Pokémon Island

Pokémon Official License - A Brand New Original Picture Book Story
A work lovingly dedicated to all the time spent playing with Pokémon

Flying, sparks, blizzards... what shall we play today?
A powerful and impactful fantasy tale that passes on the hopes of childhood to the next generation.
Winner of the Japan Picture Book Award and the German White Ravens Award, "Koguma Workshop," author of "Almost Late for School!"

Global Exclusive Bonus: Pokémon Grand Gathering Poster
A 24x46cm panoramic poster, reproducing the shocking emotion of 151 Pokémon from the book gathering to cheer for the children.
=Synopsis=
Welcome to Pokémon Island,
Every day we quietly peek out,
Always waiting for people to arrive...

The winner of the Japan Picture Book Award, "Koguma Workshop," awakens the innocent feelings of their own childhood, integrating their deep love for Pokémon into a unique creative approach.
With beast-like collages, combined with dazzling and rich hand-painted brushstrokes, they depict a childhood accompanied by Pokémon,
And convey hope to the next generation, making it a "Pokémon Dream Book" dedicated to children and all adults who were once children.

=Features of this book=
1. Official Pokémon license - A brand new Pokémon experience
Familiar Pokémon figures, sparks, blizzards... these game moves transform into shining moments in the pictures, showcasing the warm times spent with Pokémon.

2. "Koguma Workshop," a highly anticipated new team in the Japanese picture book scene, creates a work that evokes childhood
"Koguma Workshop," who passionately loved Pokémon since elementary school, recalls their dream Pokémon from childhood memories, using unique composite media techniques like collage to touch the hearts of adults and children.

3. A magical island that opens up a child's imaginative world
Rhythmic text repeatedly asks softly, "What shall we play today?", guiding children to explore freely and embark on endless adventures.

4. The shocking scene of 151 Pokémon gathered together
The children who came to Pokémon Island grew up unknowingly. When the time for farewell arrived, 151 Pokémon gathered to bless the grown-up children, and quietly awaited the arrival of the next child. This is a sincere gift for all those who have been, are, or will be friends with Pokémon.

=Author's Words=

In our studio, there are nearly thirty Pokémon dolls, always hanging in mid-air, watching us draw from behind. These dolls were sewn by our grandmother when we were young. At ten years old, we loved Pokémon very much.

For us, born in Heisei 1 (1989), Pokémon is synonymous with "childhood." In 1996, after the release of the Game Boy game "Pokémon Red/Green," with the anime and various merchandise, Pokémon gradually became a social phenomenon, and at that time, we were ten-year-olds, the same age as the anime protagonist Ash. Whenever we think of Pokémon, the scenery of those years comes to mind—the path we walked to and from school, the sound of friends' voices, the smell of grass, secret bases in the forest, beads of sweat on our foreheads, thick cumulonimbus clouds.

For us as children, the boundary between the real world and fantasy Pokémon was blurry. We would imagine butterflies in the park as Butterfree, trying to catch them with a bug net. The scenes that appeared after being processed by our hearts and minds merged with actual scenes, making the world appear vast, dreamy, and beautiful. For adults who have accumulated knowledge and experience and no longer have the ability to imagine, that was a fleeting moment difficult to experience. When creating "Pokémon Island," we paid great attention to this feeling of "childhood." One of the origins of our creative drive is Pokémon.