Ichiban Kuji Berserk "Twin Poles of Destiny" Launches in Japan Today: Guts, Dragon Slayer and Human-Form Zodd

Berserk's most famous rivalry has its own Ichiban Kuji, and it reaches Japanese shops today.

Inside Games (23 and 24 September 2026) reports that BANDAI SPIRITS has revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Berserk: Twin Poles of Destiny (一番くじ ベルセルク 宿命の双極). The whole lottery is built around the fated clash between Guts and Zodd, and it leans hard into premium sculpted pieces: a framed reproduction artwork, two Guts statues, a standalone Dragon Slayer, the first MASTERLISE figure of the Beast of Darkness, a big soft-vinyl Zodd and, as the Last One Prize, the first ever figure of Zodd in his human form.

Store sales in Japan begin from Friday 25 September 2026, rolling out shop by shop. There is one wrinkle worth knowing about: the Ichiban Kuji Official Shop alone has been pushed back to Wednesday 30 September 2026, while every other channel keeps today's start. Online draws follow on Thursday 8 October 2026. Here is everything in the lineup, why it matters to Berserk collectors, and how UK fans can get involved.

Key dates at a glance

According to the Ichiban Kuji Club official product page and Inside Games coverage:

• In-store sales: from Friday 25 September 2026, rolling out by store, at Lawson, Ministop, Daily Yamazaki, bookshops, hobby shops and some drugstores in Japan
• Ichiban Kuji Official Shop: postponed to Wednesday 30 September 2026 (this is the only channel affected)
• Ichiban Kuji ONLINE: from Thursday 8 October 2026, 17:00 JST (09:00 BST)
• Double-chance campaign: runs from launch until the end of December 2026, with 50 winners of the Last One Zodd figure

Ichiban Kuji tickets are sold until each shop's stock runs out, so the start date matters more than the end date. In practice, the most sought-after tiers tend to go early in busy stores, which is why launch day is always the big news moment for a new wave.

The top prizes: framed art and two faces of Guts

The A Prize is a reproduction artwork of the Guts and Zodd confrontation, framed in a sculpted frame from EPITAFRAME, a brand-new frame line debuting with this lottery. The whole piece measures about 42 cm, and the official page says the reproduction faithfully recreates the pen strokes of Kentaro Miura's original hand-drawn manuscript. For manga readers, that is arguably the most striking piece in the set: it is a way of putting Miura's linework on the wall rather than a figure on the shelf.

A Prize reproduction artwork in EPITAFRAME frame. Credit: BANDAI SPIRITS / Ichiban Kuji Club official gallery. ©Kentaro Miura, Studio Gaga / Hakusensha.

The B Prize is Guts MASTERLISE, standing about 24 cm tall in the Berserker Armour. It comes in two versions: one with the helmet on, and one with his face shown. The version you receive is assigned at random, so you cannot pick which one you get. A support post sits behind the figure to hold the cloak in place, which gives the statue that heavy, billowing silhouette Berserk fans will recognise from the later arcs.

B Prize Guts MASTERLISE (face-shown and helmeted versions). Credit: BANDAI SPIRITS / Ichiban Kuji Club official gallery. ©Kentaro Miura, Studio Gaga / Hakusensha.

Dragon Slayer and the arm-swap trick

The C Prize is a standalone Dragon Slayer MASTERLISE, also about 24 cm, displayed upright on a base with a heat-tinged colour finish. The clever part is the extra arm part included with it. Swap that arm onto the B Prize Guts and he can hold the sword properly.

It also works with the Guts figure from the previous Berserk Ichiban Kuji, "The Black Swordsman Who Defies Fate". That cross-wave compatibility is a genuinely collector-friendly touch: if you already own the earlier Guts, the C Prize upgrades your existing display rather than asking you to start again.

B Prize Guts combined with the C Prize Dragon Slayer and swap arm (illustrative image). Credit: BANDAI SPIRITS / Ichiban Kuji Club official gallery. ©Kentaro Miura, Studio Gaga / Hakusensha.

The Beast of Darkness and a 30 cm Zodd

The D Prize is the Beast of Darkness (夢の獣), the jet-black beast from the story's dream sequences. It is the first MASTERLISE figure of this character, measuring about 10 cm. It is small next to the statues above, but it is also the piece that will surprise people most, because the Beast so rarely gets merchandise of its own.

D Prize Beast of Darkness MASTERLISE. Credit: BANDAI SPIRITS / Ichiban Kuji Club official gallery. ©Kentaro Miura, Studio Gaga / Hakusensha.

The E Prize is Zodd SOFVICS, a big soft-vinyl figure standing about 30 cm tall. The official page notes that this wave shows Zodd in a new two-horned form, mid-roar and stamping down onto the ground. Placed opposite the B Prize Guts, it recreates the "twin poles" face-off that gives the whole lottery its name.

E Prize Zodd SOFVICS. Credit: BANDAI SPIRITS / Ichiban Kuji Club official gallery. ©Kentaro Miura, Studio Gaga / Hakusensha.

