On Children’s Day 2024, a four-page advertisement printed in “Pikachu yellow” appeared in The Hokkoku Shimbun, a daily newspaper based in Ishikawa Prefecture. By cutting along the dotted lines and then folding according to the instructions indicated, the result is a “Pikachu Kabuto” – a samurai-style helmet with the face of Pikachu! The ad was placed by the POKÉMON with YOU Foundation in hope of bringing a smile, through the power of Pokémon, to the faces of children impacted by the devastating earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula this year on January 1st.

The 4-page “Pikachu Kabuto” ad

“POKÉMON with YOU” is a program originally launched by volunteer employees of The Pokémon Company shortly after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami disaster of March 2011. After conducting various support activities in the impacted region for 10 years, in 2021 the program was expanded in scope with establishment of the independent POKÉMON with YOU Foundation. The Foundation’s diverse activities include fostering disaster prevention awareness through Pokémon, providing aid to disaster-affected regions, supporting the “Kodomo Shokudo” children’s cafeteria initiative, and promoting environmental protection.

The ad placed after the Noto Peninsula disaster was actually the third time Pokémon has provided “Pikachu Kabuto.” They were offered for the first time on Children’s Day 2011, two months after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and were also distributed in 2016 to children living in the area impacted by the pair of powerful earthquakes that devastated the Kumamoto region that year.

The Pikachu Kabuto was created by the POKÉMON with YOU Foundation working in collaboration with designers from The Pokémon Company. The reverse side of the kabuto is jam-packed with Pokémon from video games spanning from the original “Pokémon Red” and “Pokémon Green” versions to the latest “Pokémon Scarlet” and “Pokémon Violet.” Packing so many Pokémon into an area this compact required considerable time and patience to make necessary size and placement adjustments. But the designers were intent on enabling as many children as possible to find their favorite Pokémon, so they spared no effort.

In all, no fewer than 719 Pokémon were included! An element of playfulness was also added by including a Poké Ball and Pikachu for the children to search for. The staff member in charge from the POKÉMON with YOU Foundation expressed the hope that children will search along with their friends or family members, giving them occasions to have fun together and engage in happy communication.

The reverse side of the “Pikachu Kabuto” ad

After the Noto earthquake, children in the area gradually resumed their everyday lives together with their families. To bring them cheer amid the challenges brought by the disaster, we were eager to get Pikachu Kabuto to as many youngsters as possible. So, with help from The Hokkoku Shimbun, which is delivered across a wide area of Ishikawa Prefecture, we placed the “Pikachu Kabuto” ad as a separate insert in the newspaper on May 5, 2024 – Children’s Day – for delivery to a large number of households.

The very same day, we also distributed Pikachu Kabuto at a special event in support of Noto organized by Musubie, a certified nonprofit corporation that supports the children’s cafeteria program. The event, held on the grounds of Shogakuji Temple in Wajima City, drew a crowd of roughly 400 visitors. After receiving their Pikachu Kabuto, the children began interacting excitedly with Pikachu, who was on hand for the event. Everyone attending was invited to enjoy free food and to participate in competitive games.

A representative from the POKÉMON with YOU Foundation expressed joy at seeing the smiles on the children as they prepared their Pikachu Kabuto and interacted with Pikachu. He observed that, even four months after the disaster, the area around the temple had made little recovery, meaning that considerable time will still be needed before residents resume their normal lives. So he took pleasure in seeing how the children’s smiles brought cheer to their parents and guardians, even if only for a brief time.

Children enjoying themselves at the special event held in Wajima

Besides Pikachu Kabuto, the POKÉMON with YOU Foundation performs many other disaster relief activities – but the path is never straightforward. Immediately after any disaster, the highest priority is to recover the basics that support people’s daily lives: food, clothing and shelter. After the Noto disaster, this was especially challenging owing to the major damage suffered by the local transport networks, which will take significant time to restore. Under such circumstances, what could Pokémon do to help? After discussing matters with Noto’s governing bodies, the Foundation began supporting local communities in various ways.

Right after the disaster, the first thing the Foundation did was distribute a booklet describing how Pokémon is always there to help disaster victims, especially children, get through troubling times. Besides the core message conveying Pokémon’s solid support, the booklet is filled with tips for keeping children healthy and refreshed, and contains various entertaining games and puzzles. By remarkable coincidence, the booklet had been prepared in December 2023 – just days before the Noto earthquake hit on January 1, 2024 – as part of the Foundation’s disaster prevention awareness activities. Immediately after the quake, extra copies were printed and rushed to the disaster area for distribution to as many households as possible.

The distributed booklet: “Pokémon is Always Here to Support You!”

As infrastructure recovery gradually began making headway in the disaster zone, calls were heard for much needed entertainment and recreation. In response, Pikachu paid visits to local kindergartens and elementary schools, often accompanied by members of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. The musical fare ranged from well-known classical works to familiar Pokémon tunes. The audiences – both children and adults of different generations – were completely enthralled by these special live performances.

The POKÉMON with YOU Foundation believes that, in addition of course to the essentials necessary for everyday life, people in disaster-impacted regions also need emotional support. Many teachers at the kindergartens and elementary schools in Noto commented on how cheerful and excited the children became when Pikachu visited them. Their impressions confirmed that through Pokémon the Foundation can definitely play meaningful roles to support recovery efforts after natural disasters.

The POKÉMON with YOU Foundation today continues its diverse activities out of a strong desire to make the future bright for all children. Like after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Foundation has already committed to providing support to people in the Noto region through the long term. Our foremost wish is to bring smiles to as many people as possible by making Pokémon a cheerful and faithful companion in times of need.