ライコウ
Raikou
Thunder Pokémon
#243
Raikou
Thunder Pokémon
#243
Raikou embodies the speed of lightning. The roars of this Pokémon send shock waves shuddering through the air and shake the ground as if lightning bolts had come crashing down.
Plush
TOMY Giant Raikou
2001 USA Obtained from Pokémon Center New York in 2003 My favorite plush while growing up. For more details, please visit the 'Tomy' page here! I have had Raikou for a very long time. I don't know if he's my current favorite plush, but he's probably the most important one. |
Raikou Pokedoll
2009 JP Obtained from Gin at Sunyshore! An immediate purchase as soon as they were released in Japan, I ordered my Raikou from Gin! Finally, I could have a much more convenient size of my favorite plush (the big fellow up there!) to travel around with. He's very beat up. Someday I'd like to get a mint one, but I'm not too concerned about that now. I still have his (creased) tag too! |
Raikou Pokedoll
2010 USA Obtained from LJ user PokeCats! Yay, a vending machine Pokedoll! Pokémon experimented with these interesting kiosk vending machines in various malls in the US; though I believe most were located on the west coast. They contained Pokedolls with the first instance of the Pokedoll tag art used outside of Japan, on these new rectangular (often called 'square') tags. The stock at each machine was totally random though, so people would often do mall runs and visit various ones to find the dolls they wanted. The machines were also not the most reliable...and had a tendency to give you extra dolls. Probably contributed to their eventual discontinuation! |
Shiny Raikou Pokedoll
2010 JP Obtained from ebay Originally a Japanese Pokémon Center lottery prize for the release of the 13th movie. Winners could get a sticker, a set of shiny beast charms, one Pokedoll, or a whole set of 3 Pokedolls. Gin states here that there were an estimated 150-250 dolls given to each Pokemon center at the time; but based on the number of them that have been for sale over the last decade, I'm more inclined to think Sui_Kune's estimate here of 250 of each beast per Pokemon Center is more accurate. |
Raikou Fit and Sitting Cuties plush
2018 JP and 2019 USA Obtained from Mercari US and USPC Originally I had ordered the Raikou Fit from Sunyshore when they released, but USPS failed me twice by not delivering to my address. I didn't get tracking so I couldn't even catch him at the post office before he got sent back to Japan either time. Nothing I did at the office mattered; I couldn't receive mail and packages but my roommates did just fine. Lost quite a bit of money in that exchange... Anyway, like most plush from these lines, the Japanese version has better quality control. I got the Fit for a good deal because he had some suspicious yellowed stains. I've cleaned him up decently well and they're barely there anymore. The Sitting Cutie I ordered right when they were released on the USPC website. Mine looks goofy. Aside from quality variation, it's a nice palm sized Raikou. |
Banpresto Raikou UFO
2000 JP Purchased on Mercari.jp The first Raikou plush! It's clunky, just to prove that point. The helmets on these often 'peel' or 'crack' over the years, in addition to losing their circles, because it's made of that wonderful shiny vinyl material that pretty much hates existing at all. I'd like to find one with an intact helmet and tag someday, but I'll be waiting a very long time! My fellow collector friend Ietne on LJ owns a prototype of this plush! How cool is that? The true first Raikou plush (that we have access to)! |
3rd Round Raikou
Purchased on ebay A Korean brand, 3rd Round plush sometimes look a bit off model and tend to be harder to get ahold of. It's a more solid version of the San-ei, with slightly brighter colors. I like the body on this one more than the San-ei because it's a bit more sturdy, but the helmet and whiskers are a bit large on his face. Overall a similar plush to the San-ei; and a slightly more expensive/hard to find version of it. |
Tomy Raikou
2010 JP Obtained from Gin at Sunyshore! The second Tomy Raikou plush! While it doesn't quite measure up to the original, at the time, it was a much more affordable and easier to find alternative for a large beast plush. It's quite sturdy and accurate in style, of which not many Raikou plush were outside of the giant. |
Figures
Raikou Kid Figures
2000 JP, 2010 JP Obtained from Legendary Luna and y!j Raikou's first kid figure featured on the left. Curiously, it's not hollowed out on the bottom in the more common finger puppet fashion, but rather solid like a DX kid. The more recent kid figure on the right is the movie box set version. From box set B, sold with Entei and Zoroark, this Raikou has a slight glittery sheen in the plastic that is tough to photograph. This figure is more in the typical hollowed out style. |
Raikou Plamo figure
2010 USA Obtained from Image Anime The Plamo figure! I enjoy model kits, so this was a nice treat to put together even if it wasn't complex. The annoying part are the stickers, which constantly try to peel off. Someday I'll seal them on properly. Raikou's cloud lifts up and his arms sprawl forward. |
Flats/Misc.
Raikou Wappen
2000/2001 JP Obtained from y!j An iron on patch featuring Raikou. Though there is no date listed on it, based on packaging and knowledge of the 2010 patch, I would place an estimated date on this one to 2000/2001 when most beast merch was produced. Curiously, they chose to make his stripes white, instead of black...even though the outline of Raikou on the patch is black, so surely it must have been possible to do! It adds a bit of unique flair to the patch design. |
TCG
Customs/Unofficial Items
Normally I am not big on custom or unofficial pieces, but sometimes I get gifts to treasure or find cute artwork to buy!