The contribution of Japan to the entertainment world is incalculable. They know it, which is why they have embraced the stories and characters of different franchises to turn them into something more than a product to entertain. This year, for example, the government of the Asian country employed a Pokémon known to millions of players and fans.
We talk about Vaporeon, the water-type Pokémon that, since July 2021, has served as Japan’s water ambassador. Vaporeon, then, had the responsibility to participate in “Water Day”, an event in which the authorities intend to raise awareness among its population about water care.
Being an issue that concerns everyone, the government of Japan determined that choosing a Pokémon as an ambassador would facilitate carry the message to children and young people, so it was.
In fact, it is not the first time that in Japan they rely on emblematic characters, and specifically on Pokémon, to carry out a social campaign, promote tourism or promote the use of public transport. In the past, for example, the Pokémon Lapras became the mascot for the Miyagi public transportation system.
As if that were not enough, every year The Pokémon Company, one of the many companies that control the franchise, annually organize the Pikachu Outbreak, a festival that aims to attract more tourists to Yokohama. Have you seen the images of the Pikachus “army” that roam the streets of the aforementioned city? It’s the Pikachu Outbreak.
Pokemon, an entertainment phenomenon
Undoubtedly, Pokemon is one of the leading brands in entertainment. Since its first appearance in distant 1996 as a Game Boy game (Pokémon Red Y Green), its playable and narrative proposal became a worldwide phenomenon. Since then there hasn’t been a single Pokémon title that didn’t steal the spotlight upon launch. In addition, the franchise has triumphed in anime, cinema, toys and card games, among other proposals.