When it comes to collectibles, Pokemon items have reigned supreme for many years; from cards to shoes, no stone has been left unturned. Last year was Pokemon’s 25th anniversary, and with it, new collectible items flooded the market. However, apparel items often end up in the hands of two very different kinds of people: the collectors and the “wearers”. While collectibles like Pokemon shoes and Pokemon sneakers were meant to be worn and loved, collectors see the value and potential of an un-worn, new item – especially as years go by.
It is with this knowledge and mindset that we bring to you our Collector’s Guide to Valuable Pokemon Shoes. Here, we will discuss the brands that have collaborated with The Pokemon Company to bring us some stunning and gorgeous shoes. We’ve also compiled a list of some of the most expensive pairs out there!
Brand Collaborations for Pokemon Shoes & Pokemon Sneakers
Hot Topic X Pokemon
Released early in 2021, these Hot Topic shoes were crafted with rubber and canvas. One pair of these Pokemon shoes sports a bold “eeveelution” print on a purple background, while another pair is a soft pink with Pikachu on the left toes and Eevee on the right toes. These shoes were between $25 and $35 at release and are out of stock.
Zavvi (Akedo) X Pokemon
Released on February 17, 2021, a line of highly collectible, well-designed high-tops was released on Zavvi’s website. These Pokemon sneakers featured iconic Pokemon like Pikachu and Charizard, with designs in black and white with pops of contrasting colors like yellow and red-orange. These shoes haven’t resurfaced for resale yet, seeing as they’ve only been off-market for about a year. As the years go by, you can expect these shoes to pop up for resale.
Another line of Zavii Pokemon apparel was released at the end of November 2020. Only 300 pairs of the Pikachu trainer sneakers were created and released in this set. These shoes were mainly black and white, with cartoon frame-styled images of Pikachu across the outer side panels. The only color on the shoes was Pikachu’s red cheeks and in the Pokeball that adorned the tongues.
PONY X Pokemon
PONY, an apparel company in Thailand, created a line of Pokemon sneakers with a minimalist design. The main body of these sneakers is white, while a single Pokemon sprite adorns the back portion of the shoe, right above the heel. Each different shoe pattern has a different colored stripe in the shape of an elongated “V” across the sides of the shoe.
The following variants for this shoe were available: Snorlax with dark, dusty blue stripes, Pikachu with yellow stripes, Eevee with muted brown stripes, Charmander with red-orange stripes, Squirtle with light blue stripes, and Bulbasaur with light turquoise stripes. These Pokemon shoes were available in the middle of 2019.
Esperanza X Pokemon
In October of 2016, Esperanza (a Japanese shoe company) released a line of women’s flats and high heels. The single pair of high heels was designed with Pikachu in mind: bold, glossy yellow material was used for the majority of the shoes, and tiny Pikachu ears adorn the area above the toes. A Pikachu tail is attached to the area above the heel, as well. This line of shoes also included three different pairs of flats, called “Low-Heeled Pumps”, all of which were also Pikachu-focused.
Fila X Pokemon
Inspired by five of the most recognizable Pokemon in Game Freak’s universe, Fila created a line of kid’s Pokemon sneakers in Korea. These sneakers were available in March of 2018 and there were five different variations: Jigglypuff, Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. The shoes were mainly white, with three velcro strips across the top of each shoe. Muted colors that match the Pokemon were used on the inside, tongue, and the top of the back heel. The Pikachu variation sports a Pikachu face on the top of the back heel, while the other variations have a symbol that reflects the Pokemon’s type (water, fire, grass, poison, fairy, and normal).
Adidas X Pokemon
Adidas, a well-known sneaker and apparel brand, collaborated with The Pokemon Company to create some stunning Pokemon shoes in July of 2020, including a white sneaker with gray lightning bolts and yellow and red accents. Another pair, mainly white, has a simple black outline Pikachu on the side and a red accent around the sole. There are seven other sneaker designs in the set, but all are stunning and high-quality.
Adidas has collaborated with Pokemon to create several lines of Pokemon shoes and Pokemon sneakers, as Adidas is a well-known and respectable brand to shoe collectors. Adidas regularly releases limited edition, highly-collectible shoes, trainers, sneakers, and much more.
Converse X Pokemon
What could be better than a Pokemon and Chuck Taylor mash-up? There have been a variety of Pokemon Converse shoes created, including ones that were made for kids. These shoes regularly go for over $100 in bids across the internet. One style is a black high-top shoe with the characters Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. Another style is a white high-top shoe with a black print including the characters Meowth, Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu; a red, white, and black Pokeball detail adorns the outer side of the shoes. These shoes were released at the end of 2021.
