From the moment the world was thrust into Pokémania, merchandise has been a major part of being a Pokémon fan. The brand gives Disney a run for its money largely due to this large merchandising effort. Obviously the TCG accounts for much and there’s almost nothing that wasn’t had Pikachu’s face printed onto it. But Pikachu isn’t the only Pokémon, and that presents an issue. The more Pokémon that exist, the more tens get to be someone’s favorite. How can there be merch for everyone’s favorite when theres so many Eevee and Gengar fans to market to? Enter: Pokémon Sitting Cuties.
The Sitting Cuties, or “Pokémon Fit” in Japan, are a line of small pain sold directly by The Pokémon Company. They are all generally in a sitting position, with beans in their base holding them in place. And they are the greatest merch line Pokémon has ever produced.
A friend shape for everyone
By using this simple design, Sitting Cuties is a deep and ambitious line – having the goal of including every every single Pokémon in it. That means everyone’s favorite pocket monster is or will be a part of the same collection. There’s something special about having that shared design language. And of course, it means no one is ever left out. The team behind these plush are absolutely committing to the bit, even as more recent Pokémon present challenges.
Many modern Pokémon have multiple forms, and those forms also get their requisite plush. Some Pokémon are downright outrageous, such as the Ultra Beasts of Pokémon Sun and Moon. While these designs definitely stretch the limits of the word sitting; even these intentionally weird Pokémon are here in the collection. Now I can look my weird little Nihlego and think about that time it fused with an adult human woman. There’s no doubt things like the Paradox Pokémon from Scarlet and Violet will also get their turn.
Plush is best!
The other main appeal of the Sitting Cuties is that plush is simply the best form for Pokémon merch to take. Cards, figures, even Lego are great, but plush is the closest to capturing the inherent appeal of these creatures. This has long been known to be case-going as far back as the Burger King assortment of toys for Pokémon The First Movie. Opening a plush toy instead of a single action plastic toy (or Arceus forbid a keychain) was like finding gold.
Plush is a deep seeded part of the fandom. For years, competitive Pokémon players sit down at each round and place their personal plush friend next to them for support. Sometimes, these can have deep meaning; such as Se Jun Park’s incredible 2014 run with a clever Pachinisu build that eventually culminated in him taking the World Champion title with a plush of the electric squirrel raised high in the air. This culture might even be the impetus for the entire line.
With that appeal and manageable size, these plush sit nicely on an aging millennial’s shelf or desk. They’re also safe and soft enough for all but the youngest future fans. Kids can role play trainers or have comfort at a local TCG event. These little guys kind of do it all.
Toys that mean a little something
Of course, it’s pretty silly to celebrate what is only one vine on a Tangela worth billions. But to as much as many do have a connection to these games and the sense of adventure they have, this pick-your-favorite option is nice. So much branding is centered around specific Pokémon – almost always from Red and Blue – and for a franchise built around making connections with your special buddy, that’s a bummer. This line solves that.
Not for nothing as well: the simplicity, price, and scale of these plush have ensured that scalping and fear of missing out don’t take effect. This is a low pressure piece of merch that doesn’t force you to go more in for value nor attracts resellers. In today’s fandom, that’s a blessing in and of itself.
Truly, the Pokémon Sitting Cuties are the best entries in the Pokemon media mass.
Pokémon Sitting Cuties are available on PokemonCenter.com.
Featured images via The Pokémon Company/PokémonCenter.com
Travis Hymas is a freelance writer and self appointed Pokémon historian out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Known to be regularly obessive over pop culture topics, gaming discourse, and trading card games, he is a published critic featured on sites such as Uppercut and The Young Folks.
