KelsiDavis

The Pokémon Company International has announced their “Pokéween” promotion for this Fall season, bringing Halloween-themed apparel to the Pokémon Center. Two new lines, Cinema Scares and Marvelous Misfits, will be coming to the U.S, the U.K., and Canada in September as part of Pokéween.

The Pokémon Company International has announced plenty of merch collaborations for September, including with longtime partner Jazwares, jewelry designer Tom Wood, and California-based skate and apparel brand Santa Cruz Skateboards.

Scheduled for release on September 13th, a new collection of products including stickers, socks, and more will be coming to Pokémon Center stores in Japan, as well as the Pokémon Center Online. The new releases are themed after Part 1 of The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, The Teal Mask, which itself will be available for download also on September 13th. Paldean Pokémon like Maschiff and Tatsugiri, as well as new Pokémon from the DLC including Ogerpon, Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti, feature on hand towels, socks, and stationary as part of this collection, which also includes a mini shoulder bag adorned with the symbol that appears in the new DLC area, Kitakami.

Pokémon Sleep has gained a remarkable amount of popularity quickly as a sleep tracking app, reaching a million downloads in the month and a half since its release. It’s no surprise then, that the Pokémon Company has announced two merchandise collaborations for the app, with Japanese cosmetics company Kao Corporation and Gelato Pique, the Japanese loungewear company inspired by desserts. Both collaborations, eaturing adorable sleeping Pokémon, launch in Japan this September.

The Pokémon Company’s collaboration with Universal Music, the Pokémon Music Collective, brings us the latest in a series of singles meant to reimagine music and sounds from Pokémon games. “LEVEL UP!” by American producer Matt Cab and Japanese artists BBY NABE and Charlu is the fourth of the five announced songs that will make up the Pokémon Music Collective EP, and incorporates the iconic chime that has played in every mainline game when a Pokémon gains a level.

Decks & Dice Tournament Center in Polk County, Florida was broken into after closing on Wednesday, August 23rd, by one or more offenders that have yet to be found. Co-owner Chad Rippey says the landlord of the building alerted him of the theft on Thursday morning, after the front door was discovered smashed in. Rippey estimates the retail value of stolen items was $5,500, and included Pokémon Crown Zenith premium collections, Obsidian Flames booster boxes, and more.

There’s plenty of news this week for those interested in Pokémon merchandise, especially in Japan, where The Pokémon Company is showing off two news product lines: Pokémon Trainers - Memories of Paldea and Paldea Spooky Halloween. Fans in other countries can find the most recent plushie to join Build-A-Bear's Pokémon lineup, Mimikyu and all its accessories.

The Pokémon Company International has announced their position as a Vision Sponsor for the 2023 Toy of the Year® Awards, contributing $90,000 USD and more than $3.7 million dollars worth of cards and other merchandise to charitable organization The Toy Foundation. These donations are a part of The Pokémon Company International’s five-year plan to donate at least $25 million to long-term partner organizations that are “dedicated to improving the lives of children and supporting social equity.”

Over the three-day weekend of August 18th, 19th, and 20th, over 70,000 players convened in New York City for the biggest Pokémon GO event to ever take place in the United States. Trainers from around the country came together to catch special Pokémon, participate in exclusive events, and explore the city with fellow Pokémon GO fans. One Trainer’s weekend, however, began sorrowfully.

While there is an almost endless amount of Pokémon merchandise available for any kind of fan, Japanese design studio Nendo is again partnering with the Pokémon Company to offer a subtle homewares collection aimed at adult fans of the franchise. Nendo, the design firm which earlier this year helped create the high-end Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic, utilizes the color palette from each featured Pokémon to create a geometric pattern, which it applies to totes, wall clocks, mugs, plates, and more.

As reported earlier this summer, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, the international art gallery, is currently hosting the Pokémon × Kogei: Playful Encounters of Art and Japanese Craft exhibition, a collection of dozens of Pokémon-themed artworks in traditional Japanese mediums. The gallery has recently announced a series of events to accompany the exhibition, which is scheduled to run until January 7th, 2024.

Calhoun County Correctional Officer Josh Hardy was arrested this last Saturday, August 12th, after stealing approximately $200 USD worth of Pokémon cards from a local Walmart. Police apprehended Hardy at a nearby restaurant after he fled from the Walmart's loss prevention team on foot and placed him in Oxford City Jail. The local sheriff’s office reports that Hardy was seen with his uniform shirt inside out and badge still visible, opening several packs in the store and pocketing individual cards after leaving his shift at the Calhoun County Jail.

Following its launch in Japan earlier this year, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, under the supervision of the National Crafts Museum, has brought the Pokémon × Kogei art exhibit to the United States, for a run that is scheduled to last until January 7th, 2024. JAPAN HOUSE, an international gallery which “seeks to foster awareness and appreciation for Japan around the world by showcasing the emerging art of the very best,” reports that the exhibit will feature more than seventy pieces by a variety of Japanese artists, such as metal artist Morihito Katsura. Twenty acclaimed artists’ work is on display now, and pieces will be rotated during the duration of the exhibit. Admission to the gallery is free and can be reserved online, or guests can walk in as space allows.

Taking to Instagram on Monday night, 2022 Australian Open Doubles winner Nick Kyrgios showed off the linework for his newest tattoo, a full back piece featuring Gengar, Mewtwo, Lapras, Gyarados, Snorlax, Dragonite and more, with a ready-for-action Blastoise as the centerpiece. The tattoo was completed by a team of five artists at Ganga Tattoo Studio in Los Angeles in the impressively quick time of a single hour, and was originally designed by Kyrgios’ brother Alexi Bouras.

Following the debut of its Pikachu-themed Boeing 787-9 in June, All Nippon Airways (ANA) revealed late last month that it is launching a second plane in Pokémon livery, which will be decorated with Eevee and its eight evolutions. The new Boeing 777-300ER, which is scheduled to take to the skies on August 31st, is the latest in a series of collaborations between Pokémon Air Adventures and various airlines, bringing a total of seven planes with larger-than-life Pokémon designs to passengers all over the world.

Beginning today, Pokémon fans in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom can now purchase two new collections of Pokémon GO-inspired apparel and accessories which are being released exclusively through the Pokémon Center Online. Acording to the press release from The Pokémon Company International, this is the largest Pokémon Go-inspired merchandise launch ever released on Pokémon Center.

Amazon’s annual Prime Day sale is offering a range of special discounts for Prime members, including deals on a selection of various Pokémon games and products. Here’s a quick roundup of some of the best deals we've spotted included in the sales this year on Amazon's US store.

The Pokémon Company has announced a set of six new plushes, which will be coming to Japanese Pokémon Center stores, the Pokémon Center Online, and their online storefront on Amazon Japan. These include plushes for the three Paldean starter Pokémon's middle evolutions, Floragato, Crocalor, and Quaxwell, as well as Tatsugiri's Curly, Droopy, and Stretch forms. The starter evolutions will retail for 2,970円 (roughly $21.10 USD), while the three Tatsugiri forms will sell for 2,200円 (~$15.65 USD).