OP-16 The Time of Battle — Complete Release Guide for the Paramount War Set
The Marineford arc hits the One Piece Card Game on June 12. Six new leaders, three Admiral Manga Rares, and Ace + Blackbeard as the Secret Rares — everything you need before pre-release week.
OP-16 The Time of Battle is the Paramount War set for the One Piece Card Game, releasing in English on June 12, 2026 (JP: May 30). It brings 126 cards themed around the Marineford battle, six new leaders — including Red Ace, Blue/Green Luffy, and Black/Yellow Blackbeard — plus three Admiral Manga Rares and Ace + Blackbeard as the two Secret Rares. Pre-release events start this Thursday, June 5 at local game stores.
What is OP-16 and why does the theme matter?
The Time of Battle covers the Paramount War saga — the Marineford war arc that defined One Piece's first half. It's one of the game's most emotionally loaded source arcs: Ace's death, Whitebeard's last stand, Blackbeard's rise, three Admirals at full force. That lore weight tends to translate into collector demand, and Bandai has leaned into it with the set's chase slots.
The JP version dropped on May 30 — so the card list is already known and the secondary market on JP singles is live. The EN release on June 12 is where most Western players will be cracking packs, and the pre-release window (June 5–11) is the first chance to get cards in hand.
The Admirals are the Manga Rare slots — Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji in full-panel art. Ace and Blackbeard are the two Secret Rares. Ace's death scene is one of the most iconic moments in the series, which is real demand for that card. Pre-release events start June 5 — this Thursday — if you haven't found your local store yet, do it today.
What's in the set?
OP-16 contains 126 card types plus the DON!! card. One booster pack = 12 cards. One booster box = 24 packs.
| Rarity | Count | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Leader | 6 | All six available in foil (Parallel) variants. |
| Common | 45 | Standard playables. |
| Uncommon | 30 | Mid-tier staples. |
| Rare | 26 | Core meta pieces. |
| Super Rare | 10 | High-value playables and collector targets. |
| Secret Rare | 2 | Ace + Blackbeard — the top-end chase slots. |
| Special Card (Manga Rare) | 6 | Three confirmed as Admiral manga panel arts. Biggest collector pull in the set. |
| Treasure Rare | 1 | Ultra-low pull rate. Details TBD. |
| DON!! Card | 1 | Standard energy card — unique art for the set. |
Three of the six Special Card (Manga Rare) slots are confirmed as Borsalino (Kizaru), Sakazuki (Akainu), and Kuzan (Aokiji) — all in the distinctive manga-panel art style. These have historically been the highest-value pulls in any OP set that carries them.
Six new leaders — who matters?
OP-16 introduces six leaders, all tied to the Paramount War arc:
| Leader | Color | Arc role |
|---|---|---|
| Portgas D. Ace | Red | The Marineford flashpoint. High collector demand. |
| Monkey D. Luffy | Blue/Green | Post-timeskip framing — two-color build. |
| Buggy | Blue | Impel Down arc anchor. |
| Sengoku | Purple | Fleet Admiral — command-side of the war. |
| Yamato | Black | Wano tie-in to the war saga themes. |
| Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard) | Black/Yellow | War's ultimate beneficiary — two-color. |
Is OP-16 worth cracking boxes?
JP secondary market is already live — here's what the pull slots are trading at as of the JP release. EN market will typically converge with JP prices within 2–4 weeks of the EN drop, sometimes higher if EN supply is tighter.
- Secret Rares (Ace + Blackbeard): Early JP secondary pricing on Ace has been strong — the death-scene imagery and card quality make it the set's primary collector target. Check TCGPlayer and eBay completed sales for current EN market pricing.
- Admiral Manga Rares: Admiral alts from previous sets have held their value well in comparable OP sets. Three in one set is high density for Manga Rares, which may spread demand — watch how the EN market prices each one individually.
- Treasure Rare: Low pull rate, details still settling from JP. Will be the highest individual card value in the set if precedent holds.
- Box EV: Standard EN OP boxes rarely hit positive expected value at MSRP once the set has been widely cracked. The value case is usually in singles, not mass box-cracking.
If you're a player, buy the singles you need from TCGPlayer post-release — box EV rarely makes sense. If you're a collector, the Ace and Admiral Manga Rares are the targets to watch. Sealed box value will move based on how the EN meta receives the Blackbeard and Luffy builds.
Pre-release events — June 5 to 11
Pre-release events run June 5 through June 11 at participating local game stores across Sealed and Constructed formats. Entry promo: the Marineford Luffy card. Event winners receive the stamped Winner variant of the same card.
- Sealed format: you build a deck from packs opened at the event — great for cracking early and seeing the card pool before retail.
- Constructed format: bring a pre-built deck — competitive focus, best if you already have cards from prior sets.
- Promo Luffy: the event-entry promo is a Marineford Luffy card unavailable in retail packs. If you want it, the only path is attending a pre-release.
- Stamped Winner variant: exclusive to event winners — same art, different treatment. Small supply, collector interest.
Use the official Bandai store locator to find participating LGS near you. Events fill up — call ahead or register online if the store requires it.
Where to buy OP-16
OP-16 is an English product available through standard retail channels — no import required. Pre-order pricing is typically the best you'll see; post-release boxes can spike if the set is received well.
- Pre-release events (June 5–11) are LGS-exclusive — the only way to get the Luffy promo and stamped Winner variant.
- Most LGS have pre-orders open for the June 12 launch; call or check their site now if you haven't locked one in.
- Supports your local community and usually has the best prices on sealed product at release.
- Pre-order listings are live — factory-sealed, reliable shipping.
- Standard TCG retailer with solid OP track record.
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- Live pre-order listings. Established TCG retailer.
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- Specialist TCG store with OP-16 boxes live.
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- Individual packs available at retail stores on June 12 — good for casual buyers or if boxes are sold out online.
- Not the best price per pack, but widest physical availability.
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- JP OP-16 released May 30 — already out, no pre-order needed. You can order JP boxes now.
- JP cards are tournament-legal in EN events as long as they have official translations available. Confirm your local store's policy.
- JP boxes are priced in yen; use Fuji Card Shop, 88 Cardhouse, or TCG Corner for English-language JP import orders.
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Pay with a card or PayPal Goods & Services on every channel. Avoid third-party resellers asking for Venmo, Zelle, or crypto — those have no buyer protection if the box never arrives.
Quick answers
When does OP-16 release in English?
What are the Manga Rares in OP-16?
Who are the Secret Rares?
How do I get the pre-release promo Luffy?
Is the Japanese version worth buying instead?
Will OP-16 be good in the meta?
Track OP-16 on your radar
Foilr watches price moves on the Admiral Manga Rares and Secret Rares — and surfaces them in your feed the moment the market shifts post-launch.
Open Foilr Radar →About Foilr. We track One Piece TCG releases, prices, and collector signals — and tell you what moved and whether it’s worth acting on, personalized to what you own and want.
Not financial advice. Collectible markets are volatile and the data here comes from a thin pool of completed sales. Past performance doesn’t predict future results — do your own research before spending.