Why the 20th Anniversary Collection Seemed to Skip Gen II
TOMY’s Pokémon 20th Anniversary Collection was designed as a year-long celebration of the series, with limited-edition toys arriving in stages throughout 2016. The range included plush figures, Clip ’n’ Carry Poké Balls, action figures and retailer-specific products licensed by Nintendo.
At first glance, the collection appears to give Gen I and later generations more attention than Johto. That impression is understandable, especially for collectors searching for a complete generation-by-generation set. However, the idea that the range had no Gen II mythical Pokémon needs a small but important qualification.
Gen II has only one mythical Pokémon: Celebi. It does not have a large group of mythical characters comparable with the broader Pokémon anniversary roster. As a result, the collection could include Celebi without presenting a clearly identifiable “Gen II wave”.
The apparent omission was therefore shaped by the collection’s marketing format, release calendar and retail strategy rather than by a stated dislike of Johto. TOMY was promoting a rotating anniversary programme, not building a balanced Pokédex display.
| Question | What the collection actually shows | Why it can seem different |
|---|---|---|
| Gen II mythical representation | Celebi had a dedicated place in the anniversary range | One character does not create a visible Gen II sub-range |
| Release structure | Monthly and seasonal products spread attention across many mythical Pokémon | Each launch was promoted as an event rather than a generation |
| Retail access | Some products were tied to particular retailers | Australian collectors could see a different selection from US shoppers |
| Product focus | Plush, Poké Balls and specialty items used different character choices | The full line was not a single uniform checklist |
Celebi was the key Johto exception
Celebi is the only mythical Pokémon introduced in Generation II, and it was recognised within the 20th anniversary programme. TOMY’s Celebi product page is important evidence because it shows that Johto was not completely absent from the collection.
That distinction matters when interpreting old catalogue pages and collector lists. A line can lack a broad Johto theme while still featuring Celebi as an individual anniversary release. Fans who remember seeing Mew, Jirachi or Victini promoted more heavily may reasonably feel that Celebi was overlooked, even though it was included.
Celebi also had a useful role in the Pokémon brand. Its small, recognisable silhouette worked well as a plush, while its time-travelling story connected naturally with a twentieth-anniversary message. The character could be marketed as a special mythical figure without requiring TOMY to produce a full group of Johto products.
The anniversary was organised around characters, not generations
The 2016 programme followed the history of mythical Pokémon across the franchise. That approach allowed TOMY to move from Mew to characters introduced in later games, creating a sense of discovery across the year. It was a commemorative sequence, rather than a complete Generation I, Generation II and Generation III product plan.
This helps explain why the range did not deliver a matching set of starters, legendary Pokémon and mythical Pokémon for every era. Generation II’s mythical category contained only Celebi, while some later generations offered several commercially recognisable characters. A generation-by-generation structure would therefore have produced uneven waves from the beginning.
For collectors, the result can feel like a gap in the Johto story. In commercial terms, however, the selection was probably easier to manage as a series of individual character launches. Each plush or accessory could have its own artwork, packaging and retail moment without waiting for a whole regional assortment.
A single mythical character created a packaging problem
A “Johto mythical Pokémon” assortment would have been difficult to communicate when Celebi was the only qualifying character. Retail packaging generally works best when a theme can be understood quickly, especially in a crowded toy aisle. A single Celebi item was clearer as a standalone anniversary product than as the beginning of a one-character regional range.
This also affected collector expectations. Pokémon fans often sort merchandise by generation, but toy companies may sort it by release date, price point, size or character popularity. The 20th anniversary products were built for display and impulse appeal as much as for encyclopaedic completeness.
Celebi’s inclusion could therefore be easy to miss in photographs of the entire collection. A shelf filled with different mythical Pokémon does not automatically reveal which generation each character belongs to. The visual message was “Pokémon’s mythical history”, not “one representative from every region”.
The release calendar favoured a rolling story
TOMY’s monthly schedule gave the collection a rhythm that kept the anniversary visible throughout 2016. New plush figures and specialty products could be tied to particular months, promotions or retailer campaigns. This encouraged fans to follow the range as it developed instead of buying one complete assortment at launch.
