Pika Pika! Pikachu. Pikaaaaaa. Piiiiika. Pikachu!
That was Pikachu letting you know that starting early next year, you can build him at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores. There probably won’t be a ton of customization, outside of little costume pieces and such, but you too can collect a Pikachu. A Poké Ball hoodie was also announced, for example. Hopefully you’ll be able to add a “pikachu!” squeeze sound, like some of the others.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The announcement came from Pokémon Company and Build-A-Bear (via Polygon) today, and is the latest in a long line of licensed characters to come to the shop. Staying topical to the story of the week, for instance, the store currently offers several Star Wars themed Bears, including Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper, Han Solo, and Chewbacca, or Avengers bears like Hulk Bear up there. You can go ahead and make the Bear-pun names up yourself.
No exact date of release for Pikachu has been announced, so make your Star Wars and Minion plushes for now, then Pika a Pikachu of your very own Pika next year!