OP-16 3 Admirals Guide: Characters, Not Leaders (2026)

TL;DR: OP-16 3 Admirals guide: Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan are Purple Character cards, not Leaders. Sengoku is the Purple Navy Leader that can deploy up to three differently named Admirals from hand. Their base printings are for play; current Limitless pages also list Manga printings and other parallel treatments.

Last checked: Bandai's OP-16 product page and the current Limitless card records were checked on September 18, 2026. Price and tournament data are dated snapshots, not permanent tier or value predictions.

OP-16 3 Admirals guide: quick answer

The Three Admirals in OP-16 are OP16-065OP16-065Shop on TCGplayer Sakazuki, OP16-073OP16-073Shop on TCGplayer Borsalino, and OP16-063OP16-063Shop on TCGplayer Kuzan. They are Purple Character cards with the Admiral and Navy types. They do not occupy the Leader area.

The Leader for the Marine ramp plan is OP16-060OP16-060Shop on TCGplayer Sengoku. Its [Activate: Main] effect can return 8 active DON!! cards to the DON!! deck and play up to three differently named Admiral Characters from hand. That is why the deck wants a dense Admiral package and enough early resource development to make the large deployment matter.

The cards fill different roles:

• Sakazuki: removal plus extra DON!! development after its on-play cost.
• Borsalino: on-play DON!! development and a conditional defensive Blocker line.
• Kuzan: two rested DON!! on play and an effect that turns off one opposing Blocker for the turn.

The card records and the official OP-16 product page also matter for collecting. Bandai highlights the Three Admirals as the set's Super Alt-Art feature, while Limitless lists a separate manga printing for each card. Those labels describe different market searches, so confirm the exact printing instead of using one image for every version.

GODEEPER: Want to build the Leader plan around these Characters? The OP-16 Sengoku deck guide covers the Purple Navy shell and its sequencing.

The Admirals are Characters, not Leaders

This is the most important legality check. A Leader card sits face-up at the start of the game and determines the deck's colors. Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan are main-deck Characters. You cannot start an OP-16 deck with Akainu, Kizaru, or Aokiji as the Leader just because they are the set's headline Admirals.

Use Sengoku when you want the specific ability that plays multiple Admiral Characters from hand. A different Purple Leader can still use individual legal cards if its color and card rules allow them, but it will not reproduce Sengoku's three-Admiral deployment effect.

The Three Admirals as cards

The following text is checked against the current English Limitless card records and the official OP-16 card context.

Sakazuki, OP16-065

OP16-065OP16-065Shop on TCGplayer Sakazuki is a 7-cost, 8000-power Purple Character. Its [On Play] effect costs DON!! minus 1 and gives up to one opposing Character minus 6000 power until the end of the opponent's next End Phase. Its [Activate: Main] [Once Per Turn] effect can rest one DON!! card to add up to two DON!! cards from the DON!! deck and set them as active when your Leader has the Navy type.

The DON!! minus 1 is easy to miss. Sakazuki is not simply a free minus 6000 effect. Plan the cost before deploying it, then decide whether the follow-up DON!! development is worth using on the same turn. Under Sengoku, the Navy condition is live, so the second effect supports the ramp plan after the removal line.

Borsalino, OP16-073

OP16-073OP16-073Shop on TCGplayer Borsalino is a 7-cost, 8000-power Purple Character. On play, it adds one DON!! card from the DON!! deck as active and one additional DON!! card as rested. At the end of your turn, you can pay DON!! minus 2 to set Borsalino active and give it [Blocker] until the end of the opponent's next End Phase.

Borsalino is the defensive option of the trio. The activation cost competes with other effects, so do not assume that every turn supports the Blocker line. If the opponent is threatening a wide attack sequence, saving the DON!! for Borsalino can be more valuable than spending it on a lower-impact effect.

Kuzan, OP16-063

OP16-063OP16-063Shop on TCGplayer Kuzan is a 7-cost, 8000-power Purple Character. Its [On Play] effect adds up to two DON!! cards from the DON!! deck and rests them. Its [Activate: Main] [Once Per Turn] effect costs DON!! minus 1 and prevents up to one opposing Character from activating [Blocker] during that turn.

