Pokémon made its presence at the IIT Bombay’s Techfest 2025 in Powai through the Pokémon Fiesta, a showcase that combined interactive activities with technology‑driven experiences for students and visitors.
Concluding on 24 December, the initiative demonstrated how the brand continues to engage young audiences through innovation and play. Against this backdrop, AnimationXpress spoke with The Pokémon Company corporate officer Susumu Fukunaga about the company’s vision, global outreach, and the importance of connecting with India’s next generation of creators and fans.
Over the years, the Pokémon brand has steadily evolved in the Indian market, gaining visibility and recognition through events and collaborations. The recent tie‑ups including partnerships with cricket teams such as the Mumbai Indians have begun to attract attention and spark conversations among fans and industry observers alike.
Upon asking the objective behind organising the fiesta at IIT Bombay, Fukunaga shared, “Our first objective was to reach college students, and IIT Bombay is one of the best places to do that. Beyond simply approaching them, we wanted to build a community where people could discover our content, share it with one another, and interact through it.”
Alongside the festive parade featuring Pikachu in a Santa costume, which moved across the campus and drew crowds keen to capture photographs and join the celebrations, visitors explored the merchandise booth where plush toys and other collectibles proved especially popular with families and students. The day’s activities extended further into interactive gaming zones, dance performances and carnival‑style games, all of which contributed to a lively atmosphere that encouraged playful participation and social interaction.
“In addition, we staged a drone show that could be seen from surrounding areas, allowing us to showcase our content not only to students on campus but also to residents living nearby,” explained Fukunaga. The Pokémon drone show was the largest ever staged in Maharashtra, debuted on the opening night and ran at 9 pm on each of the following two evenings. The display brought together 1,500 drones in synchronised formations, creating striking visuals that included Pikachu in its newly introduced saree and kurta attire.
The Pokémon drone show at Techfest 2025 was the company’s first in India, following earlier displays in Japan, Singapore, China and Indonesia. In previous locations the Pokémon’s drone shows have drawn strong reactions, with audiences responding to the illuminated visuals in the night sky.
A zone dedicated for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, an app that allows fans to enjoy the card game on their smartphones was set up. “As the physical trading card game has not yet been officially launched in India, with this initiative, we aimed to provide students and visitors with an opportunity to experience the gameplay digitally and familiarise themselves with Pokémon cards,” he revealed. “The app, already available in Japan and other parts of the world, was showcased to highlight how Indian audiences can connect with the global community of players despite the absence of a local retail launch.”
In India, 2025 saw Pokémon broaden its reach and strengthen community ties, noted Fukunaga. The year began with the Pokémon Run in Mumbai, a family‑oriented mini‑marathon marked by participants in bright yellow T‑shirts. Sporting collaborations expanded through tie‑ups with the Indian Super League (ISL) and Indian Premiere League (IPL) teams such as the Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. Mall‑based Pokémon Fiesta events were also held in Mumbai, Chennai and Pune, underscoring efforts to connect with wider audiences.
Looking ahead to 2026, Pokémon has announced the launch of a new game titled Champions, centred on battles, a core element of the brand. “Designed to be accessible even to beginners, the game aims to broaden engagement,” said Fukunaga, while continuing the company’s tradition of partnering with organisations to stage events and activities.
With such initiatives, the company aims to inspire fans and collaborators in India to explore new ways of connecting with Pokémon.
