Today, Ash Ketchum and friends went on their last adventure. From Friday 13 January, an 11-episode mini-season of the animated series, which first aired in April 1997, will run. – It’s a big moment, says game reviewer Rune Fjeld Olsen. – I think there are many people who are still left with the impression that Pokémon was their childhood, he says. In Norway, the series has been shown on TV 2, DisneyXD and Jetix, among others. The perhaps somewhat repetitive action in the series involves Ash, a young boy of 10 going out into the world to become a pokemon master. He explores the different regions of the universe, catches Pokémon, and participates in tournaments where the Pokémon fight against each other. Since October 1996, over 43 billion Pokemon cards have been sold worldwide. Photo: IDA MARIE ODGAARD / AFP Commercial mega-success The TV series has helped build Pokémon’s international empire. In total, it has been shown in 192 countries, and together with the many theatrical films, it has helped to sell 440 million copies of the 76 different games. The company, also known for its card game, seems to have succeeded in marketing. Game reviewer Rune Fjeld Olsen. Photo: Siri Vålberg Saugstad / Siri Vålberg Saugstad – In terms of kroner and øre, Pokémon is considered the world’s biggest entertainment franchise. It’s bigger than Marvel and bigger than Star Wars. The reason for that is that they have received an incredible amount of content over many years. It has gathered both old and new fans, says Rune Fjeld Olsen. He believes the key to success was that Pokémon hit wide. – I think the way Pokemon was launched made it a game that hit very wide. It hit people who were into games, people who weren’t into games at all, both different genders, and all different ages. It was a very unifying experience. Last year, The Pokémon Company had a solid income of more than NOK 1.6 billion, according to Statista. In the new Pokémon TV series that launches from April, Liko and Roy will be joined by the Pokémon Sprigatito (a fluffy grass type), Fuecoco (a crocodile-like fire type) and Quaxly (a duck-like water type). Photo: The Pokémon Company New series takes up the baton Ash never got older than 10-12 years, but Pokémon’s original following has grown up. On 16 December 2022, it became clear that the TV series would be replaced. – It is perhaps a signal that they want to do something new. I hope so, says Fjeld Olsen. A new TV series with the main characters “Liko” and “Roy” takes the baton from April, the company writes in a press release. The new pokemon trainers will explore the Paldea region, featured in the latest editions of the video games: Scarlet and Violet. “Pokémon shock” It wasn’t always obvious that Pokémon would become a historic TV success. The series’ 38th episode caused a scandal that almost had it removed from the air. On 16 December 1997, the episode “Data warrior Porygon” was broadcast. A sequence of rapid flashes of colorful light causes nausea, vomiting and epileptic seizures in some of the viewers. Pikachu uses a kind of lightning attack in the TV series Photo: The Pokemon Company In Tokyo alone, the fire service reports 618 cases, of which a hundred were admitted to hospital. The incident is dubbed “Pokémon shock”, and the entire TV series is withdrawn for four months. The 38th episode will never be broadcast on TV again. A new strict piece of legislation on epilepsy-inducing flashes of light on TV is introduced, and in April 1998 the TV series can start again. In the same year, the series is exported to the United States, and the Pokémon wave sweeps the world. Customers visit a store selling Pokemon effects in Tokyo in 2016. Photo: KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP
ttn-69
After 25 years, the animation series Pokémon has come to an end – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
