The Pokémon anime is seeing a change in timeslot on TV Tokyo station, and while that may not be big news for fans outside of Japan, there is also an adorable video celebrating the announcement that all trainers can enjoy.
The promotional video sees an “Executive Golden Producer” Pikachu emerging from a gigantic golden Poké Ball and strutting down a red carpet, looking very dapper indeed in his gold suit. If you’re wondering about the emphasized golden theme throughout the clip, the show is moving to a Friday slot; “Friday” is “Kinyoubi” in Japanese, which translates to “Gold Day.”
According to the Pokémon Wiki, this is only the third time that the anime’s TV Tokyo timeslot has been moved throughout its 23-year history. The original series first aired in April 1997 on Tuesday evenings, though a particular episode that aired in December 1997 forced the show on hold for two months and shifted episodes to Thursdays in 1998. This was the infamous “Cyber Soldier Porygon” episode, which caused seizures among many viewers upon airing in Japan and was subsequently banned worldwide. This Thursday slot stayed in effect for a whopping 20 years on TV Tokyo until 2018, where it moved to Sunday nights.
Written by Reece Heather
A lifelong Nintendo fan and a longtime editor at Zelda Universe, Reece will forever be grateful that he somehow dodged the Naughty List of Christmas 1998, when Santa delivered the life-changing gift of a Nintendo 64 with Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Mario Kart 64. When he's not playing games, Reece is usually reading Punisher comics, delving helplessly into the weirdest depths of anime and manga, or spending time with his cocker spaniel Gracie -- the goodest girl ever!
