Unless you’ve been hiding under a Geodude, you probably know that Pokemon is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The franchise has already teased a few Pokemon TCG products and plushies to celebrate the occasion. But most fans didn’t expect any major acknowledgements or announcements about the Pokemon 30th anniversary until Pokemon Day. Celebrated on February 27th, Pokemon Day typically brings a Pokemon Presents showcase highlighting the year ahead for the franchise. But this year, Pokemon is treating fans to a 30th anniversary celebration video a few weeks early.
On Februrary 4th, Pokemon released a new teaser confirming that a 30th anniversary celebration video will air at the Super Bowl. For those not based in the U.S. or who don’t follow football, the Super Bowl will take place this Sunday, February 8th. So, this new Pokemon 30th anniversary video is dropping weeks ahead of when most fans expected our first major homage to the Pokemon franchise’s big milestone birthday. And the so-called “special video” debuting on February 8th is likely just the beginning.
Pokemon is Headed to the Super Bowl to Kick Off Its 30th Anniversary Celebrations
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The new teaser trailer features everyone’s favorite Kanto diva, Jigglypuff. The pink puffball is seen floating around a room, starting to sing to itself. While cute, the teaser doesn’t give us too much of a hint about what’s to come from the Super Bowl slot itself. However, The Pokemon Company International has shared that this video will be the debut of “a yearlong campaign” commemorating 30 years.
In a press release, The Pokemon Company further revealed that the Super Bowl spot will “illustrate the brand’s mission of bringing people together through a shared love of Pokemon.” It will also honor the franchise’s global fanbase. That could mean a lot of things, but the teaser has me betting on a classic homage to Jigglypuff’s irritation that people are always falling asleep when it performs. Perhaps the Pokemon will make a guest appearance alongside halftime performers Bad Bunny and Green Day?
Most commercials and ad spots from the Super Bowl are later shared via YouTube. So, it’s likely that Pokemon will post this celebratory video online after it airs during the game. If you do want to tune in and try to catch it live, the Super Bowl starts at 6:30 PM ET on Sunday, February 8th. As for when the Pokemon video will air? That’s anyone’s guess, as the Super Bowl is notoriously packed with big-budget ads that run throughout the game.
Pokemon Center Drops New 30th Anniversary Merch Ahead of Super Bowl Spot
Aside from this teaser, we likely won’t know what the Super Bowl spot entails until it airs on Sunday, February 8th. However, Pokemon has already teased “more details about the yearlong campaign to follow soon after Super Bowl LX.” Whether that’s a hint about an upcoming Pokemon Presents as expected or confirmation we’ll learn more about the 30th anniversary lineup sooner remains to be seen. At any rate, this suggests that Pokemon has big plans for honoring 30 years of catching ’em all.
If you’re eager to get a kickstart on the celebration, you can check out the currently available lineup of 30th anniversary merch at the Pokemon Center. From the looks of it, many new items were added alongside this teaser video, with everything from t-shirts to notebooks and ornaments sporting the 30th anniversary logo. There are also a handful of 30th anniversary Pokemon TCG products… if they stay in stock.
Are you planning to tune in for the Pokemon slot during the Super Bowl, or just catch it on YouTube afterwards? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
