31 Poké Summer event adds two different Pikachu ice cream flavors to the menu, plus a four-Pokémon ice cream cake.
Ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins is more commonly known as just “31” in Japan, in reference to the 31 flavors the parlor keeps stocked. It’s not a static list, though, with new flavors continually being cycled in, and this month sees the addition of not one, but two Pikachu-flavored ice creams at branches in Japan.
Appearing for the first time is the Triple Soda with Pikachu flavor, a mixture of melon, cola, and “soda” (which in Japan describes a slightly citrusy cider, like in the popular soft drink Ramune) ice cream. Mixed in with the cream are Pikachu cookies with a crisp texture and milky flavor, and the whole thing is meant to give the impression of Pikachu frolicking through a forest, like in the densely vegetated setting of the upcoming Pokémon the Movie: Coco theatrical anime.
▼ Trailer for Coco
Making its long-awaited return to the Baskin-Robbins freezer case is the Pikachu Thunderbolt Fruit Mix, featuring chocolate Pikachu cookies, pineapple, yellow peach, banana, apple, and orange cream, and little Pop Rock-style candies, red like Pikachu’s cheeks, for an electrifying sensation (different from the one in the super-sour Pikachu snack chips we just ate).
However, your decisions at an ice cream parlor don’t end with picking a flavor. You’ve also got to choose between a cone and a cup…or, in an extremely tempting third option, a Poké Ball!
During Baskin-Robbins’ 31 Poké Summer campaign, which runs from July 20 to August 30, you can have your scoops of ice cream placed inside Poké Balls as part of the Pokémon Ice Cream Master Set, which are placed inside a special box which can later be unfolded for use as a board game board.
The only drawback is that you can’t order individual ice cream Poké Balls, and instead have to buy six scoops at one (though honestly, having six scoops of ice cream is a pretty nice problem to have). If you’re looking to limit your purchase to just two scoops, though, you can still get in on the Pokémon fun with the Pokémon Double Cup, which provides you with one of three Pokémon cups, one of three Pikachu spoons, and two very good reasons to take home, wash out, and reuse your plastics.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for something to share, there’s a four-species Pokémon ice cream cake, starring Pikachu (caramel and chocolate chocolate chip ice cream) and Eevee (cookie and chocolate and strawberry), plus Galar region newcomers Yamper (Popping Shower) and Scorbunny (Very Very Strawberry, chocolate chip).
The timing of all these new treats was likely meant to coincide with the theatrical run of Pokémon the Movie: Coco, which was supposed to have made it’s theatrical debut last week. However, in a rare instance of a similarity between the Pokémon and Evangelion anime franchises, the coronavirus pandemic has caused the release of Coco to be postponed to an unspecified future date. But hey, at least in the meantime we won’t be hungry.
Source, images: PR Times