Joe Jonas Opens Up About His Longtime Love of Pokémon

Long before his music career took off, Joe Jonas had a strong interest in Pokémon. The popular Japanese franchise, which includes trading cards, video games, and animated shows, has been part of his life since he was young.

"I knew I had a love for Pokémon that ran deep when I traded cards with my school crush," Jonas told PEOPLE in an interview.

"She came back from a trip to Japan, and I traded really s---ty cards for her good ones," he continues with a laugh.

The experience quickly turned into a lesson Jonas still remembers.

"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 added. "I learned a hard lesson that day, but I did also learn the Pokémon holds a special place in my heart."

Years later, Jonas remains a dedicated fan of Pokémon. He still owns cards from his childhood and continues to collect.

"I was able to find them again, and I still collect. I geek out on it," he told the outlet. "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 continued.

Jonas is now introducing Pokémon to his daughters, Willa, 5, and Delphine, 3, whom he shares with ex Sophie Turner.

"Anything cute and cuddly is going to be a hit with little ones," he said.

"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," added the Jonas Brothers musician.

That long-standing interest recently led to a collaboration with Target, which launched a limited-time Pokémon collection.

Jonas created a “Curated by” selection available at the retailer’s SoHo store in New York City and online. The collection includes both Pokémon-themed items and other products he selected, such as a pullover jacket, a wireless keyboard, sticker sets, and a Mew trainer cap.

He appeared at the store on May 2 to meet fans, with another release planned for June.

"The partnership is a dream come true for me," Jonas told 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 added of the collaboration. "This is such a passion for me."