Topps is coming out with two products in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s Tokyo Series next month, but you’ll have to have some connections in Japan to get one of them.
It’s part of a collaboration with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, who has brought his artwork to the card project and a series of apparel that will be offered by Fanatics.
For collectors, there are two products with a heavy emphasis on the Japanese stars who have played or are currently playing in Japan.
The first product is called 2025 Topps Baseball Series 1 – Tokyo Game. It’ll arrive March 1 at several places in Tokyo and on the Topps Japan website. It will have Murakami-designed rare base card variations numbered to 5.
The second product is 2025 Topps X Murakami MLB Tokyo Series Matchup box that will arrive March 7. The set will include parallels and autographs.
Each box will contain: one 25-card complete set, one serial-numbered base card parallel /199 or lower.
The collection features Murakami artwork that celebrates top players from both the Cubs and Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga. The set also has rare parallels and autographs
It will be available exclusively at Complex.com –a pop culture type business. It’ll also be sold through Complex’s L.A. store and at Complex pop-up locations throughout Tokyo.
The chase card for each set: a dual-auto redemption card of Murakami and Shohei Ohtani.
Topps says it will also have a three-floor interactive experiential in the Shibuya district of Tokyo, open to the public from March 13-16.
“With digital touchscreens in a gamified environment, the exhibition will combine trading cards and memorabilia, all while telling the story of iconic Japanese players (Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Hideki Matsui, Ichiro Suzuki),” the company says. Ohtani memorabilia will be on display, including a base from his 50/50 game last season — and a game-used bat from the 2024 World Series.
Beginning March 7, Fanatics will offer a range of Nike MLB merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts and individual player jerseys designed by Murakami, available on the company’s website and via other outlets.
The Tokyo Series includes a pair of exhibition games between the Dodgers, Cubs and two Japanese teams, followed by a two-game MLB regular season series in Tokyo between the two National League clubs.
