The first official LEGO Pokemon sets have been revealed, and have already found themselves at the heart of a new controversy. With how popular both the Pokemon and LEGO franchises are, a collaboration between these two collectible giants seemed inevitable. However, the result is largely expected, but somewhat disappointing, as these sets continue two divisive trends of their respective franchises that could ultimately hold the collaboration back from achieving its full potential.
There are 5 LEGO Pokemon sets in total, including Pikachu, Eevee, the starter trio of Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, the Kanto Gym Badge Collection, and a Mini Pokemon Center. The latter two of these sets are only available as a free gift with purchase from The Pokemon Center website and for LEGO Insiders as a reward, respectively. While these sets are fine, focusing all the attention on Gen 1 is somewhat underwhelming when also coupled with LEGO's high prices.
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The New LEGO Pokemon Sets Once Again Show the Franchise's Gen 1 Bias
A common criticism of the Pokemon series over the past several years has been a skewed focus toward the Gen 1 games and the Kanto Region. 2018's Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee were the second time the original games had been remade, and a lot of the new regional variants, Mega Evolutions, and Gigantamax forms from the past few generations have also heavily favored Gen 1 critters. It's understandable that Game Freak and The Pokemon Company would want to capitalize on nostalgia for the series' roots, but some fans believe this emphasis has been overdone and takes the spotlight away from popular mons from later generations.
Later-Gen Pokemon that Could Be Perfect for LEGO Sets
- Rayquaza
- Garchomp
- Golurk
- Aegislash
- Zygarde
- Stakataka
One of the most glaring issues with the Pokemon chosen to receive LEGO sets are the rounded, soft nature of the critters, which makes it difficult to translate the blocky design of LEGO in a way that does their models' justice. The result has Pikachu and Eevee looking off, which is strange when there are critters in the franchise that could work within the confines of LEGO's angular blocks to look more on-model. Inorganic-looking mons like Golurk, Aegislash, and Stakataka are the perfect fit for LEGO's signature aesthetic, and Zygarde Complete's hulking humanoid form wouldn't be out of place as a LEGO set either. Breaking free from Gen 1 would allow LEGO to incorporate more block-friendly critters into this collaboration.
LEGO Pokemon's Leaked Wave 2 Sets Might Help Ease This Problem
- Squirtle's Training Buggy Adventure
- Charmander's Wild Encounter with Geodude
- Pikachu's Training House
- Cubone vs Gengar's Ghost Challenge
- Jolteon vs Charizard
- Scorbunny Evolution
- Stadium Bus
- Eevee Evolution
- Dojo House with Riolu
- Mewtwo Lab
Looking at the leaked second wave of LEGO Pokemon sets slated for a Summer 2026 release, there are a few non-Gen 1 mons getting representation. The Scorbunny Evolution set implies that the Galar starter and its evolutions will be getting a dedicated set in the future, and the Dojo House with Riolu set is giving the Gen 4 Fighting-type representation as well. Two non-Gen 1 sets isn't a lot in the grand scheme of this collaboration, but it's still better than nothing and could lead to more later-gen sets in the future.
LEGO's Expensive Prices Could Hinder These Pokemon Sets' Accessibility
Like Pokemon's overemphasis on Gen 1, one of the most common complaints with LEGO is the increasingly expensive prices for its new sets. As LEGO sets get more expensive, the barrier to entry for casual collectors becomes higher, and IP collaborations like this one with Pokemon become difficult for anyone who isn't a dedicated LEGO collector to participate in. LEGO Pokemon Eevee is the cheapest set at $59.99, while LEGO Pokemon Pikachu is much more pricey at $199.99. The most expensive set of this collab is the LEGO Pokemon Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise is a hefty $649.99, making it one of the most expensive LEGO sets ever released.
To make matters worse, many of these LEGO Pokemon sets are being scalped on eBay for insane prices. Collectors unlucky enough to miss out on pre-orders for their desired set may end up having to shell out even more than the already costly MSRP of these sets via third-party sellers. Although Pokemon isn't a stranger to limited product releases and scalped items, it's a disappointing trend that takes the wind out of the sails of what should be one of the most exciting LEGO releases of the year.
