The 2016 TOMY Pokémon Plush Monthly Release Calendar
TOMY marked Pokémon’s 20th anniversary in 2016 with a year-long collecting program rather than a single seasonal assortment. The centerpiece was a monthly series of plush figures featuring Mythical Pokémon, giving fans a reason to look for a new character throughout the anniversary year.
The release program worked as both a celebration and a collecting challenge. Each plush had its own place in the calendar, while other products—including Clip 'n' Carry Poké Balls, Pikachu toys, and retailer-exclusive items—expanded the range beyond the monthly figures.
Because availability varied by retailer and region, the calendar is best understood as a guide to the planned sequence. Store arrival dates, packaging variations, and leftover inventory could differ, which is part of what makes the 2016 line interesting to collectors today.
How The Monthly Program Worked
The central idea was simple: introduce a different Mythical Pokémon plush during each month of 2016. This approach gave less frequently featured characters a prominent role and made the anniversary feel like an unfolding event rather than a standard product launch.
Mew opened the sequence, while later months brought characters such as Celebi, Jirachi, Darkrai, and Arceus. The selection moved across several generations, reflecting Pokémon’s long history and giving collectors a broad set of designs to display together.
The plush figures were especially appealing because they translated game characters into soft, shelf-friendly forms. Their anniversary context, TOMY branding, and limited release window also made them more significant than ordinary evergreen plush toys.
January Through March
January began with Mew, one of the most recognizable Mythical Pokémon and a fitting figure for an anniversary series. Mew’s simple silhouette, pale pink color, and strong connection to the original Pokémon games made it an accessible starting point for both long-time fans and newer collectors.
Celebi followed in February. Its green body, wing-like features, and time-traveling mythology gave the collection a visibly different character from Mew. As the second release, Celebi established that the calendar would draw from several generations rather than focus only on the earliest games.
March featured Jirachi, whose star-shaped head and wish-granting theme made it a natural choice for a celebratory collection. Together, the first three releases created a varied opening group: the mysterious Mew, the forest-linked Celebi, and the celestial Jirachi.
April Through June
Darkrai arrived in April, bringing a darker visual tone to the series. Its black body and red details contrasted sharply with the lighter colors of the earlier plush figures. Darkrai also demonstrated how the program included characters with more complex or unusual identities, rather than selecting only traditionally cute designs.
May’s featured Pokémon was Shaymin. The Land Forme design fit naturally into a plush format, with its small body and flower-like details offering a softer appearance after Darkrai. Shaymin’s inclusion also helped represent the fourth-generation Mythical Pokémon in the anniversary lineup.
Arceus took the June position. As one of the most important legendary figures in Pokémon lore, Arceus gave the middle of the calendar a strong centerpiece. Its larger, more elaborate design helped the collection feel increasingly ambitious as the year progressed.
The differences between these releases show why the series was more memorable than a repeating character assortment. Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus each brought a distinct color palette, silhouette, and place in Pokémon mythology.
July Through September
Victini was the July release, adding an energetic orange-and-white design to the summer portion of the calendar. Known as the Victory Pokémon, Victini suited an anniversary campaign built around celebration, milestones, and fan enthusiasm.
Keldeo followed in August. Its horse-like shape and blue coloring expanded the range of body types represented in the plush series. Keldeo also gave collectors a character that was less commonly seen in mainstream Pokémon merchandise at the time.
September brought Meloetta, whose musical identity and alternate-form mythology made it another distinctive choice. The plush format emphasized Meloetta’s expressive face and flowing details, creating a figure that stood apart from the more compact designs earlier in the year.
By the end of summer, the calendar had covered Mythical Pokémon from multiple generations while maintaining a steady rhythm of new releases. Fans who followed the schedule could build a collection that told a broad story about Pokémon history.
October Through December
Genesect was associated with October, bringing a mechanical and science-fiction-inspired appearance to the autumn release period. Its red body, armor-like structure, and cannon detail made it one of the most visually distinctive figures in the series.
