by ZombieMiki | Jul 21, 2017 | Pokemon, Pokemon Center Report
We’re back with another
Blast From The Past Pokemon Center Report
This post will cover the Look Upon The Stars promotion that was released May 20th.
While there were no plush as part of the merchandise line-up, there was still plenty of really neat items with a cute Pokemon night sky twist.
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One of my favorite parts of this promotion was the tag art. Lillie’s Bag, originally released as a full-size item when the Pokemon Sun & Moon games were released November 2016, was re-released during this promotion in a smaller pouch form. Personally I thought it was even cuter than the original because I like small things. The tag, if I remember correctly, is the same on both bags.
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The Under The Stars hang tag is pretty big, which is both good and bad. Good because you get more art included on the tag, but bad if you like keeping your tags mint and uncreased (the bigger the tag, the easier it is to bend, even just getting it home from the store). To add to it, the tag has a couple bits that stick out, making it even easier to damage. Regardless, I love this art!
The only thing better than the hang tag art, however, is the little Cosmog/Nebby label that appears on most of the items.
I had been pretty excited for this promotion. I love the night, I love night themed stuff, I think Cosmog is a cutie, what could go wrong? Maybe it’s just me but the constellation print they put on most of the items seems oddly blurry, and that coupled with the oddly in focus Cosmog made things look like (to me at least) they weren’t printed well. Jen said it looked fine to her, so it might be that I’m super picky (possible) and in the end it helped me save money, but this cushion is a good example of what I mean by the weird out of focus print style.
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Moving on to the merch! Pokemon Center promotions lately have been featuring backpacks as part of their line-up, and Look Upon The Stars was no exception. The backpack features the constellation print and even has little stars on the zippers.
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Another neat item: the hoodie! I was conflicted over whether or not I wanted this, as once again, I love constellations and night themed merch, and I also love hoodies, and it’s a dark color which the Japanese Pokemon Center doesn’t make a lot of clothing in darker colors. Plus I loved having the constellation design on the inside.
The downside for me is the print is actually only just behind the zipper and on the hood. The rest of the inside of the hoodie is plain blue, and the material was a little too thin for what I like.
Regardless, it’s still a cute hoodie! And it even features a little Cosmog on the outside.
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Some other neat items from the promotion:
A foldable compact mirror featuring the constellation print.
A cute train pass case with the Pikachu and Cosmog illustration
Two types of pens: one featuring the Pikachu and Cosmog illustration and one with the Pokemon constellation art.
Cute socks!
A tumbler with an insert that features the Pikachu and Cosmog illustration on one side and the Pokemon constellation art on the other, so you can switch between the two depending on your mood.
That wraps up Look Upon The Stars! Did you get anything from this promotion? What was your favorite item?
Until next time!
by ZombieMiki | Jun 17, 2017 | Pokemon, Pokemon Center Report
This weekend started off the busy first half of the summer at the Pokemon Center with a super cute travel themed Pokemon Center promotion called “Colorful Trip”, along with a Lillie and Gladion themed promotion.
Starting with Lillie! Out of the two promos this weekend, only the Lillie promo had a plush: a Clefairy based on her much loved in-game doll. As anyone knows who follows my blog, I love Clefairy, so it’s no surprise I was especially excited for this doll for my collection. I assumed it would be about pokedoll sized, even with the price. It ended up being double (triple?) that size, but I’m not complaining. The more Clefairy the better!
The Lillie promotion offered a bunch of unique items that aren’t usually seen in Pokemon Center promotions, such as these paper craft sets.
Can badge sets! Not only are the sets themselves fairly original, but the shape of the badges as well are not the typical round can badge shape.
A lot of items featured the main Lillie and Cosmog illustration. Half of those items also featured a Gladion and Silvally version. There were a couple items that only came in one variation (Lillie, Gladion, or Lusamine) and this flat pouch is one of the few Lusamine items, along with a handkerchief.
For people who loved the illustrations themselves, they were available in “mini” sized poster form. There were five designs in total – Lillie & Cosmog, Lillie & Solgaleo, Lillie & Lunala, Gladion & Silvally, and Lusamine & Nihilego. The Lillie with legendary designs are somehow even more adorable since they both feature child Lillie.
Moving on to the travel promotion! All of the merchandise in the line-up is travel inspired and there was so many pouches, bags, and other travel related accessories. Perfect for the Pokemon lover who travels a lot! These six stickers feature the six main illustrations.
The merchandise line-up was not super big, but this promotion also featured a bunch of original items mixed in with some traditional promo stuff (like this pouch).
This pouch, appropriately named a “travel pouch”, was pretty neat! First, it was bigger than I was expecting, but also it folds out and can be used to store a bunch of items in different compartments.
