Pokemon Fans Are Having Trouble Getting the Target Anniversary Merch

Target recently released a special collection to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, but fans are finding it hard to get their hands on the new items. Pokémon first became popular in 1996 with the release of the original Red and Green games for Game Boy in Japan. Despite some initially thinking it was just a passing trend, Pokémon has remained incredibly popular for three decades.

The Pokémon Company is planning a year-long celebration in 2026 to mark the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. They’ve announced live music events and are releasing new merchandise, aiming to appeal to both longtime fans and those who are newer to the series.

Target’s Pokemon 30th Anniversary Collection

Okay, so Target dropped a bunch of Pokemon 30th anniversary gear – clothes, keyboards, water bottles, the works – on May 2nd, and it was chaos. Seriously, everyone wanted it! I’ve been seeing all these posts online about people trying to snag stuff and failing. It’s been a rough hunt. The Kanto Starter Jackets are the biggest problem, apparently. I saw one person on Reddit, DragoonGhost, say their Target only got five – one of each size! And a bunch of other people are saying the same thing about their stores being completely cleaned out. It’s tough out there for a Pokemon fan right now!

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Man, trying to snag those anniversary goodies has been a nightmare! It looks like scalpers are already at it again, which isn’t shocking considering how crazy things have been with Pokémon card scalpers lately. It’s spreading to other stuff now, apparently. I’ve already seen a bunch of the items popping up on eBay, even though they just went on sale. The Kanto Starter Jacket is the worst – people are listing it for over $230, which is way more than the $130 retail price. It’s super frustrating for those of us who actually want to buy them, you know? It’s a bummer that Target’s releases are getting hit with this.

Target’s release of the Pokémon 30th anniversary collection proved to be very limited, as the company predicted. Stores aren’t planning to restock, but more items will be available online at Target.com on May 3rd at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. While this offers another chance for fans who missed out in stores, getting the items isn’t guaranteed.

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If you’re disappointed about missing the Target collection, remember that there’s always plenty of Pokémon merchandise available. The Pokémon Center website is regularly updated with new clothes and items that are often easier to get. The Target collection also didn’t feature many of the special 30th anniversary logos, so most of the products weren’t particularly unique. With the 30th anniversary celebrations continuing through 2026, Pokémon fans can expect even more new merchandise in the future, offering plenty of chances to show off their love for the brand.

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2026-05-02 23:06