The Poncho Pikachu Gallery

Twelve cards, one illustrator, and a Pikachu for every occasion: this is the whole poncho wardrobe, in order.

Between December 2014 and June 2017, Japan's Pokémon Centers ran the most charming promotion in the card game's history: Pikachu, dressed in ponchos. Every card in the line was drawn by Kouki Saitou, every one was a Japanese Pokémon Center exclusive, and none was ever released in English. They were never in booster packs. You got them by standing in a particular store, on a particular day, doing a particular thing: attending an opening, joining a campaign, earning play points, or buying a box built around the card itself.

The wardrobe below is the complete Pikachu line, in release order. Two of its members carry a different printed name, Mega Tokyo's Pikachu, but wear the Mega Charizard Y poncho that started everything; the seven between them are literally named Poncho-wearing Pikachu. The count page in this shelf shows the arithmetic, and the boxes page opens the packaging.

THE XY-P WARDROBE, 2014 TO 2016

Nine cards · Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo to Skytree Town

098/XY-P · Mega Tokyo's Pikachu

December 12, 2014. Pikachu in a Mega Charizard Y poncho, given with any purchase at the opening of Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, through January 16, 2015. The card that started the line.

203/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

December 2015. Three Pikachu on one card, wearing Mega Audino, Mega Lucario and Mega Slowbro ponchos: the Pikachu Mega Campaign card, a gift with qualifying card purchases at Pokémon Centers.

204/XY-P · Mega Tokyo's Pikachu

January 16 and 17, 2016. The Mega Charizard Y poncho again, in a new scene, Pikachu startling a Dedenne: a participation card for Pokémon Center Mega Battle and Creatures Challenge sessions.

207/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

January 1, 2016. Mega Charizard X, as a Full Art card, from the Mega Charizard X Special Box. Its attack list borrows the real Charizard's: Pika Punch, and Wild Blaze?

208/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

January 1, 2016. Mega Charizard Y, Full Art, from the twin Mega Charizard Y Special Box, the card most people picture when the line is named.

230/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

July 6, 2016. The Rayquaza poncho, Full Art, made for the opening of Pokémon Center Skytree Town and sold in its Special Box.

231/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

July 6, 2016. The same box, the other dragon: Pikachu in the black poncho of a shiny Rayquaza.

274/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

Summer 2016. Four Pikachu at once, in Mega Gallade, Mega Rayquaza, Mega Ampharos and Mega Mawile ponchos: earned with 3 Play Points at Pokémon Center Mega Battle events, July 23 to August 31.

275/XY-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

Summer 2016. The second of the two Mega Battle point prizes, the partner card to 274, likewise earned in play rather than bought.

THE SM-P WARDROBE, 2017

Three cards · Vulpix, and a Rowlet in Tohoku

037/SM-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

February 1, 2017. Pikachu in an Alolan Vulpix poncho, Full Art, from the Alolan Vulpix & Vulpix Special Box. It even borrows the move: its first attack is Powder Snow?

038/SM-P · Poncho-wearing Pikachu

February 1, 2017. The same box's second card: the original Vulpix's poncho, fire to its partner's ice.

088/SM-P · Tohoku's Pikachu

June 30, 2017. For the reopening of Pokémon Center Tohoku, Pikachu wears the store's mascot: a Rowlet poncho, the first time a new region's starter joined the wardrobe.

The Poncho Pikachu Gallery

THE XY-P WARDROBE, 2014 TO 2016

THE SM-P WARDROBE, 2017

THE FIRST WORD