Official Pokemon ‘Ecology Encyclopedia’ Release Date Revealed

Shogakukan, a Japanese comic publisher, has confirmed that the official Pokemon Ecology Encyclopedia will be released on June 18. While Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have published several books on the beloved Pokemon, most were outsourced to third-party companies and focused on basic information with average illustrations. The newly announced hardcover Pokemon index, however, appears to be a more ambitious project.

Pokemon has remained one of the most profitable franchises in the entertainment industry, expanding into nearly every form of media. Now, it seems the IP’s owners—Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak—are looking to capitalize on its popularity through a fresh approach.

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According to Famitsu, the Pokemon Ecology Encyclopedia is an academic index covering over 1,000 creatures from the Pokemon franchise. Scheduled for release on June 18 in Japan, the book is already available for pre-order under the title “Pokecology” at select retailers, including Amazon Japan. Professional ecologist Yoshinari Yonehara led the research, focusing on observing, analyzing, and interpreting the lives of wild Pokemon. The book aims to explore how Pokemon interact with one another and uncover behavioral patterns, highlighting their differences, similarities, social rules, and connections within the Pokemon universe. It’s also worth noting that the Pokemon Ecology Encyclopedia will feature 192 pages and is priced at ¥1,430, which is roughly $10 USD.

The Pokemon Ecology Encyclopedia Is Already a Bestseller

Pokecology hasn’t even been released yet, but the Pokemon franchise’s popularity in Japan has already pushed it to the second spot on Amazon Japan’s bestseller list. Unfortunately, there’s no word yet on a global release or an English version of the encyclopedia. Still, given the demand, it’s likely the publisher will consider it in the future. For now, it appears only fans in Japan will be able to get their hands on a copy.

Chihiro Kinoshita, an artist known for illustrating several ecology books, is responsible for the book’s artwork. The illustrations will be fully colored and highly detailed to highlight the biological aspects of Pokemon life. Both Yoshinari Yonehara and Chihiro Kinoshita are graduates of the University of Tokyo’s Agriculture and Life Sciences program, bringing an expert ecological perspective to the project. As a result, the Pokemon Ecology Encyclopedia or Pokecology is expected to feature some never-before-seen insights into the franchise’s beloved creatures. Still, with limited information revealed so far, fans will likely have to wait until launch to see exactly what the book has to offer.