BODY: Pokémon's 30th anniversary celebration just got a major collector's milestone. BANDAI SPIRITS has confirmed that "Ichiban Kuji Pokémon 30th ANNIVERSARY vol.1" — a guaranteed-prize character lottery — will roll out across Japan starting May 30, with every draw priced at ¥750.
The lineup centers on a commemorative anniversary-logo Pikachu alongside a roster of legacy starter Pokémon spanning the franchise's three decades. Distribution will span an unusually wide retail net: bookstores, hobby shops, drugstores, official Ichiban Kuji shops, and Pokémon Centers will all carry the kuji on a rolling basis, reflecting just how broadly Pokémon merchandise now penetrates Japanese retail.
For overseas fans unfamiliar with the format, Ichiban Kuji ("Number One Lottery") is a uniquely Japanese merchandise mechanic where every ticket wins something — no blanks, no disappointment. Prize tiers typically range from a marquee Last One Prize down to smaller acrylic stands, towels, or rubber straps, making it a low-barrier entry point for collectors who can't justify high-end figure prices.
This vol.1 designation strongly signals that BANDAI SPIRITS is treating the 30th anniversary as a multi-wave campaign, with additional kuji releases likely throughout the celebration year. Pokémon's 30th milestone arrives in 2026, and merchandise partners have been pacing their drops carefully to sustain momentum.
The insider take
In Tokyo, Ichiban Kuji drops like this trigger predictable morning-of queues at Pokémon Centers in Shibuya, Ikebukuro, and Tokyo Station, with the most desirable tiers often gone within hours. The ¥750 price point is deliberately accessible — well below the cost of a standard figure — but the real collector economics play out on Mercari and Yahoo Auctions within 24 hours of release, where Last One Prize figures routinely resell for five to ten times face value. Expect the anniversary-logo Pikachu, in particular, to become the wave's secondary-market darling given its one-time commemorative status.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).