PokéFig
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History and timeline of Pokémon figure manufacturers

Who held the license, when, and how each figure line was born and evolved (1996–today)

🎬 30 years of Pokémon figures — video overview

History and timeline of Pokémon figure manufacturers

Tap the infographic to zoom · interactive timeline below

  1. 1996OctBandai⭐

    Bandai launches Pokémon Kids (soft vinyl, candy toy) in Japan — the FIRST mass-produced Pokémon figures, predating Tomy.

  2. 1997AprTomy⭐

    Tomy begins producing its first Pokémon figures in Japan.

  3. 1997Tomy⭐

    Monster Collection (MonColle) 1st generation (Kanto, ~5 cm PVC) debuts, sold at Pokémon Centers. Backbone of the catalog.

  4. 1998Bandai

    The Full Color Stadium / Full Color Collection gashapon line kicks off (Gen I, 151 Pokémon, various poses).

  5. 1998MayHasbro⭐

    Hasbro licenses Pokémon for the West via Nintendo + 4Kids Entertainment.

  6. 1998NovHasbro⭐

    Battle Figures (2 in + Poké Ball + Battle Disc) launch in the US — later followed by Poké Ball Blaster, Poké-Packs, Grabber Ball, Deluxe Trainers.

  7. 1998Auldey

    Auldey (Asia, under the Tomy umbrella) produces character figures (Ash & Misty, Team Rocket).

  8. 1999Tomy US

    The 'Pokémon Figure Collection' (the 'black box' vinyl figures, ~1999–2000) is distributed in the US/West.

  9. 2000Bandai

    Battle Museum (Full Color Stadium rebranded for Gold/Silver/Crystal; 13 sets, Jan 2000–Feb 2001).

  10. 2001Hasbro

    Johto League Champions (W11-12 domes + W13 open); Hasbro toy production winds down ~2001 as the craze cools in the West.

  11. 2002Hasbro

    Master Quest + Shining/Super Brilliant set (the 10/10 shiny set). Hasbro retains the TCG (Wizards) until 2003.

  12. 2003AugZukan

    Zukan 1/40 figures (scale dioramas) debut — originally Yujin, later Takara Tomy ARTS.

  13. 2004Tomy⭐

    Relaunch of MonColle 2nd generation (after ~7 years); AG series (Ruby/Sapphire). 2nd series runs up to #251 ('Yellow' blister + Black).

  14. 2005Tomy

    MonColle 3rd generation — the first in boxes instead of blister packs.

  15. 2005Jakks

    Jakks Pacific — Battle Frontier era in the US (per PokéFig catalog 2005–07).

  16. 2006MarTakara Tomy⭐

    Takara + Tomy merge into Takara Tomy (Tomy founded 1924, Takara 1955).

  17. 2006JunJakks⭐

    Jakks Pacific signs the MASTER toy license for the West (2006–2013). Diamond & Pearl era 2007–11 = the biggest one (274 figs).

  18. 2009JunTakara Tomy

    MonColle plus launches (interactive electronic figures with data).

  19. 2011Tomy

    MonColle continues into Black & White (Gen V). Jakks: Black & White era (2011–13).

  20. 2013Tomy International⭐

    Jakks ends; TOMY International signs the GLOBAL master license (outside Asia): figures, plush, accessories. MonColle continues in XY (Gen VI). Clip'n'Carry (2013), Trainer's Choice (2014).

  21. 2014MegaHouse

    MegaHouse G.E.M. — premium PVC trainer+Pokémon line (statues).

  22. 2016DecTakara Tomy⭐

    Reboot as Moncolle EX alongside Sun & Moon (Gen VII); ~2 in, greater detail. EMC/ESP/EHP lines. Tomy US: Mega 20th anniversary packs.

  23. 2017MayWicked Cool Toys

    The Pokémon Company International names Wicked Cool Toys (WCT) as western master licensee.

  24. 2018JulWicked Cool Toys

    TOMY International ends its master partnership; WCT takes over (all regions except Asia).

  25. 2019OctJazwares⭐

    Jazwares acquires Wicked Cool Toys and inherits the master license — CURRENT western licensee. Battle Feature (2019), Battle Figure (2020).

  26. 2019NovTakara Tomy

    The modern line is renamed 'Moncolle', split into MS (standard) and ML (large) series; numbers recycled per wave.

  27. 2021Jazwares

    25th Anniversary Silver; followed by Select Translucent/Metallic/Iridescent (2022–25) and Epic Battle.

  28. 2026Bandai / Takara Tomy

    30th Anniversary runs currently underway (Bandai Pokémon Kids still going strong; MonColle 30th 'starter trio' 1 set per region/gen).

