LEGO and The Pokémon Company International have officially pulled the curtain back on the first wave of LEGO Pokémon sets, and the reaction has been immediate and loud. Not because fans are surprised Pokémon is finally getting the full LEGO treatment, but because the debut lineup makes one thing clear: this theme is coming out of the gate aimed at adult collectors, and the community is going to judge every curve, cheek, and face angle like it’s a character model reveal.
The first drop is three 18+ display builds, all up for pre-order now, with availability starting February 27, 2026. The lineup hits the safest possible nostalgia buttons: Pikachu, Eevee, and a big “original starters” centerpiece featuring Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise. And while the starter trio and Eevee are getting a lot of love, Pikachu is the one catching the most heat.
The Three Sets, Broken Down
Here’s what LEGO is launching in wave one:
- Eevee (72151): 587 pieces, $59.99
- Pikachu and Poke Ball (72152): 2,050 pieces, $199.99
- Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise (72153): 6,838 pieces, $649.99
From a pure “value per shelf space” perspective, that’s a pretty intentional ladder: an entry build that feels giftable, a mid-tier centerpiece, and one big statement set that’s priced like a premium collector display.
Why Pikachu Is Taking the Hits
Pikachu is the mascot, so it was always going to be the hardest one to land. It has a very specific silhouette and an expressive face that can go from “cute” to “uncanny” fast if even one proportion is off. The LEGO version is designed as an action moment, with Pikachu launching out of a Poké Ball on a black base with lightning effects, plus a little “25” nod to its Pokedex number. That’s a cool concept, and the posing options sound solid on paper.
But the early fan discourse is pretty consistent: people are hung up on how angular the face reads in brick form, and the Poke Ball build itself is catching side eye for looking more boxy than spherical in photos. What really stirs the pot is the comparison point fans already have in their heads: previous buildable Pikachu models from Mega Bloks, which a lot of collectors feel nailed the character’s shape more naturally. When your audience has receipts from an older competitor product, “good enough” is not going to survive the group chat.
None of this means the LEGO Pikachu will be a flop. Honestly, the opposite might happen: controversial builds often become the ones everyone buys just to see if it looks better in person. But it does show how unforgiving the Pokémon fanbase can be when something iconic looks even slightly off model.
Eevee Is the Quiet Winner
If Pikachu is the lightning rod, Eevee is the palate cleanser. The Eevee set is being treated as the one that “gets it,” partly because the scale is smaller and partly because Eevee’s design translates well into LEGO shaping. The official details call out poseability in the tail, head, and limbs, and it’s positioned as a character display that doesn’t need a massive stand to sell the vibe.
There’s also a practical reason Eevee is winning hearts: $59.99 feels like an actual impulse purchase for a lot of adult fans, especially compared to a $200 Pikachu and a $650 triple starter shrine. Even people who are picky about accuracy are more willing to be forgiving when the buy-in is reasonable.
The $650 Starter Diorama Is Peak Collector Energy
The Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise set is the flex of the wave. LEGO frames it as one of its largest display sets, building the whole thing around an action base with biome-inspired sections that match the trio. The figures are articulated, and the set is meant to work either as one big scene or as individual display pieces.
This is the kind of set that’s less about play and more about ownership. It’s basically LEGO telling adult Pokémon fans, “Yes, we know you have a shelf for this.” The price tag is going to be the barrier for most people, but the design reception so far suggests that if someone is already comfortable spending in this range, the product itself is doing its job.
Bonus Items, Promos, and the Real FOMO Hooks
LEGO is also sweetening the launch with two extras that will matter a lot to collectors:
- Kanto Region Badge Collection (40892): a gift with purchase when buying the big starter set, available February 27 to March 3, while supplies last.
- Mini Pokemon Center (Insiders Reward): redeemable for 2,500 Insiders points starting February 27, while supplies last.
Those two items are smart because they hit a totally different nostalgia nerve than “big character statue.” The badges are pure anime and game progression energy, and a mini Pokémon Center is basically guaranteed to be a conversation piece on a desk.
LEGO is also running a digital “Trainer Challenge” scavenger hunt from January 12 through February 27, with rewards and a grand prize tied to PokémonXP and the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. That’s a pretty big promotional swing for a first wave, and it makes the launch feel like an event, not just a product drop.
The Smart Play Question, and Why It Matters
One interesting note: this Pokémon announcement does not position these sets as part of LEGO’s new SMART Play platform. LEGO has separately announced SMART Play and the SMART Brick, with the first SMART Play-enabled sets tied to Star Wars and launching March 1, 2026. So at least for wave one, LEGO Pokémon appears to be going the traditional display-build route, not the “interactive tech” route.
That’s probably the right call. When you’re introducing a new theme this huge, you want the first impression to be about the builds themselves. If LEGO eventually adds interactive features to Pokémon, that’ll be a whole new debate for a later wave.
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