Japanese retailer Bic Camera in Tokyo has found a radical way to combat over-buying of Pokémon cards: now you need to take a written exam to buy Ninja Spinner boosters at the Ikebukuro West store. The new rules came into force in March and have already caused great applause among real collectors.
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Ninja Spinner Booster Purchase Rules and Test Conditions
The situation with resellers in the CCI market has reached a boiling point. While some are hunting for rare Grange, others are simply sweeping the shelves to drive up prices at auctions. The Bic Camera branch decided that money was not the main thing, and introduced a friend-or-foe check. Do you want a new set? Get ready to answer 15 questions about the franchise right in the queue. Moreover, the rules there are tougher than on the Unified State Exam.
A short list of conditions for obtaining the coveted box:
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No gadgets. We took out our smartphone to Google evolution, and we went straight out. Calling a friend won’t help either.
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Personal profile. The purchase is available only to holders of Bic Camera loyalty cards.
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Strict limit. Passed the test — take one box. They won’t give you more in one hand.
The most interesting thing happens at the checkout. If you have confirmed your knowledge, the Bic Camera staff defiantly removes the protective film and opens the box in front of you. For a collector, this is a small thing, but for a reseller it is a disaster. It will no longer be possible to sell the “sealed” product as an investment asset after such manipulations.
Fighting Pokémon TCG Resellers in Japanese Stores
The Ninja Spinner add—on is exclusive to Japan, and the hype around it is justified by the presence of mega-evolved Pokemon. The demand is huge. It seems that Bic Camera has found the right way to turn a purchase into a quest. Players are already asking other networks to implement similar checks. It seems that this is the only working method to cut off those who do not distinguish Pikachu from Raichu, but really want to make money on the deficit.
The global shortage of Pokemon cards and the criminal situation on the market
The Japanese community is determined — now it’s almost impossible to buy limited boosters at some Bic Camera locations without a local driver’s license. The main impact of criticism falls on foreign businessmen from China and Vietnam. And although the police recently reported on the arrest of two Vietnamese speculators, the root of the evil lies much deeper. Employees of competing stores often engage in robberies of local shops. In-house wars over cardboard have become the norm.
However, the Japanese showdown looks like childish babble against the background of what is happening in the West. In New York, the situation got completely out of control: one of the stores was seized at gunpoint, holding 50 hostages inside for the sake of rare sets. Madness? Definitely. CCI has turned from a hobby into a high-risk asset for which people are willing to commit real crimes.
If you look back, it gets a little sad. Before 2020, the Pokémon community looked different — it was a cozy world of collectors and nerds who hacked at regional tournaments. Now, shopping for maps has turned into a chaotic crush, where families with children jostle in queues with professional dealers. The lamp atmosphere evaporated, leaving behind only commercial calculation and endless noise.
