Pokemon is fundamentally a game produced by Nintendo that is popular among children and teenagers (mostly) all over the world. To them, much of the commerce ‘derived’ from the Pokémon phenomenon (plush dolls, Pokémon figures, Zuken figures) is quaint but not particularly relevant to their main mission, which is to win the game by becoming a champion. For players, interest and concentration lie in a totally different part of the psyche than that of a young fan. They focus on strategy and technique versus a computer interface, not the quirks of the characters themselves.
However, there’s a whole different group of fans who love Pokemon and probably wish nothing more than that Pokemon were actually real, the same way you wished dinosaurs were real when you were a kid. These are the kids who go crazy over Pokémon animation and manga, not the gamers. These children like to immerse themselves in the mythological fantasy of a Pokémon world. These are also the kids who are likely to go crazy over Pokemon dolls known as plush toys (Pokemon Black and White is the best seller right now), Pokemon black and white figures, and just about anything with a Pokemon figure. Pokemon stamped. in that.
Another group of kids, again mostly boys, for one reason or another end up drawn to the Pokemon card game. For them, the emphasis is on socializing, winning, and obtaining rare cards, such as some of the legendary Pokemon cards, holofoil cards, promo cards, and shiny raikon. Perhaps these kids, usually elementary school students, don’t have access to or aren’t allowed to use a game console, are prohibited from playing on the computer, or (what I imagine) are much more inclined to be with their friends in real interaction than alone. . playing a computer game. In any case, the cards are cheap and easy to play anywhere.
But back to the title and the popularity of soft and cuddly Pokémon toys, isn’t it strange that children are attracted to mutated monsters with amazing and destructive powers and take the stuffed animals almost as if they were teddy bears? Pikachu looks cute, but he would never want to be on the receiving end of that 10,000-volt electrical charge. Pokémon are scary, aren’t they?
Japan has shown intelligence and expertise in infusing cuteness into its merchandising over the years. He is so good with Pokémon that even the fiercest of them refuse to the point that even a three-year-old could be attracted to them. With more devious kids, they just know that beneath the Pokemon’s benevolent-looking exterior lies a formidable hidden punch. In short, Nintendo has marketed Pokémon both ways, and won.
