Pikachu Talking Plush Toy
Dublin Core
Title
Pikachu Talking Plush Toy
Subject
Interactive Pikachu Toy from the Pokémon Franchise
Description
The ‘Pikachu Talking Plush’ is an interactive plush toy developed by Tiger Electronics and officially launched in 1999 with global distribution by Hasbro targeting North America and multiple European markets. This plush toy, designed to resemble Pikachu, one of the most beloved characters from the Pokémon series, represents a key piece of late 1990s nostalgia.
This is a talking interactive toy for children aged 4 years and above, approximately 20 cm high and made of soft polyester. In the 1990s, due to advances in microelectronics, features such as voice chips were increasingly used in toys. It has a built-in electronic voice chip that emits the iconic and on the back of the box it says, ‘Give the Pikachu Talking Plushie a hug or a pat on the head to hear it talk to you!’. Pikachu will sound when touched such as 'Pika Pikachu' and it is powered by two AA batteries. Smooth surfaces, adorable shapes, and three-dimensional facial embroidery are Pikachu's signature adorable appearance in the Pokémon Go series. This made it not only a sophisticated children's doll but also a much-loved playmate of the 1990s.
As a collector's item, this toy still has considerable collector's value, not only due to its scarcity as a Pokémon peripheral in 1999 but also due to its great brand relevance as one of the most popular characters of the Pokémon brand, as well as the backdrop of the Pokémon craze that took the world by storm at the time. Pokémon first appeared in public as a video game for the Nintendo Game Boy in Japan in 1996, which also marked the birth of the Pokémon series. The concept of Pokémon was conceived by Satoshi Tajiri, whose childhood love of collecting insects culminated in the core mechanic of the Pokémon franchise: ‘Gotta Catch “Em All”. In this series, players can take on the role of trainers, capturing and training a variety of fictional ‘Pokémon’ creatures to complete artwork and engage in battles. At the same time, the Pokémon franchise introduced a revolutionary mechanic that allowed players to trade creatures through connectivity. This made Pokémon not just a game, but a new form of social interaction. Within its first year, Pokémon Red and Green sold millions of copies in Japan, signalling the arrival of a cultural phenomenon.
After 1998, the Pokémon brand began to explore the Western market, they are not content with the success of Pokémon in their home country. In September of the same year, the Pokémon animated series was released in the U.S. This cartoon established the image of Pikachu as a friendly, lovable, and loyal companion by telling the adventures of Koji and Pikachu. Instead of failing in the face of cultural differences, the exciting storyline and the universally lovable Pikachu were a huge success. Because Pokémon has appeared in more than just games and films, it has built a strong transmedia narrative on a synergistic multi-platform consumption strategy. In the same year, the release of Pokémon Red and Blue for the Game Boy was also localized to retain its original appeal for American gamers. The Pokémon line of cards has sold more than 400,000 cards in its first six weeks in the U.S. market(Allison,2006), and the same line of dolls is also doing well in the market. By the end of 1999, the Pokémon franchise had sold more than nine million copies in the United States(Iwabuchi,2002), Pikachu was selected by Time magazine as the second most influential figure of the year and was described as ‘the most beloved animated character since Hello Kitty.’ That slogan ‘Gotta Catch ’Em All ‘had become popular in the West. The success of Pokémon in the Western market was more symbolic of an important shift from a cultural point of view: the influence of Japanese pop culture on the Western market in the context of globalization.
Why do people love Pikachu? For Japan, Pikachu is not only given an extremely high commercial value but also appears all over the world as a representative of Japanese culture. Scholar Anne Allison, in her book Millennial Monsters, highlights how Pokémon’s “de-localized” designs allowed its cultural icons, such as Pikachu, to transcend language and cultural barriers to become universal symbols. Concerning the image set of Pikachu, we can see that the doll being shown has a rounded shape, bright colours and simple facial features. Pikachu's cuteness stems from the simplicity of its design under the concept of universal aesthetics, as well as the characterization of the character as loyal, kind, friendly, and a protector. More deeply, in the Pokémon series, the main character and Pikachu kind of rely on each other and deeply trust each other, a setting that helps to build the audience's psychological projection of the character. Also carrying the concept of ‘companionship’, from the 1990s to the present day, Pikachu has always been open enough to receive positive emotional feedback from consumers, no matter what their background.
