Joe Jonas’ Love of Pokémon Began with a School Crush He Traded 'Really S---ty Cards' with for Her 'Good Ones’ (Exclusive)
Joe Jonas’ Love of Pokémon Began with a School Crush He Traded 'Really S---ty Cards' with for Her 'Good Ones’ (Exclusive)
Nicholas RiceSat, May 2, 2026 at 6:17 PM UTC
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Joe Jonas posting with Pikachu in New York City in May 2026.Credit: Jason Lowrie/BFA.com -
Joe Jonas' love of Pokémon began with a "school crush" he had when he was young
"She came back from a trip to Japan, and I traded really s---ty cards for her good ones," the singer tells PEOPLE with a laugh
Jonas has partnered with Target for the launch of a limited-time collection celebrating 30 years of Pokémon
Joe Jonas' love of Pokémon goes way back.
The singer, 36, has been a fan of the Japanese media franchise —which includes a trading card game and video games, as well as an animated series and films — since he was young.
"I knew I had a love for Pokémon that ran deep when I traded cards with my school crush," Jonas tells PEOPLE exclusively.
"She came back from a trip to Japan, and I traded really s---ty cards for her good ones," he continues with a laugh.
And though Jonas admits, "I did go on to apologize to her, and I had to give back most of the cards, because her older brother was really close to my older brother," he adds: "I learned a hard lesson that day, but I did also learn the Pokémon holds a special place in my heart."
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Joe Jonas unveiling his 'Curated by' collection at Target SoHo in New York City on May 2.Credit: Jason Lowrie/BFA.com
According to Jonas, he still has his Pokémon cards from when he was a kid. "I was able to find them again, and I still collect. I geek out on it," he tells PEOPLE. "I think it's definitely a new, but old, obsession again."
"I got a handful of cards. I'm a big Mew fan, so I have a Mew bubble card that was gifted to me, and that's the crown jewel right now," he continues, referring to one specific Pokémon item he owns.
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When it comes to passing down his love of Pokémon to his two daughters — Willa, 5, and Delphine, 3, whom he shares with ex Sophie Turner — Jonas says, "Anything cute and cuddly is going to be a hit with little ones."
"Since I was a little kid, I was going to my local card shop and collecting cards and exchanging with friends. I've always been a fan," adds the Jonas Brothers musician.
Joe Jonas unveiling his 'Curated by' collection at Target SoHo in New York City on May 2.Credit: Jason Lowrie/BFA.com
Jonas' love of Pokémon is at the forefront of his partnership with Target, which has launched a limited-time collection celebrating 30 years of the franchise.
Exclusive to the Target SoHo store in New York City, and available to shop online, some of Jonas' go-to picks include a Pokémon starter pullover jacket, a wireless keyboard, a puffy sticker set, a vinyl sticker set and a Mew trainer cap.
Jonas was on-site to debut his collection on May 2, when he met with fans at Target. A second drop of Jonas' Pokémon-themed picks is set to follow in June.
"The partnership is a dream come true for me," Jonas tells PEOPLE. "It was actually really difficult to pick my favorite items, because there were so many good ones."
"It's very authentic to who I am, and it couldn't be more me, through and through," he adds of the collaboration. "This is such a passion for me."
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