Each maker, in brief

Tomy / Takara-Tomy (MonColle, JP)The backbone. 1997→today.

Eras: 1st ed MC-01..96 (1996-2001; 'Monster Collection' + 'Monster Ball Collection' blisters only MC-01..12; boxed sets A-I/P/DX/Toyota) → 2nd series up to #251 (2004, yellow blister + Black) → AG (2004) → DP → BW (2011) → XY → MonColle EX (2016, EMC/ESP/EHP) → MS/ML renewal (2019) → 30th (2026).

Japan (Takara Tomy / Takara Tomy ARTS), sold at Pokémon Centers.

Tomy USA / Tomy International (Occidente)Two distinct eras.

Eras: (a) 'Pokémon Figure Collection' black box ~1999-2000; (b) western master license 2013–Jul 2018 (Clip'n'Carry, Trainer's Choice, Action Pose, Mega 20th packs).

China; western distribution.

Hasbro (US/EU)Western license 1998–~2001.

Eras: Battle Figures S1/S2 (1999-2000) → Poké Ball Blaster / Grabber Ball / Deluxe Trainers / Poké-Packs → THINKChip (2000) → Johto League Champions (2001) → Master Quest + Shining/Super Brilliant (2002) → Target Special · Power Pokés (EU).

China; US/EU packaging variants documented (93 posts @pokeshinyfinds).

Bandai (JP)The elder statesman of Japanese candy toys.

Eras: Pokémon Kids soft vinyl 1996→today (1,700+ documented: regular, clear, shiny, DX) · Full Color Stadium (1998-99) → Battle Museum (2000-01) → Full Color Advance (Gen III) · Scale World 1/20 (2019→, 142 sets).

Japan (gashapon / candy toy).

Zukan 1/40 (JP)Scale dioramas, prized for accuracy.

Eras: Yujin → Takara Tomy ARTS. RSE (2004) → DP → BW → XY (sets numbered by region).

Japan (gashapon).

Jakks Pacific (US)Western master license 2006–2013.

Eras: Battle Frontier (2005-07) → Diamond & Pearl (2007-11, the big era: 274 figs) → Black & White (2011-13).

China.

Wicked Cool Toys → Jazwares (US)Current western license chain.

Eras: WCT (2018, bridge) → Jazwares (2019→today): Battle Feature (2019) → Battle Figure (2020) → 25th Silver (2021) → Select Translucent/Metallic/Iridescent (2022-25) → Epic Battle.

China.

OtrosMinor nodes in the timeline.

Eras: Auldey (~1998, character figures) · Banpresto (prize/UFO catcher, various eras) · MegaHouse G.E.M./G.E.M.EX (2014+, premium trainer+Pokémon) · Kaiyodo (occasional promos, e.g. Ho-oh/Lugia HGSS 2010).

Japan (mostly).

🎮 Cross-reference with /historia (games): each game generation ↔ which manufacturer dominated that figure era (e.g. Gen 1 Kanto = Bandai Kids + Tomy 1st ed + Hasbro US; Gen 4 DP = Jakks fat era + MonColle DP).

See the game history →
Methodology & sources (20)

Years based on the PokéFig database (verified in catalog) + research on Bulbapedia/pkmncollectors/MFC/press releases. Where a date comes only from wiki/collector sources it's marked 'verify'. Key corrections: Bandai (Kids, Oct 1996) precedes Tomy MonColle (1997); Jakks held the western license 2006–2013 (NOT 2015–2018); Zukan is Yujin/Takara Tomy ARTS, not Bandai.

  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Monster_Collection
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Takara_Tomy
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Kids
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Zukan_figures
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Battle_Figures
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Hasbro
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Hasbro_electronic_figures
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Jakks_Pacific
  • https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Jazwares
  • https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tomy-international-and-the-pokemon-company-international-sign-multi-year-global-licensing-agreement-171492851.html
  • https://kidscreen.com/2017/05/08/wicked-cool-toys-takes-pokemon-master-toy-license/
  • https://press.pokemon.com/en/The-Pokemon-Company-International-Names-Wicked-Cool-Toys-as-Mast-68876
  • https://kidscreen.com/2019/10/02/jazwares-acquires-wicked-cool-toys/
  • https://www.j-subculture.com/guides/sub/602
  • https://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/products/pokemon/moncolle_ex/lineup/
  • https://pkmncollectors.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_Museum
  • https://pkmncollectors.fandom.com/wiki/Full_Color_Advance
  • https://pkmncollectors.fandom.com/wiki/Monster_Collection
  • https://blog.fromjapan.co.jp/en/anime/japanese-pokemon-figures-guide-overview.html
  • https://myfigurecollection.net/list/184664