Let’s face it, Pokémon trainers probably have to walk, a lot. Pokémon Go trainers have to do their fair share of walking too. So why not do it in style? To celebrate Pokémon’s 25th anniversary, Converse and The Pokémon Company have teamed up to create some super cool Pokémon shoes and sneakers.
Trainers, young and old, can choose from two Chuck Taylor All Star designs: Poké Ball and First Partners. The “Poké Ball” Pokémon sneakers feature a graphic black Poké-print on a white shoe. We spy Charmander, Pikachu, Meowth, Jigglypuff, and more, out to say hello. These Pokémon Converse shoes also replace one of the brand’s traditional ankle patches with a… you guessed it. Poké Ball. Intrepid trainers may also spy the traditional red and white ball lurking elsewhere.
The “First Partners” Poké-sneaker features many of the same Pokémon. But the title of the shoe brings us to a more emotional place. The official description for the Pokémon shoe shares, “With a digital powder print on all-black, a cast of first partner Pokémon take over the classic canvas.” Technically, we aren’t sure that Jigglypuff counts as a starter Pokémon. Though we guess we can define these as a collection of Pokémon we met early.
Either way, we feel pleased to see Meowth included in the bunch. At least spiritually, he absolutely was Team Rocket’s starter Pokémon, and he deserves some respect. Although… he is exiled to the other side of the shoe, away from the other Pokémon. But life is rough out there for a member of Team Rocket.
Converse offers even more Pokémon shoe options for the littlest trainers among us. Kids have all the luck. These Chuck Taylor All Star Easy-On for toddlers come in Pikachu and Jigglypuff options. The Pickachu sneakers showcase the adorable Pokémon’s face on the toe. And the Jigglypuff sneakers come decorated with tiny musical notes. So cute, we can’t stand it. And also we demand them in adult sizes, stat. So we can all play in Poké-style.
The Pokémon x Converse collaboration shoes go on sale on January 7 at 10 am ET. Also included in the collection are shirts, hats, backpacks, and more. Good luck catching them all.
