by ZombieMiki | Aug 17, 2018 | Pokemon, Pokemon Merch News
Hello everyone!
Last night gave us a bunch of smaller announcements, so let’s dive in.
As part of the Pokemon Center’s 20th Anniversary, a line-up of Pokemon Center exclusive plush will go on sale at all Pokemon Centers and Stores around Japan August 25th (Saturday).
This release will include every starter from across all 7 generations: Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Mudkip, Treecko, Torchic, Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Oshawott, Snivy, Tepig, Fennekin, Chespin, Froakie, Litten, Rowlet, and Popplio.
Of the list, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Piplup, Litten, Rowlet, and Popplip plushies will be direct re-releases. The other plush will have at least slightly different patterns than previously released plush.
Each plush will cost 1,620 yen including tax.
Along with the starter plush, pre-orders for a special Pokemon Center On-Line exclusive snow globe will start August 25th (Saturday).
This snow globe features all of the starter Pokemon from across 7 generations, plus Pikachu and Mew, and measures about 19 x 19 x 20 cm.
The pre-order period will run from August 25th (Saturday) 10:00 am until October 14th (Sunday) 11:59 pm, with orders shipping out around mid February 2019. Snow globes cost 21,600 yen including tax.
Finally, also as part of the Pokemon Center’s 20th Anniversary, starting August 25th (Saturday), customers who purchase 5 booster packs from the Pokemon TCG line at a Pokemon Center or Store will receive 1 promo card, featuring original Sugimoto artwork from the Red & Pikachu Pokemon Center promotion. This campaign will run while supplies last.
Speaking of Pokemon TCG, the next booster set “Ultra Explosion Impact” (SM8) has been announced with a release date of September 7th (Friday).
Individual booster packs will sell for 162 yen including tax and each pack includes 5 random cards.
A special Pokemon Center exclusive box set will be released alongside the booster pack on September 7th (Friday).
This set costs 10,800 yen and includes: 2 boxes (60 packs) of Ultra Explosion Impact, 1 set of a full deck of card sleeves, 1 deck case with the same artwork as the card sleeves, 1 card box.
Note that the card sleeves included can only be obtained through this set.
There will be four new card sleeve designs that will go on sale from September 7th (Friday). Each pack of sleeves is a full set plus several extras for a total of 64 sleeves and cost 777 yen including tax.
The four designs are: Blacephalon, Lugia, Suicune, and the Lusamine Family.
There will also be:
Lugia themed full-size rubber playmat (2700 yen w/ tax)
Lugia themed deck case (390 yen w/ tax)
Pikachu & Eevee Card Binder (1,674 yen w/ tax)
Alola All-Stars Card Binder (1,674 yen w/ tax)
Official artwork for the up-coming 2018 Pokemon Center Halloween promotion (Pikachu’s Halloween) has come out, although we’re still waiting on an official announcement for merchandise.
There are two different illustrations: one for Team Treat and one for Team Trick. As mentioned in the previous announcement, all Halloween activities will start September 8th (Saturday).
As part of the Halloween promotion and starting September 8th (Friday) while supplies last, customers will get 1 of 2 Halloween/fall themed original clear cards for every 2,500 yen spent at Pokemon Centers or Stores.
Finally, the Yokohama Pokemon Center will be moving to Yokohama Marui City outside the Yokohama station east exit November 9th (Friday).
As part of the commemoration of 13 long years spent in Landmark Plaza, the Yokohama Center will be giving out original clear cards as gifts (while supplies last) to all customers who shop at the Yokohama Center between September and October.
The first design (including Wailmer and Munchlax) will be given out during September and is the concept artwork used for the Center’s grand opening March 5th, 2005.
The second design (with Pirate Pikachu) will be given out during October and is the concept artwork used for the Center’s renewal opening October 10th, 2008.
On a parting note, my Sticker Store is officially back open and include my new line of Pokemon Sweet stickers plus some early Halloween themed stickers!
Check it out ~
Until next time!
