Latest news with #Pikachu
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
McDonald's brings back a fan-favorite Happy Meal collaboration
As adults, we now appreciate the value of food, but as kids, if we could've ordered a McDonald's Happy Meal toy and had the McNuggets thrown in as a courtesy, we absolutely would have. McDonald's is one of the most recognizable fast-food chains worldwide. This might be because for decades, it has maintained its iconic golden arches, red and yellow branding, "I'm Lovin' It" tag line, and beloved Happy Meal. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The company has strategically used customers' nostalgic association with its brand to build a loyal fan base and become the fast-food giant it is today. Related: McDonald's menu adds new Happy Meal fans will love To bank on this emotional connection, McDonald's has brought back classic Happy Meal toys, including its 40th Happy Meal anniversary release in Canada in 2019, and the recent launch of "Lil McDonald's" Happy Meals this month. Image source: Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images In January, McDonald's (MCD) partnered with Pokémon to launch a nationwide collaboration, releasing a new Happy Meal and creating an immersive PokéStops experience. Each Happy Meal featured a Dragon-type Pokémon design and came with a Pokémon Trading Card Game pack containing four out of 15 available cards, a Pokémon poster, and a sticker sheet. More Food News: This popular fast-food burger chain just turned into a hot dog standPopular chicken chain is begging customers to give it another chanceChick-fil-A offers free food to game-playing fans To encourage customers to download its app and continue its digital integration within Happy Meals, McDonald's also created a free Pokémon Trading Card Game. This was a unique partnership for the fast-food giant because Pokémon Trading Cards are among the most valuable and highly desired collectible items, with some worth up to millions of dollars per card. Pokémon is a Japanese world-renowned media franchise that began in 1996. It has developed an enormous fan base by creating multiple video games, animated series, films, products, and trading card games. McDonald's is once again teaming up with Pokémon for a limited-time partnership, but this time, it comes with multiple layers and will only be released in Japan. Because Pokémon has a fan base of all ages, McDonald's is introducing a 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box to cater to adult audiences. The packaging will feature three new designs, showcasing Pikachu and other beloved characters from the franchise. The Pokémon 15-piece Chicken McNuggets box will be available from July 23 to September 2. No Pokémon collaboration would be complete without the Happy Meal, which continues to be the primary appeal to younger audiences. Starting August 8, each Happy Meal will come with a Pikachu or Charmander toy. Related: McDonald's unveils new partnership with nostalgic childhood franchise True Pokémon fans know the most anticipated part of this partnership is the return of Pokémon Trading Cards. That's why each Happy Meal purchase will receive an exclusive Pikachu card, with additional cards randomly distributed. However, the Pokémon Trading Cards will only be available from August 9 to 11. Although the company hasn't explicitly revealed why it has made the trading cards available for such a short window, this unexpected decision might be an effort to prevent resales from getting out of hand, since the cards from previous partnerships were listed on eBay and other sites for hundreds of dollars. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Exclusive Pikachu card featured in McDonald's Japan Happy Meals in limited-time Pokémon promotion
McDonald's Japan has announced the return of Pokemon Happy Meals, featuring an exclusive Pikachu promo card alongside collectible reprints from the Pokemon Trading Card Game. The promotion will run for a limited period from August 9 to August 11 2025. The highlight of this release is a new Pikachu promo card, which shows the Electric-type Pokemon about to eat a burger. This artwork is exclusive to the McDonald's promotion and will not be available through other releases. Each Happy Meal will include this Pikachu card and one additional promo card at random, with options including Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Ralts, or Riolu. While Pikachu features new artwork, the other cards in the set are reprints from earlier releases. Each card carries the McDonald's logo on the bottom right corner of the artwork, identifying it as part of this limited collaboration and marking it as a collectible item for fans of the franchise. McDonald's Japan has also announced that Pokemon toys will accompany the Happy Meals during this promotion. At the time of writing, it is not confirmed whether this promotion will expand to other regions outside Japan.