There was a bunch of old-fashioned trunk inspired merch, both cute and functional. This “suitcase” is actually a shoulder bag. Also of note is the promotion hang tag, which looks like a ticket. (Too cute?!)
This adorable lunch-box themed cookie tin is filled with chocolate Pokeball-shaped cookies.
Last but not least, you can’t travel without actual luggage. There were two suitcases available for purchase, both with a Pokemon theme. The downside is Pokemon Center suitcases are too small for international travel, especially for the price, which is a shame. If it was cheaper or bigger, I would snap one up in a heart beat.
That wraps up this weekend’s Pokemon Center report!
Did you get anything from either promotion? What were you looking forward to the most?
Until next time~
by ZombieMiki | Jun 10, 2017 | Pokemon, Pokemon Merch News
The Pokemon Center either gives us no news or dumps all the news possible on us all at once. Friday was one of those barfing up news days!
First up, and maybe the most exciting news from Friday: we finally have a list of merchandise coming out as part of the Tohoku Pokemon Center re-opening promotion! As a Victini collector, and a fan of the Tohoku Center in general, I’m super excited. Most of the items in the promo will be available everywhere in Japan, but the Jirachi poncho plush and mascot plush, along with the Tohoku Center logo pin, will be exclusively sold at the Tohoku Center.
The Tohoku promotion will start June 30th (Friday) and will feature a return of the ever popular Pikachu Poncho plush.
Tohoku Part 1
Pikachu Poncho Plush (Victini, Rowlet) – 2,160 yen each
Pikachu Poncho Mascot Plush (Victini, Rowlet) – 1,296 yen each
Kokeshi Style Plush (Pikachu, Victini, Jirachi) – 1,080 yen each
Jirachi Pokemon Center Plush – 1,620 yen
Kokeshi Style Metal Charm Set – 864 yen
Tohoku Part 2
Acrylic Charm Collection (10 designs total) – 540 yen
A4 Clearfile – 260 yen
Sticky Note Set – 540 yen
Hand Towel – 540 yen
Face Towel – 1,080 yen
Deck Case & Card Sleeve Set – 1,080 yen
Not Pictured
Mug – 1,296 yen
Croquis Sketchbook – 572 yen
Dice Bag – 648 yen
Metal Charm Set (Pikachu/Jirachi) – 594 yen each
Poncho Pikachu Metal Charm Set (Rowlet, Victini, Jirachi) – 972 yen
Post Card – 162 yen
Tohoku Part 3
Tohoku Center Exclusive Items
Pikachu Poncho Plush (Jirachi) – 2,160 yen
Pikachu Poncho Mascot Plush (Jirachi) – 1,296 yen
Pokemon Center Tohoku Logo Pin – 680 yen
A cute travel themed promotion will go on sale at all Pokemon Centers and Stores in Japan starting June 17th (Saturday). Along with a general travel theme, the majority of items included in the promo are travel related items, such as bags and even two suitcases.
Colorful Travel Part 1
Pikachu Suitcase – 16,200 yen
Trunk Style Suitcase – 19,440 yen
Foldable Boston Bag – 3,240 yen
Suitcase Style Cookie Tin – 1,058 yen
Travel Pouch – 2,160 yen
Coin Case – 1,404 yen
Clear Case Set – 864 yen
Colorful Travel Part 2
Luggage Tags (Pikachu Pair / Ticket) – 1,296 yen each
Hand Towel – 540 yen
Travel Stickers (Suitcase / Ticket / Pikachu Pair / Piplup & Rowlet / Pikachu & Stufful / Rowlet & Stufful & Pikachu) – 324 yen each
Album – 1,080 yen
Thermos – 2,700 yen
Double Pocket Clearfile – 400 yen
T-Shirt (Small / Medium / Large) – 3,240 yen
Not Pictured
Suitcase Style Pochette – 2,808 yen
Multi-Use Case – 1,728 yen
Memo Pad – 432 yen
Mini Bath Towel – 2,160 yen
A cute promotion featuring Ash’s Pikachu will go on sale June 24th (Saturday). The promotion features a variety of items, including cork coasters, wooden clips, a mug with a matching wooden box, and a bunch of items styled to look like paper bags to fit the nostalgic theme.
Pikachu Album Part 1
Die-cut Sticky Note Set – 735 yen
Photo Frame – 1,944 yen
Coaster Set (A / B) – 729 yen each
Clip Set – 918 yen
Croquis Sketchbook – 540 yen
Hand Towel – 756 yen
Face Towel – 1,080 yen
Pikachu Album Part 2
Mug with Wooden Box – 1,620 yen
Pouch – 1,620 yen
Lunch Bag – 1,728 yen
Flat Case – 1,728 yen
Coin Case – 1,296 yen
Flip Phone Case – 3,240 yen
Not Pictured
Set of 2 3-Pocket Clearfiles – 756 yen
Sticky Notes – 540 yen
Wood Stickers (A / B) – 486 yen each
Dice Bag (Medium) – 648 yen
Dice Bag (Large) – 1,080 yen
As part of the Pikachu Album promotion, there will also be a new set of gacha figures, selling for the usual price of 300 yen per play. The set will have 6 figures in total with no secrets.
