Japan sees wave of pop‑culture merchandise releases in August 2026

Several Japanese retailers launched new pop‑culture merchandise in early August 2026. Shimamura’s online store began selling three Dragon Quest‑themed items – a dust‑box, a red treasure chest and a “Hito‑kui‑bako” storage box – on 5 August at 12:00 JST. The same day, Pokémon Center released four water‑type plush toys with moving fins at 10:00 JST, followed by a special Pikachu plush on 7 August to mark the Pokémon‑NHK Symphony concert series.

Anime‑related apparel also arrived: the EVANGELION:95 brand opened its autumn‑winter 2026 collection on 7 August, while COSPA announced a range of NERV‑themed clothing and accessories for later in the year. Other releases included a Right‑on × SpongeBob clothing line on 5 August, Puppet Sunsun holiday candy boxes and a tree‑shaped sweets box (reservation ending 23 August), and a set of ghost‑type Pokémon acrylic charms slated for September. Additionally, the indie game Moonlighter was offered for free on Steam from 5–9 August to promote its sequel’s September launch, and Japan Post began selling limited Puppet Sunsun stationery on 12 August.