OP09 Emperors in the New World: the complete set guide

For French collectors, it all started on 7 February 2025. That day, Bandai finally launched the French version of the One Piece Card Game — and did it in an unusual way: not with the game's first booster, but with its ninth. OP09 "Emperors in the New World" became the first official FR set, and the gateway for an entire community. Eighteen months on, it remains a set apart. Here's why.

Why does the French version start at OP09?

The One Piece Card Game has existed in Japan since 2022, and in English since late 2022. France, meanwhile, had to make do with imports for a long time. When Bandai decided to localise the game, it didn't restart the numbering from scratch: it synced the French version to the ongoing global calendar. As a result, sets OP01 through OP08 were never printed in French, and the first FR booster carries the number OP-09.

That choice has two very concrete consequences. First, a French collector who wants a card from East Blue, Paramount War or Pillars of Strength has to go through English or Japanese. Second, OP09 carries a symbolic weight that no later set will ever have: it's the first, the one that put the game on French shelves.

What's inside OP09 "Emperors in the New World"

Released in Japan in December 2024 and in French in February 2025, OP09 is the game's anniversary booster. It's built entirely around the Four Emperors of the New World era: Shanks, Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard), Buggy and Monkey D. Luffy.

The breakdown communicated by retailers gives 6 Leaders, 45 Commons, 30 Uncommons, 26 Rares, 10 Super Rares, 2 Secret Rares and 10 special cards, on top of which come the parallel treatments (alt-art, manga, Treasure Rare) that push the real total far higher. If that vocabulary doesn't mean much to you yet, our guide to One Piece Card Game rarities lays it all out.

The six starter decks, ST-15 to ST-20

The French launch wasn't limited to the booster. Bandai released six starter decks the same day, one per colour, designed to be played straight out of the box:

• ST-15 — Edward Newgate (Red)
• ST-16 — Uta (Green)
• ST-17 — Donquixote Doflamingo (Blue)
• ST-18 — Monkey D. Luffy (Purple)
• ST-19 — Smoker (Black)
• ST-20 — Charlotte Katakuri (Yellow)

To this day it's still the simplest and cheapest way to get started: a starter costs around fifteen euros and is enough for a first game.

The chase cards of OP09

An anniversary set means serious chases. In OP09, the value concentrates on a handful of specific cards, and above all on their manga versions — those full-bleed illustrations rendered as black-and-white manga panels, with some of the lowest pull rates in the game.

Figures observed on Cardmarket / Limitless during 2026, indicative only: these prices move fast and depend on language, condition and the exact version. We've covered the three main ones in dedicated articles: Gol D. Roger OP09-118, Buggy OP09-051 and Marshall D. Teach OP09-093.

The contrast is the thing to remember: the same reference can be worth twenty cents or fifteen hundred euros. In the One Piece Card Game, it's never "the card" that has a value — it's the version of the card.

Is OP09 still worth it in 2026?

Since February 2025 the French version has kept pace: OP-10, OP-11, OP-12, OP-13, then in 2026 OP-14 devoted to the Seven Warlords, OP-15 on Skypiea, OP-16 on Marineford and OP-17, which introduces the simultaneous worldwide release. OP09 is no longer the set of the moment. That doesn't mean it has lost its interest.

To play: OP09 is still Standard-legal and supplies solid pieces, particularly for Blackbeard decks. But if your goal is purely competitive, buying targeted singles costs less than opening booster boxes.

To collect: that's another story. A sealed French OP09 box is a dated, never-reprinted object tied to the launch of the French version. Prices seen at French retailers have moved well past the launch price (around €90 at the time), and availability is thinning out. It's exactly the kind of product you keep sealed rather than open.

To open: let's be honest, the expected value of a booster box is never in your favour. You open for the pleasure of opening, not to turn a profit. If the goal is a specific card, buying the single stays the rational move.

Frequently asked questions about OP09

Is OP09 really the first French set?

Yes. The OP-09 "Les Nouveaux Empereurs" booster is the first One Piece Card Game booster printed in French, released on 7 February 2025 alongside starter decks ST-15 to ST-20.

Do OP01 to OP08 cards exist in French?

No. Those sets were never localised. To own them you have to go through the English or Japanese versions, or wait for their cards to be reprinted in more recent sets.

What is the most expensive card in OP09?

The manga parallel of Gol D. Roger OP09-118 is the set's top piece, with values above €6,000 on the secondary market. The Buggy OP09-051 manga follows, above €1,500.

How many cards are in an OP09 pack?

Twelve cards per pack, and 24 packs per booster box — 288 cards in total.

Conclusion

OP09 "Emperors in the New World" isn't a set like the others: it's the birth certificate of the One Piece Card Game in French. The Four Emperors theme, memorable chases, six launch starters, and a symbolic value that time reinforces rather than erodes. Whether you started with it or you're discovering it today, it deserves its own place in a binder.

To find out what your OP09 cards are really worth, scan them in OPitem: every version is tracked separately, with its current market value. The app is also available from the Download page.