Massive-variation new Pikachu plushie line lets you find the perfect Pikachu just for you

Pokémon Centers Pikatto Pikapika Pikachu Campaign kicks off with the new My Pikachu line.

Pokémon fandom is a pretty personalized thing. You can find everything from hard-core enthusiasts to casual fans for each of the three pillars of media pillar of Poké-media (the video games, the anime, and the collectible card game), with some getting deep into the lore and competitive play, and others just there to see some cute creature antics and frolicking.

And since every fan has their own way of enjoying the series, it’s good to know that Japan’s Pokémon Centers and Pokémon Stores have just released a new line with an unprecedented variety of Pikachu plushies, so that you can find the one that perfectly captures the tone of the series that speaks to you.

The Pikatto Pikapika Pikachu Campaign kicked off on April 22, and the coolest, and cutest, part is the new Nuigurumi My Pikachu line. Nuigurumi is the Japanese word for “stuffed animal,” and while Pikachu plushies themselves aren’t anything new at the Pokémon Center, this time they’re offering more variations at once than we can ever remember.

In looking through the shelves, we found at least six different ways the Pikachus can differ from one another in design or pose:

● Ears
● Eyes
● Mouth
● Hands/arms
● Tail
● Size

There are three sizes (small, medium, and large, pictured left to right above) and two tail designs (straight-edge for male Pikachus, heart-shaped for females). The Pokémon Center hasn’t specified how many variations there are in the other categories, so we don’t know the exact number of Pikachu possibilities, but there were enough on our visit that it’s unlikely you and your fellow-Pokémon-fan friends will be choosing the same one to take home.

That said, choosing one is easier said than done. While they’re all Pikachus, their auras range from disarmingly cute to fiercely determined, easy-going to pensive.

Picking between them is a dilemma Satoshi/Ash never had to grapple with in the anime, as by the time he got to his hometown’s Pokémon Center there was only the one Pikachu left. Still, choosing your perfect Pikachu is a nice problem to have, and it’s best not to rush the decision. As we stood pondering which to take home with us, we observed that there’s quite a bit of variation in the personality of Pokémon fans themselves. Some people walked into the shop and immediately knew which Pikachu was going to be their new best plushie friend, while others paced back and forth weighing theri options and others squatted down to dig deep into the back of the lower shelves.

Eventually, we settled on the guy in the photo below, whose unique expression is brimming with personality. Some might interpret it as showing nervousness, but if you ask us, it looks like he’s chewing on some delicious snacks stuffed into his cheeks.

▼ The heart is a visual effect we added to the photo, but if you get a similar mental image when picking up a plushie, you’ll know it’s the one for you.

Regardless of size or design, all Nuigurumi My Pikachu plushies are priced at 1,650 yen (US$12.60). For an additional 500 yen, you can also add a personalized “memorial tag” with your name on one side and the place where you and your Pikachu met, plus its nature and special quirk (both of which you choose) on the other.

We met our Pikachu at the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX branch, and its nature and quirk (both of which you choose) are “Impish” and “Loves eating.”

▼ With a quirk like that, we think we’ll be getting along just fine.

The Pikatto Pikapika Pikachu Campaign started April 22 and runs until June 30, during which periodic Nuigurumi My Pikachu inventory restocks are planned. Note, though, that the Nuigurumi My Pikachu plushies are not available online, and can only be purchased at physical Pokémon Center and Pokémon Store branches. After all, if it’s a Pikachu just for you, it deserves the personal touch of getting picked up in person.

Related: Pokémon Center location list
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