KelsiDavis

The American footwear brand Crocs is expanding their collaboration with the Pokémon brand this year, previewing four new Gen I designs coming sometime in 2024, though no specific date has been given. Following the Pikachu design from earlier this year, Jigglypuff, Charizard, Gengar, and Snorlax will each feature on Crocs’ Classic Clog, with the Pokémon’s colors in a swirled design on the upper and a monochrome sole.

Pokémon Centers in Japan are adding some new sleepy plushes to their lineup inspired by the first anniversary of Pokémon Sleep. The app’s mascot Snorlax will feature as a plushie with Pikachu asleep on its belly for ¥6,930 ($43.90 USD), and the sleeping Gengar, Eevee, and Larvitar plushies come in at ¥3,520 ($22.30 USD) each. These four will be available at Pokémon Centers across Japan beginning July 20th, and at the Pokémon Center Online beginning July 18th.

Gelato Pique, the Japanese loungewear retailer that launched their first Pokémon Sleep collection shortly after the app’s launch last year, is back with a second round of cozy apparel in an even larger collab. The new 43-piece collection features men’s, women’s, kids’, and infant apparel, plus accessories and bedding. It will be available at Gelato Pique, MASH, and Usagi stores across Japan on July 26th, as well at Gelato Pique, MASH, and Usagi’s websites, and Gelato Pique’s US website.

The Pokémon Company is showing off lots of new merch coming to Pokémon Centers in Japan over the coming weeks, with the largest collection being the new “Secrets of Might,” which stars Palafin in its Hero Form. The new collection is styled after American comic books and features Lokix, Boltund, Kingambit, and more Pokémon in action-packed poses. “Secrets of Might” will arrive at Japanese Pokémon Centers on July 20th and at the Pokémon Center Online on July 18th.

On July 4th, Aizil A Rahim, 28, was sentenced to 18 months in jail after repeatedly cheating customers on the Singaporean e-commerce platform Carousell and reporting false information to law enforcement officers in an effort not to be caught. Aizil pled guilty to nine counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of giving false information to a public servant, among sixteen more charges brought against him. The convicted will begin serving his sentence on July 11th.

The Pokémon Company announced today some interesting new additions coming to customers in Japan. Following their inclusion in another recent merchandise line, Walking Wake, Gouging Fire, and Raging Bolt will be making their plush debuts at Japanese Pokémon Centers beginning July 13th and at the Pokémon Center Online on July 11th. Each plush will retail for ¥4,950 ($30.79 USD). All three Paradox plushies will also be available via Amazon Japan on July 20th, though quantities are expected to be very limited.

Fans of the Pawmi evolution family will be excited to find an entire new collection starring the Mouse Pokémon coming to Pokémon Centers in Japan. The “Pawmi No Mure” collection, featuring homegoods, stationery, and plenty of plushes, will arrive in-store at Pokémon Centers on August 3rd and at the Pokémon Center Online on August 1st. In addition, the Pokémon Cafés in Tokyo and Osaka will begin offering Pawmi, Pawmo, and Pawmot themed menu items, also starting on August 3rd.

The Pokémon Company has announced lots of new goods coming to Pokémon Centers in Japan this summer, with the soonest to arrive being a collection of summery apparel, homegoods, and stationery with some traditional Japanese pieces. The “summer festival” collection, which stars Kitakami Pokémon like Ogerpon and Pecharunt, arrives at Pokémon Centers in-store on July 6th and at the Pokémon Center Online on July 4th.

The newest set of plush additions to Pokémon Centers in the West are some Paldea and Kitakami natives that debuted earlier this year at Pokémon Centers in Japan. Pawmot, Pawmo, Finizen, Poltchageist, and Sinistcha are available now at Pokémon Centers serving the US, U.K., and Canada. The newly opened Pokémon Centers for New Zealand and Australia don't have the new plushes yet, continuing to be the last to have new merch available for purchase.

