Pikachu

Real talk: Magikarp rules. Of all the Pokémon who made their debut 21 years ago, it's the one that I think we can all truly identify with, a literal fish out of water who flails around uselessly, but then one day, one day, through hard work and persistence, turns into a flying laser-breathing dragon that can devastate the land in its rage. Or maybe I've just revealed too much about myself. Either way, Magikarp is finally joining the pantheon of Generation 1 superstars in the Pokémon Center's new line of Gallery Figures. The first four hit shelves with a set of incredible little figures of Eevee, Mew, and, of course, Pikachu.

There are few things in this world that I love more than when Pikachu dresses up as someone or something else in officially licensed merchandise. Now it has been taken to the next level. At the end of this month, Nintendo and the Pokémon Company are releasing a line of merchandise based around an idea so simple that I'm amazed it's taken this long to happen: Pikachu dressed as Mario. And I need all of it to live.

In case you've been off the grid lately, Pokemon Go came out in the US and some other countries exactly one week ago today! And what a week it's been. Nintendo's stocks have shot sky-high, millions of gamers are discovering the concept of physical exercise, and CA's own Chris Sims was last seen roaming the Great Smoky Mountains armed only with a portable generator and wifi signal booster in pursuit of the legendary Ho-Oh. In honor of our new national pastime, this week we're recounting the time eternal ten-year old Ash Ketchum and his best buddy Pikachu fought God in Pokemon: Arceus & The Jewel of Life!

The Pokémon Company seems to be on a quest to render all furniture obsolete. First, it was the giant, (almost) life-sized Snorlax that can double as a sofa and physical manifestation of my true self, and the trend of giant plush Pokémon has continued with the company's latest release. Soon, all structures will be Pokémon, and we will be living in a finer world for it. According to PokeShopper, which keeps an eye on upcoming Pokémon merchandise, next month will see the release of a giant-sized version of the special Valentine's Day edition of Pikachu, putting an end to the very concept of throw pillows.

I've never really had the inclination to go into a Build-A-Bear Workshop. To be honest, the whole thing seemed like a hassle, and when I thought back to when I was a kid, I kind of felt like the process of actually making a stuffed animal was probably the least fun part of having a stuffed animal, and paying extra to do it myself felt like it was more than a little bit overpriced. But then they announced that shoppers will have the opportunity to build their own Pikachu, and I realized there was no amount of money I would not pay to make that happen.

If you're the kind of person who keeps up on a very specific kind of news, then you might remember that last year, the city of Yokohama, Japan was host to one of the greatest events in human history. For nine days, Yokohama played host to over a thousand Pikachus, marching through the streets and, one assumes, tempting Team Rocket into what would have been the biggest heist of their careers. Sadly, we do not live in a perfect world where this is happening literally all the time, but on August 8, the electric Pokemon will return to Yokohama for another nine-day celebration... and this time, they will be dancing. The event's official name is "Dancing? An Outbreak Of Pikachus," which is equal parts whimsical and terrifying, and thanks to an instructional video, you can learn to dance along!

This week, as Pokémon Alpha Sapphire continues to occupy most of Chris's time, he's turned his attention all the way back to 1998 to bring you the five best first-generation Pokémon. That's right, the stars of Red and Blue are taking center stage here as he pares down the original 151 to a handful of the best of the best -- and if you don't already know who's clocking in at #1, we'll give you a hint: It's Bulbasaur.

Each weekday, ComicsAlliance brings you a carefully selected variety of links from around the web about comics and comics-related media, including movies, video games, toys, and whatever else might be worth noting. Quite frankly, these are items you may just need to know about to have a productive day. Take a look at today's hand-picked links after the jump.

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