Flygon, Kecleon, and a 2003 Banpresto Eraser for Your Collection

Pokemon Hexagonal Eraser With Flygon and Kecleon, Banpresto 2003

A Pencil-Shaped Eraser in a Printed Paper Sleeve

This item is a hexagonal eraser — its cross-section echoes a pencil’s shape, a fitting design choice for a stationery collectible — wrapped in a full-color printed paper sleeve. The eraser body is red, visible from the top. The sleeve carries character artwork for two Pokemon: Flygon is shown against a brown wood-grain background, while Kecleon appears against a pale yellow field with a faint pattern. A red-and-white band at the base of the sleeve mimics the look of a Poke Ball, and a black strip at the very bottom reads “Pokemon BANPRESTO 2003 M.” The meaning of the M designation is not definitively confirmed — it may relate to Banpresto’s internal sizing categories or lot management. In Japan, items like this belong to a well-established genre called kyara-keshi — character erasers — which pairs functional stationery with officially licensed character art. The paper sleeve is the collectible element; most collectors preserve it intact rather than using the eraser itself.

Flygon and Kecleon: Hoenn Pokemon With Dedicated Fan Followings

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire launched on the Game Boy Advance in Japan in November 2002, introducing the Hoenn region and the franchise’s third generation. The anime series shifted to the Advanced Generation format at the same time. This eraser, manufactured in 2003, is a direct product of that moment — both Flygon and Kecleon are Hoenn natives.

Flygon is National Pokedex No. 330, the final stage of a three-step evolution line that begins with Trapinch. It carries Dragon and Ground typing and is described in lore as a desert-dwelling Pokemon that stirs up sandstorms by beating its wings. As Hoenn’s standout Dragon-type, it became a fixture in competitive play during that era and has since developed a particularly loyal following among third-generation fans.

Kecleon is No. 352, a Normal-type based on a chameleon, known for its signature color-changing ability. In the Hoenn games, it takes on an unusual role as an NPC shopkeeper appearing on specific routes — a distinctive presence that stayed with players. It featured in the Advanced Generation anime as well, and in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon spin-off series it has a memorable role that cemented its place among core fans. Kecleon occupies a slightly offbeat niche in the franchise’s history, which is precisely what gives it a dedicated following.

Banpresto and Japan’s Character Eraser Tradition

Banpresto was a Bandai Group company that produced officially licensed character merchandise for franchises including Pokemon, Dragon Ball, and One Piece throughout the late 1990s and 2000s. It is widely associated with prize goods for Japanese arcade crane games — products that entered circulation through amusement centers rather than conventional retail. Whether this eraser was distributed as an arcade prize or sold in regular stores is not confirmed from available information alone.

What is established is that character erasers as a format have a long history in Japanese youth culture. Small and accessible, kyara-keshi items were stocked in toy shops, stationery stores, and corner candy shops across Japan. This eraser was produced for the Japanese domestic market and was not distributed through standard retail channels in North America or Europe, which limits how widely it circulated internationally through official means. Banpresto as a brand was discontinued in 2021 when the company was absorbed into Bandai Spirits, placing items manufactured under the original Banpresto name within a now-closed chapter of Japanese collectibles history.