Kuzan is the attack-enabling choice. Use the effect when one Blocker is the only thing keeping a meaningful attack from connecting, rather than spending it automatically. Because the added DON!! enters rested, Kuzan and Sakazuki reward planning around later turns rather than pretending they are immediate free resources.

These real OP-16 sample Characters show the complete Admiral trio. They illustrate card roles, not a particular Super Alt-Art or Manga printing.

Step-by-Step: playing the Sengoku Admiral shell

1. Check the event and build the legal list. Confirm that your event allows the current Standard pool, then use base Admiral printings unless you are deliberately collecting parallel versions. The official card list and current rules matter more than an old deck image.

2. Build the early resource line. Use Purple cards that develop DON!! or stabilize the board. The goal is to reach the turn where Sengoku's 8-DON!! exchange creates a real board, not to fill the opening with seven-cost Characters that cannot be played.

3. Protect the hand needed for Sengoku. Sengoku plays differently named Admiral Characters from hand, so keep the names and counts you need. Do not discard every Admiral to solve a small early problem if the next turn can create a larger swing.

4. Choose the first Admiral by board state. Sakazuki is the immediate removal option, Borsalino is the defensive option, and Kuzan is the Blocker-suppression option. The correct first card changes with the opponent's board, not with a fixed “always play Sakazuki first” rule.

5. Use DON!! effects in sequence. Sakazuki's on-play line costs DON!! minus 1. Borsalino's defensive line costs DON!! minus 2. Kuzan's Blocker line costs DON!! minus 1. Leave enough resources for the effect that actually changes the turn.

6. Add the supporting Navy cards after the core is stable. OP16-075OP16-075Shop on TCGplayer Monkey.D.Garp is a 5-cost, 6000-power Purple Character. When your Leader has the Navy type, its [On Play] effect adds one DON!! card active and one additional DON!! card rested. It is a ramp support card, not an automatic second finisher.

7. Recheck current results before registering. Limitless and the event page can show different formats or dates. Use current data to decide counts and sideboard-free matchup preparation, but do not convert a small sample into a guaranteed tier placement.

The deck wants enough Navy and Admiral density to make Sengoku's ability live, but it still needs early plays and Counter cards. A list full of expensive Admirals can fail by doing nothing before the deployment turn. Test the complete curve, not just the most attractive Character cards.

These real OP-16 sample cards show Sakazuki beside Sengoku. The image illustrates the Character and Leader relationship; it is not a current tier-list result.

Versions, Manga printings, and current prices

The official product page says the Three Admirals are the set's Super Alt-Art feature. Limitless card pages also list a separate manga printing for each card. The base, alternate, and Manga versions use the same gameplay card text, but they are different collector products.

The USD figures below are the Limitless card-page snapshot checked September 17, 2026:

The alternate-art figure for Kuzan can move between page refreshes, so treat the table as a dated reference. Use the Sakazuki record, Kuzan record, and Borsalino record for the latest exact values.

The product page does not use Manga Rare as a separate line in its broad rarity list. The market label is still useful because the card pages expose those printings, but do not let a seller's “Manga” wording replace a check of the card number, language, and exact parallel.

SHOP: Building the Three Admirals shell? Compare current Sengoku and Admiral listings before choosing playable or collector copies. Shop TCGplayer →

Player versus collector choices

Players: buy base printings. The deck's card text does not improve when the artwork changes, and the cost difference can be used for the rest of the Navy shell, Counter cards, or testing copies.

Collectors: choose the exact character and art you want. The three Manga printings are the current high-value chase category, while the Super Alt-Art versions offer a less expensive premium treatment. No price is a guaranteed long-term hold.

Mixed goals: start with base play copies, then save for one specific parallel. Do not buy three expensive versions simply because they are a set. Compare condition, language, seller history, shipping, and recent sold evidence first.

Current metagame context

Sengoku's results and deck share can change as new sets, restrictions, and event formats appear. The current Limitless deck dashboard is better evidence than a mid-August tier label, but it is still a snapshot of the events included in that database. Use it to decide what to test, not to promise that the Admirals will remain a top deck.

