ANA Launches New "Pokémon Jet Green" Plane
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ANA, one of Japan's major airlines, has begun operating a new special-livery aircraft named "Pokémon Jet Green," launched through a partnership with the mobile game Pokémon GO.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787, was unveiled as part of a special project marking the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise. ANA repainted the plane with a distinctive green livery featuring Pokémon characters, continuing the airline's history of themed aircraft.
According to ANA's press release, the jet's inaugural flight took place on September 18, departing from Haneda Airport in Tokyo and arriving in Honolulu, Hawaii. The route is one of ANA's established international services and is popular among Japanese travelers heading to Hawaii.
The project is described as a joint initiative between ANA and Pokémon to mark the franchise's 30th anniversary, with the airline linking the aircraft's debut to Pokémon GO, the augmented-reality mobile game in which players explore real-world locations to find and catch virtual Pokémon.
In its announcement, ANA framed the launch as an invitation for passengers to "fly toward a new adventure," tying the plane's debut to the spirit of exploration central to the Pokémon GO game itself.
This is not ANA's first collaboration with the Pokémon franchise; the airline has previously operated other specially designed Pokémon-themed aircraft. However, the new green livery represents a fresh design created specifically for this year's 30th-anniversary celebrations.
Coverage of the launch, including reporting from aviation news outlet Aviation Wire, has highlighted the significance of the Haneda–Honolulu route for the debut flight, noting that the plane is expected to draw attention from both aviation enthusiasts and Pokémon fans throughout its service life.
Neither ANA's press release nor accompanying reports have detailed how long the special livery will remain in service or whether additional joint promotions with Pokémon GO are planned, leaving the scope of the wider partnership unclear for now.
Vocabulary7 words
- partnership
- an arrangement where two groups work together
- anniversary
- a date that marks a special event from an earlier year
- livery
- the special paint design on a vehicle like a plane
- services
- regular flights or trips a company offers
- initiative
- a new plan or project started to achieve something
- augmented-reality
- technology that adds computer images onto the real world
- inaugural
- the first of its kind
Quiz
Answer key
1. A Boeing 787 2. Pokémon's 30th anniversary 3. False
Discussion questions
- What do you think is the appeal of themed or specially designed airplanes for travelers?
- How do partnerships between brands like ANA and Pokémon benefit both companies?
- Do you think mobile games like Pokémon GO can meaningfully influence real-world industries such as travel? Why or why not?
- What questions would you want answered about this partnership that the article does not mention?