Netflix’s live-action Monkey D. Luffy graces his own card in the One Piece Card Game
Straw hat, cardboard.
Can’t get enough of Iñaki Godoy’s portrayal of Monkey D. Luffy in Netflix’s One Piece adaptation? The exuberant Mexican actor who led the live-action Straw Hat Pirates will appear on a promotional leader card for the One Piece Card Game during an upcoming sealed tournament event.
According to a post from the One Piece Card Game’s English-language Twitter account, players can nab a rainbow leader card bearing Godoy in the red vest and iconic straw hat simply by participating in a sealed format event at participating local game stores.
Those who prefer Luffy’s anime and manga version as illustrated by Eiichiro Oda can opt for a version portraying the pirate in a dramatic battle pose. Regardless, both cards function the same and can be immediately used in a sealed battle tournament if desired.
The event will begin on November 24th and run through December 17th, and any entry into a sealed event will earn the player their choice of card. Check beforehand that your local game store has applied to officially host sanctioned events. Otherwise, this could be a great time to check out a competitive card game that has been exploding since it was released last year, far away from the constant struggle for attention from the larger popular trading card games such as Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon Trading Card Game or most recent contender - Lorcana.
It’s no overstatement to say that One Piece has maintained a staggering level of popularity among anime and manga fans for decades at this point, but the story of Luffy and his quest to become king of the pirates breached Western pop culture thanks to a recent live-action Netflix adaptation that covers the introduction of Eiichiro Oda’s pirate world and the gathering of what will become the Straw Hat Pirates.
Reviews of the series have been glowing from fans and newcomers alike, so it’s easy to see why the One Piece Card Game is capitalising on the live action series’ positive buzz. Similar to Pokémon, collectors chase alternate art and special treatments of cards, which means newcomers can buy in at an affordable rate - something you can’t always say about TCGs. For more information about the upcoming promotion, check the One Piece Card Game’s official website.