Turns out if you put Pikachu in a unique item of clothing and turn his new look into aPokemoncard, people get a little wound up. The Van Gogh promo card released last year caused such a stir thata low-level riot ensued at the artist’s museum in Amsterdam. Pokemon seems adamant it’ll figure out how to make events like this work without incident as a new card featuring Pikachu in a different outfit will be available throughout Indonesia this year.
Reported byPokeGuardian, the card is being printed and distributed as a part of Pikachu’s Indonesia Journey. The art on the card puts Pikachu in a batik shirt, a traditional item of Indonesian clothing that relies on wax during the manufacturing process. Wax patterns are printed on the cloth, the wax protecting the parts of the clothing it covers and hence leaving a pattern when it’s removed. If you’ve never seen a batik shirt before, take a look at the one Pikachu is wearing on the card.
The card is also an extension of the partnership that led to a Pikachu plane you may have seen traveling around Asia. The aircraft is almost entirely yellow with images of Pikachu being carried by balloons covering it. As for where you will be able to get your hands on the card, it does seem like Pokemon has learned at least a few lessons from the Van Gogh Museum incident in 2023.
The card will be distributed via events happening in cities throughout Indonesia in 2024, and also in shops in Indonesia at a later date. The finer details of when and where exactly the card will be available don’t appear to have been shared, but hopefully Pokemon will treat this the same way as it is now treating the Van Gogh card.At least 100,000 felt hat Pikachu cards have now been printedfor distribution in the Netherlands in an attempt to stop people from going to extreme lengths to get one, and also to lower the card’s asking price on resale sites.
Pokemon fans are eagerly awaiting Pokemon Day with the series' video game horizon looking entirely bare right now. All ofScarlet & Violet’s DLC has been released, and as of right now, there is no indication whatsoever as to what’s coming next. The expectation is that something will be announced on Pokemon Day - February 27 - although The Pokemon Company’s reveals may need to coincide with whateverNintendoplans on telling fans next, potentially preparing to unveil itsSwitchsuccessor soon.
