The first game of the 2025 MLB season took place at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 as part of the Tokyo Series. The LA Dodgers faced the Chicago Cubs and the game featured MLB Japanese star Shohei Ohtani who was introduced to the original Pocket Monsters opening theme. Pikachu was also there cheering on the teams!

YouTube Clip - EPIC Pokémon-themed introductions for Dodgers vs. Cubs during the 2025 Tokyo Series!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AelKQENqJwU

Press Release - Pokémon front and center as Tokyo Series celebrates Japanese icons

Michael Clair MLB.com
The Tokyo Dome went dark, the lights blinking off around the stadium. Suddenly, a spotlight flashed on: A lone child stood on the mound, staring toward the plate. But it wasn’t a baseball he was preparing to throw: It was a Poké Ball, the red-and-white orb famous from Pokémon.

If Tuesday’s Tokyo Series opener between the Dodgers and the Cubs was a one-of-a-kind ballgame, with five Japanese superstars playing against each other inside the iconic Tokyo Dome and two Japanese starting pitchers facing off, then the pregame ceremony needed to be just as momentous.

As the child stood on the mound, winding up to throw the Poké Ball, the packed Tokyo Dome once again was plunged into darkness. Then, with epic, action-hero music, the videoboard in center field came to life proclaiming that “MLB Monsters went to Japan.”

It was then time for the players to take the field for their introductions – each player earning a comparison to a different breed of Pokémon. As they did, a series of oversized and overstuffed Pikachus bounced and cantered adorably about the field.

Sources: https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-tokyo-series-2025-game-1-top-moments, https://www.mlb.com/news/pokemon-yoshiki-featured-in-tokyo-series-pregame-ceremony, https://x.com/MLBONFOX/status/1901955339550945546