Twenty-five years of cute, colorful creatures.
I still remember playing Pokémon Blue on my first Game Boy Color. I miss my Blastoise. I miss him so much. It’s already been 25 years since the very first Pokémon games released in 1996, and since then, the franchise has evolved into an absolute titan of merchandising opportunities. And if there’s one thing I know about merchandising opportunities, there are few greater than an anniversary celebration, especially if it has a celebrity endorsement.
As a part of the 25th anniversary celebrations, The Pokémon Company will be releasing a series of cool collectibles, as well as reissuing a few classics from the first run of Pokémon trading cards for a limited time. The main attraction of the festivities, though, is a musical collaboration with hit singer/songwriter Katy Perry. The precise details of the collab haven’t been divulged yet, but apparently, Perry has a long history with the franchise, and was more than happy to team up with them.
“I love being a part of anything that is playful and is good storytelling and has really good messages to share with the world,” Perry said in an exclusive interview with People Magazine. “Now having a child myself, I understand that it’s so important to play. This is a continued extension of who I am.”
You can’t have a party without a playlist! Right, @katyperry?
Hope you’re ready for some exciting musical surprises this year, Trainers!
#Pokemon25 pic.twitter.com/nU90k03zgM— Pokémon (@Pokemon) January 13, 2021
When asked who her favorite Pokémon was, Perry expressed fondness for the classic electric mouse, Pikachu. “I’m really attached to the hero. I know there are others in the game, but I just found Pikachu to be really cute,” she says.
“I understand the story of Pikachu. On the surface, you might just think I’m just cute, have a couple of cute songs,” she adds. “But if you dig deeper, you’ll realize ‘Chained to the Rhythm’ is not just a fun little song!”
In one last statement, Perry said that she hopes she gives fans of the franchise both young and old something to look forward to in the near future. “In this moment of unknown, there are dependable places and characters and institutions and people, and I hope I can be one of them,” she said. “That’s what I hope for in my personal self, and even in my involvement with this collab.”