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The day the first images of the labubu luffy figure leaked, my collector group chats just exploded. It was pure chaos. We'd seen the POP MART x One Piece collaboration announced, and the regular figures were cool enough, Labubu as Chopper, Zimomo as Zoro, Tycoco as Sanji. Cute. Fun. But then the secret was revealed.
Monkey D. Luffy. Gear 5.
And it wasn't just a repaint. It was a whole new sculpt. Kasing Lung's iconic Labubu monster, with its mischievous grin and long ears, perfectly captured the wild, unhinged joy of Luffy's awakened form. The flowing white hair, the steam cloud sash, that signature "I'm free" pose. It was perfect.
We all knew right then. This wasn't just going to be a popular secret figure. This was going to be a bloodbath.
As a seller and collector at PopNya, I've seen hype cycles come and go. I saw it with the Naruto release, especially the Kurama secret. But the luffy gear 5 labubu was different. This felt like a paradigm shift. It was the perfect storm, a collision of two of the most rabid fanbases on the planet: designer toy collectors and One Piece fans. And it landed at the exact moment Gear 5 was dominating the cultural conversation.
The Anatomy of a Grail: Why This Figure Costs More Than a Used Car Payment**
Let's get straight to it. A single blind box from The MONSTERS x One Piece series retails for around $15-$17. A full case of 12 boxes, which guarantees you the full regular set, is about $200. The official pull rate for a secret figure in a POP MART series is 1 in 144 boxes.
That means, on average, you'd need to buy twelve full cases to pull one labubu g5. Do the math. That's a $2,400 gamble.
Of course, the secondary market responded accordingly. Within the first week of its release in Asia, I saw the first confirmed sales hitting $150. A month later? $250. As I'm writing this, I'm looking at StockX and the last sale was for $221, with asks hovering around $240. I've seen desperate buyers in Facebook groups offering $300 for a confirmed, in-hand figure.
This isn't just hype. It's a frenzy. It has completely eclipsed the demand for any other secret figure in recent memory. The one piece gear 5 labubu isn't just a toy; it's become a status symbol. It's the kind of piece that makes or breaks a collection for some people.
A Buyer's Playbook for the Labubu G5 Hunt
So, you're dead set on getting one. I get it. The heart wants what it wants. You have two paths, both fraught with peril and expense.
Path 1: The Pull (The High-Stakes Gamble)
This is the purist's path. You buy sealed blind boxes and pray to whatever deity you believe in.
The Single Box Method: Buying one or two boxes at a time is, frankly, a lottery ticket with terrible odds. It's fun! The thrill is real. But if your goal is specifically* the G5 Luffy, this is a recipe for a shelf full of duplicate Franky Tycocos and a very sad wallet.* The Case Method: Buying a sealed case of 12 gives you better odds than single boxes, but still no guarantees. You're hoping your case is the "lucky" 1 out of 12 that contains the secret. I've had customers buy three cases from us and pull nothing. I've also seen someone buy two single boxes and pull the one piece luffy labubu on their second try. It's pure, uncut luck.
A Collector's Tip Nobody Talks About: Box Weighing is Dead. Back in the day, you could sometimes identify secrets by weighing the boxes. A figure with more accessories or a different sculpt might be a few grams heavier. People would bring tiny digital scales to stores. POP MART got wise to this years ago. For major releases like this, they use standardized weights, add decoy inserts, or vary the packaging just enough to make weighing completely unreliable. I've tried it on this series myself with a precision scale. The weight variance between a regular Usopp and a regular Nami is greater than the variance you'd be looking for. Do not trust anyone who says they can "weigh out" a Labubu G5 for you. They are either lying or mistaken.
Path 2: The Purchase (The Secondary Market Safari)
This is the most direct path. You accept the markup and buy the figure outright from a reseller. It's a sure thing, but you have to be smart. The water is full of sharks.