Towels, head magnets and cover boards

The lower tiers are more than filler. The F Prize is a big jacquard towel, about 100 cm long, featuring the Crimson Behelit. The G Prize brings the series' first head magnets, six types in all, including the Berserker Armour helm, Zodd, the Skull Knight and the Behelit. The H Prize is a range of jacquard hand towels, and the I Prize is a set of 25 canvas-style boards based on the manga's volume covers, running right up to the latest volumes.

Those cover boards are the quiet highlight for long-time readers. Lined up together, they trace the whole history of the series through its cover art, which makes them a natural companion to the A Prize artwork.

Last One Prize: Zodd in human form

The Last One Prize goes to whoever draws the final ticket in a shop. This time it is Zodd (human form) MASTERLISE, about 28 cm, and it is the first figure of Zodd in this form. The official page quotes his line "Words are unnecessary! Force your way through!" and describes the sculpt as capturing his hunger for the next strong opponent.

Last One Prize Zodd (human form) MASTERLISE, shown for scale. Credit: BANDAI SPIRITS / Ichiban Kuji Club official gallery. ©Kentaro Miura, Studio Gaga / Hakusensha.

Because the Last One Prize is normally a one-per-shop item, BANDAI SPIRITS is also offering the same figure through a double-chance campaign, with 50 winners and entries open until the end of December 2026. That gives Japanese buyers a second route to the most talked-about piece in the set.

Why Guts versus Zodd?

Nosferatu Zodd is one of Berserk's most iconic antagonists: an Apostle who lives for battle and seeks out opponents strong enough to test him. His clashes with Guts bookend key moments of the Golden Age arc and beyond, and their rivalry has always been about respect as much as violence. Building an entire lottery around those two characters, and giving Zodd both his monstrous and human forms, is a clear nod to fans who have followed the manga for years.

It also continues Berserk's strong run with collectable figures after the series resumed under Studio Gaga, with Kouji Mori supervising, following Kentaro Miura's passing in 2021. Every piece here carries the official Miura, Studio Gaga and Hakusensha credit.

How Ichiban Kuji works

If you are new to Ichiban Kuji, it is a Japanese prize lottery run by BANDAI SPIRITS. Each ticket guarantees a prize, from the top statues down to smaller goods, but you cannot choose which tier you win. Shops display the remaining prizes so buyers can see what is left, and whoever buys the very last ticket receives the Last One Prize. That mix of guaranteed prizes and luck is exactly why launch weeks attract so much attention.

Who this lottery is for

This wave is aimed squarely at display collectors. If you want a statement shelf piece, the A Prize artwork and the two MASTERLISE Guts statues are the headliners. If you already own the earlier Berserk kuji Guts, the C Prize Dragon Slayer is the obvious upgrade. Zodd fans are spoiled for choice with a 30 cm soft-vinyl figure and a first-of-its-kind human-form statue, and readers who prefer smaller pieces can collect the magnets, towels and cover boards.

Ordering through Otaku Daily

Good news for UK collectors: Otaku Daily has a live pre-order listing for this lottery. You can pre-order single draws of BANDAI Ichiban Kuji Berserk: The Twin Poles of Destiny now. As with any Ichiban Kuji draw, the prize tier is random, so please read the product page for the details of how your draw is handled.

Want something you can have sooner? Browse our in-stock collection for figures ready to ship. If you have a question about the pre-order, just drop us a message via Contact Us.

Frequently asked questions

When does Ichiban Kuji Berserk: Twin Poles of Destiny go on sale in Japan?
In-store sales start from Friday 25 September 2026, rolling out by store. The Ichiban Kuji Official Shop starts on Wednesday 30 September 2026, and online draws open on Thursday 8 October 2026 at 17:00 JST (09:00 BST).

Why is the Official Shop date different?
The official product page says the Official Shop launch was postponed to 30 September. Other channels keep the 25 September start.

Can I pre-order this from Otaku Daily?
Yes. Single draws are available to pre-order on our Twin Poles of Destiny product page.

Can I choose which Guts version I get from the B Prize?
No. The helmeted and face-shown versions are assigned at random.

Does the Dragon Slayer work with the older Berserk kuji Guts?
Yes. The C Prize includes an arm part so either the new B Prize Guts or the Guts from the previous Berserk Ichiban Kuji can hold the sword.

What is the Last One Prize?
Zodd (human form) MASTERLISE, about 28 cm. The same figure is also offered to 50 winners through a double-chance campaign running until the end of December 2026.

Bottom line

Ichiban Kuji Berserk: Twin Poles of Destiny is one of the most display-focused kuji of the year, with framed Miura art, two Guts statues, a cross-compatible Dragon Slayer, the first MASTERLISE Beast of Darkness and a first-ever human-form Zodd. It is in Japanese shops from today, 25 September. UK collectors can pre-order a draw from Otaku Daily now, or ask us anything via Contact Us.

Sources: Inside Games, 23 and 24 September 2026; Ichiban Kuji Club official product page (Berserk Twin Poles of Destiny), checked 25 September 2026.