Pokemon characters illuminate Japan skies during 2023 world championships

Drones illuminated the skies above Yokohama, Japan, with spectacular Pokemon characters as the 2023 world championships took place over the weekend.

The global appeal of the Japanese-made franchise is hard to overstate, with dozens of films, a long-running anime series, smartphone apps and a trading card game all spawning from the original 90s concept.

Pikachu and other iconic characters were drawn by 800 drones flying in the sky at Yokohama Rinkai Park, close to where this year’s world championship is being held.

The tournament has occurred in different cities across the globe since 2004, and this is the first time it has been held on the franchise’s home soil.