Index
1. Broadening the Appeal of Pokémon in Asia
Today, Pokémon is loved and embraced by fans both young and young at heart in regions all across the globe. However, several areas in Asia still have relatively low familiarity with Pokémon. To address this, The Pokémon Company is actively working to boost Pokémon’s presence throughout the continent.
The Asia Business Division. With more than 60 dedicated employees, the Division is in charge of business development, market promotion, Trading Card Game production, and design supervision & accounting duties.
The team manages several regions, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. One special characteristic of the division is its diverse staff, many of whom hail from the regions they oversee.
Their deep understanding of their home regions, coupled with their strong desire to make Pokémon popular in their home countries contributes significantly to boosting Pokémon’s presence in Asia.
2. Connecting Regions With the Pikachu Jet
The Asia Business Division is heavily focused on Indonesia. Despite boasting Southeast Asia’s largest population and economy, Pokémon’s name recognition in the country isn’t very high.
We entered the market there in earnest in 2019 with the release of the Indonesian-language version of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. However, the Covid-19 pandemic soon hindered our progress.
As the pandemic subsided, the Asia Business Division regained momentum. A staff member explained the renewed effort: “Now more than ever, we want to share the wonder of Pokémon through projects that integrate Indonesian culture.”
This drive led to the 2024 launch of “Pikachu’s Indonesia Journey,” a comprehensive cross-regional initiative.
The program evolved out of “Pokémon Air Adventures,” a project that internal employees started in 2020. The project seeks to “connect skies across the world, bringing passengers a truly memorable kind of air travel,” by launching “Pikachu Jets,” aircraft featuring custom Pokémon designs, in a number of countries and regions.
Building on this foundation, we partnered with Garuda Indonesia to launch the “Pikachu Jet GA,” a massive campaign that operates these special aircraft on domestic routes throughout Indonesia.
3. Taking on Unprecedented Initiatives Across Indonesia
Inspired by the Pikachu Jet GA flights, we organized numerous events in the capital city of Jakarta and other major urban centers.
The first event took place in March 2024 in Bali. Among the highlights were an exciting stage show featuring Pikachu together with JKT48, a phenomenally popular Indonesian girl group, and Pikachu performing on stage with a group of dancers. The audience erupted with cheers from children the moment Pikachu took the stage.
The show in Bali was followed by similar events in Surabaya in May and Yogyakarta in August. These featured dance stages, which were greatly enhanced by their atrium settings and opportunities to learn and play the Pokémon Trading Card Game, among other offerings.
We also integrated “Pokémon RUN,” tapping into the marathon trend in Asia, with events for the mobile game "Pokémon GO," which added Indonesian language support in 2022. By linking digital gameplay with real-world activities, we created a truly immersive experience for fans.
In Jakarta, we staged a special live show featuring 1,600 drones, the largest such display in Indonesian history. The team faced numerous logistical challenges during the planning stages for this unprecedented show. However, thanks to the close cooperation of our corporate partners in Indonesia, the event was a resounding success and drew enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
4. Spreading Pokémon Passion in Southeast Asia
Reflecting on the scale of the project, one staff member noted, “This event represented an unprecedented challenge for the Asia Business Division. Our success stemmed from collaborating across many departments throughout the Company, allowing us to remain flexible and ambitious.”
One moment in particular left a lasting impression on one staff member: when Pikachu appeared on stage wearing a batik shirt, Indonesia’s traditional attire. Local fans expressed great happiness noting how happy they were to see Pokémon sincerely embracing Indonesian culture.
“Our long-term goal,” the Division member said with a smile, “is to nurture a love of Pokémon throughout Southeast Asia. While we occasionally face difficulties with language barriers and cultural differences, it’s extremely rewarding. We get to experience a sense of accomplishment that is unique to being part of the Asia Business Division.”
Gaining strength from the success of “Pikachu’s Indonesia Journey,” we will continue pursuing challenges and delivering new surprises and joy to fans around the globe.