As of May 2023, the cumulative sales of the Pokémon series of games have exceeded 480 million copies across all platforms worldwide. According to the Top Global Licensing Report released in 2023, Pokémon is ranked as the fifth most licensed brand in the world with retail sales of $11.6 billion in 2022. In the 1990s several brands such as Digimon and Monster Rancher were born in Japan. These brands were similar in concept to Pokémon but were not reflected in the market in the same way as the Pokémon brands. The success of the Pokémon series has shown everyone the power of cross-media strategies to synergize between different platforms. Though this strategy enhances brand loyalty and fan immersion, it also reflects the challenges facing modern consumerism. According to Jean Baudrillard's theory of symbolic consumption, people buy products not only for their functionality but also for the meaning and identity they represent. Fans of Pokémon are initially introduced to the game and are enticed to purchase plush toys, trading cards and film spin-off merchandise to experience the full Pokémon world. But with each new generation of games, new cards, and new dolls new characters and even limited-edition products are being added to entice fans to participate in the consumption, making the consumption a cycle that is hard to stop. It also creates a sense of urgency, making fans feel compelled to always keep up with the brand. This demand goes beyond mere entertainment and becomes a way to ‘participate in the world of Pokémon’. It's also worth thinking about the importance of moderate consumption.
Nonetheless, the consumerist behaviour generated by fans towards Pokémon is not entirely negative, for many fans, owning items like the Pikachu Talking Plushie brings joy and provides a sense of connection and Pokémon merchandise likewise brings a unique community of pleasure as well as a garden of ideals to consumers.
Pokémon is more than just a game; it's a global cultural phenomenon that has influenced generations. From accompanying children as they grow up to evoking nostalgic feelings in adults. It's not just a simple peripheral product， it is an extension of the story of the Pokémon brand. It also symbolizes the successful integration of Pokémon's cross-media strategy and global consumer culture and is a testament to the influence of the Pokémon brand in the 1990s.
Works Cited
Jenkins, H., 2006. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. 1st ed. New York: NYU Press, pp. xi–xi. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18574/9780814743683 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Allison, A., 2006. Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination. 1st ed. Berkeley: University of California Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520938991 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Iwabuchi, K., 2002. Recentering Globalization: Popular Culture and Japanese Transnationalism. Durham: Duke University Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9780822384083 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Napier, S.J., 2001. Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Baudrillard, J. and Ritzer, G., 1998. The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures. Revised ed. London: SAGE Publications. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526401502 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
This is a talking interactive toy for children aged 4 years and above, approximately 20 cm high and made of soft polyester. In the 1990s, due to advances in microelectronics, features such as voice chips were increasingly used in toys. It has a built-in electronic voice chip that emits the iconic and on the back of the box it says, ‘Give the Pikachu Talking Plushie a hug or a pat on the head to hear it talk to you!’. Pikachu will sound when touched such as 'Pika Pikachu' and it is powered by two AA batteries. Smooth surfaces, adorable shapes, and three-dimensional facial embroidery are Pikachu's signature adorable appearance in the Pokémon Go series. This made it not only a sophisticated children's doll but also a much-loved playmate of the 1990s.
As a collector's item, this toy still has considerable collector's value, not only due to its scarcity as a Pokémon peripheral in 1999 but also due to its great brand relevance as one of the most popular characters of the Pokémon brand, as well as the backdrop of the Pokémon craze that took the world by storm at the time. Pokémon first appeared in public as a video game for the Nintendo Game Boy in Japan in 1996, which also marked the birth of the Pokémon series. The concept of Pokémon was conceived by Satoshi Tajiri, whose childhood love of collecting insects culminated in the core mechanic of the Pokémon franchise: ‘Gotta Catch “Em All”. In this series, players can take on the role of trainers, capturing and training a variety of fictional ‘Pokémon’ creatures to complete artwork and engage in battles. At the same time, the Pokémon franchise introduced a revolutionary mechanic that allowed players to trade creatures through connectivity. This made Pokémon not just a game, but a new form of social interaction. Within its first year, Pokémon Red and Green sold millions of copies in Japan, signalling the arrival of a cultural phenomenon.
After 1998, the Pokémon brand began to explore the Western market, they are not content with the success of Pokémon in their home country. In September of the same year, the Pokémon animated series was released in the U.S. This cartoon established the image of Pikachu as a friendly, lovable, and loyal companion by telling the adventures of Koji and Pikachu. Instead of failing in the face of cultural differences, the exciting storyline and the universally lovable Pikachu were a huge success. Because Pokémon has appeared in more than just games and films, it has built a strong transmedia narrative on a synergistic multi-platform consumption strategy. In the same year, the release of Pokémon Red and Blue for the Game Boy was also localized to retain its original appeal for American gamers. The Pokémon line of cards has sold more than 400,000 cards in its first six weeks in the U.S. market(Allison,2006), and the same line of dolls is also doing well in the market. By the end of 1999, the Pokémon franchise had sold more than nine million copies in the United States(Iwabuchi,2002), Pikachu was selected by Time magazine as the second most influential figure of the year and was described as ‘the most beloved animated character since Hello Kitty.’ That slogan ‘Gotta Catch ’Em All ‘had become popular in the West. The success of Pokémon in the Western market was more symbolic of an important shift from a cultural point of view: the influence of Japanese pop culture on the Western market in the context of globalization.
