‘Am I supposed to pretend this isn’t phallic?’: Fans left dumbfounded by odd Pokémon plush toy

The Pokémon Center is many loyal fans’ go-to shopping destination for all things Pokémon. From plushies to practical items like pens, clothing, and even skateboards, the website is a Pokémon fan’s dream. But today, some fans are worried that, this time, the online store may have missed the mark with one new design.

The latest new releases on the Pokémon Center include a plush version of a new Pokémon introduced in last year’s Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but many people are seeing something else besides a Wiglett when they look at the new toy.

Unfortunately, the design of the “Garden Eel Pokémon” lends itself to a bit of a misunderstanding, and fans have been quick to comment on the phallic nature of the design.

Wiglett was first introduced in Gen IX as Paldea’s regional version of Diglett, though The Pokémon Company insists “it’s a completely different species.”

Instead of burying underground as Digletts have done since way back in Gen I, Wiglett instead buries itself in the sand. This suits the beaches of Paldea, where Wiglett can be found in great numbers. Instead of a pun on the word “dig,” Wiglett’s name is a pun on the word “wiggle,” describing how the Pokémon wiggles around.

Even back in Sept. of 2022 when the new Pokémon was announced, fans were a bit skeptical of the design.

And as the Pokémon with an unfortunately phallic design finally got its own official plush toy, players were maybe hoping for something a bit less… obvious. “Wiglett plush is ready for you to order and play with,” one Twitter user said.

The design does look a bit suggestive, especially considering the length of the plush is clearly listed in the title as well—standard for all Pokémon Center plush listings.

Diglett also has Poké plushes available on the Pokémon Center website, but the original worm is not nearly as long, and this is truly just the difference in the design of the two Pokémon themselves. While Diglett simply buries in the ground and pokes its head up, Wiglett wiggles around above the sand, as implied by the Pokémon’s name.

The Wiglett plush is a part of the classic Poké Plush series, the standard edition of plush toys. You can find most Pokémon, especially more popular species, as Poké Plush. As of now, this is Wiglett’s only piece of merchandise on the Pokémon Center site, though as the Pokémon is so new, there may be more in the future.

Let’s just hope the merch team may be able to adjust the design a little.