Index
1. A Project Born from One Child’s Dream
The “Toyota Miraidon Project” envisions bringing Miraidon, a Pokémon from the video game series, to life as a form of future mobility. This joint project between the Toyota Engineering Society* and The Pokémon Company began with the idea of giving shape to the dreams of children.
The Toyota Engineering Society is a voluntary internal organization primarily composed of Toyota Motor Corporation engineers. Based on the company's core principles, members dedicate themselves to refining their technical skills.
Once each year, the Toyota Engineering Society co-hosts “Wakuwaku World” (World of Excitement) with Toyota City to contribute to the local community. For the 2023 event, the team invited elementary school students in Aichi Prefecture to submit ideas for “Dream Future Mobility.” This prompt inspired a staggering 8,000 ideas.
Among these entries, one specific drawing caught the attention of the society members: a drawing of Miraidon.
Miraidon is a legendary Pokémon that appears in Pokémon Violet , the video game launched in 2022.
“Miraidon allows the rider to communicate with it like a friend while traveling. We felt it was the perfect embodiment of a child’s dream of the future,” explained a member.
They found the idea especially exciting as it brought back memories of their own enjoyment of playing Pokémon games as children.
The Pokémon Company shared their strong desire to build a Miraidon in the real world. To prove that adults can make children’s dreams come true, our companies joined forces. This marked the starting line of an unprecedented challenge: building the “Toyota Engineering Society Miraidon” (Toyota Miraidon for short).
2. Engineers Who Tackled the Challenge with Passion
The team first set out to build a functional vehicle that looked as if it had been pulled straight from the game screen. With only six months until the “Wakuwaku World” event, achieving that goal in time required the cooperation of many of TOYOTA’s affiliated companies.
The project team initially consisted of about 30 members. However, as their passion for craftsmanship and the joy of the project spread, the team eventually grew to 300 members.
Toyota Miraidon consists of an inner structure housing the frame and motors, plus a decorative exterior. The engineers took great care to balance the internal structure with the outward form of Miraidon.
One challenge, for example, was how to recreate Miraidon’s slender legs in the “Low-Power Mode,” when Miraidon walks on all fours. Slender legs would leave limited space for the motors and wiring. The team had to devise a way to secure enough power to support the weight of a rider while maintaining those proportions. went through a series of trial and error in their quest to recreate Miraidon in the real world.
3. Bringing Miraidon from The Virtual World to the Real World
The team encountered another major difficulty when designing the transformation from Low-Power Mode to Drive Mode. In the game, Miraidon curls its tail to act as a rear wheel, but in reality, Toyota Miraidon would not be able to support a human rider with such a long, thin tail.
While safety requirements demanded a thicker, sturdier tail, the engineering team still wanted to maintain Miraidon’s sleek aesthetic. The project members from Toyota and their Pokémon counterparts held frequent discussions tofind a workable solution.
To make the Toyota Miraidon feel alive, the team focused heavily on the body color. A flat paint job would have looked stale and overly mechanical, so they customized the colors for each part and applied varied levels of gloss.
In the game, Miraidon’s skin appears to shift colors based on lighting and the environment. We replicated this effect by applying a delicate paint finish that changes depending on the viewing angle.
They also prioritized making it a ride that all children could enjoy equally.
Standard car pedals would be out of reach for a small child, so they searched for a simpler, more playful way to operate the Toyota Miraidon. The answer they came up with was a Nintendo Switch controller. This enabled children to operate the vehicle using the same methods they use to play the games they are familiar with.
To ensure maximum safety and prevent injuries, they also carefully adjusted the speed settings and the shape of every external component.
4. Inspiring Children Through the Power of Craftsmanship
Toyota Miraidon was unveiled in November 2023 at “Wakuwaku World” in Toyota City. Following further refinements, a special exhibition and test-ride event was held at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya in March 2024.
Measuring roughly 4 meters long and 2 meters high, the life-sized Toyota Miraidon is a sight to behold. Both children and adults let out cheers of excitement when they saw it in person.
One member from The Pokémon Company who was involved from the start reflected on the joy of making the Toyota Miraidon a reality.
“I believe this project inspired not only children, but also adults familiar with the technological challenges involved. I hope the passion and seriousness of the adults who worked on this project show children that they don’t have to let their dreams remain just dreams.”
Looking back on the year since the project began, the expressions on the engineer’s faces were particularly memorable. They were filled with the same joy and excitement as the children who saw the Toyota Miraidon for the first time.
The project demonstrated that even as adults, our imagination can create the future, and that there are talented people dedicated to making dreams come true.