Why do people love Pikachu? For Japan, Pikachu is not only given an extremely high commercial value but also appears all over the world as a representative of Japanese culture. Scholar Anne Allison, in her book Millennial Monsters, highlights how Pokémon’s “de-localized” designs allowed its cultural icons, such as Pikachu, to transcend language and cultural barriers to become universal symbols. Concerning the image set of Pikachu, we can see that the doll being shown has a rounded shape, bright colours and simple facial features. Pikachu's cuteness stems from the simplicity of its design under the concept of universal aesthetics, as well as the characterization of the character as loyal, kind, friendly, and a protector. More deeply, in the Pokémon series, the main character and Pikachu kind of rely on each other and deeply trust each other, a setting that helps to build the audience's psychological projection of the character. Also carrying the concept of ‘companionship’, from the 1990s to the present day, Pikachu has always been open enough to receive positive emotional feedback from consumers, no matter what their background.
As of May 2023, the cumulative sales of the Pokémon series of games have exceeded 480 million copies across all platforms worldwide. According to the Top Global Licensing Report released in 2023, Pokémon is ranked as the fifth most licensed brand in the world with retail sales of $11.6 billion in 2022. In the 1990s several brands such as Digimon and Monster Rancher were born in Japan. These brands were similar in concept to Pokémon but were not reflected in the market in the same way as the Pokémon brands. The success of the Pokémon series has shown everyone the power of cross-media strategies to synergize between different platforms. Though this strategy enhances brand loyalty and fan immersion, it also reflects the challenges facing modern consumerism. According to Jean Baudrillard's theory of symbolic consumption, people buy products not only for their functionality but also for the meaning and identity they represent. Fans of Pokémon are initially introduced to the game and are enticed to purchase plush toys, trading cards and film spin-off merchandise to experience the full Pokémon world. But with each new generation of games, new cards, and new dolls new characters and even limited-edition products are being added to entice fans to participate in the consumption, making the consumption a cycle that is hard to stop. It also creates a sense of urgency, making fans feel compelled to always keep up with the brand. This demand goes beyond mere entertainment and becomes a way to ‘participate in the world of Pokémon’. It's also worth thinking about the importance of moderate consumption.
Nonetheless, the consumerist behaviour generated by fans towards Pokémon is not entirely negative, for many fans, owning items like the Pikachu Talking Plushie brings joy and provides a sense of connection and Pokémon merchandise likewise brings a unique community of pleasure as well as a garden of ideals to consumers.
Pokémon is more than just a game; it's a global cultural phenomenon that has influenced generations. From accompanying children as they grow up to evoking nostalgic feelings in adults. It's not just a simple peripheral product， it is an extension of the story of the Pokémon brand. It also symbolizes the successful integration of Pokémon's cross-media strategy and global consumer culture and is a testament to the influence of the Pokémon brand in the 1990s.
Works Cited
Jenkins, H., 2006. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. 1st ed. New York: NYU Press, pp. xi–xi. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18574/9780814743683 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Allison, A., 2006. Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination. 1st ed. Berkeley: University of California Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520938991 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Iwabuchi, K., 2002. Recentering Globalization: Popular Culture and Japanese Transnationalism. Durham: Duke University Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9780822384083 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Napier, S.J., 2001. Anime from Akira to Princess Mononoke: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Baudrillard, J. and Ritzer, G., 1998. The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures. Revised ed. London: SAGE Publications. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526401502 [Accessed 13 Dec. 2024].
Creator
Tiger Electronics
Source
Pokémon Franchise by Nintendo, Creatures, Game Freak.
Publisher
Hasbro
Date
1999
Contributor
Nintendo
Rights
Copyright © 1999 Nintendo, Creatures, Game Freak. Distributed by Hasbro.
Format
Toy with an electronic voice chip and battery compartment, approximately 20 cm in height.
Language
English
Type
Interactive Plush Toy
Identifier
BDCM93090
Coverage
North America, Europe, Japan; 1999-2002
Files
Collection
Citation
Tiger Electronics, “Pikachu Talking Plush Toy,” Archival Encounters: Digital Exhibitions form the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum, accessed January 22, 2025, https://humanities-research.exeter.ac.uk/archivalencounters/items/show/52.