in October 1996, Bandai released the first set of Pokemon Kids, a series of soft vinyl finger puppet figures that were mostly released in Japan [although there were some special releases in Europe and Australia]. each toy comes packaged in a box with a collectible card as well as a piece of candy. there were special clear figures that could be found as secret variants up until the release of the B/W figures.

depicted above are the 8 figures that were in the first set, which, unlike the Pokemon Kids figures manufactured today, were released in a blind box.

source: Pokemon Kids on Bulbapedia

Pocket Monsters. 4koma comic (1998)

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