Pokemon to Sell Massive Arcanine Plush in US
The Pokemon Company plans to sell a massive Arcanine plush in the United States and Canada. Earlier this week, the Japanese Pokemon Center announced that they would sell an Arcanine plush that measures nearly five feet in length. While many wondered if this humongous Arcanine would be the latest bit of cool Pokemon merchandise to only find a home in Japan, the US Pokemon Center website listed the plush on its website earlier today. The plush measures 59 inches long, 27 inches tall and has embroidered facial features and pawpads. The item is expected to ship in May 2022 (although release dates are obviously in flux due to the global shipping crisis) and will cost a whopping $449.99.
Arcanine, as a Gen 1 Pokemon, is a perennially popular Pokemon. While neither Ash nor any of his companions ever owned an Arcanine in the Pokemon anime series, Gary Oak owned an Arcanine and the Pokemon is occasionally associated with law enforcement. The Pokemon will likely see a resurgence in popularity next year, as it will likely receive a regional variant form. The Hisuian version of Growlithe, Arcanine's pre-evolved form, debuted in a trailer for Pokemon Legends: Arceus earlier this year.
The Arcanine is the latest jumbo plush to hit the Pokemon Center in recent months. The US-based website has also released jumbo-sized plushes of Mareep, Slowpoke, Piplup, Furret, Psyduck, Lapras, and Gigantamax Meowth in recent months. This isn't including licensed third-party products like Ditto or Snorlax, which have gotten bean bag chairs in the past.
The Pokemon Company has plans to release two video games in the coming months - Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The former are remakes of the fourth-generation Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, while the latter is a new style of Pokemon game that features real-time battles and a setting that takes place in the Pokemon world's past.
The page listing for this Arcanine plush is currently listing the plush as sold out, but you can keep an eye out for when the plush does come available by visiting its webpage.