Coin-stealing banks have met with commercial success since The Addams Family-inspired Thing bank hit the novelty toy scene in the 1960s. The Pikachu Itazura (Japanese for “prank”) Bank is the latest in line to add a dose of fun to fiscal responsibility. The Pokémon-inspired bank is created by Japan-based Shine Inc. and Takara Tomy.
Fans of Pokémon will recognize the bank as a square version of a Pokeball, the container trainers use to catch and store Pokémon. When the user places a coin on the top of the box and presses on the yellow button, the mischievous Pikachu emits a sound, peeks out from inside the box, and sweeps the coin inside with his paw. The box closes with another Pikachu sound.
The Pikachu Itazura Bank measures roughly 3-inches tall by 5-inches wide by 3-inches deep. It runs on 2 AA-size batteries and costs about $35.00 USD.