20th Anniversary Pokemon Center Exclusive Starter Plush
Pokemon Center 20th Anniversary Snow Globe
Red & Pikachu Promo Card
Pokemon Card Products
Pokemon Center Trick or Treat Campaign
Yokohama Center Moving Campaign
by ZombieMiki | Aug 14, 2018 | Pokemon, Pokemon Center Report
Hello everyone!
This week’s Pokemon Center Report post will cover an older release and a newer one, with a common theme:
Eeveelutions
So if you love the Eevees, this post is for you.
These smaller sized but still just as cute Shoulder Plush from Takara Tomy were released with everything else July 13th (Friday).
This line of plush are called “Shoulder Plush” because each comes with a small clip on their belly so you can attach them to your shoulder (or bag).
The release included the full line of Eeveelutions (Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Umbreon, Espeon, Glaceon, Leafeon, Sylveon) plus Eevee
… and Pikachu because he’s an Eevee now.
This past weekend (August 11th) saw the re-release of the full line of Eeveelution Pokemon Center exclusive plush, plus the larger sized Eevee binder created as a collaboration between Pokemon and the stationary company King Jim.
The re-release included Eevee, Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Umbreon, Espeon, Glaceon, Leafeon, and Sylveon.
Here are two Umbreon plushies from my personal collection. The one on the right is the 2013 release. The one on the left is the bulkier 2016 release.
From looking at the two patterns and the newest one, it seems like these plush are re-releases of the 2013 versions (minus Sylveon) with some small changes.
On a parting note, I hope everyone who plays Pokemon Go enjoyed Eevee Community Day this past weekend!
How many shiny Eevees did you catch?
Until next time~
by ZombieMiki | Aug 11, 2018 | Pokemon, Pokemon Merch News
Hello everyone!
I thought this week would be super boring announcement wise.
But then…
Pamphlets started appearing in Pokemon Centers with preview images of this year’s super exciting Halloween promotion!
The plush look so good! My inner (outer?) Halloween fan girl is screaming.
It looks like there will be two parts to this release, which comes out in Pokemon Centers & Stores around Japan from September 8th (Saturday): one half is Team Treat and one half is Team Trick (with a more ghostly theme).
There’s three plush per team. Team Treat has Ampharos, Sylveon, and Pikachu. Team Trick has Gengar, Mimikyu, and Pumpkaboo. Each plush will cost 1,944 yen including tax.
There will also be two mascot plush per team. Team Treat has Dedenne and Umbreon, Team Trick has Sableye and Banette. Each mascot plush will cost 1,296 yen including tax.
There will definitely be way more merchandise included in this release, including most likely blind packaged rubber charms because that seems to be a constant theme (and maybe gacha figures? figure straps?) and 99.9% certainty of some sort of cute cookie tin, and maybe mug. I guess we’ll see!
Completely unannounced, these cute Pikachu mascot plush went on sale on the 10th (this week’s releases came out Friday instead of Saturday as Friday was a public holiday in Japan). These mascot plush were released as part of the annual Pikachu Invasion event, and actually all of the designs have surfaced as designs for the mascot Pikachu that are part of the event.
This small release included 5 plush designs: Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Afro. (You can order them here via Japanstuffs.com)
These cute figures, called Cable Bite as that’s what they do, are designed to protect your lightening cables from fraying and making your phone look cute. Available designs include: Pikachu, Eevee, Meowth, Munchlax, Psyduck, and Piplup, and contrary to what I originally thought, they are sold not blind packaged so you can pick exactly which one you want.
Last but not least!
The Pokemon Center finally graced us with photos of most of the items from the up-coming Pokemon Time Vol 11 release. We’re still missing photos of the actual plush, but I guess something is better than nothing (grumble grumble)
There are 8 mascot plush in total: Popplio, Litten, Rowlet, Midnight Lycanroc, Mimikyu, Cosmog, Bewear, and Alolan Vulpix.
The three plush are Cosmog, Alolan Vulpix, and Rowlet, so most likely the plush will be larger versions of the ones pictured here.
More pictures: Clearfiles, memo note set with boxes, iPhone cases, and pens.
Socks!
Blind packaged jeweled candy tins (not pictured is the secret design, because of course)
Pikachu plush from the Skajan inspired side line.
