Pokemon is one of the biggest gaming franchises ever, being the third best-selling game franchise of all time behind Mario and Tetris. With that much popularity, it is unsurprising that many people and groups have tried to cash in on it with third-party products of questionable legality. These knock-off Pokemon toys and collectibles are often mocked for their low quality and the creator’s apparent lack of understanding about the franchise. However, fans sometimes stumble across a piece of bootleg merch that stands out from the crowd.
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Reddit user anaktenuk noticed a trio of unusual Pokemon plushies hanging from a rack in a store and shared a photo of it on Reddit. Dubbed “Rayquazard,” each plushy resembles a Charizard with Rayquaza’s green coloring and yellow rings. The Reddit user did not specify where they came across the unusual Pokemon toys, but it was presumably somewhere in Malaysia, where anaktenuk appears to be from. Zooming in on the photograph reveals that the unique Charizard toy was made in China.
While it’s hard to judge the quality of the toy’s workmanship, it looks relatively well-made by the standards of knock-off Pokemon merch. The attention to detail on the yellow ring pattern makes it seem like the Charizard and Rayquaza fusion was a deliberate choice on the part of whoever manufactured it. This is seemingly confirmed by an eBay listing for what appears to be the same item.
Unlicensed or not, this hybridized Charizard certainly stands out from other examples of unapproved Pokemon merchandise, and many Pokemon fans wouldn’t mind having one of their own. That is not idle speculation either, as several users on the Pokemon subreddit expressed that opinion. Several Pokemon fans even reported having done so, saying they found the item on eBay by searching for “Charizard green plush” or “Rayquaza Charizard plush.” Perspective buyers may have to scroll down a bit to find this specific Rayquaza Charizard hybrid, which ships from China and goes for $17.99 US.
This unique Charizard plush also provoked some discussion from fans that weren’t rushing to order one. A few people suggested alternate names like “Charquaza” or “Chizard,” while others discussed whether it would be a Dragon or Flying/Fire-type Pokemon. A few fans also brought up the topic of Pokemon fusion, a popular concept in fan communities that’s never quite made the jump to the official canon.
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