Lost Pokemon musical from 2000 resurfaces in new documentary

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Shining a light on the all but forgotten stage show

Psyduck
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Pokemon has lent itself to a great many entertainment mediums over the decades, from video games and trading cards to movies and animated tv series. But what you might not know is that twenty-two years ago, the franchise also spawned a musical.

The all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza that is Pokemon Live! toured the U.S. in 2000 and was localized for a handful of other countries over the next couple of years. Although the show was successful, it’s never been released on DVD or VHS, so if you didn’t see it in person at the time, you didn’t see it at all.

As spotted by Kotaku, Jonii Vee and Jamie D. Elms have just released a documentary on this largely forgotten musical. Titled Pokémon Live: How Pikachu Nearly Took Broadway, it delves into how the stage show that was set to be the next big thing for the franchise quickly fell into obscurity.

In an effort to bring Pokémon Live! back into the spotlight, the documentary features interviews with the actors and archival footage covering the creation of the show, as well as a look at the legacy of the short-lived production. 

Thanks to the wonder of the internet, this piece of Pokemon history is now at your very fingertips. The video below is a fan-made restoration of Pokemon Live! in full.

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Anne-Marie Coyle
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and Games Radar. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.