Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai Exclusive “Myakumyaku Man Choco” Sells Out in 15 Minutes

The Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, which began on April 13 this year, has now reached its third month since opening and surpassed 10 million general visitors. Among its highlights, the official mascot “Myakumyaku”—initially met with mixed reactions due to its unusual appearance—has since grown in popularity and is now affectionately referred to as “Myakumyaku-sama.”

Among the many collaborative products released, Myakumyaku Man Choco, a collaboration with Lotte Co., has become a hit among fans. In some cases, it has even fetched premium prices, gaining popularity as an investment item as well.

Sold out in just 15 minutes after going on sale!

“It may not yield large profits like stocks or cryptocurrency, but I think it’s perfectly valid to consider snack foods as an investment target,” says Mr. Teiki Iwaki, a sticker collector and owner of the specialty store Zeus no Mori, which caters to sticker enthusiasts.

The snack food he refers to is a limited-edition product that combines Lotte’s popular Bikkuriman Choco with “Myakumyaku,” the official mascot of the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Released in April of this year, the Myakumyaku-man Choco was sold in limited quantities mainly in the Kansai region and on Lotte’s official online store, and it quickly sold out due to overwhelming demand.

“We developed this product to merge the world of iconic Bikkuriman characters from the 1970s—such as Super Zeus and Head Rococo—with Myakumyaku, allowing not only adult collectors but also families and younger generations interested in the Expo to enjoy it. While we’re not disclosing exact sales figures, we received a huge response, with the item selling out in under 15 minutes on our online shop,” said a representative from Lotte’s PR department.

Sold as a six-piece set with a suggested retail price of ¥1,620, the product is now being traded for around ¥4,000 to ¥5,000 on online platforms like Amazon and Mercari, a premium of nearly three times its original price.

Each package contains one randomly included collaboration sticker out of a total of 10 types. All of them are newly drawn by Bikkuriman illustrators, and two of the stickers are secret rare versions. On Mercari, complete sticker sets without the chocolates themselves are also being sold at high prices, further fueling the craze.

That product once fetched a premium of over one million yen

So, can Myakumyaku Man Choco really be considered an investment?

“Collaborative series with limited production runs definitely see an increase in asset value due to their scarcity. In the Showa era, Bikkuriman Choco could be bought for just 30 yen, but today, early versions like ‘Super Zeus’ fetch around 1 million yen, while ‘Black Zeus’ can go for around 1.5 million yen.

However, Myakumyaku Man Choco—while it does include secret stickers—doesn’t contain ultra-rare ones with low inclusion rates like in the past. That means there are no hits or misses. In other words, individual stickers won’t fetch high prices; the value only emerges when you have a full set. In today’s sticker market, not just the stickers but even unopened boxes and packaging carry great added value. So, if you’re targeting asset value, it’s important to assess fair market prices and consider buying by the box,” says the aforementioned Iwaki.

With collector psychology overlapping with the popularity of the Expo, is there still a chance to get Myakumyaku Man Choco somewhere other than flea market apps or collector shops?

“Bikkuriman stickers have created a culture that transcends generations. We hope this collaboration will also remain memorable and enjoyable for a long time. Quantities are limited and stock is dwindling, but they are still being sold primarily at official stores and station kiosks in parts of the Kinki region—so if you’re lucky, you might still come across them,” says the PR department of Lotte Co., Ltd.

Whether you’re a fan of Myakumyaku or a Bikkuriman collector, this snack investment is turning heads. Delicious to eat, smart to stash away—Myakumyaku Man Choco may just be the sweetest and hottest investment right now.