Pikachu Becomes The Greatest World Cup Mascot Of All Time

Or at least he should be.

This weekend, it was announced that none other than Nintendo’s own Pikachu from the mega popular Pokemon franchise will be Japan’s official mascot heading into the 2014 World Cup.

It goes without saying that being the mascot for a team heading into the world’s biggest sporting event is a huge deal, but this just goes to show how much popularity the Pokemon series still enjoys. I remember constantly being told as a kid that the series was a fad that would die out when the next big thing rolled around. Well, this is where we find ourselves almost 15 years later. Some fad, eh?

The image above features mostly newcomers, including Fennekin, Chespin, Froakie, Litleo, Helioptile and Pancham, who join series vets like Meowth, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and of course, Pikachu. What other Pokemon would make a great team? And where the hell’s Hitmonlee? Let us know below!

Source: IGN.com