Captured one-by-one only after you order to ensure its good health!

Fantastic! These Pikachus were straight from the Pikachu forest, and the seller wrote that a 60-minute video showing how to raise and care for the Pikachu would be included as well. While we're guessing the seller didn't successfully unload any of this "limited edition" for US$900 million. Man, some people are so cheap.

Pika Auction [Yahoo Auction Watch Thanks, Matt!]

In fact, they named it because both the character and the protein are fast acting little guys. And of course, normal transmission of visual information to your brain has a lot to do with gaming, so the name might be an homage to that, too.

Researchers: 'Pikachurin' protein linked with kinetic vision [The Yomiuri Shimbun, via Destructoid, thanks reader Estee W.]

Circuit-bent Pikachu instruments [Pink Tentacle]

Reader Irving M. sent me that. It's like a big bag of Lay's. I can't watch it just once. Bet you can't either.

It's off to E3. By the time you read this I'll probably be in LA. Anyone coming to the party tonight, I will be there in the infamous I Heart Hot Moms shirt from Grand Theft Auto: DUI. Oh yeah, I cosplay myself. Wow, just blew my own mind there for a second.

Here's some highlights from the weekend of tomfoolery that was:

Microsoft Announce 60GB 360, Confirm 20GB Price-Cut
Super Chuck Norris Bros. — Wait, This is *Real*?
Rock Band 2 Gameplay Trailer
Predictions on the Future of Gaming
Game Marathons: Fad, or Going the Distance?
Why Korea Matters: Learning from Difference

Dogsfather @ deviantART [via Dtoid]

Check out those shoulder joints. DREAMLAND, no?

Hit the jump for another Pikacap.

Pikachu Cap [Strictly Fitteds]

Hit the jump for a look at the puzzle boxes.

The bag's other side.

Seconds after this, my kid ate that Pikachu cookie, which he said was "good."

The only reason I love this pumpkin is because I can pretend that the second image is actually of Pikachu ablaze, screaming his little heart out as his neon yellow fuz turns to ash and his obviously pink skin blisters.

Bought this for Mini-Bash. It's a collaboration between The Pokémon Company and UNI-QLO, Japan's answer to The Gap. Until July 15th, the retailer is selling these shirts to help promote the upcoming Pokémon anime. What I like best? The label. Brian Ashcraft

Over the weekend, the fam and I went shopping. It was at one of those huge, American-style shopping malls that are geared towards families with kids. Since these shopping centers are quite large and since small children get tired easily, stroller-type shopping cards are provided. Usually, they look like cars, but this mall had Pokémon ones — like with Pikachu and everything. There were also Hamtaro, Doraemon, Ultraman, Anpanman, Thomas the Train and Mickey Mouse. All bases, covered! Brian Ashcraft

Here's a fan-made take on Pokémon doing the Haruhi dance — an amazing take at that! Pikachu's small arms make the dance movements somewhat difficult, but in a cute way. Hit the jump for the original in all its original glory. Brian Ashcraft

You gotta start somewhere when you start studying Japanese. When I began learning katakana many moons ago, my teacher was Hello Kitty. Yes, I first purchased a Sanrio writing book in a Tokyo bookstore. And this was after I had sex for the first time — with another person, even! So sad. Reader Lord Jezo sent this along:

I spotted this book at Mitsuwa (the premier East Coast Japanese supermarket in the New York City area) over the past weekend. It seems that Pikachu has moved on from selling people soda and is now trying to teach Japanese folks katakana.

I hope Ashcraft is filling out applications for himself, Lil' Bash and his wife. This thing will probably go for big bucks (and yen) on eBay. Michael McWhertor

Pokémon Center Nintendo DS Lite Pikachu Edition [Pokémon]

Chronicle Books sent along a copy of Japan Schoolgirl Inferno for me to peruse. Really enjoyed the book and do recommend picking it up. Besides covering gaming, I'm been writing about Japanese schoolgirls for something like the past three years for Wired Mag, contributing to its "Japanese Schoolgirl Watch." Anyone who's lived in Japan for an extended period of time will tell you that the styles, tastes and even make-up of teenage girls are always changing. A few years back, girls started wearing Pooh Bear, Hamtaro, and Pikachu costumes in public. Called "Kigurumin" ("ethnic mascot" in Japanese), the trend died out by 2004 when gals realized there were better things to wear than Pikachu costumes. Thank gawd! Brian Ashcraft

Food for Though Nintendo Cake Pans [The Tanooki]

What did you have for lunch today? This is what Mini-Bash ate. (I had soba.) Mrs. Bashcraft wakes up early to make his lunch. And in Japan, parents try to make lunch fun and cute so that children will eat it. See that moppet below? That's Mini-Bash in his pilgrim-style school uniform. And that pink Anpanman thingy? That's an award for eating his lunch (boxed and school) everyday this past month. As much as I loathe Pokémon, it can't be *that* bad, can it? Yes, yes it can. Brian Ashcraft

Look! It's a bunch DS Lite demo stations behind glass. And it's in a shopping mall. In Korea. Brandon Sheffield at Insert Credit points to this classy set-up. It's even got Totoro and Pikachu and Ash! What else could you ask for? Brian Ashcraft

Korea DS Demo [AVING.net via Insert Credit]

300 meets Pokémon matches up a little too well. Like I'd actually want to see this movie, and I *hate* Pikachu and co. Brian Ashcraft

This is Pikachu! [Arroganitcs, Thanks, lawl!]

