BODY: Pokémon's 30th anniversary celebrations keep rolling, and the latest treat comes from Japan's beloved lottery counters. BANDAI SPIRITS has revealed the full lineup for "Ichiban Kuji Pokémon 30th ANNIVERSARY vol.2," a prize lottery launching July 18 at ¥750 (roughly $5) per draw — with the headline reward being a wonderfully huge Pikachu plush.
For the uninitiated, "Ichiban Kuji" is a uniquely Japanese style of capsule-adjacent lottery sold at convenience stores, bookshops, and hobby outlets. The golden rule: there are no losing tickets. Every draw guarantees a prize, with the tier you receive decided by the slip you pull.
This second volume leans hard into Pikachu fan service. The top "A" prize is the oversized plush that fans are already buzzing about, while subsequent tiers reportedly bundle additional figures, homeware, and tableware celebrating three decades of the franchise. As is tradition, the final ticket drawn at each store unlocks a coveted "Last One" prize for the lucky closer.
With vol.2 arriving hot on the heels of the first installment, BANDAI SPIRITS is clearly betting that anniversary nostalgia — and that giant Pikachu — will keep collectors lining up through the summer.
The insider take
Here in Tokyo, Ichiban Kuji is less a product and more a ritual. On launch mornings, you'll spot fans queuing outside Lawson and 7-Eleven branches before the doors open, because the best plush prizes vanish within hours and quickly resurface on Mercari at marked-up prices. The "no losing ticket" promise is genuinely part of the appeal: even a ¥750 draw guarantees you walk away with something, which makes it dangerously easy to spend ¥10,000 chasing that one A-tier Pikachu. For a 30th-anniversary tie-in, expect domestic demand to be fierce — and overseas buyers to be relying on proxy services well before the July 18 date.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).