Pokémon is one of the biggest franchises in the world, and it means different things to many people. That's thanks in part to its longevity, which has allowed for several more generations of "pocket monsters" to emerge in pop culture for people young and old to get attached to. That said, it seems like IP wants to lean on the nostalgia for its upcoming video timed to Super Bowl LX, and it picked the perfect creature to warm my millennial heart.
Pikachu is often the go-to mascot for the Pokémon franchise, but the electric yellow mouse is as absent as the sequel for Detective Pikachu in this preview for the 30th anniversary ad. Instead, we see Jigglypuff pacing around and even singing its iconic song. Take a look:
Celebrate 30 years of Pokémon with a special video debuting during Super Bowl LX on February 8! #Pokemon30 pic.twitter.com/gOgvTnlkdWFebruary 4, 2026
There is nothing in the Pokémon franchise that appeals to me more than Jigglypuff singing that iconic song. I'm instantly transported back to watching Kids WB with my sister on Saturday mornings, and laughing my a-- off when everyone would fall asleep mid-performance, and Jigglypuff would draw on their faces.
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As for what this ad is about, this is really all we have to go on outside of the indicator its tied to the 30th anniversary. I would love for there to be a live-action series or new movie announcement, but I wouldn't count on anything beyond the animated movies similar to what we've seen released over the years.
The good news is that there's a solid amount of Pokémon content waiting for fans on streaming, especially if you have a Netflix subscription. In addition to some of the classic shows, there are also newer offerings like Pokémon Concierge that are worth checking out for those who haven't seen them yet.
If I were to put out a big wish, it would be that this is an announcement to give the world an easy way to play the original Pokémon games all over again. I know I would love to give my kid a chance to play Red or Blue, but tracking down a copy is very pricey. Choosing Jigglypuff to promote the commercial feels like a deliberate choice to appeal to an older crowd, however, so I'm expecting this ad to cater more to 30-somethings than a younger crowd.
As someone who is unapologetically nerdy in my 30s, I think Pokémon's video just moved up my list of most-anticipated commercials on the way. I've already seen William Shatner's ad for Raisin Bran and Jurassic Park's tie-in with Xfinity, however, so I could be biased. Maybe when Super Bowl LX finally comes, there will be much nerdier things to talk about by the end of the night.
Super Bowl LX kicks off on NBC and Peacock on Sunday, February 8th. Tune in to see the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks battle to be the NFL's latest champions, or to see Bad Bunny and Jigglypuff in the duet of a lifetime.
