Elevating In-Flight Safety: ANA and Pokémon’s Aerial Adventure

In an age when most commercial flights will deliver the same dry safety presentation, ANA took a risk and brought an international pop-culture phenomenon into their plane to make the pre-flight experience something special. This adorable – and informative – safety video, created by Japan’s largest airline ANA in conjunction with Nintendo’s Pokémon franchise, serves as a reminder of what in-flight safety briefings can look like.

A Fusion of Fantasy and Flight Safety

This five-minute video won’t look like a run-of-the-mill safety briefing to you, unless you’re an avid viewer of Pokémon. In-flight guides are accompanied by safety instructions dealt out by Pokémon superstars such as Pikachu, Pichu and more. This unusual strategy combines security tips with entertainment, in a way that enhances both fun and retention of safety information. Passengers of all ages will be fully engaged and cognitively connected to the subject.

From Seat Belts to Smoke-Free Skies: Pokémon Edition

At the centre of this collaboration, classic characters from Pokémon perform activities that echo traditional safety directives, delivering the important messages in a new way. Such actions include a well-meaning Lucario adjusting a passenger’s seat or Jigglypuff chastising a passenger for vaping, serving the purpose of creating a memorable twist at the same time that safety instructions are reinforced.

An Unforgettable Sight: Pokémon-Themed Aircraft

Making it all the more magical, ANA rolled out two Pokémon-themed aircraft – the Eevee Jet NH and Pikachu Jet NH – with liveries stretching both inside and out. In addition to the exterior designs, the jets will also ensure passenger safety through the in-flight display of the safety video.

Delivering Joy and Safety Across the Skies

The three-minute ANA/Pokémon safety briefing is a groundbreaking venture for airline safety videos. This doesn’t just provide a safe flying experience to ANA’s customer base; it engages and entertains with universally loved Pokémon characters.

A Legacy of Creativity: ANA's Unique Approach to In-Flight Safety

This collaboration is a continuation of ANA’s tradition of leveraging entertainment and innovation to enhance the in-flight experience. The airline has worked with Nintendo on promotions in the past, including a regular Nintendo-themed video game magazine and a special Nintendo 3DS-themed version of the magazine in 2012. They’ve even developed an AR game called Pokémon GO Sneak Peek that originally debuted on a flight in 2016, and later brought Rachel Lillis, a longtime voice actress for Pokémon characters, on a flight in 2019 as part of an English-language video series. These aviation projects exemplify a willingness to embrace new and innovative ways of making the long hours in the air feel shorter for passengers.

NINTENDO: A Global Innovation Leader

It’s worth it at this point to pay a little respect to Nintendo, which made possible these creative collaborations in the first place. A legend in digital entertainment, Nintendo has established itself as an innovation powerhouse. But its innovations, starting with video games, are now transcending games and touching many more aspects of daily life, even aviation safety.

And given Nintendo’s long-standing dedication to providing joyful yet accessible entertainment packages for all age groups, this joint collaboration between Nintendo and ANA was an optimal synthesis of play and learning. With Nintendo busily and confidently exploring new markets and applications for its traditional brand of interactive entertainment, its remarkable knack for weaving playful, functional messages into iconic products and characters means safety instructions could be the most eagerly anticipated part of any flight.

Overall as mentioned, this innovative ANA and Pokémon collaboration has reimagined some of the in-flight safety rules for the better. Instead of just being a boring and forgettable routine, putting on one’s oxygen mask and buckling up can now be a memorable part of a flight for kids, and the reason why they, too, will remember to do it the right way at the right moment. This makes for a different level of passenger experience and sets a new standard for in-flight safety briefings. Not only can Nintendo Pokémon facilitate travelling with kids, but this way of reimagining in-flight safety is an example that other airlines in the world can learn from and follow.