Mister Donut: Pokemon
Have you ever had a Mister Donut Pokemon themed doughnut? In this post I’ll share about the delicious Pokemon collaborations Mister Donut has in Japan and why you should visit a Mister Donut store in Japan!
Please note that the 2023 Mister Donut Pokemon Collaboration is over. Do keep a watch out for the 2024 collaboration! For more Pokemon stuff you can do in Japan, check out my guides: Pokemon Cafe and Pikachu Sweets by Pokemon Cafe
*Geeky Travels and Fandoms is not affiliated with Mister Donut. All opinions shared in the post are GTF and GTF’s only
So back in my annual /quarterly travels to Japan in 2023 for all things geeky ^ ^, I was excited to find out that Mister Donut was having their annual Pokemon collaboration at the same time I was there.
I had missed out on the past few collabs so I made it a point to get my hands on some of them Pokemon doughnuts!
I mean how could I not, when the doughnuts looked so cute! ^ ^
Typically during the fall/winter months (starting from November), Mister Donut launches a Pokemon themed collaboration with doughnuts and exclusive goods. So if you happen to be travelling to Japan in November/December, do keep a watch out for this absolutely delicious collaboration between Pokemon and Mister Donut.
For the 2023 collaboration, they came up with 5 special pokemon themed doughnuts (alongside some special Xmas doughnuts), as well as the much-coveted Mister Donut Pokemon collaboration goods you can buy as a set with the doughnuts!
One thing to note is that the Pokemon themed doughnuts are really popular and the Mister Donut stores that has them tends to bake a limited amount daily. In cities like Tokyo, the doughnuts runs out really fast. Hence you get signs like these:
One workaround the potential long queues and limited stock of doughnuts at the physical outlets is that you can actually pre-order the doughnuts/goods on Misedo’s web order website or its app for store pickup/delivery.
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2023 Mister Donut Pokemon Doughnuts
Now on to the main reason for this post, the Mister Donuts Pokemon doughnuts! So as shared earlier, for the 2023 fall campaign, Mister Donut launched 5 special themed doughnuts.
Aptly named the Pikachu donut, this 2023 version of the Pikachu donut by Mister Donut was a delicious combination of caramel custard cream with a coat of flavored chocolate. And at a cost of 302 yen (take-out)/308 yen (dine-in), it’s actually pretty worth it, considering that the doughnut was pretty big, filling and oh so cute! ^ ^ It is however the most expensive doughnut among the collaboration.
And did I mention how cute the doughnut looks “sitting” in a Snorlax paper box? It’s as if Snorlax is hugging the Pikachu doughnut! ^ ^ Jokes aside, I really appreciate the thought and design that went into these doughnuts. Not only does the ‘Snorlax paper box’ makes taking the doughnut out from the shelves easier (so that the tongs do not mess up the doughnut), visually, it also ups the cuteness factor.
Look here’s Psyduck!
One special surprise of the 2023 Mister Donut Pokemon Collaboration was the debut of the Psyduck donuts! I believe this is the very first time a psyduck themed/likeness doughnut was created by Mister Donut. In hindsight, I wonder if it was due to the fact that Pokemon Concierge was airing on Netflix – and we all know how cute Psyduck was in the series – that Mister Donut decided to do a tie-up?
I actually also bought a Psyduck donut (takeaway this time round) on a separate visit. (No close-up photos because I kind of ate it in a frenzy XD) It actually tasted pretty light despite how dense it looks with the colour-coating. It was also priced at 302 yen (take-out)/308 yen (dine-in). Of the two doughnuts, I personally prefer the Pikachu donut. (Sorry Psyduck! We do still love you.)
The third Pokemon doughnut in the 2023 series was the Poke Ball Ring! At 237 yen (take-out), 242 yen (dine-in), this soft choux pastry is coated with white chocolate and strawberry chocolate, topped with some sweet and sour strawberry sugar. Full disclosure: I didn’t manage to try this doughnut (I know, I know) even though I had wanted to but there was only so much doughnuts I could eat amidst so much yummy food in Japan!
Fun fact: Back in 2020, Mister Donut also came out with a Poke Ball donut and it wasn’t exactly the appetizing version that you see now. Glad to know that they are always improving with every new itineration.
Last but not least, the final 2 doughnuts in the Mister Donut Pokemon 2023 collaboration are the Snorlax cream-filled doughnuts! Cutely named the “Snorlax Manzoku” donuts, it comes in two different flavours: a Chocolate and Whipped Cream version (in the blue Snorlax packaging) and a “Custard and Whipped Cream version (in the pink Psyduck & Snorlax packaging).
