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MLB Tokyo Series Plays Up Shohei Ohtani's Mega Pokémon Connection

You might have missed it in the global telecast, but attendees at the Major League Baseball (MLB) Tokyo Series opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs saw players introduced with accompanying visuals of Mega Pokémon. For example, the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani and Tommy Edman were introduced as Mega Garchomp (Gaburias in Japanese) and Mega Sharpedo (Samehader), respectively. Similarly, Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker was Mega Houndoom (Hellgar).

The player introduction ceremony also featured a child in a baseball uniform holding a Pokéball on the pitcher's mound. MLB posted the full Pokémon-themed player introduction ceremony, Pikachu mascots and all:

Fans of Pokémon and baseball have noted the similarities between Garchomp and Ohtani's stats for years. X (formerly Twitter) user @5CRubmZm9w971 posted an image of a pair of Ohtani and Garchomp pop-up stands at a store last year. As the stands' captions half-jokingly note, the two are nearly identical in height, weight, two-way playing style, and unstoppability once they appear.

While Pokémon took center stage during the Tokyo Series, Japanese musicians YOSHIKI and Little Glee Monster also appeared at the games to perform the American and Japanese national anthems. The MLB posted videos just after their performances. YOSHIKI has performed the national anthem for several Dodgers games in the past.

The Dodgers beat the Cubs in both games of the series, winning 4 to 1 on Tuesday and 6 to 3 on Wednesday.

Sources: MLBs X/Twitter account (link 2), Aomiso's X/Twitter account (link 2) and @5CRubmZm9w971's X/Twitter account via Hachima Kikō