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What fans of all ages in Kuala Lumpur can expect from Pokémon‘s 30th anniversary
FOR 30 years, Pokémon has moved across games, television screens, trading card tables, schoolyards, malls and mobile phones. In Malaysia, its pull can be seen in the way children discover it through plush toys and games, while older fans carry it as part of their childhood.
For seven-year-old Adrian Arief, Pokémon is already tied to family outings, collecting and travel memories.
He has been a fan since 2022, with Scorbunny, Charmander, Eevee, Cinderace, Pikachu and Squirtle among his favourites. His family has visited Pokémon Centres in Osaka and Kyoto, so the upcoming Pokémon Centre pop-up in Kuala Lumpur comes with high expectations.
“To finally have a Pokémon Centre in Malaysia, although only as a pop-up, is exciting. Having visited Pokemon Centres in Osaka and Kyoto, expectations are high,” his mother Ainul Yaqeen Ahmad shared.
For Muhammad Rey Hazriell Mohd Rimy, 23, Pokémon has been part of his life for much longer. The esports commentator has followed the franchise since he was six and names Zeraora as his favourite Pokemon.
He is most excited for Pokémon Wind and Waves, the new generation title announced as part of the franchise’s future line-up.
When asked what Pokémon means to him, Rey said it has become more than entertainment.
“I grew up with Pokémon and it does not just give me joy but also comfort. It is a safe space for me because Pokémon does not judge people and the community is nice as well,” he said.
Between Adrian and Rey, Pokémon’s Malaysian appeal is clear. For younger fans, it is a colourful world of creatures, games and collectibles. For adults who grew up with it, Pokémon carries childhood memory, community and personal escape.
A world fans can enter
That connection will be marked on a larger scale when The Pokémon Company begins its regional 30th anniversary celebrations in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 12 and 13.
The event, called PokeXciting, will take over KLCC Park with free activities across two days. Among the main highlights is Malaysia’s first Pokemon-themed drone show, set against the Kuala Lumpur skyline and the Petronas Twin Towers.
A special turquoise-costumed PokeXciting Pikachu will also make its debut in Kuala Lumpur, with an evening stage show featuring music and dance. The same Pikachu will appear in Pokemon Go, giving mobile players another reason to gather at KLCC Park.
The celebration will continue beyond the park. A Pokémon Centre pop-up store will open at the upcoming Ombak KLCC, offering Pokémon Centre original products that are usually difficult to find outside official stores. Among the merchandise planned is a 30th anniversary limited edition Pikachu plush.
Ombak KLCC will also be decorated with rotating Pokémon themes, beginning with Pikachu before moving into Fire, Grass and Water themes. Visitors can expect meet-and-greet sessions with Pikachu and Eevee, origami activities, sticker card-making, a stamp rally and hands-on trial play sessions for Pokemon video games.
For Malaysian fans who usually travel abroad for official Pokémon Centre experiences, the pop-up brings part of that overseas fan culture into Kuala Lumpur, even if only temporarily.
Beyond one generation
The Pokémon Company Asia business development director Ray Kagami said the 30th anniversary is partly about thanking fans who have followed Pokemon through the years.
“This is the time for us to show gratitude to all the fans who love and enjoy Pokémon content. With this 30th anniversary, we want to say thank you to all our fans. We have all come through these 30 years together,” he said.
Kagami said Pokémon is not aimed at one age group, which explains why the Kuala Lumpur celebration is built around different kinds of experiences. Older fans may come for nostalgia, trading cards and merchandise. Younger children may come for Pikachu, games and hands-on activities. Pokemon Go players will have their own reason to gather outdoors.
“As The Pokémon Company, we do not focus on a certain age group. Pokémon is for everyone,” Kagami said.
Kagami’s own favourite Pokémon is Oddish, the small Grass and Poison-type creature known for its round body and leafy head.
Mandy Tee, from The Pokémon Company’s Switch2 sales support team, said Malaysia’s Pokémon community has grown beyond Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, with active communities in Penang, Johor and East Malaysia.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game has seen especially strong growth. Tee said the recent Pokemon TCG Master Ball League in Kuala Lumpur drew about 4,280 attendees.
Tee’s own favourite Pokémon is Pikachu.
After 30 years, Pokémon‘s Malaysian story is no longer only about catching creatures. It has become part of childhood memory, weekend plans, collecting culture and fan communities.
With KLCC Park and Ombak KLCC becoming the centre of the anniversary celebrations, Malaysian fans will get to step into a world many of them first met through a screen.
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