Pokémon and its beloved central character Pikachu have captivated audiences for years, with the jovial yellow companion's image and likeness popping up on a variety of merchandise and other commodified goods. However, Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan, has taken their affinity for the beloved animated creature and created a city-wide spectacle.
The Pikachu Outbreak Festival is an event that celebrates its title character in an emphatic fashion. In honour of the festival's five-year anniversary, its organizers are promising dazzling and monumental affair.
Taking place between August 10-16, as nighttime descends on Yokohama, a parade of 1,500 Pikachus sporting light-up costumes will galavant throughout the city.
Minatomirai's inner harbour will host "Pikachu Parade on the Sea," which will come replete with costumed replicas of the enthusiastic creature. The website for the event reveals how it will use "the latest digital technology to present a unique visual storytelling of a new Pokemon adventure, surrounded by Yokohama’s picturesque scenery."