Fun Fact: Manzoku (まんぞく) means “satisfaction” and I guess its to suggest that after eating these doughnuts, you will feel as satisfied as a Snorlax with a full tummy! ^^
Mister Donut x Pokemon Exclusive Goods
If you have been reading my other posts (thank you!), I’ve always said that part of the delightful experience of visiting anime cafes, the Pokemon cafe and other geeky themed food collabs are the exclusive goods and merchandise that you might get your hands on with the collaboration. *Emphasis on the might because many of such exclusive goods are limited in quantity and does requires a tad bit of planning to get it.
For the Mister Donut Pokemon 2023 collaborations, there were two exclusive goods sets:
- ‘Normal’ Goods Set : A choice of a blanket (すやすやブランケット く) or a lunch box set くつろぎランチボックス
- Children Goods Set: A pouch bag
The good sets are surprisingly affordable, priced at 1950 yen (take-out) and 1500 yen (take-out) respectively. Considering that the price of each goods sets includes 1 or 2 doughnuts, you are getting legit Pokemon goods at less than 2000 yen!
Here’s how the blanket looked like. (Please excuse the quality of the photos. There was a line forming in front of the store and I only had a very short window to take some photos without the stares falling onto me ><)
The blanket is designed to look like a poke ball when folded up for storage. How cute is that?
As for the lunch box, please find a close-up photo of it below:
As with many Japanese styled lunchboxes, it comes with 2 layers, with one layer for rice and the other for meat/vegetables/other ingredients. I really liked how there was a physical sample at each store to allow customers to see how it looked like.
I was actually really torn between the lunchbox and the blanket, considering there were only so many doughnuts I could eat in a day. However, that was all for naught as I couldn’t get my hands on any of the exclusive goods as they were “sold out”. Due to popular demand, Mister Donut had actually extended the campaign and were re-opening sales for the goods at a later date in the following month, but I was already back in my country.
I had popped by the store in Ikebukuro two days before the pre-order started and yet all the “pre-order” cards at the store were gone. I then tried to order via their online shop only to find it unavailable as well. The queues on the actual day of selling were too long for me to partake in (I was on a tight schedule with the various anime cafes I was visiting). Many of the Pokemon doughnuts were sold out too as they baked a limited amount each day. But it could very well be a Tokyo and Osaka thing as when I was in Kanazawa a week later, I was able to get my hands on the doughnuts without much hassle.
Next, please find the Children Goods set (the pouch bag) below:
Each purchase of the goods sets gets you a Pokemon box or paper bag to bring your goodies home. I also remembered seeing staff bagging the Mister Donut Pokemon themed doughnuts (if you buy above a certain quantity) in a cute pokemon designed box too.
How neat is that? I really like how much thought goes into these anime/game/manga collaborations in Japan. I mean, it’s just doughnuts and yet we get exclusive goods, cute and delicious doughnuts and pretty packaging from a collaboration.
Bonus: Did you know that in celebration of the new year, many shops across Japan releases “Lucky Bags” (Fukubukuros) filled with many “surprise” goodies/items that often far exceed the price tag of the bag you are buying? Mister Donut is no exception to this ‘holiday tradition’ and sometimes they sell lucky bag tie-ups with certain brands, with their 2024 Pokemon Lucky Bags as an example.
For an idea on what some of the past Pokemon collaboration exclusive goods and other Mister Donut tie-up goods were, do visit their official goods webpage.
What is Mister Donut?
Mister Donut, as the name suggests, is a chain of stores that sells Americanised-style of doughnuts but with a distinct Japanese twist. It is one of the most popular brand of doughnuts in Japan, with over 900 stores opened across Japan.
You really can’t miss it when you are in Japan, especially in her metropolitan cities like Tokyo. The Japan stores are particularly well-known for its interesting and limited time collaborations with well-known brands such as Pokemon and Godiva.
Given the popularity of Mister Donut in Japan and other parts of Asia (e.g. Singapore and Taiwan), it might come as a surprise to many (including moi!), especially the younger folks, that Mister Donut originally came from the United States of America!
Fun Fact #1: Mister Donut was once one of the largest chain of doughnuts in USA before it got bought by Dunkin’ Donuts parent company in the 90s and many of the franchise stores were absorbed into the Dunkin’ Donuts brand.
Fun Fact #2: In Japan, the Mister Donut franchise (ミスタードーナツ) was bought by Duskin Co., Ltd and the stores you find in Asia are actually franchises of the Japan franchise!
Fun Fact #3: Is it doughnut or donut? Well technically both are correct, depending on where you are from. I believe donut is the widely used spelling in America, whereas in other parts of the world, doughnuts is the preferred way to spell it. I’m used to saying doughnuts as doughnuts, so doughnuts it is for this post on Mister Donut in Geeky Travels and Fandoms! Although I often inter-change between the two ^ ^ (Now try saying that 5x in a row)
Why visit Mister Donut (in Japan)?
