Earlier this year, the Pokemon Company partnered with U.S. skateboard designer Bear Walker to create a series of limited-edition skateboards featuring five popular Gen 1 Pokemon. The boards were an immediate hit with fans, and now the Pokemon Company is coming back with five more decks for Series 2.
Fans eagerly bought up the first series of Pokemon boards when they released February 11. Each wood-carved board measured 29 inches in length and featured a design of a popular Gen 1 pocket monster, including Charizard, Gyarados, Mewtwo, Gengar, and, of course, Pikachu. The boards were created in partnership with Walker, who has become well-known for his custom wooden decks inspired by pop culture. Walker has released a variety of boards since launching his business in 2016, including It, Batman, and Star Wars-themed decks.
The Pokemon Company’s Series 2 collaboration with Walker features five more fan-favorite Pokemon, though this time they span multiple generations. The designs include Mew, Toxtricity, Rayquaza, Togepi and Umbreon. The premium wood-carved boards will be made available for purchase on the Pokemon Center’s online store on Tuesday, September 22.
Walker’s skate boards are unique from the average deck. Whereas traditional skateboards feature artwork on the bottom and grip tape covering the top, Walker’s boards have no grip tape and come with gorgeous art work carved into the top side of the board. Walker eliminated the need for grip tape by using a special carving method to cut the wood, allowing designs to be placed on top of the board rather than the bottom.
Series 2 is just the latest example of the immensely-popular Pokemon brand being used to market special products. Pokemon merchandise has proliferated all over the world, and the brand remains a powerful marketing tool that has been used to brand everything from games to clothing to even food. One Japanese prefecture recently installed Pokemon manhole covers that feature designs of Gyarados.
It seems that Series Two has something to appeal to several different types of Pokemon fans. Trainers who prefer cute Pokemon with the classic big eyes can choose between the pink-hued Mew board or the playful-spirited Togepi board, while fans of dark-type Pokemon will undoubtedly go for the midnight-purple Umbreon board. Meanwhile, fans of Sword and Shield may want to consider picking up the stylish Toxtricity board. For skaters who want a powerful Pokemon that reflects their top-notch shredding skills, there is a deck featuring Gen 3’s legendary Dragon/Flying Pokemon Rayquaza.
The Pokemon Center has yet to confirm the cost of the boards, but the Series 1 decks ranged from $185 to $200, so it’s safe to assume that Series 2 will be similarly priced. Series 1 sold out fast, so fans may want to act quickly if they wish to order one before stock runs out.