, there was a GameStop one town over, and it was fairly easy for me to get physical discs/cartridges there. Between that habit-forming opportunity and me having WAY more friends inclined to borrow a game than anime or manga, I accidentally ended up with a bit of a collection over time.


I know this statement might come across as contradictory, considering how often you and I preach anti-piracy sentiments in this column, but folks need to engage with hobbies and art through a lens other than consumerism. I know how cool it can be to own a piece of history or how good it can feel to have people praise your collection, but hobbies need to be more than just a way to spend your money or, in the case of the grifters who motivated this column, a way to make a quick buck.

Indulging in a hobby could mean joining a community, making lifelong friends, or potentially backing into a life-changing opportunity. Contrary to popular belief, money can’t buy you any of that.

That’s a contradiction that I’ve always found funny in our community. With all of this media being imported to us in the US, the growing availability of Japanese entertainment here is a clear consequence of people thinking it’s profitable to release these works here. However, basically all of the communal infrastructure that the current anime fandom is built on was made back when this market was nearly nonexistent, and those involved had to be in this space for the love of the game.

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© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

The fact that the anime fan community existed well before anyone could make big bucks off of it makes me hopeful that we can resist these opportunistic grifters. Just about anyone in a position of authority in this space is acutely aware of this industry’s financial realities, and a scam like this can only go so far without buy-in from established and beloved voices.

And you know what, I’m not seeing any of those folks putting in with this wretched lot. This is most assuredly a situation that we’ll have to keep an eye on, but I have a feeling that the wrestler, wannabe Sonic the Hedgehog, and their ilk have no real grasp of the industry they’re stepping into. Have fun with your slabbed pieces of crumby newsprint that were designed to be tossed aside after reading, boys.

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© 奥浩哉・講談社／アニメ「いぬやしき」製作委員会

They’ll never know how good this week’s chapter was.

The thing about the greater fool theory that powered the NFT bubble and countless other meritless markets is that, if no one else is buying, the people who tried to get this off the ground end up as the clowns. Anyone can put a manga that people have heard of in a plastic case, slap an arbitrary number on it to say that it’s valuable, and then claim it’s worth something like twenty or forty grand, but it’s only actually worth that much once someone cuts them a check.

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© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Everyone I know in this space with that kind of money to burn is doing WAY cooler stuff with it, which makes me hopeful that this is going to be a fad adjacent to the anime community for a minute, but never reach the impressive and vibrant heights of the actual anime community.

They’re never climbing that summit. Greed rarely stands a chance against those who do it for the love of the game.

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Psyren TV Anime Reveals Ending Song by Who-ya Extended – News

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26 minutes ago

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September 28, 2026

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Image courtesy of Sony Music

©Toshiaki Iwashiro,Shueisha/PSYREN Secret Society

The staff for the television anime of Toshiaki Iwashiro‘s Psyren manga revealed on Monday the anime’s ending theme song “ICARUS” by Who-ya Extended. 

The anime will debut on Tokyo MX and BS11 on October 5 at 11:00 p.m., before airing later that evening on Sun TV. Crunchyroll will stream the anime worldwide excluding Japan and China.

Global Stage Hollywood will screen the world premiere for the second episode of the anime at the Global Stage Hollywood Film Festival on October 3 at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California. The first episode will also screen its West Coast premiere during the event. The manga’s original creator Iwashiro will be in attendance at the screening.

The anime stars:

Katsumi Ono (Symphogear AXZ, Symphogear G, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s, Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V) is directing the anime at Satelight. Shin Yoshida (Naruto Shippūden, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX) is overseeing the series scripts, and Akira Ōkuma (Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus; Demon Lord, Retry! R) is designing the characters. Composers include: Takashi Ōmama (Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight AXIS, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury), Tatsuhiko Saiki (My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, I Parry Everything), and Shū Kanematsu (My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses).

CLAN QUEEN performs the opening theme song “Warning!!”

REMOW describes the anime:

One day, high schooler Ageha Yoshina picks up a mysterious “red phone card” left behind in a public telephone booth.

A few days later, his childhood friend and classmate, Sakurako Amamiya—who possessed the same card—suddenly vanishes without a trace. In search of her, Ageha finds himself drawn into the rumors surrounding a nationwide string of mysterious disappearances, said to be the work of a secret organization known only as “Psyren.” When he accesses the group, a deadly game begins—one that will change his fate forever.

REMOW stated the anime will fully adapt the manga through its conclusion.

