🎉 POKÉMON 30TH ANNIVERSARY | A Worldwide Celebration

Who’s that Pokemon? It’s Pokemon Day on February 27th

On this day in 1996, Pokémon Red and Green launched in Japan, kicking off a franchise that would become one of the most successful entertainment brands ever for the past 30 years. 2026 will bring in a wave of special releases, partnerships, and immersive fan experiences, from fashion and toys to theme parks and trading cards. Let’s see what Pokémon has in store for the Pokéfans.

🌟 CELEBRATIONS & COLLABORATIONS | What to watch for

➜ 🧱 LEGO® POKÉMON SETS (GOTTA BUILD ’EM ALL!)

Pokémon and LEGO have partnered to create LEGO® Pokémon™, marking the first official brick-by-brick Pokémon set lineup. These sets let fans build beloved Pokémon models of Pikachu, Eevee, and the trio starters of generation one Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise. These sets are aimed for adults, but younger fans might enjoy it too with adult supervision. You can preorder it now on the official LEGO website. Let’s catch and build ‘em all!!

➜ 👕 UNIQLO POKÉMON UT COLLECTION

UNIQLO’s UT 30th Anniversary Collection features nostalgic watercolor-style prints from the original Pokémon artwork with popular characters like Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle showcased on apparel launching in late March 2026. Sizes available for adults and kids. Check out the official UNIQLO website to put it on your wishlist.

➜ 🍔 MCDONALD’S POKÉMON TCG HAPPY MEAL PROMO

McDonald’s is joining the celebration with a special Pokémon Trading Card Game Happy Meal promotion. What a nice callback to beloved promotional runs from past anniversaries. It is confirmed US McDonalds locations and maybe worldwide locations, will be partaking in this promo during February - March 2026.

McDonalds Japan Pokemon Disaster Collab August 2025

➜ 👟 ADIDAS POKÉMON ORIGINALS

Adidas is set to release a Pokémon-themed Originals collection. Sole Retriever has confirmed 5 different sneakers: Samba OG Mewtwo, Superstar Pikachu, Superstar Charmeleon, Superstar Pikachu White, and Superstar Charmander. Expected release is September 2026 through adidas and select retailers online and in-store.

➜ 🎴 POKÉMON TCG: POKÉMON DAY 2026 COLLECTION

To mark Pokémon Day and the anniversary, a special Pokémon Day 2026 TCG collection will launch with a 1 foil card featuring Pikachu with a Pokémon Day stamp, 1 Pokémon coin, and 3 Pokémon TCG booster packs. Check your local retailers (Target, Gamestop, Best Buy, etc..) if they have this special set available. Don’t miss out on this electrifying card.

🗺️ IMMERSIVE FAN EXPERIENCES | Events and attractions

➜ 🏞️ POKÉPARK KANTO IN JAPAN

PokéPark Kanto is the Pokémon’s first permanent theme park that opened in February 2026 in Tokyo’s Inagi area, featuring walkable forest filled with life-sized Pokémon statues, interactive performances, themed food, and exclusive merch. If you plan on attending this park, you need to apply for the online lottery to get a chance of purchasing the admission tickets. Must apply at least 2 months in advance. Ticket prices vary on which sections of the park you want to see and different perks. Scope out the official website for more information.

Pokepark Forest

➜ 🎢 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN POKÉMON EXPERIENCES

Universal Studios Japan just recently announced they will be launching an immersive Pokémon experience. As of writing this article, there are not many details of what exactly they have planned, but in the past, USJ had Pokemon parades and Halloween shows. So guess we just have to see what they plan for the 30th anniversary.

✨ WRAP UP

Whether you are a long time hardcore fan ever since games came out in the 90’s or a freshly new fan who just recently dabbled into this fandom, there is something fun and wholesome about this community and all the happiness it has brought worldwide. It has been such a huge global phenomenon for the last 30 years, uniting us all for our shared love of magical elemental creatures called Pokémon.