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Nintendo-owned Japanese media franchise Pokemon needs no introduction. One of the most popular animated series is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. As part of these celebrations, the media company joined forces with various sneaker manufacturers as well as fashion labels all year round.
Anime fans might know how popular Pokemon is when it comes to collaborations and merchandise launches. Similarly, this year, fans were able to buy their favorite Pokeball monsters in the form of shoes and apparel items from popular brands such as Converse and PUMA.
If you love Pikachu and you missed out on the character’s themed sneakers that appeared in the previous months, then here’s a list of the top three Pokemon sneaker launches with their pricing details and release info.
From Pikachu to Charizard, these three Pokemon sneaker launches thrilled the footwear world in 2022
1) Comme des Garcons x Pokemon
The animated series franchise teamed up with the Japanese streetwear brand Comme des Garcons, commonly known as CDG.
T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, cardigans, button-up shirts, and other items were included in the 30-piece collaboration. On September 23, 2022, the collection became accessible on Comme des Garcons' official e-commerce website, featuring a single pair of shoes designed for a three-way partnership between Vans, CDG, and Pokemon.
The collection's most prominent component is the Vans Old Skool, which the trio created together. The Pikachu logo and CDG logo are imprinted on the sides of the midsoles, which are primarily covered on a white canvas basis.
The retail cost of these white Vans Old Skool shoes is 19,800 yen, or about $138.
2) Converse x Pokemon
The four-color schemes pay homage to a few of the most well-known characters yet. The canary yellow and mustard yellow color schemes are inspired by Pikachu's design, while Eevee, Charizard, and Mewtwo are represented by the orange and gray-purple color schemes, respectively.
Moreover, the monikers of the Pokemon, together with their Pokédex numbers, heights, and weights, are imprinted on the heel of the shoe. Each set of high tops will be sent in a unique red and white shoe box designed to look like a Pokéball to keep up with the franchise's motif.
The collab also includes four thrilling velcro high-top designs featuring Pikachu, Eevee, Piplup, and Mew in pre-school sizes. Each of the iridescent All Star emblems transforms into a Poké Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball, or Master Ball to match the shoe's color scheme based on the shoe's angle.
Furthermore, the children's versions include two pairs of glow-in-the-dark shoes in traditional black and white. Pokémon and All Stars fans may get these shoes for about $99 USD on the official Converse Japan website.
3) PUMA x Pokemon
German sportswear juggernaut PUMA has partnered with the anime series to release a playful sneaker lineup. The dynamic duo celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Japanese franchise by releasing five iconic PUMA shoe designs loaded with Kanto character elements.
The Dark Cheddar / Pale Lemon colorway of the Slipstream model featured the fiery Pokemon Charmander. The uppers of the 1987 basketball shoe models were made of suede. The sneaker's retail price for adult men's sizes was $100, pre-school sizes were priced at $65, and toddler sizes at $60.
The second character on the list was Squirtle, who was shown on the PUMA Suede sneakers in the recognizable ice blue tones. The silhouette boasted icy blue translucent soles and was covered with deep blue tones. The retail cost of the shoe was $80 for males, $60 for grade school sizes, and $55 for sizes fitting pre-school kids.
The RS-X and Future Rider sneakers featured an image of the most well-known Pokemon, Pikachu. The Empire Yellow / Pale Lemon colorway of the RS-X silhouette was sold for $120 per pair.
Lastly, the Bulbasaur-themed Future Rider model was dressed in green. On the tongue tags, each pair of four shoes displayed the character from its respective generation.
These are the three best sneaker collections of the Nintendo-owned series that were introduced earlier this year. If you’re are interested in buying any of the aforementioned items, you can surely check the respective brand's website alongside their partnering retail vendors.
