Fishing has been a part of Pokemon since the original games were first released for the GameBoy in the mid-nineties. Now it looks like The Pokemon Company is bringing the Pokemon fishing experience into the real world with a set of Pikachu and Kyogre lures.
The officially licensed fishing lures are being made by Japanese fishing lure company Duo International and will be available in Japan starting spring 2021. It isn't yet known if the fishing lures will make it to North America at any point, but with the recent popularity of the McDonald's Pokemon card happy meals, The Pokemon Company must know how popular the franchise still is on this side of the pond.
If the fishing lures do remain a Japanese exclusive, it wouldn't be the first time a Pokemon product has suffered such a fate. Last year exclusive, giant plushies of Pikachu and Meowth in their Gigantamax forms from Pokemon Sword and Shield were sold in the country, leaving fans in the rest of the world with no official way of getting the cuddly merch for themselves.
Of course, a lot of merchandise does eventually make it to North America, and even if the fishing lures don't, the most dedicated Pokemon fans will likely be able to pick a set up on eBay at some point down the line. Although, as Pikachu hats were sold at $500 a pop last year from clothing company CA4LA before any aftermarket interference, eBay sellers will probably mark up what might already be a pretty hefty price tag. Unfortunately, Duo International hasn't revealed the cost of the lures just yet, but anyone looking to catch a fish a little more useful than a Magikarp can rest easy knowing Pokemon lures are on the way.