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Pen-Pikachu-Apple-Pen? Pokémon star teams up with PPAP singer for new song

Casey Baseel Aug 25, 2020
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Pikotaro and Pikachu want to give the world something to smile about.

Pikachu is one of those rare cases where an anime/video game character becomes a full-on celebrity. In keeping with his status as one of the biggest names in the Japanese show business world, Pikachu’s star power is always in demand, and just days after appearing at a ceremony celebrating the arrival of Pokémon manhole covers in Tokyo, the famed Electric-type is on to his next team-up, this time with Kazuhito Kosaka.

If that name doesn’t ring a bell, you might be more familiar with Daimaou Kosaka, his stage name, or Pikotaro, his even more famous stage name under which he wrote and performed worldwide viral hit “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen”/”PPAP” (and its updated-for-2020 “wash your hands” version).

Pikotaro and Pikachu will be combining their talents/powers to create a new song, titled “PIKA to PIKO” (with “to” being read like to, the Japanese word for “and”). Citing their shared appreciation of the color yellow, Pikotaro says he has always felt a kinship with the Pokémon mascot, has wanted to work together for some time, and that finally being granted the opportunity to do so makes him feel “truly lucky and company” (no, we don’t know what he means by that last part either).

▼ The song’s official announcement, ostensibly penned by more traditionally logical minds, also says that the song is a product of the two stars’ shared desire to “create something joyful for people around the world to talk about.”

In reminiscing on their creative process, Pikataro described the experience with:

“For this song, I interpreted Pikachu’s words. No one understands Pikachu’s language, but I was able to understand them in a Pikotaro-like way, and I feel we linked our minds. For this song, Pikachu is wearing sunglasses, so I think we can call him Pikataro. It makes him even cuter…I hope children all over the world will enjoy the song…This is the ultimate collaboration pi.”

While trying to make Pikachu cuter than his standard design is sort of like trying to improve on perfection, there’s no denying that the Pico-fied Pikachu radiates a unique charisma, and Pikotaro’s fashion exchange with the Pocket Monster seems to be a two-way street, judging from his added ears and rosy cheeks.

“PIKA to PIKO” will be making its debut on August 31 as part of the Pokémon Virtual Fest virtual theme park event, and considering how much Pikchu has impressed us with his dancing and singing skills in the past, it should definitely be worth seeing.

Source: Press release
Images ©2020 Pokémon. ©1995-2020 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.
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