TL;DR
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Official 2013 Japanese Pokémon wall calendar from the Best Wishes!! anime era.
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Focuses on the Unova region cast from the Pokémon TV series.
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Published by Shogakukan, fully licensed by Nintendo / Game Freak / TV Tokyo.
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Rolled wall calendar format, originally sold in Japan for ¥1,260.
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A standout piece of early-2010s Pokémon anime memorabilia that’s now hard to find.
Quick Specs
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Product: Pokémon Wall Calendar
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Year: 2013
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Franchise: Pokémon (Pocket Monsters)
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Anime Series: Best Wishes!!
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Publisher: Shogakukan
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Format: Rolled wall calendar (tube-sealed)
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Length (rolled): Approx. 42 cm
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Language: Japanese
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Calendar Code: CL-8
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Original Retail Price: ¥1,260 (Japan)
Overview / What It Is
This is an official Japanese Pokémon wall calendar for 2013, themed around the Best Wishes!! anime series — the era corresponding to Pokémon Black & White and the Unova region. Released exclusively in Japan by Shogakukan, this calendar was part of a long-running tradition of licensed Pokémon print goods sold through bookstores, stationery shops, and hobby retailers.
Unlike modern digital collectibles, Pokémon calendars were everyday items meant to be used throughout the year — which is exactly why surviving examples are now increasingly scarce. Most were pinned to walls, flipped monthly, and discarded once the year ended. That makes intact, unused examples especially appealing to collectors today.
For fans of the anime, this calendar represents a specific moment in Pokémon history, when characters like Ash (Satoshi), Iris, Cilan, and the Unova Pokémon lineup dominated Japanese TV screens.
Product Images
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How It Works/Deeper Dive
This is a traditional rolled wall calendar, designed to be hung vertically and flipped month by month. Inside the tube is a full set of printed monthly pages, typically featuring:
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Large, full-color anime artwork on each page
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A monthly date grid with Japanese text and numerals
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Seasonal imagery aligned with the Pokémon anime broadcast year
Shogakukan calendars from this period were known for clean print quality, vibrant colors, and sturdy paper stock — closer to magazine-grade printing than disposable office calendars.
Because it’s a rolled format, the calendar stores well and displays flat once mounted, making it suitable both for wall display or archival storage.
Who Should Buy This
This calendar is a strong fit if you:
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Collect Pokémon anime-era merchandise, not just games or cards.
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Have a particular fondness for the Best Wishes!! / Unova era.
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Collect Japanese-exclusive Pokémon goods.
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Enjoy niche paper collectibles like calendars, posters, or magazines.
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Want a display piece that’s visually striking but easy to store.
It’s less ideal if you’re only interested in modern Pokémon generations or prefer practical, current-year stationery. This piece is about nostalgia, design, and history, not daily utility.
Setup / Usage Tips
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Display Carefully: If you choose to hang it, use poster rails or clips instead of pins to avoid damaging the pages.
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Preservation Option: Many collectors keep calendars like this unflipped, displaying only the cover or favorite month.
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Environment Matters: Store away from humidity and direct sunlight to preserve print color.
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Archival Storage: Acid-free poster sleeves or document tubes work well if you don’t plan to display it.
Because this is a paper collectible, gentle handling goes a long way in maintaining long-term value.
Popularity / Reception (Japan Context)
The Best Wishes!! era (2010–2013) marked a significant transition period for Pokémon. It introduced a full reboot-style Pokédex, a new region, and a refreshed anime tone aimed at welcoming new viewers while retaining longtime fans.
In Japan, Shogakukan played a major role in Pokémon’s print presence, producing:
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Anime guidebooks
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Manga adaptations
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School supplies
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Calendars and seasonal goods
While exact production numbers for calendar code CL-8 were never publicly released, Pokémon calendars from this era were mass-market items at launch but became unintentionally rare over time due to their disposable nature.
Today, Best Wishes!! merchandise occupies an interesting niche:
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Less oversaturated than Gen 1 goods
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More nostalgic than newer generations
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Increasingly appreciated by collectors who grew up during the Black & White era
As a result, unused or intact examples of anime calendars from this period are now considered desirable ephemera rather than throwaway items.
FAQs
Q: Is this an official Pokémon product?
Yes. It’s fully licensed and published by Shogakukan, with copyright credits to Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, and ShoPro.
Q: Is all text in Japanese?
Yes. The calendar text is entirely in Japanese, as it was produced for the domestic Japan market.
Q: Can this still be used as a calendar?
Technically yes, but the dates correspond to 2013. Most buyers treat it as a display or collector item, not functional stationery.
Q: Does it feature game artwork or anime artwork?
This calendar focuses on anime artwork from the Best Wishes!! TV series rather than in-game renders.
Q: How rare is this?
While not originally rare, calendars like this are increasingly hard to find today because most were used and discarded. Survivors are uncommon compared to figures or games.
Where to Buy
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Japan Bound eBay Store
If you message us on Japan Bound, you can buy it from us directly for 15% off the eBay price. -
Other possible sources (availability varies):
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Japanese auction sites (e.g., Yahoo! Auctions Japan)
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Specialty Pokémon or anime memorabilia dealers
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Vintage stationery or print-ephemera shops in Japan
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When buying elsewhere, always confirm publisher markings and calendar code (CL-8) to ensure authenticity.
About the Author
Limarc Ambalina is a longtime Japan culture and pop-culture journalist. He lives in Japan and is a longtime video game and Japanese pop culture memorabilia collector. The product images in this article were taken by him directly. The information in this article has been verified by his personal testing/usage of each product listed.
