Pokémon enthusiasts have a new reason to celebrate: The iconic video game franchise is branching out into live-action drama series.
According to an announcement from Tokyo TV, the new series is scheduled to premiere on October 19th in Japan.
The show will focus on Madoka Akagi, a recent college graduate from a port town in Japan’s Kanto prefecture.
Upon relocating to Tokyo for a job at ADventure, a small advertising agency, Madoka faces the challenges of adapting to her new life.
Her journey takes a nostalgic turn when she receives a package from her mother containing a Game Boy and a copy of Pokémon Red, a game she hasn’t played in two decades.
This marks the beginning of a fresh adventure for Madoka, portrayed by Japanese actress Nanase Nishino.
Details are still sparse about how the series will incorporate Pokémon creatures, and whether they will appear as “real” models or in some other form.
It’s also unknown whether the series will offer official English subtitles.
This isn’t Pokémon’s first venture into live-action adaptations.
The franchise made its live-action debut in 2019 with the film Detective Pikachu, based on the 2016 video game.
The film, which featured Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu, was a commercial success and featured several Pokémon in live-action, including Charizard, Mr. Mime, Psyduck, and Mewtwo.
A sequel is currently in development.
