Pokémon will release its first live-action TV series this fall.
As detailed on IGN, TV Tokyo recently announced a future collaboration with the iconic brand through X (translated by Serebii.net). The film, titled “Fill Your Pocket With Adventure,” chronicles the life of a young worker in modern-day Tokyo as she rediscovers her favorite childhood game Pokémon. This film is distinct from other installments in the Pokémon franchise by its realistic setting, intended to parallel the real world, rather than the world featured in the games and anime. The film is scheduled to premiere on October 19 in Japan, but it is unknown whether The Pokémon Company intends to release the film internationally.
New Pokemon live-action TV series
The film stars Nanase Nishino, a self-proclaimed Pokémon lover who previously appeared in Hideaki Anno’s live-action adaptation of Shin Kamen Rider. Nishino plays Madoka Akagi, a young woman who moves to Tokyo to work for her dream company. However, Akagi soon realizes that professional life is also full of challenges. One day, she received a package from her mother, which turned out to be a copy of her childhood Pokémon Red. Akagi uses this game to once again immerse herself in the carefree world of Pokémon.
Pokémon Red and its companion, Pokémon Green, were released in Japan in 1996. The two titles went on to become huge hits, selling more than 1 million units in their first year on shelves. The game was released as Pokémon Red and Blue in North America in September 1998, starting a nationwide craze that spread across the US in the late 90s and early 2000s. With the release of PTCG (Game Pokemon trading cards and the popular animated series, Pokemon is now the highest-grossing multimedia franchise of all time, with a net worth exceeding $80 billion. Pokemon Red and Blue were remade in 2004 as Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for the Game Boy Advance.
TV Tokyo’s upcoming drama isn’t the only Pokémon spin-off focusing on player interaction with the franchise. Pokemon’s animated short series, “Path to the Peak,” follows a young girl named Ava as she enters the complex world of competitive PTCG. Instead of interacting with Pokémon as physical entities, Ava and other players visualize battles as they happen. Ava even developed a special bond with her star Pokémon, Oddish. The series consists of four episodes, available on the official Pokémon YouTube Channel.
“Fill Your Pocket With Adventure” will air in Japan on October 19.
Source: IGN and Serebii.net