Pokémon (also known as Pocket Monsters in Japan) is a franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995, and owned by Nintendo. After the success of the first batch of Pokemon Jets in 1998, ANA launched a design competition for children in primary school. This was in anticipation of the release of the 2nd Pokémon movie (Mirage Pokémon: Lugia's Explosive Birth) during Summer 1999. The film is set during the Orange Islands saga, where Ash, Misty and Tracey enter Shamouti Island, and as a result blue was the dominant colour chosen for the design. Note both sides were different.Domestic Jumbo JA8964 entered service on June 21, 1999 between Itami and Haneda with its Pokémon paint; two almost identically-painted 767 were added at a later stage.
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