Take the guess work out of trying to figure out what a Pickachu or a Charmander would look like if they were on the Discovery Channel instead of Fox Kids. With the help of some photoshop skills (by some, I mean some more than others), the winners of the "Real Life Pokemon" contest have revealed 62 of the finest pokemon characters over at
Worth 1000. Kim Phu

Pokemon [Worth 1000 via Wii See]

Back in 2001, before Kotaku even existed and Nintendo was feeling zany, these three pairs of $2,000 shoes were designed by a custom orthopedic shoe creator for the game maker's 2001 Style Campaign. Nintendo described them as geared for "club kids with attention deficit disorder." Not sure which is worse: The shoes, the price tag or the description. Brian Ashcraft

Shoe Fashion in 2001 Was Nutso [Manolo's Shoe Blog, Thanks Art!]

Love him or hate him, former Kotaku writer Florian Eckhardt has a special sense of humor. So special that he's over at Wired Digital's blog Table of Malcontents, writing under the unbelievably fake name of "John Brownlee." Well, Flor sent along something he'd tapped out, saying that Kotaku-land might be interested. Before we delve on in, know that this is slash fiction written at the request of fellow ToM blogger Annalee Newitz. Okay! On to Florian:

Pikachu. Lightning of my life, Charizard of my loins. My sin, my soul. Pee-ka-choo: the tip of the tongue pressed behind the teeth, followed by a sneeze. Pee. Ka. Choo.

He was Peeka, plain Peeka, in the morning, standing two foot three on one paw. He was Pika in the Pokeball He was Chewie at the gym. He was PUSSY in the Pokedex. But in my arms he was always Pikachu.

Did he have a precursor? He did, indeed he did. In point of fact, there might have been no Pikachu at all had I not loved, one summer, a certain initial lightning-struck ferret...

With horrified apologies to Vladimir Nabokov. Blame Annalee.

Interesting Bashcraft fact: When I was in university, I actually lived round the corner of where Nabokov wrote Lolita. Brian Ashcraft

Nabokov Meets Pikachu [ToM]

Ever wondered who voiced Pikachu? Here's a clip of Ikue Otani, the character's voice, on Sanma Palace impressing the audience and freaking out young children. Know that this only makes my Pokemon hate worse. Way worse. Brian Ashcraft

File this under "zomg-not-news-where's-my-news," but tonight's homecooking was tasty miso udon with Pikachu kamaboko. Hey Japan (and Ashcraft family), ease up on the Pokémon. Some of us hate it with all the spitfire of hell. Brian Ashcraft

Mmmmmm..BRAINS!

In honor of Halloween, "everything by everyone" website NewGrounds held an art contest. The rules were simple, draw your favorite video game character as a zombie. They ran it for a month and received so many sick submissions that they actually expanded the amount of winners and prizes. I saw zombie Chun-Li with her zombie nipples showing and zombie Lara Croft licking her own zombie nipples stripper style. And these weren't even the winners!

There were two first prizes: The first went to Deks for his truly terrifying zombie Pikachu while the other went to Steven-M for his Zombie Mario. Other winners included a zombie Sam Fisher, the entire zombie cast of Chrono Cross and zombie Sonic, zombie Knuckles and zombie Doctor Robotnik fighting MegaMan a la Army of Darkness.

Check out all the winners at the official contest forum. I would highly recommend checking out the entire thread and seeing all the entries. Believe me, you won't want to miss those zombie nipples! Zombie Flynn De Marco

[via Destructoid]

kaseoshacho's photostream [Flickr]

It's inevitable that a character as popular as Pikachu would span a crappy knock-offs. Loads of them. A Japanese site has put together a collection of phony Pocket Monster plush toys, candy and other "stuff." Each entry features a pic, along with a description and the location where the goods were spotted. Helpful for people who've never seen a real Pikachu! Hit the jump for our Pika-fake favs. Brian Ashcraft

Too fat!

Too sad!

Too fucked up! (And WHAT did they do to Anpanman?!)

Eh...

Pikachu Fakes [Pachigets]

Pikachu is not your friend. Doesn't matter if toy maker Tomy has dubbed this torture device "Tomodachi Pikachu" (Friend Pikachu), the yellow pocket monster is the enemy and must be destroyed. And the 150 plus Pika words this stuffed demon speaks, thereby encouraging small children like my son to repeat over and over again? Hogwash. Those red light-up cheeks are a mere foreshadow to the blinding rage the product will ultimately unleash. That being said, I'll probably buy it for my son's birthday. Brian Ashcraft

PikaToy [Game Watch Impress]

Not a cure for a hang-over, but close. In Japan, hungry folks coming home from bars chow down on a bowl of ochazuke, which is, simply put, green tea poured over rice with some sort of topping. The dish is eaten by non-beer-imbibing children as well—hence, this Pokemon ochazuke. Even knowing my deep irrational hatred for all things Poke, my three-year-old just had to have this. To piss me off, if anything, I'm sure. Brian Ashcraft