When I first started hearing rumours towards the end of last year about LEGO potentially launching an official Pokémon theme in 2026, I didn’t give them too much weight. Pokémon rumours circulate constantly, and while the idea sounded exciting, it also felt a little too good to be true.
I’d already seen some fantastic Pokémon builds from other brands — particularly MEGA Construx — and while they looked impressive, I never truly expected LEGO to step into the Pokémon world themselves. As a casual Pokémon fan but a long-time LEGO collector, the idea of the two coming together felt like the kind of crossover you dream about rather than expect to actually happen.
And yet… here we are.
Over the past few days, LEGO has finally revealed what they’ve been working on, and after spending some time looking through the sets, I thought it would be fun to sit down and share my thoughts — from those early rumours, to the official reveal, and where I hope the theme goes next.
Early Rumours and Skepticism
One of my biggest questions when the rumours first surfaced wasn’t if LEGO could make Pokémon sets — it was how they would approach them.
LEGO designers are incredible when it comes to buildings, vehicles, and large display pieces, but Pokémon themselves are organic, character-driven designs. Capturing that level of accuracy while still keeping everything recognisably “LEGO” felt like a real challenge. I also struggled to imagine what the sets would actually look like.
Would LEGO focus purely on buildable Pokémon?
Would we see locations like Pokémon Centres or Gyms?
Could minifigures like Ash or Professor Oak ever work?
Would the inspiration come from the games, the anime, or a mix of both?
At the same time, the rumours teased some very popular fan-favourite Pokémon — the kind that would be instant classics if LEGO got them right. Now that the first wave has been officially revealed, it’s clear that those early leaks weren’t far off at all.
Eevee (72151) – £54.99 / 587 Pieces
We’ll start with Eevee, the most affordable set in the first Pokémon wave — and I use the word affordable lightly.
At £54.99 for 587 pieces, Eevee comes in at roughly 9p per piece, which actually makes the price easier to swallow. And honestly? I was very impressed when I first saw it.
The design comes incredibly close to the real thing. The shaping, the textures used to recreate Eevee’s fur, and the overall proportions are all spot-on. It genuinely looks like Eevee, rather than a blocky approximation of one.
One small detail I loved was the set number: 72151. Whether intentional or not, it feels like a subtle nod to the original 151 Pokémon — and if that is deliberate, it’s a really nice touch.
Sticker usage also seems minimal, with the eyes likely being the only stickers in the set, which is always a big plus for display pieces. It’s a simple build overall, but a very strong one. I can easily see this appealing to both younger fans and adult collectors alike, and I expect it to be one of the most popular sets in the wave.
Pikachu and Poké Ball (72152) – £179.99 / 2,050 Pieces
There was never any doubt that Pikachu would appear in the first LEGO Pokémon wave — it would have been impossible not to include it.
At £179.99, though, this set immediately jumps into a much higher price bracket, making it inaccessible for many fans. That said, the price-per-piece works out at around 8p per piece, which is actually quite reasonable on paper.
My initial reaction was mixed. At first glance, it didn’t immediately wow me — but the more I looked at it, the more it grew on me. I wasn’t completely sold on the bulbous cheeks at first, but I think that might just be down to some unflattering promo angles rather than the build itself.
The Poké Ball is a highlight for me. I like that it opens, and the shaping looks clean and well-proportioned. Pikachu being slightly poseable is also a nice touch, allowing for some variation in how it’s displayed.
That said, I’m not entirely convinced by the display stand. The lightning bolt shape is clever, and the translucent lightning elements are a great idea — although I do think clear yellow would have been more accurate than blue. Personally, I think the set actually looks best without the stand, with just Pikachu and the Poké Ball on display.
I can’t help feeling that this could have been a more affordable set if the stand had been removed and the piece count lowered. It’s a strong concept, but for me, the final execution doesn’t quite justify the steep price tag.
Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise (72153) – £579.99 / 6,383 Pieces
This was easily the set I was most excited for — and in many ways, LEGO has delivered exactly what I expected.
Each of the three Pokémon comes with its own detailed environment that reflects its type, and I really love the way the display has been handled. The fact that the base can be split into three separate sections or displayed together as one large piece adds a lot of flexibility.
Blastoise is the standout for me — I think they absolutely nailed the design. Venusaur and Charizard also look great, and I like how Charizard’s raised platform subtly gives it visual dominance when the trio is displayed together.
There’s no getting around the price, though. At £579.99, this set is very clearly aimed at serious collectors. And while I have no doubt it will be hugely popular, I can also see it becoming a heavily scalped item — something Pokémon fans are unfortunately already very familiar with.
At the time of writing, this set is already appearing on the secondary market for vastly inflated prices, with listings exceeding £1,000. LEGO is also offering a special Gift With Purchase for those who pre-order, but I expect those to disappear almost instantly.
Kanto Region Badge Collection (40892) – Gift With Purchase
Sticking with the Kanto-only focus of the first wave, the Gift With Purchase is a small Kanto Region Badge Collection, available exclusively with pre-orders of set 72153.
In all honesty, it’s a bit underwhelming. The build is small, the badge details rely entirely on stickers, and there are no printed elements. If you miss out on this GWP, it’ll likely be easy enough to recreate once the instructions are available using Pick-a-Brick or your own collection.
That said, I do like the presentation box the badges sit in, and it makes for a neat display piece alongside the larger sets. It’s not something I’d ever buy on its own, but as a free addition to an already expensive purchase, it’s a nice bonus.
What I’d Love to See Next
Looking ahead, I’m really curious to see where LEGO takes the Pokémon theme next. There’s a limited number of iconic buildings they can realistically create, so I suspect future waves will continue to focus heavily on buildable Pokémon.
That said, there are a few ideas I think would be huge hits:
- A Pokémon Centre or Poké Mart with minifigures — something I’m genuinely surprised we didn’t get straight away
- Team Rocket’s hot air balloon, which feels perfectly suited to LEGO
- A large, display-focused Rayquaza — its angular design could translate beautifully into bricks
There’s so much potential here, and I really hope LEGO isn’t afraid to experiment beyond just individual Pokémon builds.
Final Thoughts
The Eevee and Pikachu & Poké Ball sets are already available for pre-order, with the full wave — including Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise — officially releasing on 27th February.
Overall, this feels like a strong, if slightly cautious, first step into the Pokémon world for LEGO. Some sets hit the mark more than others, but the foundation is solid — and the long-term potential is massive.
So, what do you think of the first wave of LEGO Pokémon sets?
Will you be picking any up — or are you waiting to see what comes next?
Will you catch them all?
The Life of J 
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