BODY: Pikachu is trading lightning bolts for popping candy this August. B-R Thirty One Ice Cream—the Japanese arm of Baskin-Robbins—has launched "31 Poké Summer," a month-long collaboration with the Pokémon franchise running from August 1 to August 31, 2026.
The headline act is a brand-new flavor inspired by Pikachu's signature move, Volt Tackle. It layers yellow pineapple sorbet with white cider sorbet, then supercharges the mix with 31% more popping candy than usual—a fizzy, crackling nod to the electric attack. It's exactly the kind of texture-play stunt that thrives in Japan's novelty-driven dessert market.
Also debuting is a Poké Ball-shaped sundae, a collectible-style treat that hands customers a randomly selected starter Pokémon topper. The gacha-style randomness is a deliberate hook: fans who want a specific starter may find themselves back at the counter more than once.
Rounding out the lineup are themed Double Cups (¥510–760), summer special sets (¥3,520–4,100), and decorated ice cream cakes (¥3,800–4,200), giving families and party planners a range of ways to buy in throughout the month.
The insider take
In Japan, Baskin-Robbins isn't "Baskin-Robbins"—everyone calls it "Thirty One" (サーティワン), and the "31" in the campaign name is a bilingual pun locals read instantly. Pokémon x food collaborations are a near-constant fixture here, from convenience-store bento to Ginza patisseries, but ice cream chains occupy a special summer sweet spot, timed to the sweltering August school-vacation window when families are hunting for outings. The random-starter mechanic is textbook Japanese retail psychology: it turns a single scoop into a low-stakes collectible chase, the same impulse that powers capsule-toy machines on every street corner. Expect long counter lines in the first week.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).