Japan is getting a live-action Pokemon series...about playing Pokémon.
The series, titled Pocket Filled with Adventure in English, is set to follow Madoka Akagi (played by Nanase Nishino), a woman who becomes obsessed with playing Pokémon Red after being gifted the game by her mother after relocating to Tokyo for a new job. The show will air on Tokyo TV starting this October 19 with one episode airing weekly (H/T Nintendo Life).
Of course, this is not to be confused with the live-action Pokémon series being developed by Netflix – which was announced back in 2021. The show, set in a live-action format akin to Detective Pikachu, is set to be helmed by Lucifer co-showrunner Joe Henderson. Pre-production reportedly began in April of this year, though we haven't heard anything since – and it's likely delayed due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Pokémon first launched in 1995, spawning a globally successful anime series, trading cards, feature-length films, comics, books, and more – with a renewed interest in collecting rare holographic cards becoming the subject of popular YouTube videos and Twitch streams. Plus, there was the whole Pokemon Go mobile app game that hit peak popularity in 2016 – and saw people running into the street to catch a Charizard.
The Tokyo TV series is currently set for a Japan-only release, with no word yet as to whether it will hit streaming or be expanded to other countries. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2023 and beyond.
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