We now know where Pokémon characters will be making their first appearance in a Universal Studios theme park next year.
Universal Studios Japan announced today that Pokémon will be featured in the park's new No Limit! Parade, which will debut in the spring. The new parade also will feature Super Mario Bros., along with characters from Illumination's Minions and Sing, as well as from Peanuts, Sesame Street, and Hello Kitty.
"The dynamic parade will feature, spectacular floats, outrageous street performers, colorful costumes, high-energy music, and non-stop entertainment. Guests will dance through the decades of music from everything from 60’s rock to modern electronic dance music. Families will celebrate and let loose with their favorite characters as they pass by on themed floats representing the diverse dance styles," Universal said in its press release.
The park's most recent parade, Universal Spectacle Night Parade: The Best of Hollywood, targeted an older demographic with characters from Harry Potter, Transformers, Minions, and Jurassic World. It ranked #11 on our reader's list of the world's top 25 theme park shows last year, and won a Thea Award from the Themed Entertainment Association in 2019. That parade has been closed indefinitely since the park reopened, so it's possible that it has made its final run.
Universal this month announced a rights deal with The Pokémon Company to bring the popular game IP to Universal Studios Japan. The "long-term partnership" promised to "immerse guests into the world of Pokémon with innovative technology and creativity," but did not cite specific attractions that would debut at the park, or if the deal would grow to include other Universal theme parks around the world.
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Not true, it’s also at the Beijing park. It tends to be a popular show on both parks.
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Was the movie Sing a big hit in Japan or something? It seems like it's getting a ton of attention at USJ while being barely mentioned at any of the other parks.