Index
1. Focusing on Sports as Extracurricular Activities for Children
Over the years, The Pokémon Company has had many sports-related collaborations with a variety of partners, including professional baseball teams and the Japan Sumo Association. Through these initiatives, we recognized the strong affinity between Pokémon and sports, which inspired us to support both more consistently.
This led us to launch the “Pokémon Kids Sports Project”: a program aimed at providing children with invaluable experiences through the interplay of sports and Pokémon.
We focused specifically on the time children spend on extracurricular activities. Children have many opportunities to interact with Pokémon at home, such as through video games and the anime series. However, as they grow older, they begin to spend more time away from home as they begin participating in things like soccer, baseball, or attending tutoring centers.
We developed this initiative to put the focus on sports as an extracurricular pursuit. One staff member explains the background of the plan: “We wanted to create an environment where children can still interact with Pokémon, even when they are busy with after-school activities.”
2. A Sports Initiative that Benefits All Three
We want to not only help children become more familiar with Pokémon through sports, but also contribute to the growth of sports through Pokémon. Additionally, we want to provide positive experiences that stay with children as they grow older. To ensure this project could mutually benefit children, sports, and Pokémon, we held extensive discussions with numerous sports associations and related parties.
To begin, we chose to forge collaborative ties between Pokémon and soccer. We previously collaborated with the Japan Football Association (JFA) through the “My First Pokémon Project,” an earlier initiative we launched to create new opportunities for children to connect with Pokémon. One highlight of this partnership was a series of soccer clinics for preschoolers held across Japan, featuring Cinderace, the Striker Pokémon.
Under the Pokémon Kids Sports Project, we have now taken over these initiatives and expanded them to include elementary school students and older. We plan to introduce further expansions, such as soccer programs for intermediate and advanced young players and the distribution of Pokémon-themed equipment and bibs.
For tennis-related collaborations, we appointed Sprigatito, the Grass Cat Pokémon, to serve as a special “kids ambassador.” This choice was inspired by the “green dot” tennis balls used by junior tennis players, which match Sprigatito’s distinctive green appearance. Sprigatito was, of course, on hand for the main event of “Tennis Day” held at Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo, along with former tennis pro Shuzo Matsuoka.
3. Selecting a Star Pokémon for Each Sport
When choosing the Pokémon to serve as sports ambassadors, we prioritize their affinity with each specific sport. We held lengthy discussions to determine how to best highlight each Pokémon’s unique traits, often explaining their characteristics and roles within the games and anime to our partners.
Our staff member notes: “In Sprigatito’s case, for example, besides the coloring it has in common with green dot balls, its evolution from a leaf to a bud, and finally to a flower mirrors the growth of young tennis players starting their journey in the sport. In soccer, seeing Cinderace’s skillful ball handling in person radiates a genuine sense of excitement and inspiration.
4. Lifelong Memories through Pokémon and Sports
One particular staff member feels a deep passion for this initiative, expressing hope that children will look back at the experience later in their lives and think, “I used to play sports with Pokémon when I was little.” I want both sports and Pokémon to be cherished parts of their lives.
But we’re not stopping with just soccer and tennis. In the years ahead, we plan to expand this project to more sports, including baseball, swimming, and winter sports.
We hope to introduce the many different Pokémon and what makes each one so special to as many children as possible. And in turn, we also hope that Pokémon serves as a bridge that connects children to the world of sports.
As a direct link between the nation’s youth and Pokémon, the Pokémon Kids Sports Project will continue to create timeless memories for children through the power of sports.