It’s been 30 years since the trading card game Pokémon was released and became a global phenomenon, and its fans are still feeling the franchise's legendary pull.
To mark the occasion, The Pokémon Company released a limited 30th Anniversary card set at major retailers like Target and Walmart — and for the first time, it was put on shelves the same day globally.
As collectors’ demand for the cards has quickly outpaced supply, prices have already skyrocketed for cards and booster pack boxes. It’s not an uncommon trend for Pokémon fans, who’ll go to great lengths to complete their collections and hunt down their grails.
To learn more about the hobby and the cherished history that many Pokémon fans remember, HPR spoke with Reese Felix, co-owner of Aloha Card Shop in Kakaʻako.
“The deeper you get into it, there's so many different ways to collect,” Felix told HPR. “There's just so many different artists, and it's cool to see your favorite Pokémon, these creatures that you have emotional attachment to, be represented in all these different unique ways.”
His favorite Pokémon is “Alolan Raichu,” an appropriately Hawaiian-themed version of Pikachu’s final evolution.
Still, 30 years is long enough for some collectors to remember a simpler time for their hobby; one that didn’t involve the headaches of limited releases and soaring secondhand prices.
“I think it sucks,” Felix admitted. “I miss the days where you could just walk into the store, no problem, buy stuff.”
Now, the process of acquiring new cards has gone from a five-minute walk-in to an overnight campout.
On the morning of the 30th Anniversary, HPR spoke with Pokémon fans who had been camping by Ala Moana Center awaiting the release.
“I am a grandma, and I am sitting in line,” said one prospective shopper. “The trend is going to still be quite hot, and I'll be sitting in long lines for quite a while.”
Many spent the night in the parking lot equipped with little more than camping chairs.
“You have to either sit on the floor or sleep in your chair, and it's really uncomfortable,” another fan told HPR. “I have class at 10:30, so I’ve got to get to that.”
At the end of the day, it’s a testament to the enduring love that Pokémon fans have and how meaningful the franchise has become for those who grew up with it — especially in Hawaiʻi.
“Anime and manga and all that kind of stuff has gotten really popular worldwide in the last five to 10 years, but it's always been popular here, so we have like deep roots with these cultural aspects,” Felix explained.
“I've made tons of friends playing it. It's just a good community thing, honestly. It's just hard not to love it.”
This story aired on The Conversation on Sept. 16, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
