Pokemon and famed J-Pop duo YOASOBI has just announced a song and music video collaboration! Read on to learn more about the partnership and when the song will drop!
Pokemon x YOASOBI
Song and Music Video Releasing on November 18, 2023
Update: YOASOBI uploaded the music video for their new Pokemon collab song Biri-Biri
on YouTube. Watch it below!
The official Japanese Pokemon Twitter (X) account has just announced a collaboration with J-Pop superduo YOASOBI! It will be released this Saturday on November 18, 2023.
The tweet reads, "YOASOBI's new Pokemon Scarlet/Violet
inspired song Biri-Biri
will be released at midnight on Saturday, November 18th! Produced by YOASOBI based on the short story "After the Rain with You.” #PokemonSV Look forward to the special song that will be released on the 1st anniversary of its release!"
“Biri-biri” is the Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound that electricity makes, and this could be referencing various different things. The most iconic mascot of Pokemon has been the electrifyingly cute Pikachu, while YOASOBI’s discography has an abundance of electronic music. Their first headlining tour across Japan was also dubbed “DENKOSEKKA,” meaning “Fast as Lightning.”
Another official Pokemon Twitter account posted a short snippet of the music video with the song. From the short teaser, the song sounds very similar to the original Pokemon Battle Theme from the first Pokemon Red and Green games. Ayase, the producer of the YOASOBI duo, most likely samples the track for the collaboration song for its classic nostalgic themes and energy.
Needless to say, fans of both the franchise and the artists have erupted with excitement, where all tweets have amassed over ten thousand likes and retweets in under an hour. Even Ikura, the singer/songwriter of the duo, posted on the official YOASOBI Twitter account a picture of her, holding a plushie of the electric Pokemon “Pawmot.”
She writes, “I've been thinking about the Pokemon collaboration ever since the “Lightning Tour,” so I'm happy to finally be able to announce it.” The Lightning Tour references YOASOBI’S aforementioned headlining live concert tour. The tour took place across 14 arenas from April 5 to June 24, 2023, meaning this partnership has been in the works for 5 months at least, and 7 months at most.
On Saturday, November 18, 2023 YOASOBI released the song as well as its music video as seen below.
Not Pokemon’s First Music Collaboration
Pokemon x Hatsune Miku
This isn’t the first time Pokemon has had a musical partnership with famous artists. Recently, Pokemon and Hatsune Miku had a partnership titled “Project Voltage” which exemplified the power of creativity and artistic exploration. The project’s goal was to release 18 songs, 18 music videos, 18 unique Hatsune Miku illustrations, and 18 Pokemon partnerships, all attributed to the 18 Pokemon types.
