A live-action Pokémon series is set to premiere this fall on Netflix, promising a bold reimagining that breaks away from the familiar look of the games and anime. Rather than a direct adaptation, this new take will explore fresh storytelling and visual styles, offering fans an unprecedented way to experience the Pokémon world with real actors and stunning effects. With Joe Henderson, known for “Lucifer,” at the helm, and connections to the successful “Detective Pikachu” film, the series aims to blend nostalgia with innovative cinematic thrills, redefining what a Pokémon adventure can be.
The drama will star Japanese actress Nanase Nishino, who plays a new college grad named Madoka Akagi, who struggles to click into a new job and new city. Her mother sends her a care package that includes a Game Boy and Pokémon Red, and that’s where her new adventure begins as she reunites with a game she hasn’t played since childhood. The show is produced by both The Pokémon Company and Tokyo TV. It’s not clear if we’ll see any actual Pokémon in the show, or if it’s squarely set in reality. Either way, it sounds like this is less of a Detective Pikachu and more of a reality-based drama.
It’s unlikely to get released outside of Japan, but English-speaking Pokémon fans may be eventually get their own live-action show, too. Variety reported in 2021 that Lucifer co-showrunner Joe Henderson was working on a pilot of a live-action Pokémon show for Netflix. Details were slim, but Variety said it’ll be akin to Detective Pikachu. This is in addition to Netflix’s stop-motion series Pokémon Concierge and its Pokémon anime offerings.
How will the new live-action Pokémon show differ from the games visually and story-wise
The new live-action Pokémon show on Netflix will visually diverge from the games by blending live-action with CGI to create more naturalistic, realistic Pokémon designs that fit alongside human actors, building on the visual style pioneered by the Detective Pikachu movie but expanding to include many more Pokémon. Story-wise, the show will not directly adapt the mainline games or the anime but instead tell a fresh, original story within the Pokémon world, potentially acting as a reboot/spinoff hybrid that maintains franchise lore while exploring new characters and narratives with action-adventure, family drama, and coming-of-age themes. Unlike the games, which focus on gym battles and Pokémon catching, the live-action series aims to deepen narrative complexity and character development, possibly appealing to an older audience by aging up the content and exploring different arcs over multiple seasons. This approach contrasts with Detective Pikachu, which was set in a unique city without traditional Pokémon battles or gyms, signaling the new series may reintroduce classic Pokémon elements but with a fresh perspective.
How will the live-action Pokémon show balance realism with faithful character design
The live-action Pokémon show will balance realism with faithful character design by adopting a careful approach similar to the one used in Detective Pikachu. The creative team will aim to strike a delicate balance between making Pokémon look realistic enough to exist believably alongside human actors, while preserving their iconic, cute, and cartoonish appeal to avoid the uncanny valley effect. For example, Detective Pikachu featured Pikachu with authentic fluffy fur but retained his signature pointy ears and red cheeks, and Charizard had realistic scales and teeth but maintained the proportions fans recognize. This approach ensures the Pokémon look natural without losing their fictional charm, preventing them from appearing creepy or off-putting. The key is to avoid making designs too realistic, which can be unsettling, or too cartoonish, which can break immersion. This balance is achieved through high-quality CGI and thoughtful artistic choices that maintain the essence of the original characters while adapting them for a live-action setting.