Most Valuable Pokemon Shoes & Pokemon Sneakers
Akedo X Zavvi Pokemon “Into the Wild” Signature Charizard High Tops
Price: $100
Featuring a black-outline image of Charizard flying over mountains, these stunning high tops are mainly white. These Pokemon shoes have black laces which contrast sharply against the white sneaker material. These “Explorer Collection” shoes were released in August of 2021. As mentioned above, Akedo & Zavvi created a few different types of footwear for consumers and collectors alike.
Akedo x Zavvi Pokemon Charizard Signature High Tops
Price: $100
Similar to the “Into the Wild” high tops, these high tops are crisp, clean, and have lots of visual contrast. These Pokemon sneakers are made with black canvas and sport a different, gray image of Charizard on each shoe. The laces for these shoes are black, as well. These sneakers were part of the “Explorer Collection” released in August of 2021.
Akedo X Zavvi Pokemon 25th Anniversary High Tops
Price: $100
Released as part of the February 2021 25th Anniversary collection, these high tops are black with white Pikachu on the sides. These Pokemon shoes also feature yellow accents on the tongue and the inside edge of the sneaker.
ESPERANZA X Pokemon Pikachu Slip-On Shoes: Japan Exclusive
Price: $120
As mentioned above, a line of slip-on pumps was created in Japan for Women. One pair, for example, sports matte yellow shoe canvas material, printed with black outlined Pikachu. The inner soles of these Pokemon shoes are a vibrant blue and have the ESPERANZA logo with a Pikachu below it.
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star: First Partners & Pokeball
Price: $100-$140
These two sneaker designs were part of the Converse X Pokemon set that was released at the end of 2021. One design, “First Partners,” is a black high top with full-color images of Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander on one side of the sneaker and Meowth on the other. The second design is a white high top with black line drawings of the same Pokemon in a print. A red, black, and white Pokeball adorns the outside edge of this pair of Pokemon shoes. Both pairs of shoes have white laces.
Pokemon Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star: Kids’ Shoes
Price: $100-$250
These shoes come in two different styles: yellow with Pikachu and pink with Jigglypuff. The pink Jigglypuff shoes feature two velcro bands for closure, while the yellow Pikachu Pokemon shoes have both velcro and yellow laces. The toes of the yellow Pikachu shoes have a Pikachu face and tiny ears, while the pink Jigglypuff shoes have white shoe rubber at the toes instead.
Adidas Advantage Pokemon Pikachu Kids’ Shoes
Price: $120-$230
These kids’ shoes were released in 2020 in three different styles: Trainer, Tennis, and Skateboard. The white tennis-style shoes have yellow lightning stripes down the outer sides and Pikachu on the inner sides, while the trainer-style shoes have a simple white background and sport a 16-bit Pikachu on the outside of the shoe. Finally, the skateboard style has canvas fabric printed with a muted gray lightning pattern on a white background, with Pikachu on the inside shoe sides.
Pokemon Center Japan Limited Edition Pikachu Slip-On Shoes
Price: $250-$300
Originally released at Pokemon Centers in Japan, these handsome slip-on Pokemon shoes are a vibrant, Pikachu yellow canvas with a Pikachu print over the yellow background. Black and white accents round out the sole and tongue, while tiny red dots on the fabric from the many Pikachu’s cheeks pop!
Pokemon X Adidas Charizard Basketball Shoes
Price: $250-$500
These black basketball-type sneakers feature an orange-yellow sole and teal blue shoe interior. White stripes adorn the sides of the sneakers, and an image of Charizard is on each sneaker’s tongue. This pair of Pokemon shoes was part of the nine-shoe Adidas collection that was released in July 2020.
Pokemon X Glamb Pikachu Sneakers
Price: $300+
Released in May of 2019 in China, these fuzzy sneakers look just like little Pikachu on your feet! These ultimate Pokemon shoes feature a fuzzy yellow fabric, tiny ears sprouting from the shoes’ tongues, a tail from the top of the heel, and dark brown lightning bolt stripes down the inside and outside of each shoe. Hands-down the ultimate Pokemon sneakers for the collector!
Ultra Rare Pokemon X Converse “Pika Pika” 25th Anniversary Leather Sneakers
Price: $10,000!??
Now, as Pokemon shoes and sneakers are highly collectible, it’s important to remember the following: any collectible’s value is determined directly by supply and demand. As of February 15th, 2022, this pair of sneakers has the eBay Authenticity Guarantee and seems to be the most expensive item for sale. However, items priced too high often come down in price later on. These shoes are simply stunning. Crafted with black leather and canvas, and a gray painted Pikachu with lightning bolds across the side of each shoe, these high tops are amazing!
Do you own a pair of these coveted shoes? If so, did you purchase them at after-market prices, or were you able to snag them on release day? What types of Pokemon collectibles are you interested in?