(Note: The Pikachu plush is wearing a plush sized version of a jacket that’s also available in human form)
Some of the other items from the Skajan inspired Pokemon Time side line-up: totebags (Pikachu & Raikou), pouch, and sacoche.
That wraps up today’s post!
Have a great weekend~
by ZombieMiki | Aug 8, 2018 | Pokemon, Pokemon Center Report
Hello everyone!
Welcome to another Pokemon Center catch-up post. This time, we’ll be going over the first release from the Pokemon Fit series.
The first part of the release came out July 13th, the same day as the 2018 Pokemon summer movie came out. The second part of this release, which will include all the Pokemon that weren’t part of the original release, is scheduled for November 2018, probably coinciding with the Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee games.
The series is called “Pokemon Fit” because the Pokemon are designed to be smaller plush that can easily fit in the palm of your hand. My consensus on this line? Everything is adorable!
I don’t have pictures unfortunately of all the Pokemon in this release, but here are some!
I love Omanyte and Shellder: they look so goofy!
Not pictured here (but you can see them in the group picture at the top of this post): Jolteon and Eevee. I think Eevee looks especially adorable! Shout out to Exeggutor who ended up with a nice looking plush.
The three legendary birds (Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres) and Mew~
Mewtwo should be included in the next release.
Ducks! This release included Farfetch’d (who looks amazing) and Golduck. Psyduck should be in the next release.
Grab bag of plush! Sandshrew, Diglet, Machamp, Geodude, and Alakazam.
Geodude looks so grumpy, I just want to hut him!
Dragonite (Dratini and Dragonair will be next batch), Drowzee, Arcanine, and Voltorb! I love Dragonite’s plush, he is precious.
Ekans, Rattata, Jigglypuff, and Meowth! (Persian will be next batch!)
Plush I’m excited for in November: Clefairy, Vulpix, Raichu, and Dragonair.
Plush I’m excited to see (although I don’t collect them): Tauros, Cubone, Ponyta, Abra, Vileplume, Zubat, Pidgey, and Butterfree!
That wraps up this post. Until next time~
by ZombieMiki | Aug 3, 2018 | Pokemon, Pokemon Merch News
Hello everyone!
This week’s update is… very short.
Along with the traditional Pokemon Time line-up, a separate set of merchandise with a traditional skajan theme will also be going on sale as part of the Pokemon Time promotion from August 25th (Saturday).
What is Skajan
Known as “souvenir jackets” and based off of traditional American letterman or varsity jackets, skajan became a thing near the end of WW2. American soldiers wanted something to bring back with them from Japan and would request these jackets hand-embroidered with traditional oriental symbols. The three most common motifs were Eagles (representing the US) and Dragons or Tigers (representing Japan). The original jackets were made of dyed parachute fabric, but evolved over time to include rayon, acetate, polyester, and silk.
The name “skajan” came into use in the ’60s. The origin of the name is not 100% known, however the two most common explanations are:
1) “skajan” is short for “yokosuka jumper” with jumper being the Japanese term for the jacket and Yokosuka, Kanagawa being the supposed birthplace.
2) “skajan” is short for “sky dragon jumper” as Chinese dragons were a common motif stitched on these jackets.
Although these jackets were originally created as simply souvenirs to commemorate time spent abroad, the jackets were later adopted by working class youth as a form of rebellion in post-war Japan. Consequently, the jacket became associated with gangs and delinquency. Although now a days the jacket is once again seen mainly as a fashion item, it is still a common uniform in Yakuza films.
Line-Up
Skajan (Charizard | Pikachu | Raikou | Rayquaza) (Small | Medium | Large) – 20,520 yen each
Skajan Style Hat (Charizard | Pikachu | Raikou | Rayquaza) (58 cm | 60 cm) – 4,212 yen each
Skajan Style Tote-Bag (Pikachu | Raikou) – 7,344 yen each
Skajan Style Scoche (Pikachu) – 5,184 yen
Skajan Style Pouch (Pikachu) – 2,700 yen
Skajan Style Plush (Pikachu) – 4,536 yen
That wraps up this week’s announcements!
Until next time~
Pokemon Time – Skajan Edition