A beautiful Lillie (and Cosmog) figure from Kotobukiya is scheduled for release February 2018.
Pre-orders for this figure will start June 17th (Saturday) and run until August 31st (Thursday) at all Pokemon Centers and Stores in Japan, as well as the Japanese On-Line Pokemon Center. As a note, the final product will be colored.
Plush Pikachu Cases
Two plush Pikachu cases were announced that will both go on sale June 24th (Saturday).
One plush is actually an iPhone 7 phone case. The other plush is designed to fit over tissue boxes to make them softer and cuter.
Last and certainly not least, these adorable bell charms were released as a semi-surprise Saturday June 10th. I call them bell charms because each charm has a little bell inside, meaning if you attach them to your phone or bag, your presence will never be a surprise!
This release features: Pikachu, Rowlet, Popplio, Litten, Mimikyu, Bewear, Cosmog, and a pokeball.
I will have more pictures from this weekend’s very small release up tomorrow, so stay tuned.
Until next time~
——
Tohoku Center Promotion
Pokemon Colorful Trip
Pikachu Album Collection
Pikachu Plush Cases
Kotobukiya Lillie
by ZombieMiki | Jun 2, 2017 | Pokemon, Pokemon Merch News
After two very long weeks of waiting, we finally have information on the previously teased 1:1 size Eeveelution plush!
These life-size Eeveelution plush will be sold exclusively through the Japanese Pokemon Center On-line Store. The pre-order period starts June 10th (Saturday) at 10 am and ends July 31st (Monday) at 11:59 pm. The plush will start shipping out in late October (incidentally, around my birthday!)
Eeveelution Life Size Plush
Sizes for the individual Eeveelutions are as follows:
Eevee, the smallest, measures in at 30 cm.
Jolteon and Glaceon both measure 80 cm.
Espeon and Flareon are both 90 cm.
Vaporeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, and Sylveon are the tallest at 100 cm each.
Keep in mind that the height also accounts for the ears, so the plush itself will be a little smaller than the measurements given.
Eevee’s price is 3,240 yen. All the other Eeveelutions are 21,600 yen each.
We finally have a photo of the previously hyped Lillie Nendoroid, along with a pre-order period and release date!
Pre-orders for the figure will start June 15th (Thursday) at Good Smile and other stores, and June 17th (Saturday) at Pokemon Centers and Stores. The figure will start shipping out around November.
Pre-order bonuse parts and figures are as follows:
++ Customers who pre-order from Goodsmile’s On-line Store will get a potion bottle and an extra hand to hold it.
++ Customers who pre-order from Pokemon Centers or Stores will get a tiny Clefairy doll figure
Lillie Nendoroid figure comes with 3 different face plates and her bag and hat are removable. Her price is 4,800 yen including tax.
Next up ~ A Lillie (and family) promotion will go on sale at all Pokemon Centers and Stores in Japan starting June 17th (Saturday). This series of items will mainly feature illustrations of Lillie with Cosmog, Solgaleo, and Lunala, along with Gladion & Silvally and Lusamine & Nihilego.
Lillie Promo Part 1
Lillie Knapsack – 4,320 yen
Lillie’s Beloved Clefairy Plush – 2,160 yen
Square Can Badge Sets (2 badges per set) – 648 yen each
Paper Theater Sets: Lillie & Cosmog, Gladion & Silvally, Lusamine & Nihilego – 1,404 yen each | Lillie & Solgaleo, Lillie & Lunala – 2,160 yen each
Lillie Promo Part 2
Acrylic Stands – 864 yen each
Flat Pouch (Lusamine & Nihilego) – 1,620 yen
Big Bath Towel (Lillie & Cosmog) – 3,780 yen
Tote Bag (Lillie & Cosmog, Gladion & Silvally) – 3,780 yen each
Mini Posters – 432 yen each
A4 Clearfile Set w/ Case – 1,620 yen
Not Pictured
Croquis Sketchbooks (Lillie & Cosmog, Lillie & Solgaleo, Lillie & Lunala, Gladion & Silvally, Lusamine & Nihilego) – 735 yen each
Hand Towel (Gladion & Silvally) – 540 yen
Handkerchief (Lusamine & Nihilego) – 1,080 yen
Sticker Set (5 stickers per set, 2 sets) – 864 yen each
Postcard Set (5 postcards per set, 2 sets) – 756 yen each
Playing Cards – 1,350 yen
A4 Clearfile Set (3 clearfiles featuring quotes from the Pokemon Sun & Moon game) – 972 yen
Sticker Set (3 stickers featuring quotes from the Pokemon Sun & Moon game) – 1,080 yen
Pokemon TCG Items
Lillie & Cosmog Sun & Moon Special TCG Box – 3,024 yen
Lillie & Solgaleo & Lunala Double Deck Case + Card Sleeve Set – 3,024 yen
Gladion & Silvally / Lusamine & Nihilego Deck Case + Card Sleeve Sets – 1,080 yen each
Pokemon Center On-line Exclusive
Lillie & Cosmog Music Box – 9,180 yen
Last and certainly not least! The Tohoku Pokemon Center in Sendai will be moving to the 8th floor in Parco (shopping mall) oand as always happens when a Pokemon Center moves and re-opens, we get a Japan-wide promotion. The promo will start June 30th (Friday). A this point, we don’t have any information on merchandise, but there will be some special campaigns along with the re-opening.
