Snivy Kimekomi Doll Is Both Traditional and Modern

Mataro Doll has opened up pre-orders of a kimekomi doll resembling Snivy from Pokemon. It’ll ship out in mid-January 2025 and it’ll cost 19,800 JPY (approximately $130.15). [Thanks, Game Watch!]

This Snivy is not the first Pokemon Kimekomi doll from Mataro Doll. It previously released dolls like Eevee and Dratini. Close-ups of the Snivy doll reveal the details that went into crafting it. It comes with a ribbon around its neck, as well as a traditional Japanese stand for displaying.

Kimekomi dolls are a traditional Japanese doll originating from Edo. They’re small wooden dolls wearing silk textiles, with some families purchasing them for luck or protection. Because of how it’s made, artisans are free to create dolls that resemble animals or in this case, Pokemon.

Snivy is the Grass-type starter Pokemon from Generation V, or Black and White. Since Ash in the anime owned a Snivy, it gets a decent amount of screentime, making it a familiar Pokemon even for those who don’t play the game. Snivy eventually evolves into Serperior, which resembles a snake rather than the lizard that Snivy is. Details of its design, such as its half-lidded eyes and the large leaf on its tail, also appear on the kimekomi doll.

The latest entry in the Pokemon series, Scarlet and Violet, is readily available on the Nintendo Switch. While you can catch Snivy in the game, you need to have the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC to find it.