Pokémon Van Gogh exhibit includes exclusive Pikachu trading card
UPDATE: Beware of possible scalpers.
UPDATE 2.00pm UK: Possible scalpers have already descended on the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam to grab the exclusive Pokémon merch.
Videos have been posted online - and shared by Serebii.net's Joe Merrick - of chaotic crowds of people grabbing as much merch as possible.
"This makes me so sad and is why we can’t have nice things," said Merrick. "I saw so many wanting to go over in the first few days just to get any card and merch to resell. This is not an acceptable practice. If you do that, shame on you."
Some merchandise from the event is set to be available online, though the range is yet to go live on the Pokémon Center webstore. In the meantime, videos such as below suggest scalpers may now attempt to sell the merchandise at inflated prices.
This makes me so sad and is why we can’t have nice things
— Joe Merrick (@JoeMerrick) September 28, 2023
I saw so many wanting to go over in the first few days just to get any card and merch to resell. This is not an acceptable practice. If you do that, shame on you. https://t.co/vVHLHhVyZ1
ORIGINAL STORY 11.30am UK: The Pokémon exhibition at the Van Gogh Musuem in Amsterdam opens today, and full details of it have now been made public - including a first look at its exclusive Pikachu trading card.
As you might expect, the Van Gogh Pikachu is designed to look like he was painted by the Dutch master himself. Better yet, the trading card is free - if you can make the trip over and visit in person.
The Van Gogh exhibit is open from today, 28th September, until 7th January 2024.
The exhibition itself is limited to six paintings of Pokémon, drawn in Van Gogh's style. These include the Pikachu artwork used on the exclusive trading card, inspired by Van Gogh's self-portrait Grey Felt Hat (1887).
You can also find Sunflora hidden in a variant of Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers (1889), plus Snorlax and Munchlax relaxing in a work inspired by The Bedroom (1888).
Finally, and of course, there's merchandise. This includes prints of the artwork on T-shirts, cards, notebooks, some of which will also be made for sale online via the official Pokémon Center webstore (though the range is yet to go live there at the time of writing).
Best of all, there's even a Van Gogh Pikachu plush, and a more solid-looking Pikachu figurine.
If you're interested in making the trip over the next few months, it's worth noting that you cannot buy tickets to the museum in-person. Attendance is sold online and you should aim to book as early as possible, as from experience it tends to sell out!