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Pikachu Outbreak 2018 photos! Pikachus parade through Yokohama, bust out dance moves at night

Casey Baseel Aug 14, 2018
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In previous years, the famous and adorable Pokémon went to sleep when the sun went down, but this time they’re staying up late to party!

Yesterday, we shared a slew of photos from the first-ever Eevee show, in which a pack of the beloved Pokémon dance and frolic in the town of Yokohama, 20 minutes south of Tokyo. However, the Eevee excursion is part of the 2018 Pikachu Outbreak, which means that the iconic electric-type Pocket Monster was also in town, with events including an all-new nighttime appearance.

This year’s Pikachu Outbreak is a little more laid-back than previous iterations, but as soon as you get out of the gates of Minato Mirai Station, if you look to your right you’ll spot a giant inflatable specimen, as well as a booth selling merchandise including Pikachu ears, tails, and plushies.

The station is connected to the Minato Mirai Tokyu Square shopping center, with a specially decorated gateway at the elevators that take you up to the surface.

Most importantly, Tokyu Square is the starting point for the afternoon version of the 2018 Pikachu parade! We snagged a spot right outside the doors of the second-floor exit, which leads flows out the outdoor pedestrian space between Tokyu Square and the neighboring Landmark Plaza.

Before long, we heard the steady cadence of clapping hands and a whistle blowing, which was soon drowned out by excited gasps…

…and shouts of joy as the Pikachus appeared!

Marching in single file with synchronized swaying of their pudgy torsos and expressive ears, well over a dozen Pikachus made their way out of the building and into the warm Yokohama sunshine.

▼ This is one traffic jam we wouldn’t mind being part of.

While zoologists without an extensive background in Pocket Monster studies may thing one Pikachu looks the same as any other, there are actually no fewer than four different subspecies on display. In addition to the standard male Pikachu, there’s a female with a heart-shaped tail and flowers on her ears and a shy-looking guy with a closed-mouth grin (both visible in the above photos), plus a Pikachu with a determined, or possibly sinister, look to his eyes.

▼ Or maybe he’s just Sarcasti-chu.

After the last Pikachu passed by, the group showed considerable discipline by not rushing into the nearby Shake Shack to stuff their faces with artisanal burgers, and instead made a hard right and headed off in the direction of the Mark Is shopping center, the endpoint of the parade.

However, this wasn’t the last we’d see of the Pikachus, because this year there’s also a special nighttime Pikachu parade.

The night parade runs from the first floor exit of Mark Is into the plaza in front of the Yokohama Museum of Art, where the Pikachus and their human handlers perform a high-energy dance number to thumping music before doing a U-turn and heading back into Mark Is. Leading the group is a Pikachu with either a flashing thundercloud or an electric afro on his head, and he’s followed by a team dressed in black outfits with colorful strips of light.

The parade is held multiple times each day, but it’s the later show, held at 7:30 when we attended, when the Pikachus’ snazzy outfits really shine. If you’re looking for a way to kill time while waiting for the sun to go down, we recommend stopping by the branch of Japanese sweets shop Kurikoan on Mark Is’ basement level one and picking up an edible Magikarp taiyaki sweet bean cake, or one of the standard taiyaki with the “Pikachu color” banana cream filling, if there’re any of the limited-time treats left.

Because really, there’s no better way to keep yourself fueled through a day of chasing after Pikachus and Eevees than by munching on another Pokémon.

The Pikachu Outbreak runs through August 16.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where Minato Mirai and Kurikoan are two of his favorite things about living in Yokohama.