A rolling calendar also meant that some characters received more attention because their release timing fitted seasonal retail priorities. Holiday shopping, major Pokémon promotions and film-related interest could influence which figures received prominent placement. Celebi may have been present in the programme without becoming the headline character of the entire year.
The approach had a practical advantage for Australian fans as well. Stock could arrive at different times through local chains, specialist shops and online sellers, with imported products sometimes appearing after the United States release. A collector in Melbourne or Brisbane might therefore encounter the range in a different order from the one shown in American announcements.
Retail exclusives changed what collectors could see
Retail exclusivity made the collection look less complete when viewed through a single shop. Products associated with Target, Walmart or GameStop were not necessarily available through the same channels, and differences in packaging or character selection could create the impression that one retailer carried the “real” range.
The details are easier to follow through the comparison of retailer exclusives, which shows why product availability was divided between stores. In Australia, the equivalent shopping experience was further complicated by the absence of Walmart as a mainstream local toy chain and by GameStop’s connection with EB Games.
That market structure matters. Australian fans commonly had to check Target, Big W, Kmart, EB Games or imported stockists rather than rely on one national Pokémon shelf. Prices in Australian dollars, shipping costs and limited restocks could all affect which anniversary figures were realistically obtainable.
The product mix was broader than the plush schedule
The collection is often remembered through its mythical Pokémon plush figures, but TOMY also released Clip ’n’ Carry Poké Balls and other specialty toys. These products did not have to follow the same character sequence as the plush range. A character might be prominent in one format while absent from another.
That difference makes a simple checklist potentially misleading. Someone comparing plush releases with Poké Ball assortments may conclude that a Pokémon was excluded, when it was actually represented in another part of the programme. Conversely, a character could appear in promotional material without being easy to find in every market.
The licensing context also shaped the selection. As an officially licensed Nintendo product line, TOMY had to coordinate brand presentation, packaging and distribution across several categories. The anniversary message needed to remain coherent while still meeting the commercial needs of different retailers.
Why the absence still feels significant
Even with Celebi accounted for, the collection can seem light on Johto because the generation has a strong identity beyond its mythical Pokémon. Fans associate it with Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Lugia, Ho-Oh, the Unown and the introduction of baby Pokémon. A mythical-only anniversary programme could never represent all of those features.
Celebi’s relatively singular role also made the imbalance more visible. Mew had the advantage of being the original hidden mythical Pokémon and a central symbol of the franchise. Later characters benefited from movie promotion and newer game generations. Celebi had strong recognition, but its place in the anniversary story was quieter.
For Australian collectors, availability amplified that feeling. If a Celebi item was delayed, sold through quickly or only found through an imported listing, the practical experience could be “there was no Gen II release”, even when the official range included one. The perceived gap was therefore a mixture of design, marketing and local distribution.
What collectors should take from the record
The fairest reading is that the 2016 collection did not omit Gen II entirely. It included Celebi, but it did not build a substantial Johto section around that character. The difference between those two statements explains most of the confusion surrounding the anniversary line.
Collectors assessing the range should separate three questions: whether a Pokémon was officially part of the programme, whether it appeared in the monthly plush sequence and whether it was easy to buy in a particular country. Those categories do not always produce the same answer.
Useful checks when cataloguing the collection include:
- Compare official TOMY product pages with retailer photographs and archived listings.
- Record the product format, since plush and Clip ’n’ Carry items followed different assortments.
- Treat US retailer exclusives separately from Australian availability through Target, EB Games and imported sellers.
- Note release months and restock dates rather than relying only on the year printed on packaging.
- Identify Celebi as Gen II’s sole mythical Pokémon instead of expecting a larger Johto mythical set.
The late-year products also show how the anniversary programme shifted toward seasonal buying. The December 2016 holiday bundle helps place the final releases in their retail context, where gift appeal and availability mattered as much as generation coverage. That is why the collection is best understood as a curated celebration of mythical Pokémon, with Celebi included, rather than a complete generational catalogue.