Matt Varga Update: Following early launches of the 8-Ball jackets at Dick’s Sporting Goods and select footwear styles at Foot Locker/Champs, the adidas Pokemon collection is back on track for a wide release on September 22nd. You can catch our original breakdown of what sneakers are in store via the article below.
The Pokémon x adidas 30th Anniversary Footwear Collection is releasing September 2026, and Sneaker News has a full breakdown of what’s to come for adults and kids sizing. First teased at the very tail end of 2025 before retailer imagery recently cropped up, we now have the best look yet at the upcoming adidas Pokémon shoes, with more than a dozen different models spanning popular characters such as Pikachu, Mewtwo, Charizard, Gengar, and more. Read on for a full grasp on what’s coming later this year.
No fewer than fourteen individual shoes are on the way as part of what the Three Stripes and Game Freak have in the works, including several characters that are receiving multiple shoes in their honor. Rather than dissecting the range as a collective, we’ve included images and details regarding every shoe revealed so far in the adidas x Pokemon 30th anniversary capsule below. All are expected to release sometime in September; keep this page handy if you’ll be aiming to catch ’em all as any additional styles surface and/or release details become concrete.
Pokemon x adidas 8-Ball Jackets
Before even jumping into the footwear angle, adidas and Pokemon showed they still had surprises in store when 8-Ball Leather Jackets appeared at retail partners, highlighting Generation One ‘mons Pikachu, Gengar, and Charizard on letterman-like styles. Replete with Pokéball patches on the elbows and tufted depictions of each character, these apparel pieces all retail at $280, expected to drop on September 22nd with a range of additonal wearables.
adidas Superstar and Pro Model “Pikachu”
It only makes sense to begin with the series mascot. Leaning into Pikachu’s iconic status within the franchise, the electrified mouse looks to one of adi’s most storied kicks in the adidas Superstar and the associated Pro Model. One colorway of the Superstar leans into the character’s cutesy side with face badges on the heel, consistent plush suede materiality, and plush ears pinned onto the tongue.
Another takes a subtler route in white and black, utilizing a wall-to-wall character mosaic through the upper. Pokeball lace options and pre-aged trim close out. Finally, the Pro Model reaches for yellow pony hair and adds a full-size Pikachu charm on the heel that almost takes up the entire height of the upper.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Pokemon x adidas Superstar "Pikachu"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
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| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
| Foot Locker | Standard | Coming Soon |
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Mens Pokemon x adidas Superstar "Pikachu"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
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| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
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Mens Pokemon x adidas Pro Model "Pikachu"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
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| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas Handball Spezial, ZX8000 and Samba “Mewtwo”
A second Generation One titan steps into the fold next as Mewtwo stars on the adidas Handball Spezial and Samba. Taking a subtler route than Pikachu’s offerings, the Mewtwo Spezial uses blush gradients on the sole unit and adds a screen-accurate buckle on the heel to replicate the Legendary Pokemon’s form, which is visible on gilded insoles inside.
Another terrace silhouette steps in with the Samba, bearing Mewtwo’s menacing visage on the tongue and a glossy purple heel cup. Arriving in kids’ and adults’ sizing, the smaller size run differs with a solid-color sole. Notably, the upper eyestay is modified to hold three lace holes, a knowing nod to the character’s three fingers. To close, Mewtwo also gets a chunky option; the adidas ZX8000 adds molded TPU ears to the back and a Master Ball lace dubrae while maintaining much of what its predecessors set up in terms of a purple/pink colorway.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Pokemon x adidas Handball Spezial "Mewtwo"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
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Mens Pokemon x adidas Samba "Mewtwo"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
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| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
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Grade School Pokemon x adidas Samba "Mewtwo"
US Sep 2026
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| adidas US | Standard | Check Site |
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Mens Pokemon x adidas ZX 8000 "Mewtwo"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
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| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas ZX500 Megaride F50,adidas adiStar Control 5 “Rayquaza”
Another Legendary Pokemon is up next, as adidas issues two colorways for Generation Three’s Rayquaza. It’s perhaps fitting, given that we jump forward several years in the franchise’s history, that some futuristic silhouettes are on tap.
Before those next-gen icons take center stage, the adidas ZX500 tackles a simple adaptation of the lizard’s green/red/yellow, with alternating lace dubraes toggling between its face and a PokeBall. The adidas Megaride F50 then takes over, adding a massive lace shroud, replete with the Mon’s glowing yellow etchings. The entire upper is draped in scaly materials to match. Then, the Y2K-style adidas adiStar Control 5 hits a similar arrangement, leaning on its usual mesh and synthetics but adding real shine and shimmer to its base layer to make itself worthy of the sky deity.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Pokemon x adidas ZX 500 "Rayquaza"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
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Mens Pokemon x adidas F50 Tunit "Rayquaza"
US Sep 2026
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| adidas US | Standard | Check Site |
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Mens Pokemon x adidas Adistar Control 5 "Rayquaza"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
| Foot Locker | Standard | Coming Soon |
| Champs | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas Superstar “Charmander”
Staring down Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle was truly the first major choice in the series’ history. With due respect to the Water- and Grass-types, the adidas Pokemon collection makes its preferences obvious by issuing three shoes for the Charmander evolution line. The adidas Superstar is where the baby lizard manifests, setting flame to the Three Stripes on a white/yellow/orange colorway.
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Mens Pokemon x adidas Superstar "Charmander"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas Superstar “Charmeleon”
Though Charmander becomes Charmeleon, the silhouette stays the same for the second of this trio. Hitting on the character’s physiology, the shell toe turns to Predator-style branding with a darker shade of red matching the middle child’s coloring.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Pokemon x adidas Superstar "Charmeleon"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
| Foot Locker | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas Superstar “Charizard”
Finally, Ash’s defiant team member croups up on the adidas Superstar “Charizard.” This pair is most notable for removable wing lace attachments but makes good on the winged beast even with those out of the picture. Scaly orange uppers meet softer fabric collars in green to approximate the Fire/Flying hero.
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Mens Pokemon x adidas Superstar "Charizard"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas adiStar Control 3 “Ghastly”
Generation One’s sole Ghost-type line gets a shoe in the final set of what’s been revealed so far. The adidas Pokemon effort drops a version of the adiStar Control 3 for Ghastly with a nocturnal purple-on-black palette to match the Pokemon’s hazy design.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Pokemon x adidas AdiStar Control 3 "Ghastly"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas adiStar Control 5 “Haunter”
Haunter sees its spiky geometry influence the adidas adiStar Control 5, as a suede tongue with jagged wings makes that inspiration clear. The rest of the shoe leans primarily on purple, though some pink traction below represents its tongue.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens Pokemon x adidas Adistar Control 5 "Haunter"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
| Foot Locker | Standard | Coming Soon |
| Champs | Standard | Coming Soon |
adidas adiStar XLG 2.0 “Gengar”
Finally, the adidas adiStar XLG 2.0 “Gengar” goes perhaps the furthest in all of the capsule in recreating the character’s in-game appearance. Mirrored eyes that jut out of the synthetic side walls meet patches of white mesh at the toe so that, when viewed from above, the shoe overall perfectly mirrors Gengar’s menacing visage.
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Mens Pokemon x adidas AdiStar XLG 2.0 "Gengar"
US 09/22/2026 Tuesday
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| Retailer | Release type | Status |
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| adidas US | Standard | Coming Soon |
