On the Origin of Species: Sobble, Drizzile, and Inteleon

The 2023 Toy of the Year Awards, hosted by charitable organization The Toy Foundation, has announced their individual category winners for the year. Pokémon products were nominated in three categories in 2023; Collectable, Construction Toy, and Action Figure Toy of the Year. Pokémon Squishmallows took the crown for Collectable of the Year, beating out competitors such as LEGO Disney, Monster High, and Furby. The collection of plushies is manufactured by longtime partner of The Pokémon Company International, Jazwares. The 16” version of Squishmallows also won for 2023 Plush Toy of the Year, and even won in 2022 for Overall Toy of the Year, while the Pokémon brand itself won in 2022 for License of the Year. The Toy Foundation announced that approximately $800,000 USD was raised in cash donations during this year’s award season from sponsors such as Mattel, Spin Master, and The Pokémon Company International, which donated $90,000 in cash and $3.7 million worth of cards and other...

Alongside yesterday's release of the official music video for Volt Tackle feat. Hatsune Miku by DECO*27, Project VOLTAGE also revealed the names of the next 3 Vocaloid producers who'll be releasing music videos as part of this ongoing special art and music collaboration project between Pokémon and Hatsune Miku. inabakumori (稲葉曇), Mitchie M, and Pinocchio-P (ピノキオピー) will release their songs on their own official YouTube channels at 6:30pm (JST) / 9:30am UTC / 2:30am (PDT) on October 6th, 13th and 20th respectively.

Project VOLTAGE, a special art and music collaboration project between Pokémon and the popular Volcaloid character Hatsune Miku, will finally be posting the first of 18 music videos from it "Songs and Music Videos from 18 Vocaloid Producers sampling Game Background Music and Sound Effects" (18名のボカロPによる、ゲームBGM・SEをサンプリングした楽曲・MV) sub-project, with the release later today of Volt Tackle feat. Hatsune Miku, by acclaimed Japanese musician and producer DECO*27, Friday September 29th, at 7:00pm (JST) / 10:00am UTC / 3:00am (PDT).

The folks over at the independent video game record label GameChops are today releasing Poké & Sleep, the latest album from the Super Piano 64 duo of Nate and Canaan Evans. Covering all generations of the main series games, as well as popular spin-off titles such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the Mystery Dungeon series, Poké & Sleep features a total of 34 licensed piano covers of Pokémon songs originally composed by a range of Pokémon music luminaries including Junichi Masuda, Gō Ichinose, Hitomi Satō, and Shota Kageyama.

Following up on their mysterious teaser trailer from earlier this month, The Pokémon Company International and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam are now showing off more details of their collaboration, which begins today, September 28th, and will run through until January 7th, 2024. The latest announcement shows off special artworks and events within the museum, merchandise coming to the Pokémon Center online, and an exclusive Pokémon Trading Card Game release featuring Pikachu in the style of a Van Gogh painting.

The Pokémon Company revealed earlier this month that its newest Pokémon Center will be coming to Taipei, Taiwan, the first in the country. The grand opening event in December is expected to include special events and commemorative products for sale to celebrate the new store. The exact location of the new Pokémon Center has now been revealed, along with its unique logo. The new store will be located on the third floor of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, a department store in the Xinyi District of Taipei. Pikachu and Dragonite serve as Pokémon Center Taipei’s mascots, making Dragonite the first Pseudo-legendary to hold the honor.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) reported over the weekend that they have seized 1,465 products from a single traveler arriving from Thailand to the Perth International Airport, over concerns the products breach intellectual property rights laws. ABF officers conducted a baggage search after the traveler declared they were carrying commercial products. The holders of the intellectual property rights (namely, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company International) are being consulted by the ABF to investigate the items’ authenticity, and as of yet, no charges have been filed.

Fans in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada can welcome the official start of the Fall season with cozy new releases available now online at The Pokémon Center. A new selection of sock sets and fleece socks are new to the site, with the Pokéball-themed fleece socks retailing for $14.99 USD. The three-sock sets, which include Electric-type and Ground-type versions, cost $29.99 USD, and the three-sock box sets with special Pokémon Center packaging, which come as a Pokéball-themed set or a Legendary birds set, will be $49.99 USD.

The fifth and final single from the Pokémon Company’s collaboration with Universal Music, the Pokémon Music Collective, a series of singles meant to reimagine music and sounds from Pokémon games, has now been released. "Ghost Dive", by Japanese Band Polkadot Stingray, is a fast-paced and high tension song overflowing with Polkadot Stingay vocalist Shizuku's love for Ghost-type Pokémon. The music video was illustrated by nekozemon, who is best known for their work on music videos together with noted Vocaloid producer 3.

Pokémon has been on a roll with interesting collaborations this year, lending their name to everything from skateboards to pop music, and even recently announcing a mysterious partnership with the Van Gogh Museum. This week, Japanese press releases have promoted two more unusual projects for highly limited merchandise available exclusively in Japan.

The Pokémon Company International has been collaborating with McDonald’s almost every year since 2011 to put toys or cards in Happy Meals, and this year’s set of 15 cards is now available in the U.S. This promotion has already been run in Germany, Austria, and the U.K. earlier this summer, and is currently also running in Australia, so a full list of cards, as well as which ones are available printed in the usual Happy Meal confetti holofoil, is already available. Just like the 2022 Happy Meal cards, this set is entirely comprised of reprints of cards from other available sets.

Detective Pikachu Returns’ release date is just around the corner on October 6th, and a new range plushies, stationary, and more to go with it have been announced by Pokémon Center in Japan. The determined-looking detective will feature as a talking plushie for ¥3,960 (~$27.00 USD), as well as on mugs, document protectors, and a mousepad. A selection of t-shirts are also planned for release, though the designs for these have not yet been revealed.

Following the recent announcement of Halloween-themed apparel, Pokémon Center has debuted new home décor, tableware, and plushies for the spooky season, as well as this year’s Pokémon Haunted Village figures. These new additions to The Pokémon Company International’s Pokéween promotion are available now from Pokémon Center Online in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.

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.

In perhaps one of the strangest collaborations we've seen with the Pokémon franchise this year, Shell Petrol Stations in Singapore today launched an exclusive range of Pokémon dehumidifier plushies, which are available for purchase with certain minimum spends at Shell outlets. Shell will also be holding special Meet and Greet sessions with Pikachu at six separate shell stations this weekend, on September 2nd and 3rd.

In a post made earlier today, The Pokémon Company's official Facebook page for Taiwan has revealed that Taipei will be receiving its very own Pokémon Center store in December of this year. According to the announcement, the store is expected to launch with a special event, featuring special commemorative products for sale to celebrate the opening.

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 have officially announced a brand new art and music collaboration project in with the popular Volcaloid character Hatsune Miku. Pokémon feat. Hatsune Miku Project VOLTAGE 18 Types/Songs (ポケモン feat. 初音ミク Project VOLTAGE 18 Types/Songs), officially abbreviated as PokéMiku (ポケミク) will officially launch next week on Monday, September 4th, and is expected to continue for at least the end of this year.