The latest edition of the Pokémon World Championships has come to an end. It was an event full of competitions, featuring matches from various Pokémon games that will go down in history. The world will remember Luminosity Gaming's back-to-back championship in Pokémon UNITE, Vance Kelley's trophy win in Pokémon TCG on his first Worlds, and how Tomoyo read Robbie perfectly to become the Senior category champion in Pokémon VGC.
Undoubtedly, it was all exciting, but how was the event experienced? Join me as I tell you about the feeling of this wonderful week in Yokohama.
Like other competitive events, the Pokémon World Championships aims to be a true spectacle. It's a grand production that celebrates the franchise and its fans with small details executed with surgical precision. The goal is to outdo what was done the previous year and continue establishing itself as a must-stop on the competitive gaming calendar.
Just entering the Pacifico Convention Center, the event venue, was enough to leave even the most skeptical amazed. There were several square meters of competition tables awaiting the moment to become the battleground for the world's best trainers. All of this was beneath an impressive main stage that combined elements of Yokohama, Pokémon, and traditional Japanese architecture to give us a hint of the true importance of Pokémon Worlds. Of course, all this under the watchful gaze of a giant Pikachu hanging from the ceiling.
Although we waited for over an hour for the start of the opening of Pokémon World Championships 2023, the venue embraced us in such a way that time flew by. It was incredibly easy to get lost in another world and be mesmerized by the scale of the production. The combination of music, lighting, and ambiance was a delight for attendees. Not to mention the opening ceremony, which featured a taiko drum performance to remind us of two things: it would be a day of intense competition, and the venue was Japan, the home of Pokémon.
That would have been enough to praise the production values of Pokémon Worlds 2023, but there was much more. Near the event, there were several satellite events, some more elaborate than others, that turned it into a celebration of the highest level. There was a bit of everything: from activities for young children to shows that left people of all ages amazed.
One of the first activities was a visit to the Pop-Up Pokémon Center of Worlds 2023, a temporary store with merchandise featuring two essential characteristics for collectors: exclusivity and theming. There were everything from plush Pikachu eating ramen to skateboards with Pokémon Worlds artwork and figures of the starters from Paldea with regional food. Of course, there was also space for Pokémon Trading Card Game merchandise, including a deck, coins, and playmats that could only be purchased there. The demand to enter the store was immense, and it was packed every day. Fortunately, the organization matched the situation, so order was maintained, and there was enough merchandise for everyone who wanted it.
The next day, we went to the Pacifico National Convention Hall in Yokohama to attend the symphonic concert of Pokémon performed by NHK musicians. We didn't record it out of respect for other attendees, but it was beautiful. The orchestra did a fantastic job with their rendition of themes from various generations, but what was most significant was that they executed a concept. Instead of just presenting songs, they wanted to represent different parts of a Pokémon adventure. They even used 3D projection screens at times to make you feel like a Pokémon team was on stage. The attention to detail was such that there were even nods to the current Pokémon VGC metagame.
One of the activities aimed at a younger audience was Matsuri Park. It's a park located a few steps from the convention center that took the opportunity to become a festival reminiscent of Johto. Decorated with traditional Japanese elements and a Pikachu-inspired dance, attendees could enjoy games like Magikarp fishing or tossing Tatsugiris to feed a hungry Dondozo, all while an arrangement of the Vermilion City theme played in the background. The area was surrounded by the Full Restore Tent, a tent set up for anyone wanting to sit and protect themselves from the intense heat of Yokohama.
There was also room for much more spectacular shows. One show that captivated audiences worldwide was the drone show that invaded the Yokohama sky each night, illuminating it with creatures like Pikachu, Ho-Oh, Lugia, and even a giant Poké Ball. They also performed another less viral but equally spectacular exhibition called IMAGINATION, which included music, dance, and lights, leaving attendees in awe, especially after witnessing the movements that Pikachu mascots are capable of.
One of the more ostentatious activities was one that The Pokémon Company team left for nearly the end. From the convention center, we could see a massive cruise ship docked next to a Lapras—what on earth was this? It was one of the most heartfelt activities of the whole event.
Obviously, the ship wasn't there by accident. The Pokémon Company rented this nearly 100-year-old ship to turn it into a place where trainers could battle, trade creatures, or showcase their card collections. There were plenty of Pokémon-themed elements, even a collection of trash cans with nods to fans. Does it sound familiar? If you answered yes, it's because it was an attempt to bring the SS Anne from the first generation of Pokémon into the real world. They went all out, so much so that Takato Utsunomiya, Chief Operating Officer of The Pokémon Company, acknowledged that they went all-in, which we greatly appreciated.
In addition to the activities exclusive to Worlds 2023, The Pokémon Company invited us to others that helped us connect more with Pokémon and Japan. For instance, we had the opportunity to visit Creatures, the company responsible for Pokémon Trading Card Game, to learn more about the game's creation process. We also got to recreate the artwork of a Magnemite card alongside Yuka Morii, the artist responsible for illustrating this creature in the Pokémon 151 expansion. The day before, we visited the beautiful Sanken Garden to experience a traditional tea ceremony firsthand and walk through a portion of its 175,000 square meters of space to admire structures that were brought to Yokohama from places like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kakamura.
We also visited the Pokémon Center in PARCO, a shopping center located in the popular Shibuya district. At first glance, it might seem like just another Pokémon store, but I could see that each Pokémon Center is unique. Each one has special merchandise as well as impressive sculptures of iconic Pokémon. For example, while the Yokohama Pokémon Center features an impressive Kyogre, the one in Shibuya showcases a imposing Mewtwo waiting to awaken and unleash its fury.
With all of this, Pokémon Worlds 2023 was a well-rounded experience, but what really struck me was finally understanding what makes it special. Of course, the competition is important, as are the satellite events and exclusive merchandise. However, more than knowing the new champion or having a new Pokémon Presents, it's about something so magical that it's almost intangible.
For a week, I wasn't in Yokohama but in a Vermilion City filled with trainers ready for battle, making new friends, and meeting old colleagues. It seemed like every corner was filled with the personality of a Pokémon. It could be Pikachu mascots dancing, the feather of a Ho-Oh that fell to bless a conductor, or a Mew flying through the sky thanks to a drone show. This is not to mention all the trainers seeking a good battle, a trade to get a Pokémon not available in their region, or simply chatting. Thus, the Pokémon world became real, even if only for a few days.
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