In April 2026, Logan Paul caused an uproar among anime fans when he purchased extremely rare, highly-graded first editions of the One Piece and Dragon Ball manga for $550,000.
One Piece fans were particularly upset by Paul’s purchase, and even another influencer, IShowSpeed, publicly criticized it.
At first, Paul played up his villainous persona, playfully suggesting the One Piece fans had enthusiastically welcomed him. However, on May 6th, he stopped pretending and spoke frankly about the situation on his IMPAULSIVE podcast.
you don’t even know shit about one piece
— Speed⭐️ (@ishowspeedsui) April 22, 2026
Logan Paul says One Piece fans took his $550K manga buy “personally”
During the podcast, co-host Mike Majlak questioned Paul about his recent, highly publicized purchase. He tested Paul’s knowledge of the anime series, pointing out that dedicated fans likely saw his actions as an attempt to profit from their community, similar to how resellers often exploit the popularity of Pokémon cards.
Honestly, it’s just really surprising to me, and that’s why I’m enjoying how people are reacting,” Paul said. “I genuinely like the One Piece fanbase, so please don’t take this the wrong way. But if anyone is bothered by me buying a few manga volumes, I don’t think I need to worry about it too much.
I find it ridiculous that anyone would try to control how others enjoy a hobby meant for everyone. It’s about reading, watching, collecting, and finding inspiration – and people should be free to do all of that. As a collector myself, I believe I have every right to watch both the live-action adaptations and the original anime, and to share my thoughts online.
Paul then explained both perspectives of the debate, recognizing that many dedicated One Piece fans feel a strong emotional connection to the series, and it’s become a significant part of who they are.
Paul shared that at Wrestlemania, Speed told him watching the anime One Piece helped him through a difficult time during the COVID pandemic. Speed found inspiration in the character Monkey D. Luffy, and Paul believes it played a big part in launching Speed’s successful streaming career. Paul was amazed to see how a fictional anime character could have such a positive impact on someone’s life, and how much that resonates with others.
However, he also confessed that he genuinely enjoys collecting, viewing it as a smart investment. While admitting he’s just a fan of the anime One Piece, he questioned why he shouldn’t be able to purchase items he likes that are also significant to anime history.
I love collecting things I’m genuinely interested in, and I enjoy One Piece. I’m not an obsessive fan who knows everything about the series, but I definitely enjoy watching it, opening the card packs, and being part of the online fan community.
(Topic begins at 17:00)
One Piece is experiencing a huge surge in popularity right now. Netflix has released two seasons of a live-action series based on the story, and a fully animated remake of the original anime is planned for release in February 2027. Plus, a recent partnership with Popeye’s restaurants in the US went viral, adding to the excitement.
Logan wasn’t the only one making money from One Piece merchandise. Limited-edition bento boxes from the Popeye’s collaboration were quickly resold on eBay for hundreds of dollars.
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2026-05-06 21:20