In April, a new Pokemon variety show is coming to television in Japan. The live action program is called Poké Doko: Pokemon in Doko Iku?! (“Where’s Poké: where are you going with Pokémon?!”). It includes the Pikachu bus.
The concept is that the variety program will visit Pokemon fans and go on a trip. Considering how the regions of Pokemon the games are based on real places, it could be an interesting sight. Maybe the show will interview people from the Pokémon Company to show those connections? We’ll have to see how the program actually does things, though.
Pikachu-shaped kindergarten buses are not it’s rare in japan. My oldest son was driving a choo-choo bus and desperately wanted to get on a Pikachu bus. He was crushed when his kindergartener only bought a Pikachu bus after entering first grade and, like most elementary school children in Japan, had to walk to school.
The official name of the vehicle is the Dokoikokkaathat a word plays on the expression Doko ikou ka? (Where shall we go?) and a Japanese word for car (kaa). So I guess it’s a car and not a bus. Judging by the tires in the artist’s rendition of the vehicle above, I’m not sure if this bus can actually drive or if it’s just a studio prop, but I’m interested to find out!
Poke Doko will feature Ryogo Matsumaru, who was on the previous Pokemon variety show, as well as Shoko Nakagawa, who is entering her 16th year on this kind of Poké programs. She will be the navigator, while comedian Abareru-kun will be the show’s driver. There will be another host – a famous woman – who has yet to be revealed. Who could he be?
Live Variety airs on Sunday mornings and is meant to complement the broadcast Pokemon lively. Since the current program is Pokémon Master Journeys: The Seriesa themed trip Pokemon variety show comes into its own. So where do you want to go on the Pikachu Bus?
Comments are closed.