Singapore’s largest supermarket chain, FairPrice, which brought fans Pokémon-embossed OREOs earlier this year, have announced a new collection of Pokémon products called “Living with Pokémon.” The 11-piece collection features Pikachu, the Eeveelutions, and more Pokémon designs across home goods and travel products. ”Living with Pokémon” will be available at FairPrice locations across the country and at their website from July 4th until September 25th.

The King Ice brand has a history of experience with pop culture collabs, including with other video game mainstays like Sonic the Hedgehog and Xbox. Today, the LA-based jewelry designer revealed their latest collection of Pokémon-inspired pieces, which is available now on their website to ship internationally. The new collection includes 7 pieces, 5 of which are large bust-style pendants of Pikachu, Eevee, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

A new menu inspired by Pokémon of the seas and mountains is coming to Italian-style Japanese coffee chain Pronto beginning July 11th and lasting until September 16th. The chain has revealed a selection of three new drinks with summery flavors, two new meals, and a dessert, as well a collection of original merchandise that will be available exclusively in-store at some Pronto locations.

Le Creuset, the French-Belgian cookware brand best known for their enameled cast-iron cookware, has announced a two-part collaboration with The Pokémon Company, with the first release coming on July 17th. This first round will include a variety of Le Creuset cookware and kitchenware with Pokémon designs, with the as-of-yet unrevealed second round coming in November of this year.

The latest drop at the Pokémon Centers for the US, Canada, and the U.K. brings new apparel of fan favorites Snorlax, Gengar, and Charizard. Each Pokémon is featured on a spread of denim jackets ($199.99 USD) hoodies and crop hoodies ($59.99 USD and $49.99 USD), t-shirts and crop tops ($24.99 to $29.99 USD), socks ($14.99 USD) and hats ($29.99 USD). The entire collection is available online now.

Held over the weekend of May 31st to June 2nd, Pokéverse was an unaffiliated, “Made by Fans for Fans” Pokémon convention held in Mandaluyong City, near Manila in the Philippines. Since the convention, congoers, vendors, and even its own celebrity guests have come online to discuss the many issues they encountered, from its unusually high ticket prices and table fees to concerns with how it treated its Make-A-Wish child guests.

The Pokémon Company’s popular and very extensive plush line, Sitting Cuties (Pokémon fit in Japan) is getting a major addition. A whopping 107 new Sitting Cuties will be available at Pokémon Centers in Japan and at the Pokémon Center Online beginning June 15th, with online preorders opening on June 13th. The new drop includes Pokémon native to Gen VI’s Kalos region, including many different forms of Pokémon such as Vivillon and Furfrou.

Pokémon Centers in different parts of their world have announced some new summery merchandise, including the new “Bug Out!” merchandise collection coming to Pokémon Centers in Japan and the Pokémon Tropical apparel line that’s already available online for customers in the US, Canada, and the U.K. The Bug Out! collection will be available at the Pokémon Center Online and Japanese Pokémon Centers beginning June 4th, but their other newly-announced piece of Bug-Type merch is already available for preorder.

The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) announced today that the Soda Pop plush line, which was originally exclusive to Japan, has begun launching in the US, Canada, and U.K. markets for the first time. Three plushies, Squirtle, Chamander, and Bulbasaur are available online now at Pokémon Centers, with more of the Soda Pop line planned to be added in the future.

The newest clothing at the Pokémon Center belongs to the Pokémon Lounge line, which is available online now at the US, Canada, and U.K. Pokémon Centers. The 29-piece collection is the same in all three places and stars Pikachu, Ditto, and appropriately for loungewear, Snorlax across comfy pieces for men and women.

Rachael Lillis, a prolific voice actor in the Pokémon series, voiced dozens of characters across the early anime, movies, and video games, including main roles as Misty and Jessie until 2006. The other half of her villainous duo, Eric Stuart, who was the original voice of James, has shared a GoFundMe on X (formerly Twitter) in support of Lillis’ medical needs.