How Pokemon Center Merchandise Are Planned And Designed

The Pokemon Company recently interviewed one of their employees who works at the product development department, revealing some details you may not know about how Pokemon Center merchandise are made.

Eriko Suzuki is the head of the Pokemon Center Original merchandise planning department. In this department, employees research and propose to make new products that will be sold at the Pokemon Centers and Stores in Japan.

Here’s what Suzuki has to say about her job:

In this job, individual discretion plays a big role. You’re entrusted with dealing with drafts to giving and taking with the product manufacturer. Hence, individuality of the person in charge tends to break out easily.

For me, whether or not it’s a product that I personally want, I will always value it (the project). For example, as I always feel a plush’s face must look cute, minute adjustments are repeatedly made to the position of the eyes and mouth of the plush’s face. Without harming the quality of the original Pokemon, I carefully transform it into a plush.

Suzuki then proceeded to reveal her favorite Pokemon, and a product she personally oversaw:

The Pokemon I like the most is Pikachu!

Because everyone knows about Pikachu, it’s profound. So many Pikachu products exist, and the plush toys alone make up a huge number. I’m always thinking of new products that show a more attractive Pikachu.

For example, when we were making a White Pikachu, the concept of Pikachu becoming white didn’t exist, so we made the Snow Sculpture Pikachu that initially appeared in artwork into actual products!

Check out some photos of Eriko Suzuki in The Pokemon Company’s office below.

Learn how you can purchase official Pokemon Center merchandise.