Iwashiro serialized Psyren in Shueisha‘s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from 2007-2010. Viz Media released all 16 volumes in English from 2011 to 2014.

Source: Press release

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Manchuria Opium Squad Manga Resumes Serialization With New Artist Tsurushima – News

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1 hour ago

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September 28, 2026

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The official X (formerly Twitter) account for writer Tsukasa Monma and the late artist Shikako‘s Manchuria Opium Squad manga announced on Monday that the manga will resume in this year’s 45th issue of Kodansha‘s Weekly Young Magazine, which will ship on October 5. The manga will continue serialization with Shikako‘s successor, manga artist Tsurushima, who was their senior colleague while working as assistant for Yasuhisa Hara‘s Kingdom manga.

Hara also shared the announcement on his X/Twitter account. Hara stated that Shikako expressed before they died the hope that an artist from the Kingdom man ga would take over the artwork for Manchuria Opium Squad. Hara commended Tsurushima for their resolve to succeed Shikako and continue drawing the manga’s art.  

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Image via Amazon Japan

© Tsukasa Monma, Shikako, Kodansha

Manchuria Opium Squad will resume on October 5 with two chapters. The 12-page chapter 216 was originally planned to be 16 pages long. Shikako was able to complete 11 pages before they died. Monma arranged the 12th page, which does not feature any characters, and the assistant(s) who had been supporting Shikako drew the background. From chapter 217, the manga will take a new step with art by Tsurushima.

Weekly Young Magazine‘s editorial department stated in the announcement that the manga’s resumption is made possible by the thoughts and dedicated efforts of many people including Shikako‘s family; Tsurushima, who respected a friend’s final wish and took over the manga’s art; writer Monma, who expressed their desire to continue the manga’s story up to its conclusion; the assistants who provided production support; and the readers who believed and waited for the manga’s return.

Monma and Shikako serialized the manga on Kodansha‘s Comic Days service from April 2020 to September 2021. The manga moved to Kodansha‘s Weekly Young Magazine in September 2021, with its 43rd issue of 2021. Kodansha shipped the 22nd compiled book volume in November 2025.

Kodansha publishes the series in English on the K MANGA app. 

Shikako died on November 8, 2025 due to choroidal melanoma, a rare form of cancer that develops in the eye. The artist wanted someone to complete the manga series in their place, and the Weekly Young Magazine staff stated then that they would respect Shikako‘s wishes. 

Writer Ryūki Ōnuma and Tsurushima launched the Shikyuuji: Kōkō Kyūji ni Asu wanai manga in Young Magazine in June 2023. The series then moved to Kodansha‘s YanMaga Web manga site in December 2023, where it ended in January 2024. Tsurushima most recently drew the Gokuaku Tensei (Extremely Evil Reincarnation) manga, which ended with its fourth volume that Kodansha shipped on July 17.

Sources: Manchuria Opium Squad manga’s X/Twitter account, Oricon News

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Everyone’s Darling Has a Secret Manga Gets TV Anime in April – News

Published

6 hours ago

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September 28, 2026

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An X (formerly Twitter) account opened on Monday to announce that a television anime of Kashiko Amane‘s Everyone’s Darling Has a Secret (Hōkago no Idol ni wa Himitsu ga Aru) manga will premiere next April.

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Image via Everyone’s Darling Has a Secret anime’s X/Twitter account

© あまねかしこ・白泉社／藍色インパルス・StarryCube

The main cast members are:

Hikaru Sato (The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You, Dropkick on My Devil!) is directing the anime at Gekkō, and Fumihiko Shimo is overseeing and writing the series scripts. Kibidango 14-gō (Azuma Tozawa) is designing the characters. Satoru Kōsaki and monaca are composing the music. Ryō Aizawa (Starry Cube) is producing.

Yen Press publishes the manga in English, and it describes the story:

Hizashi Hiruno, a freshman at a super-elite high school, has just finished his first academic proficiency test of the year. He anxiously awaits the results, which will set the tone for his next three years at school. But due to a mistake on his answer sheet, he receives an abysmal score and gets sent to remedial lessons! If there’s one silver lining, he’s not the only one—and his comrade could be the girl of his dreams?!

Amane has been serializing the manga on Hakusensha‘s Young Anime Web site. Yen Press published the fourth manga volume in June.

Source: Everyone’s Darling Has a Secret anime’s X/Twitter account, Comic Natalie

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