February 27, 2026, marked Pokémon's 30th anniversary, and to celebrate, the Pokémon Center dropped a slew of limited-edition merch. But one item, a Pikachu plush inspired by the original Game Boy's monochrome screen, unexpectedly stole the show.
This black-and-white exclusive hit shelves at multiple Pokémon Centers across Japan, instantly sparking a buying frenzy. Things got particularly wild at the Tokyo Bay store, with eyewitnesses describing the scene as "all-out war."
X (formerly Twitter) user aeroflotlove uploaded a video from the scene, noting that there were no numbered tickets or clear queuing system in place. Around 10 AM, a massive crowd simultaneously surged into the store from various entrances, leading to pushing, screaming, and frantic grabbing.
"People were pushing, fighting, screaming, kids were getting knocked over and crying – it was like a battlefield," the post read, quickly going viral and sparking widespread concern over event safety.
Chris Explorer, a creator based in Japan, also shared footage from a different angle on social media. The video shows staff members shouting into megaphones, desperately trying to maintain order amidst the noisy chaos. Beyond the Tokyo Bay store, reports of overcrowding and disorderly queues also emerged from Pokémon Centers in Yokohama and and Osaka, highlighting just how massive the demand for this limited-edition item truly was.
Many netizens blamed the chaos on the perennial scalper problem, arguing that the resale market fuels this kind of frenzied buying. However, less than 24 hours after the incident, the Pokémon Center announced that the black-and-white Pikachu would be available for pre-order on their official website, an apparent move to ease pressure on physical stores and counter speculative resales.
Interestingly, several Pokémon card specialty stores in Japan have closed down over the past year due to declining demand, leading some to wonder if the so-called "Pokémon bubble" is finally starting to burst.
via： Kotaku