“Gotta catch ‘em all!” For the first time, adorable dancing Pikachus will be staying out past the dark in flashy light-up costumes while introducing some cool digital storytelling. To celebrate the success of the virtual reality game, Pokémon Go’s, success, and the cult’s everlasting legacy, more than 1,500 Pikachus of “Pocket Monster” fame will be bopping all over Yokohama for the various shows and parades for one whole week this August.
This year’s “Pikachu Outbreak” will follow the theme of ‘Science is Amazing’, with thousands of chubby, yellow Pikachus parading down the streets, day and night, greeting visitors at Yokohama’s Minato Mirai harbour district. There is also a new attraction using the digital technology where Yokohama will be turned into a grand photogenic city.
For the first time during the festival, the army of Pikachus will treat visitors and onlookers to a slick nighttime performance. Twinkling lights on the ground form a makeshift runway for the dancing Pokémon, which compliment Pikachu’s many glitzy light-up costumes.
But more than just seeing thousands of Pikachus bopping down the streets, this year’s Pikachu Outbreak in Japan also introduced another beloved Pokémon: Eevee. Unlike past years where visitors mostly sported Pikachu gear, this year, people were wearing Eevee ears or bushy brown tails, and were treated to a meet and greet with Eevee.
This year’s Pikachu Outbreak will also feature other attractions like the Pokecafe + Pokecentre, a splash show and an ocean Pikachu parade.
By: Maytinee Kraymer
