ANA has revealed the designs for two of its three new Pokemon-themed aircraft, bringing back one of Japan’s most recognizable airline marketing ideas for a year of overlapping anniversaries. The project marks both 30 years since the launch of Pokemon Red and Green and 40 years of ANA international flights, giving the airline a high-visibility way to connect nostalgia, family travel, and global brand recognition.
What ANA Is Adding
ANA says Pokemon Jet Red will be a Boeing 787-8, registered JA819A, entering domestic service in late July 2026. Pokemon Jet Green will be a Boeing 787-9 planned for international routes, with its launch date still to be announced. A third aircraft, Pokemon Jet Blue, will be a Boeing 737-800 for domestic flying, also with details still pending.
The airline has now shown the Red and Green designs, while the broader program includes cabin elements, onboard products, and passenger-facing experiences. ANA has a long history with special Pokemon aircraft, dating back to the world’s first Pokemon Jet in 1998, so this is not a one-off novelty. It is a revival of a proven travel-marketing formula.
Why Special Liveries Still Work
Airline liveries can look like decoration, but the best ones work as mobile advertising, social media content, and emotional brand cues. ANA’s Pokemon aircraft are especially powerful because they combine Japanese pop culture with the airline’s own international identity. A passenger may not know aircraft subtypes or route economics, but they can recognize a special jet on the ramp and remember the trip.
For ANA, that matters in a competitive premium market where service quality, network strength, and brand affection all matter. The airline is using the project to reach families, younger travelers, overseas fans, and nostalgic adults who grew up with the franchise.
The Route Clues Are Also Interesting
The Red aircraft is listed for domestic routes from Tokyo Haneda and Osaka Itami, including major leisure and regional markets such as Sapporo, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Miyako, and Ishigaki. That gives ANA a strong domestic visibility platform. The Green 787-9 being aimed at international service could make the campaign visible at overseas airports as well.
More Than A Painted Aircraft
The bigger story is how airlines are trying to make travel feel distinctive again. A special livery does not fix fuel prices or schedule disruption, but it can create an emotional reason for passengers to choose, photograph, and talk about a flight. In that sense, ANA’s new Pokemon jets are a brand investment disguised as a fleet story.
