BODY: Mister Donut is reuniting the Pokémon cast for another winter, and this year the gimmick writes itself: Slowpoke will be showing up almost a month after everyone else.
Duskin-operated Mister Donut has announced "Minna de Shūgō! Winter Pokémon Campaign" ("Everyone Gather!"), a limited-run collaboration themed around Alolan Diglett rounding up the gang. The lineup brings back Pokémon donuts from the chain's previous campaigns, headlined by the Mofumofu Pikachu Donut (¥345 takeout / ¥352 eat-in) and the Pon de Alolan Diglett (¥367 / ¥374), which has the little Pokémon poking out of Mister Donut's signature chewy Pon de Ring dough. Rounding out the menu are the Pokémon Atsumare! Angel & Custard (¥237 / ¥242) and two Pon de Wreath flavors, burnt caramel and white, at ¥205 / ¥209 each.
Merchandise is the real battleground. Three items are on offer: two designs of blanket, redesigned this year to be roomier than previous versions, and a large Tsuyoiko Glass wrapped in a Pokémon print. They come via bundles only — a ¥2,200 Goods Set (two Pokémon donuts, one Pon de Wreath, a blanket and an original paper bag) and a ¥1,180 Kids' Goods Set (one Pokémon donut, one Pon de Wreath, the glass and a bag).
Advance orders open October 27 through Misdo Net Order, with reservation pickup from November 2 and in-store sales starting November 4. The Slowpoke Donut — tagline "Let's take it easy" — lands separately on November 25 at ¥345 / ¥352, a release date that is very obviously a joke about Slowpoke being Slowpoke.
The insider take
Mister Donut's Pokémon campaign has quietly become one of Japan's most reliable seasonal traditions, and locals know the drill: the goods sets evaporate, which is why net order reservations exist and why last year's blankets turned up on Mercari at double price within days. Two details that puzzle overseas readers: the dual pricing is Japan's split consumption tax (8% takeout, 10% eat-in), and the Tsuyoiko Glass — literally "strong kid glass" — is a decades-old Mister Donut staple, a chunky tumbler Japanese parents have been collecting since long before Pikachu was on it.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).