This was a big week for Nintendo and Pokémon. One company unveiled the Nintendo Switch system, alongside a brand new Mario game. The other launched a Pokémon Sun and Moon demo that got hacked to leak all the newest Pokémon. Those are all great, but it’s not the biggest news for fans of cute things and/or importing Japanese products. That prize goes to the newly announced “Mario Pikachu” line of goods coming to Pokémon stores in Japan. Just take a look at these adorable crossover plushes.
What is “Mario Pikachu”?
Have you ever been to Disney World? Or even the Disney Store and seen exclusive products they only sell there? That’s what Pokémon Center stores do all over Japan. These dedicated Poké-shops sell tons of toys, clothing, and other doodads you can only find in that store. There have been so many themed items over the years, and starting Oct. 29 in Japan, they’ll be selling the Mario Pikachu line of goods. They take Pikachu and other famous Pokémon and combine them with characters and moments from Mario history.
That includes above plushies as well as playing cards…
And t-shirts…
All of which transform Pikachu into a mustachioed mascot. It’s all painfully adorable, and worth whatever the Pokémon Company is charging. Seriously, take a close look at this incredibly creative recreation of the original Japanese cover to Super Mario Bros.
How do you Get “Mario Pikachu” Products?
Well, if you’re not a resident of Japan, your options are limited. So far, this run of “Mario Pikachu” products is only coming to Pokémon shops in Japan. Some of these will even be exclusive to the Pokémon store in Kyoto, the city where Nintendo’s home office resides. That’s where you’ll find the Hanafuda cards, a throwback to the card products Nintendo first made over a century ago.
Short of booking a flight to Japan for Oct. 29, you can import on the secondary market like eBay. And who knows, maybe the North American official Pokémon online store will carry them if you bother them.