BODY: Japan's New Year shopping ritual has an electric-type mascot, and this year's version is announced before the first winter coat comes out of storage. The Pokémon Company has announced Pikapika Box 2027, a fukubukuro lucky bag of assorted Pokémon goods, with lottery entries opening at Pokémon Center Online on October 27 at 5:00 p.m. JST.
The price is ¥5,500 (roughly $36). The headline guarantee: every box contains one plush, randomly drawn from Pichu, Pikachu, or Raichu — so you're assured a member of the Pikachu evolutionary line, but not which one.
The schedule is tight and worth marking down. Entries close November 2 at 4:59 p.m. JST, with results announced from November 6 at 3:00 p.m. Winners then have an ordering and payment window from November 6 at 3:00 p.m. until November 17 at 4:59 p.m. Shipping runs December 11 through 25, meaning the bag lands before New Year rather than on it. Registration and login at Pokémon Center Online are required to enter.
The insider take
The December delivery window is the detail that stands out: this lucky bag arrives in the year before the one in its name. Beyond the guaranteed plush, the source does not describe what else is in the box.
Originally reported by GAME Watch (Japanese).