BODY: Japan's konbini-meets-gaming culture strikes again. Starting at 10:00 AM on May 5, FamilyMart locations across Japan will roll out the second wave of acrylic puzzle keychains tied to the Nintendo Switch 2 slow-life sandbox game "Pokémon Poco a Poco" (ぽこ あ ポケモン).
The new lineup expands the merchandise pool with fresh designs, most notably a "Usuiro Pikachu" (pale-colored Pikachu) variant and a keychain featuring Professor Mojangbo (モジャンボはかせ), the eccentric in-game researcher whose name plays on the Pokémon Mojumbo. Each keychain is sold as an interlocking puzzle piece, encouraging collectors to chase the full set and physically connect them — a clever twist on the standard blind-bag merch model.
Wave 1, which launched earlier this spring, sold out rapidly at urban FamilyMart branches, particularly in Tokyo's Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts. Resellers flipped pieces on Mercari within hours, a pattern FamilyMart's collab team has reportedly tried to mitigate this round by adjusting per-store allocation. As with Wave 1, expect early-morning queues at flagship konbini locations near major train stations.
The "Pokémon Poco a Poco" tie-in is part of FamilyMart's broader strategy of leveraging Nintendo IP to drive foot traffic — following successful Splatoon and Animal Crossing collaborations in previous years. The Switch 2 launch title has been a sleeper hit domestically, praised for its low-pressure gameplay loop that contrasts with the more competitive mainline Pokémon entries.
The insider take
In Tokyo, konbini collabs aren't just promotions — they're cultural events. FamilyMart has positioned itself as the gaming-friendly chain (versus Lawson's anime-leaning strategy and 7-Eleven's broader appeal), and the "Poco a Poco" partnership reinforces that lane. Expect social media to light up with #ぽこポケ unboxings within hours of the 10 AM drop, and don't be surprised if the pale Pikachu becomes the chase piece that defines this wave's secondary market value.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).