November featured Diancie, whose pink coloring and crystal-themed design offered a more elegant contrast to Genesect. The character’s jewel-like appearance made the plush particularly attractive for collectors arranging figures by color, generation, or visual style.
Hoopa closed the monthly sequence in December. Its ring-based mythology and purple-and-gold design provided a fitting final entry, ending the year with a character from the sixth generation. As the last scheduled Mythical Pokémon plush, Hoopa also completed the collection’s movement across generations.
The final quarter demonstrates the variety built into the program. Genesect, Diancie, and Hoopa were very different from one another, yet all belonged to the same anniversary story and shared a common collectible identity.
Calendar And Product Context
The monthly plush figures were only one part of TOMY’s 2016 anniversary offering. Clip 'n' Carry Poké Balls added an interactive element, allowing fans to carry small figures or recreate the familiar capture mechanic. Pikachu products provided a more consistent character presence alongside the rotating Mythical Pokémon releases.
Retailer exclusivity also affected how fans encountered the collection. Some items were tied to particular stores or distribution channels, while others appeared more broadly. This meant that a collector following the calendar might still need to monitor multiple retailers to find every associated product.
| Month | Featured Pokémon | Collecting Significance |
|---|---|---|
| January | Mew | Opened the anniversary sequence with an original Mythical Pokémon |
| February | Celebi | Added a nature- and time-themed character |
| March | Jirachi | Introduced a star-inspired design |
| April | Darkrai | Shifted the palette toward a darker, dramatic look |
| May | Shaymin | Featured the gentle Land Forme |
| June | Arceus | Presented a major lore figure at midyear |
| July | Victini | Added a bright celebratory character |
| August | Keldeo | Expanded the range of body shapes and generations |
| September | Meloetta | Brought a musical, expressive design |
| October | Genesect | Added a mechanical and futuristic appearance |
| November | Diancie | Introduced a crystal-themed pink figure |
| December | Hoopa | Closed the calendar with a sixth-generation Mythical Pokémon |
The anniversary line’s broader design strategy is explored in what set the collection apart, especially when compared with ordinary Pokémon toy assortments. Official Nintendo licensing gave the products a clear connection to the Pokémon brand, while the limited anniversary framing increased their appeal to memorabilia collectors.
Why The Calendar Still Matters
A monthly release calendar creates a different collecting experience from a typical retail wave. Instead of seeing every character at once, fans could anticipate the next figure, watch for store announcements, and compare each new plush with the ones already acquired.
The sequence also preserved a snapshot of Pokémon merchandise in 2016. It included Mythical Pokémon from the original games through the sixth generation, reflecting the franchise’s expanding history shortly before later generations changed the character roster again.
Packaging and presentation added another layer of interest. Retail display cases, promotional signage, and store-specific arrangements helped communicate that the items were part of one anniversary campaign. For collectors researching original displays, retailer display cases can be as informative as the plush figures themselves.
Collecting The Series Today
Collectors approaching the line now may want to separate three goals: completing the twelve-month Mythical Pokémon sequence, finding related anniversary merchandise, or locating original retail presentation materials. Each goal requires a slightly different search strategy.
Loose plush figures can be easier to locate than sealed examples, but condition varies. Look for clean fabric, intact tags, undamaged embroidered details, and consistent sizing. Packaging may show shelf wear, especially because many products were displayed in stores rather than kept in protective cases.
Useful priorities include:
- Begin with the twelve monthly Mythical Pokémon plush figures before pursuing every accessory.
- Record month, character, tag condition, and packaging details for each acquisition.
- Compare retailer exclusives carefully, since similar products may have different distribution histories.
- Include Clip 'n' Carry Poké Balls and Pikachu items if building a complete anniversary display.
- Preserve original tags and display materials whenever possible.
The 2016 TOMY Pokémon anniversary calendar remains compelling because it turned merchandise into a year-long narrative. From Mew in January to Hoopa in December, each release added a new color, generation, and piece of Pokémon history. Fans and collectors can use the sequence as a checklist, a guide to researching related products, or the foundation for a complete 20th anniversary display.