So I’ve already mentioned about the cute Pokemon Collaborations that Mister Donut has during the fall/winter months. But what about the rest of the time? Why should you try to visit a Mister Donut shop during your travels to Japan?
Well, for starters, the doughnuts are legit delicious. Prices for the mainstay doughnuts are also relatively affordable, with most priced from 154 yen to 162 yen (takeaway).
If you haven’t tried Mister Donut in Japan before, I recommend having their star item: The “pon de ring” which is made up of connected circular balls of dough. Apart from it being chewy and light, I love how they have a glazeless option for those with a less sweet tooth.
Fun Fact: Did you know the Pon de Rings are an entirety new creation of Mister Donut (Japan) back in 2003? Prior to that, they were mainly selling the same type of doughnuts they had “inherited” from the USA stores. And it has since been one of their best-selling item in Japan, as well as in other outlets in Asia!
In celebration of Duskin Co., Ltd (the company that owns the franchise of Mister Donut in Japan) 60th anniversary, Mister Donut shared a write-up about the Pon de Ring’s history and how the ‘creation’ came about. You can read all about it here!
Another reason to visit Mister Donut in Japan is that the Japan stores often have many interesting collaborations and ‘limited-time’ doughnuts throughout the year! It really is a testament to how innovative the doughnut chain is in Japan.
Case in point #1: 2024 Valentines’ day in Japan: A decadent collaboration with Godiva for the “misdo meets GODIVA プレミアムハートコレクション” *Please note that these were only available for a limited time in 2024.
Case in Point #2: Spring is in the air with the with these sakura inspired donuts! *Please note that these are only available for a limited time in 2024
Case in point #3: Did someone say savoury doughnuts? Meet these “Zaku Mochi Rings” with not one but two different flavours all in 1 doughnut! (There’s the curry & egg; mentaiko potato & egg; red bean & whipped cream) *Please note that these are available for a limited time in 2024.
Case in Point #4: Mister Donut x Sumikko Gurashi Collaboration! *This is more of a goods collaboration rather than a donut (food) collaboration.
Furthermore, many of the Mister Donuts shops in Japan doesn’t just sell doughnuts and coffee. Some actually do have hot soups and pizzas (among others) on the menu so you can technically enjoy a full savoury meal too!
In addition to the innovative flavours and interesting collaborations, did you know Mister Donut also a whole cast of cute animal characters associated with the doughnuts? Meet Pon de Lion and his friends in the Pon de Lion Forest! I mean how many doughnut brands you know have a cute cast of characters and provided a backstory for them?
And if you need even more reasons to visit a Mister Donut when you are in Japan, did you know that they offer free refills for their coffee for dine-in? Coffee is served in different coloured cups so that the staff walking around for refills knows exactly what coffee you had ordered! How’s that for service?!
Some final thoughts
And that’s the end of the post! Thank you for reading. ^ ^ I really enjoyed the Pikachu and Pysduck doughnuts when I visited Japan in 2023 and thought I could perhaps share my enjoyment through this little article.
I was a little bummed that I didn’t manage to get any of the exclusive good sets but the delicious doughnuts made up for it (as well as the hard fought reservations for Pokemon cafe + the Pokemon manhole covers I found in Yokohama).
Fun Fact: I had the Pikachu doughnut in Kanazawa, and Psyduck doughnut in Tokyo! ^ ^
If you are a Pokemon Fan and you happen to be visiting Japan during the fall/winter months, I do encourage you to check out the Mister Donut stores for their annual Pokemon collaboration and/or the ‘lucky bags”. Other Pokemon fun stuff you can do is to visit the Pokemon Center, Pokemon Cafe, Pikachu Sweets by Pokemon Cafe, and locating the Pokemon manhole covers across Japan!
Hopefully, you’ll find this post useful and if you haven’t had a doughnut from Mister Donut before, do find the time to do so! It’s certainly not life-changing or anything, but it is a delightful snack (just like the Fami-Chicken from Family Mart, go google it, you can thank me later) to have in Japan. ^ ^ I have tried many brands of doughnuts over the years and Mister Donut (Japan) has always been in my top 3 favs. And having tried Mister Donut in several countries, I still very much prefer the doughnuts sold in the Japan stores.
Mister Donut is one of those food brands that I’ll make a point to visit at least once when I am in Japan. How about you? Are there any particular food/drink that is a must-have for you in Japan? Let me know in the comments!
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Information
Mister Donut (Japan) website: https://www.misterdonut.jp/
Store Locations: Over 900 stores across Japan. Find the nearest to you here
Online (Net) Order website here
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