Tohoku Clear Cards
Starting June 30th, customers to Pokemon Centers and Stores will receive a free little illustrated clear card, with the designs rotating out at specific time periods.
The Tanabata design (with Victini, Jirachi, and Cosmog) will be available from June 30th until July 7th.
The Snack Time design (with Victini) will be available from July 8th until July 16th.
The Ocean Fun Time design (with Lapras) will be available from July 17th until July 23rd.
The final Sleepy Time design will be available from July 24th until supplies run out but only at the Tohoku Center. Note that this is the only Center exclusive design.
Tohoku Bonus Items
As usual, all Pokemon Centers and Stores will have special Tohoku themed shoppers, featuring Victini and Jirachi. These shoppers will be available starting June 30th until supplies run out.
Starting June 30th, all customers at the Tohoku Pokemon Center store will receive a Tanabata Pikachu Pair charm for every 5,000 yen spent.
Also starting June 30th, customers at all Pokemon Centers and Stores in Japan will get a special Rowlet poncho Pikachu card for every 5 packs of booster cards bought, while supplies last.
I have a feeling we’re going to have Victini, Jirachi, and Rowlet Poncho Pikachu plush in our future, but if we end up with no merch for this re-opening, I’ll be very sad.
What do you think about today’s announcements? Will you be buying one of the life-size Eeveelution plush?
Until next time~
—–
Life-Size Eeveelution Plush
Lillie Nendoroid
Lillie Promotion
Tohoku Center Re-opening
by ZombieMiki | Mar 12, 2017 | Pokemon, Pokemon Center Report, TCG
This past Saturday was Metal Charm Lollapalooza at the Pokemon Center.
But before we dive into metal charms…
The very popular Lillie and Nebby card sleeves were re-released with a higher quality matte finish the first weekend of March. Unlike the original release, these sleeves did not sell out in milliseconds. The artwork is still adorable.
Metal charms!
The Pokedex metal charm release covered all Gen 7 Pokemon + mythical beasts and all Alolan Forms.
Pokemon were grouped together based on evolutions or formes, so depending on the Pokemon and the evolution chain, some were sold in singles, or doubles, or triples (or more!)
Here are three examples of a three part evolution set.
The Rockruff set included both Midday and Midnight forms.
Mimikyu was all by himself (but I promise he was surrounded by his friends!)
The Alolan Forms were not sold as a single (or double) set. All Alolan Form Pokemon were included in a set with their original forms. In this case, you can see both types of Vulpix and Ninetails here. For Pokemon who have three evolutions plus three Alolan evolutions, all of those Pokemon were included in one set for a total of six. Which is kind of annoying if you already had the previously released charms and only wanted the new ones, but such is life.
One thing of note: maybe it’s just my imagination but I feel like quality has gone down for the metal charms. Agree or disagree?
Moving on!
One of my favorite series, Pokemon With You, had a new release of merchandise on Saturday the 11th as well. Incidentally, the anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake back in 2011. (For more information on the history of Pokemon With You, check out this past blog entry.)
The theme for this year’s Pokemon With You line-up was a flowering garden, with one of the items on sale being a seed set so you can grow your own flowers, and the main Pikachu being a topiary hedge…which is cute in real life but maybe didn’t translate so well into merchandise. Hashtag they tried.
Some of the items from the release included (the aforementioned) topiary Pikachu mascot plush
Cute stickers and postcards (note: I always recommend the stickers from the Pokemon With You series because they almost always if not always use non stock-art poses)
A handkerchief
And a memopad, including four different paper designs.
We also got some new Pokemon With You metal charms! The three Johto starters (Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita)
Alola Vulpix, Alola Raichu, Bewear
Snorlax, Lapras, and Dragonite!
And that concludes today’s Pokemon Center Adventures.
A special shout out to Jen from Japan Stuffs for being a hand model in the majority of these photos. So professional, she makes it look easy.
Until next time!
