Cuddling up with Pokémon Sun and Moon’s Rowlet, Litten and Popplio

Pokémon Sun and Moon put us in an interesting position. This generation, we’re blessed with a group of starters that are equally endearing. Each one has its own fanbase, due to their adorable appearances. (We here at Michibiku, for example, are on Team Rowlet.) While this may cause some difficult decisions when people begin their journeys in the latest Nintendo 3DS game this weekend, there’s one instance in which everyone wins. The Pokémon Center official plush toys for these three characters are fantastic.

I was fortunate enough to acquire all three of the Pokémon Sun and Moon starters this month. Each one of these 6.5″ toys is exactly what you’d expect from an official Pokémon Center toy. The details are exact and they’re made of the highest quality materials. That means they look more accurate than the standard Tomy Pokémon plushies you’ll see in stores like Toys R Us, as well as feel more soft and fluffy. Clearly, The Pokémon Company made sure to focus on each character’s most lovable qualities when creating these.

We’ll start with Rowlet, because I’m of the firm belief Rowlet is the best. There are two different kinds of fabric here, so the underside of his beak and his talons are of a coarser material. The rest of him is soft and fluffy, with embroidered eyes. I especially appreciate the extra touches on his back. Part of his feathery fluff is clearly defined and overlaps on the back. His tail is also designed to look exactly like a leaf, as is his bowtie.

The Rowlet plush’s major selling point is his squishiness. He’s perfectly plump. This spherical little guy is great for a hug. I’ve even inadvertantly used him as a makeshift pillow while playing games, propping my chin on the back of his head.

If you’re looking for an extraordinarily detailed Pokémon Sun and Moon plush, then Litten is your kitten. Of the three, it has the most decorative accents and colors. There are again, different kinds of fabric used, so the yellow of the eyes and inner ears feel coarser than the rest of the adorably soft plush. There is also additional embroidery around his face, which means yellow accent dots in his eyes and red and yellow outlines around his tabby markings and eyes. What I especially appreciated was the sturdiness of the whiskers, as they don’t feel like they’ll ever fall or rip off.

Like Rowlet, Litten has something going on in the back. His tail is quite a little marvel. The Pokémon Company perfectly captured the tuft of fur at the end with a solid little puff. Unfortunately, you can’t curl it around his body so it can be seen from the front. It’s sewn into place on his back. This offers a very definite pose, but also hides one of his most detailed features.

Finally, we have Popplio. Though all three of these characters are supposedly 6.5″ tall, it feels like Popplio is the most imposing figure of the bunch. Maybe it’s his large nose and giant flippers? It can feel like he towers over Litten and Rowlet when all three are on display.

In a way, I think it helps what’s one of the least detailed figures stand out. Rowlet has intricate feathers. Litten is crazy detailed with its tabby markings. All Popplio has is his frill and nose. The former of which is exceptionally soft and fluffy, and the latter is, again, slightly rough and pink. I almost wish a more leathery material had been used for his nose, to be honest, but he’s still a lovely figure. With his size and shape, I find him to be the one I use for cuddling most, as his flippers perfectly fit over my arms.

All three of the Pokémon Sun and Moon starter stuffed animals are well-made and cuddly individuals. Each one is incredibly soft, which means they’re good for actually snuggling, and accurate, which is helpful for displaying. They’re now available through the Pokémon Center and GameStop. The standard size toys are $14.99 each.