Puma is releasing a new line of Pokémon sneakers featuring Pikachu and the original Generation 1 Starter Trio. These four creatures are some of the most widely recognized in the long-running Pokémon franchise, making appearances in various Pokémon spin-off games and having starring roles in the Pokémon anime. It should then come as no surprise that they have been featured in plenty of Pokémon-themed apparel and merchandise over the years, including this summer’s sporty Pokémon Build-A-Bear collection.
Yesterday, a Pokémon news-centric Twitter account by the handle of pokejungle revealed that a cute line of Pokémon shoes is being released by Puma later this month in both child and adult sizes. These colorful pairs of footwear are patterned after Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander, marked with a symbol representing each creature’s type on the back and a medallion of their face hanging along the side. An exact release date for these stylish Pokémon-themed sneakers hasn’t been confirmed yet, but pokejungle believes they may be out on November 12. They also shared a series of images of these shoes in a Twitter thread, showing off each pair individually.
New Pokémon Shoes Show Off Starters In Style
This is far from the only time that Pokémon have been featured in high-end clothing lines, as last year’s 25th-anniversary celebration led to special Pokémon clothing promotions by Original Stitch and Gucci. This latest line of Pokémon-themed Pumas has already led to a mixed response from fans. While some are excited at the idea of sporting a stylish pair of Bulbasaur-colored Pumas, others are disappointed that this line-up is centered around the four most mainstream Pokémon that have already been featured in plenty of merchandise. Some point out that Starters from other Pokémon generations should be depicted in future tie-ins, such as the ones in the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
Nonetheless, Puma’s new line-up of Pokémon-themed sneakers does a good job of representing their respective Pokémon in a cute and colorful fashion. There are a few fun little touches for each pair, like the lightning-bolt patterns on the sides of the Pikachu pair or the flame-like speckles on the soles of the Charmander shoes.
Fans might not have to wait too much longer to grab a pair of Puma’s new line of Gen-1-themed Pokémon shoes for themselves if pokejungle’s supposed November 12 release date is correct. The Pokémon franchise may be heading in a new direction with the impending release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but it seems like The Pokémon Company will always take a look back at the iconic creatures that have served as the series’ mascots from the very beginning in the form of colorful new merchandise and apparel.
Source: pokejungle/Twitter