SoraNews24
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
McDonald's Japan announces Pokémon Trading Card Happy Meals with guaranteed Pikachus
You don't need to specifically choose Pikachu, because it's a promise that he'll be in your Happy Meal. McDonald's Japan is right in the middle of a collaboration with Sanrio, currently serving up Happy Meals with summer suntanned Hello Kitty Toys. But cravings for burgers and fries will always return, and so McDonald's is already planning its next team-up with a superstar character in Japan, and this time it's Pikachu. Coming on August 8 is a new line of Pokémon Happy Meal toys, and fans of the franchise have most likely now marked that date on their calendars. If you can hold off until the next day, though, there's something even better, as in addition to the toy, you'll also get exclusive Pokémon Trading Card Game cards! The lineup consists of a half-dozen Pocket Monster species, including Riolu, Ralts, and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Then, of course, there's Pikachu, whose card features an adorable illustration of the franchise mascot sitting in a restaurant booth and about to dig into a delicious hamburger. Well, actually, judging from the way the cutlery on the table is oriented, he's asking for a bite of the burger ordered by the Pokémon Trainer who's taken him along on this McDonald's run, but come on, get serious, there's no way anyone would ever say no to such a heart meltingly cute appeal. 8/8(金)～ハッピーセット®にポケモンのおもちゃが登場！8/9(土)〜8/11(月)はポケモンカードも もらえるよ！#ポケモン #ポケカ — マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) July 15, 2025 With a total of six designs, though, you might be wondering how many Happy Meals you're going to have to order in order to snag the Pikachu card, but that's where the deal gets really sweet. Each Happy Meal comes with two Pokémon cards, and one of them is guaranteed to be Pikachu. However, while the odds are in your favor, time isn't necessarily on your side. McDonald's is yet to say how long the Pokémon Happy Meal will be available for, but usually each toy theme runs for about two weeks. The Pokémon cards, however, will only be given out on August 9, 10, and 11. And should you decide to go on august 8 as well to make extra-sure you don't miss out on the toys, ending up with a bunch of leftover McDonald's French fries in the process, we've got some tasty ideas for how to reuse them. Source: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan via Jin Top image: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan Pokémon ©Pokémon, ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./Game Freak Inc. ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
Rare Pokémon Cards Worth More Than $100,000 Stolen From Shop
More than $100,000 worth of rare, high-end Pokémon cards and box sets were stolen from a Massachusetts shop that specializes in trading cards and collectibles, an owner of the store said. A burglar used a hammer to smash open the door of the shop, 1st Edition Collectibles in New Bedford, Massachusetts, around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. Once inside, the thief dashed to a display case and stashed the Pokémon collectibles in a bag before taking off, according to William Gilmour, one of the store's three owners. He said that the stolen items, which included five rare cards and some vintage box sets, were valued at $100,000 to $113,000. 'They were in and out of our store within 30 seconds,' Gilmour said Sunday about the burglar. 'They went straight to these high-value items.' The stolen cards included a BGS 8.5 First Edition Shadowless Charizard and a BGS 7.5 First Edition Shadowless Blastoise. (BGS stands for Beckett Grading Services, a company that grades collectibles and trading cards.) The sealed boxes included a Pokémon base set Unlimited Green Wing Booster Box. Gilmour said that a booster box contains 36 packs of original cards. 'They are really rare because how many sealed boxes are still there from 1999 to 2000?' Gilmour said. The shop, which sells Pokémon items, sports trading cards and vintage video games, is in downtown New Bedford, about 60 miles south of Boston. 'We are small but mighty,' Gilmour said of the store, adding that he opened the shop with his childhood buddies 'for the love of the city and the love of the hobby.' Holly Huntoon, a spokesperson for the New Bedford Police Department, said that the break-in remained under investigation and that no arrests had been made. On Facebook, the store's owners posted a surveillance video image of the burglary and a list highlighting the stolen items to raise public awareness. Pokémon, short for pocket monsters, first became popular in the 1990s, when they were rolled out in Japan as a video game and then as trading cards that introduced a collection of creatures who live in a fantasy world alongside humans. The monsters, who are more cute than scary — think of the yellow, mouselike Pikachu, which has a lightning-bolt shaped tail and can discharge electricity from its red cheeks when angered — have cultivated a fierce following among fans and collectors. Pokémon have appeared over the years in many commercial forms, including as figurines and in animated series, films and video and smartphone games. Followers enjoy collecting the characters through various games. 'They hit the marketing nail on the head with the 'Gotta catch 'em all' catch line,' Gilmour said, explaining Pokemon's enduring popularity. —NYT
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Health
- Japan Today
Sleep better with latest Megrhythm Steamy Hot Eye Mask collaboration
It can be challenging to get a good night's sleep on hot, humid summer nights in Japan. The high temperatures and stickiness never seem to go away and using air conditioning can sometimes make the room too cold and dry. So for many of us, trying to have a relaxing night's sleep can sometimes end with us feeling even more drained in the morning. Some solutions would be to experiment with different summer-specific sleeping aids, like switching your bedsheets to more natural fabrics, using an air circulator alongside the air conditioner and maybe even using an eye mask. The latest Megrhythm Steamy Hot Eye Mask collaboration with Pokémon Sleep is something you won't want to miss out on this summer. It gently warms the eyes and surrounding area to about 40°C, helping release tension and soothe tired eyes. In addition to warmth, the neroli and lavender scent variations add to the calming effect, to help you unwind before sleeping. The best part is arguably the Pokémon Sleep-themed packaging featuring popular characters like Pikachu, Snorlax, Eevee and Jigglypuff. Adding small touches to your summer bedtime routine can help improve your sleep quality without having to break the bank. Find it online and in pharmacies starting at ¥1,950. Price: 575 yen for five. Source: Fashion Press © Japan Today
