The two Pokémon who get the most loving squeezes are ready to give you one right back.
Sometimes, when you’re feeling anxious, angry, or just plain tired, there’s nothing like a good hug to soothe, and then lift, your spirits. That hug could come from anyone: a friend, a family member, the love of your life.
But really, wouldn’t it be best if that hug came from Pikachu?
Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy has just unveiled its Big and Soft Hugging Pikachu Plushie (or Mugyu Mugyutto Tsutsumare Nuigurumi Okkina Pikachu, as it’s called in Japanese). As you can see, it’s adorable-looking, just like you’d expect anything made in the likeness of the beloved Pokémon mascot to be. It’s also nice and soft, but in a heart-melting twist, this Pikachu can reciprocate all the squeezes you’re sure to give him.
At 960 grams (2.1 pounds), the plushie has enough weight to stay sitting even as you put your head on Pikachu’s lap. Since the stuffed animal’s stomach is filled with soft beads, your head will sink lower into Pikachu’s tummy, causing him to lean forwards and hug you.
Of course, Pikachu himself is also eminently huggable, and depending on where you squeeze him, he’ll feel different. His head is stuffed with cotton, making it more springy than his stomach and tempting you to pinch his cheeks.
Finally, Pikachu’s back is filled with a cotton/bead mixture, for a sensation somewhere between the other two sections’ softness.
Of course, with fellow Pokémon Eevee getting more and more time in the spotlight, the franchise’s second-most popular Pocket Monster is also getting the Big and Soft Hugging treatment
Standing (well, sitting, actually) 70 centimeters (27.6 inches) tall, Eevee is just a little shorter than Pikachu, who’s 75 centimeters from the top of his ears to the bottom of his bottom. Eevee is listed at the same 960-gram wright, so her functionality should mirror that of Pikachu’s, and the two Pokémon’s nearly identical specs makes picking between them all the harder.
Luckily, Takara Tomy is giving indecisive types, or at least their wallets, a little break. While both Pikachu and Eevee are priced at 12,800 yen (US$115) individually, you can order both of them as a 20,000-yen bundle saving yourself a nice wad of cash to put towards other cool Pokémon merchandise, or maybe to pay for a couple of drinks at that fancy piano bar were the pianist can play an elegant cover of some iconic Pokémon background music.
Pre-orders for the plushies can be made through Takara Tomy’s online shop (Pikachu here, Eevee here, and the obvious-choice two-Pokémon bundle here). Delivery is scheduled for Late February.
Source: Takara Tomy
Top image: Takara Tomy
Insert images: Takara Tomy (1, 2, 3, 4)