Heads up, trainers! Pokemon is getting a live-action drama series
Pokémon fans will be treated to yet another live-action adaptation of the popular video game franchise, but this time, it's going to be made into a drama series.
According to a tweet from Japanese TV company Tokyo TV, translated by Pokémon website Serebii, the new series is set to air on Oct. 19 later this year in Japan.
🎊情報解禁🎊
10月19日スタート
毎週木曜深夜24時30分～放送
ゲーム『#ポケモン』原案
初のオリジナルドラマ‼️
「#ポケットに冒険をつめこんで」放送決定🎉
＼主演はポケモン好きの #西野七瀬／
ポケモンヒューマンドラマ
#ポケつめ をお楽しみに🧢#テレビ東京 pic.twitter.com/cjf9ZS1Ffl— 西野七瀬主演🧢ドラマ「ポケつめ」【テレビ東京公式】 (@poketsume) August 30, 2023
The show's premise centers on a girl named Madoka Akagi who comes from a port town in the Kanto prefecture of Japan. Being a fresh college graduate, she moves to Tokyo in search of her dreams and is accepted to work at ADventure, a small advertising agency in the city.
Just as she is faced with struggles of adjusting to her new life and job, Madoka finds a package from her mother that includes a Game Boy console and a copy of Pokémon Red, and that’s where her new adventure begins as she begins to play the game she hasn't touched in 20 years.
While the series has Japanese actress Nanase Nishino portraying the character in live-action, it's currently unclear if the show will feature "real" models of the beloved Pokémon creatures, or if it will receive an official English subtitle.
Pokémon was first adapted into live-action in the 2019 film Detective Pikachu, which is based on the 2016 video game of the same name. The film stars Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu, with Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton in live-action roles.
Some of the Pokémon featured in the live-action flick include Charizard, Mr. Mime, Psyduck, and Mewtwo. A sequel is currently in development.