Where to Look: * StockX: Good for price verification and authentication. They act as a middleman, which adds a layer of security. The downside is the fees and shipping times. * eBay: A classic, but you need to vet your sellers carefully. Look for high-resolution photos of the actual item (not stock images), check seller feedback religiously, and never, ever agree to a deal outside of the platform. * Collector Groups (Facebook, Discord): This is where you can find some of the best deals, but it's also the highest risk. You're dealing peer-to-peer. Always use PayPal Goods & Services. I repeat: ALWAYS use PayPal G&S. If a seller insists on Friends & Family to avoid fees, run. It's the oldest scam in the book. * Specialty Stores (like, ahem, PopNya): Sometimes we get confirmed secrets in stock from collections we buy or through trades. When we do, we list them. You pay a premium, but you're buying from a trusted business with a reputation to uphold. Keep an eye on our LABUBU collection for new arrivals.
How to Spot a Fake Labubu Luffy The fakes are already out there, and some are scarily good. The counterfeiters know this is a hot ticket item. Having handled both, here's what I look for.
1. The Box: The printing on fake boxes is often slightly blurry or has oversaturated colors. The biggest giveaway is the QR code sticker on the bottom. On a real box, it's a high-quality, cleanly applied sticker. On fakes, it can be a poorly printed part of the box itself or a cheap, papery sticker that peels easily. If you're buying a "confirmed" open-box figure, it should still come with the original box and the foil wrapper. 2. The Figure's Feel and Finish: The real luffy gear 5 labubu has a specific matte finish. It's smooth but not glossy. The fakes often have a cheaper, shinier plastic look. The "cloud" sash is the key detail. On the authentic figure, it has a slightly soft, almost velvety texture. The fakes I've seen replicate the shape but the material is just hard, shiny plastic. 3. Paint and Mold Lines: Look at the eyes and the grin. POP MART's quality control is very high. The lines should be crisp and clean. On fakes, you might see fuzzy edges or slight paint bleed. Check the mold lines, especially on the ears and feet. Authentic figures have very subtle, well-finished seams. Fakes often have more prominent or rougher mold lines. If you're ever in doubt, our in-depth guide on spotting fake Labubu can be a lifesaver.
Real Talk: Is the Labubu Luffy G5 Actually Worth It?
Okay, let's be honest. Is a 3-inch vinyl figure worth $250?
My seller brain says: The market dictates the price, and the market is screaming "YES!"
My collector brain says: It depends entirely on who you are.
If you are a die-hard One Piece fan and a die-hard Labubu collector, this is your grail. This is the centerpiece. For you, the joy of owning this perfect crossover piece might absolutely be worth the price. It's a work of art that represents two things you love. Go for it, but be smart about it.
If you are a toy investor or flipper, this is a bubble. It's a very profitable bubble right now, but a bubble nonetheless. The price is driven by scarcity and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Could it go up? Maybe. Could POP MART do a surprise second production run and crater the value overnight? Also maybe. It's a high-risk, high-reward game.
But if you are a casual fan or a new collector? My honest advice is: do not buy this figure.
I know that sounds crazy coming from someone who sells these. But I'd rather have you stay in the hobby for the long haul than get burned and quit. Spending $250 on a single small figure can create a really unhealthy expectation and lead to buyer's remorse.
For that same $250, you could buy the entire regular set of the One Piece collab, the entire Naruto collab set, and still have money left over for a few boxes from the Macaron series. You could build a diverse, beautiful collection that brings you joy every day, instead of pouring all your resources into one single, tiny status symbol.
The Chopper Labubu is adorable. The Zoro Zimomo is badass. They are incredible figures in their own right and cost a fraction of the price. The joy of collecting shouldn't be about the price tag; it's about the connection to the art. This figure's popularity has even inspired a ton of fan art, which shows how much people connect with the design itself, not just the rarity. It's part of a bigger trend of people being inspired to create their own art of Labubu.
The labubu luffy is an incredible piece. A masterpiece of designer toy collaboration. But it's also a product of a hype machine that can be unforgiving. Whether you decide to brave the hunt or admire it from afar, the most important thing is to collect what you love. If you're just starting out or want to explore more of Kasing Lung's amazing world, I'd genuinely recommend you browse the wider LABUBU collection and find the monster that grins back at you. You might find your personal grail is a common figure that just happens to be perfect for you.
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