TIDEZINE.

Mewtwo Possesses the Samba: adidas x Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collab Comes with a Mini Poké Ball Charm

To celebrate Pokémon's 30th anniversary, adidas has dropped 12 character-themed sneakers, with the "Mewtwo" Samba stealing the show in lavender leather and pearlescent detailing—plus a tiny Poké Ball charm hanging off the laces.

Riley Chang, Sneakers Editor
Mewtwo Possesses the Samba: adidas x Pokémon 30th Anniversary Collab Comes with a Mini Poké Ball Charm

Let's cut to the chase: the cleanest pair in this whole collab is the "Mewtwo" Samba. The lavender leather upper gets a pearlescent finish that nods to the feline Pokémon's signature hue and eerie vibe—even the eyelets have been reworked into the shape of Mewtwo's three-fingered hand. It's a subtle way of baking the character into the design details rather than just slapping a face on the shoe.

This drop marks adidas and Pokémon's collaboration celebrating the brand's 30th anniversary, spanning a full 12 silhouettes. Every pair comes with a mini Poké Ball charm dangling from the laces, basically daring you to try and collect the whole set. Beyond the Samba, the "Mewtwo" theme also extends to the Handball Spezial and ZX 8000—and if a Samba Mary Jane somehow makes the cut, that'd be a pleasant surprise.

adidas and Pokémon last teamed up back around 2020, dropping apparel and sneakers featuring pixel-art-style Pokémon graphics. This reunion, arriving years later, happens to land right on Pokémon's 30th anniversary—and the scale here is clearly a step up from before.

What we know so far: the adidas x Pokémon collection is slated to drop on adidas's official site this September. Exact release date and pricing have yet to be announced.

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