(CNN) – It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a … Jigglypuff?
Some Pokémon-themed planes are beginning to appear in the skies of Japan.
Solaseed Airlines, a local carrier based on the Japanese island of Kyushu, launched a Pokémon-painted plane on December 19th. His initial flight was from Miyazaki to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
The plane is part of a tourist collaboration between The Pokémon Company (which owns and licenses the characters) and various regions of Japan. Miyazaki, on the east coast of Kyushu, is the eighth prefecture to join the partnership.
The colors of the Exeggutor signature are part of the on-board design.
Kindness of Solaseed Air
Each prefecture is assigned its own dedicated Pokémon. Miyazaki is Exeggutor, chosen because it resembles the Phoenix palm tree that originated in the area, while the northern island of Hokkaido has Alolan Vulpix (according to the cold weather, which is suitable for snowy prefecture), and Fukushima is represented by pink-colored Chansey, which it has healing powers.
And it’s not just the exterior of the plane that features Exeggutor. On board, the seats have Exeggutor headrests, and some passengers received a special Exeggutor swag, such as pens and stickers.
For those who do not have air travel in their plans, there are also Exeggutor-themed buses in Miyazaki, Miyakonojo and Nobeoka, all in Miyazaki Province. Special aircraft and buses will operate at least until the end of 2021.
Books painted with popular characters are a fun tradition in the aviation industry. Jake, Finn and Princess Bubblegum from the popular TV show “Adventure Time” appeared on Cartoon Network airplanes on Thai Smile, a regional transport operator in Thailand.
CNN’s Junko Ogura contributed to the reporting.