The durable conclusion is narrower: the Admirals are legal Purple Characters, their card text is stable until an official rules or product update, and their collector prices are separate from the deck's tournament results. Those are three different questions and should not be collapsed into one tier claim.

Common Three Admirals mistakes

• Using an Admiral as the Leader: Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan are Characters. Sengoku is the OP16 Purple Leader for the three-Admiral deployment plan.
• Omitting Sakazuki's DON!! cost: Its on-play minus 6000 effect costs DON!! minus 1.
• Calling Borsalino a permanent Blocker: Its Blocker effect needs the end-of-turn DON!! minus 2 activation.
• Using Kuzan's effect automatically: The Blocker shutdown costs DON!! minus 1 and is once per turn.
• Calling Garp a finisher: OP16-075 is a 5-cost ramp Character with a Navy condition.
• Buying a Manga printing to play the deck: Base printings use the same gameplay text.
• Repeating old prices or tier labels: Refresh card pages and tournament data before publishing or buying.

Key takeaways

• Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan are Purple Admiral/Navy Characters, not Leaders.
• Sengoku OP16-060 is the Leader whose ability can play up to three differently named Admirals from hand after returning 8 active DON!! cards.
• Sakazuki removes power but costs DON!! minus 1 for that line, Borsalino develops DON!! and can become a Blocker, and Kuzan develops rested DON!! and can turn off a Blocker.
• OP16-075 Garp is a ramp support Character, not a guaranteed finisher.
• Base copies are the practical player purchase. Limitless lists separate alternate and Manga printings, with the dated Manga snapshot above $1,000 for each Admiral.
• Check current tournament data separately from collector prices and do not promise a tier or long-term hold.

GODEEPER: The three Manga printings are a separate collector decision. Read the OP-16 Admiral Manga Rare guide for the exact printing and market checklist.

Related Reading

• One Piece TCG OP-16 Guide: Set overview, Leaders, and key mechanics.
• OP-16 All 6 Leaders Explained: Compare Sengoku with the other OP-16 Leader cards.
• One Piece TCG Most Expensive Cards 2026: Put the OP-16 chase prices in wider context.
• OP-16 Collectors Guide: Place the Admirals alongside the set's SEC and other parallel cards.
• One Piece TCG Standard Format Guide 2026: Verify current Block and event legality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who are the Three Admirals in OP-16? A: Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan. They are Purple Admiral/Navy Characters, not Leaders.

Q: Are the Admirals Leaders? A: No. Sengoku OP16-060 is the Purple Leader associated with the three-Admiral deployment plan.

Q: What does Sakazuki do? A: OP16-065 is a 7-cost, 8000-power Character. Its on-play minus 6000 effect costs DON!! minus 1, and its once-per-turn Navy effect can develop up to two DON!! after resting one.

Q: What versions do the Admirals have? A: They have base and alternate treatments, and Limitless currently lists a Manga printing for each. Bandai highlights the trio as the set's Super Alt-Art feature, so verify the exact parallel in any listing.

Q: How much are the Manga printings worth? A: The September 17, 2026 Limitless snapshot showed about $1,126.76 for Sakazuki, $1,109.24 for Kuzan, and $1,043.28 for Borsalino. Verify live prices before acting.

Q: Do I need the expensive versions to play Sengoku? A: No. Base printings use the same gameplay text and are the practical deck copies.

Q: Is Sengoku top tier? A: Do not rely on the old mid-August label. Check the current event data and deck dashboard, then test the shell for the field you expect.

References

• OP-16 The Time of Battle official product page: Three Admirals, product rarity categories, and Super Alt-Art feature.
• Sakazuki OP16-065 card record: Current card text, legality, and parallel prices.
• Borsalino OP16-073 card record: Current card text, legality, and parallel prices.
• Kuzan OP16-063 card record: Current card text, legality, and parallel prices.
• Sengoku OP16-060 card record: Leader text, legality, and current record.
• Monkey.D.Garp OP16-075 card record: Ramp support card text and legality.
• Limitless OP16 deck dashboard: Dated tournament and deck-share context.
• One Piece Card Game official card list: Official card and product reference.