Starbucks Japan unveils new Pokémon collaboration with Pikachu Latte and exclusive goods

Pokémon + Starbucks takes us on an epic coffee adventure, and now we want to catch ’em all.

Starbucks Japan is famous for its exclusive limited-edition goods, and this claim to fame is now set to catapult even further, thanks to a massive new team-up with Pokémon .

This new collaboration is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen, with 41 goods adorned in original artwork , and a special Pikachu Honey Cream Latte inviting customers to “ Embark on a coffee adventure with Pokémon ”.

There’s a lot to get through in this new adventure, so let’s start by taking a look at the star beverage , created from a winning recipe selected from a nationwide Starbucks barista competition that received more than 700 entries .

The winning recipe was submitted by Junko Nitta of Starbucks Coffee Koriyama Asaka . ▼ Nitta’s win made her the champion of the Pokémon + Starbucks Barista Battle .

The Pikachu Honey Cream Latte combines espresso with caramel and honey , creating bright yellow hues to mimic Pikachu’s colouring , while the honey-flavoured whipped cream on top is scattered with heart-shaped pieces inspired by the character’s red cheeks .

According to Starbucks, the coffee flavours have been gently reined in so the drink can even be enjoyed by people who don’t usually drink coffee.

The drink is available in a Tall size only, priced at 678 yen (US$4.29) to go or 690 yen for dine-in, and every customer who purchases it will receive an original collaboration sticker , while stocks last.

Moving on to the accompanying Pokémon + Starbucks goods , they’re all adorned in artwork unique to the collaboration, created by illustrator Hikaru Ichijo .

By incorporating Ichijo’s signature style of not depicting faces, the artwork covers 12 scenes where Pokémon and baristas build connections through coffee , showing us how new encounters and communities are born when diverse personalities are accepted.

The artwork welcomes us into a whole world of new discoveries, through eight stories: Story 1 – The Moment of Encounter: Our adventure begins with a cup of coffee .

Story 2 – Exploration and Bonds: Great nature nurtures our inspiration .

Story 3 – Challenge and Discovery: Passion’s flame awakens the bean .

Story 4 – The accumulation of daily life: Drop by drop, purity adds depth .