As one of the founding members of Game Freak, Junichi Masuda has strong ties to the Pokemon series. The developer recently revealed how he's handling the COVID-19 pandemic, posting a selfie of himself wearing a Pikachu-themed face shield.
Masuda has been with Pokemon since its inception, originally joining the Game Freak studio back in 1989. Since then, the developer has had a hand in just about every mainline Pokemon game.
In the midst of this global outbreak, many have gone beyond simple hygienic masks and have embraced designs featuring video game and anime themes. It seems that Masuda is no different, as his posted selfie shows him wearing a full transparent face shield that's designed to look like Pikachu. The shield rises up all the way to the forehead, and is detailed with Pikachu's iconic red cheeks, his happy smile over the user's mouth, and finally, big Pikachu ears that stick up off the top of the shield.
According to the tweet, this is the first time that Masuda has donned the face shield, and he seems to be somewhat amused by it. While this is likely a design that many children would enjoy, it definitely appears to be designed for adults, as it fits his face perfectly. However, it's unknown if the masks are available for sale or will be coming to stores. There does appear to be trademark text on the mask, though that doesn't necessarily mean it will be widely available.
While the pandemic has had a massive impact on life all over the planet, Pokemon as a whole seems to be doing well. While the latest Pokemon anime, Pokemon Journeys, temporarily went on hiatus at the start of the outbreak, it has since returned. In addition, Pokemon GO just saw its biggest earnings ever in a single year, crossing the $1 billion threshold with two months left to go before the year is up. Players have looked to video games to help them 'escape' the situation everyone is in right now, and a lighthearted game series like Pokemon is one good way to do it.
Of course, not everything has been good for Pokemon this year, as Nintendo and the Pokemon Company have had to take public safety into account. This has led to delays of the latest Pokemon movie, cancellations of certain Pokemon tournaments, and the shuttering of the Hokkaido Pokemon Center after an employee tested positive with the virus. It's a difficult time for everyone right now, but simple things like a Pikachu face shield could help to brighten the day of the user and anyone they come across out in public. Here's hoping the mask sees widespread sales so that mega Pikachu fans can stay safe behind their favorite creature from Pokemon.