As part of the commencement address, Hasbro announced its Pokemon toy graduation program that calls for ending production of its original series of two-inch collectible figures and bean-filled plush toys that are based on the 151 original Pokemon characters. The "graduating" toys will no longer be made for shipment to stores in the U.S. market, so kids will want to finish their collections before the new series of characters arrives in the fall.

Also in today's Pokemon graduation ceremony, full of fanfare, Hasbro's Pokemon toy team honored the first toy graduating class of 25 toys, announced that the next class of toys will graduate on July 31, and revealed that additional graduating classes will follow in the coming months. Today's 25 graduating Pokemon toys, including those based on #54 Psyduck, #40 Wigglytuff and #74 Geodude, were called forward to receive diplomas from "Chancellor" Perry Drosos (a.k.a. vice president of marketing for Pokemon toys at Hasbro), each assisted by an aspiring young Pokemon master trainer dressed in cap and gown. Each graduating Pokemon toy then took its place alongside other graduates for an official class photo.

"How better to honor these fine Pokemon toys, and to acknowledge the fun and excitement they represent to kids, than through a graduation ceremony," said Drosos. "Kids love to collect Pokemon toys and now it's up to these young fans to catch `em all, and complete their collections before the original series of characters is gone."

Chancellor Drosos also presented an honorary "Doctor of Pokemon" degree to one of the best known characters, #25 Pikachu. This original series character will remain on campus and in the toy line to help graduate other classes of Hasbro toys as well as welcome incoming classes of Pokemon toys in the future.

"There's a lot of excitement yet to come on the Pokemon horizon. Expect new toys, based on the second Pokemon movie, which comes to theatres this July," said Drosos. "In addition we look forward to introducing the smartest action figures ever, this fall, with our Pokemon Think Chip Battle Stadium."

News and checklists of this and future graduating classes of Hasbro Pokemon toys can be found on the official Pokemon World web site.

"The popularity of Pokemon toys based on the original 151 characters has been beyond our expectations," said Gail Tilden, vice president, product acquisition and development, Nintendo of America Inc. "And, later this year the world of Pokemon will expand with dozens of new characters when the Gold and Silver versions are introduced for Game Boy."

The complete Pokemon class of June, 2000 toy graduates(a) includes:

(a) These graduating toys will no longer be produced for shipment to stores in the U.S. market.

Nintendo first launched Pokemon in Japan for the world's best-selling Game Boy hand-held video game system and watched the original 150 creatures evolve into a cultural phenomenon. The franchise arrived in North America in September 1998 with the release of the Pokemon Blue and Red Game Boy games and has grown into a 7 billion dollar industry worldwide. Nintendo and its licensing agency, Leisure Concepts, Inc. (a division of 4Kids Entertainment Inc., have licensed the franchise to approximately 500 licensees worldwide.

[Posted 6/22/2000]