The MLB 2024 Japan Opening Series kicked off at the Tokyo Dome on March 18, and the pre-game ceremony delivered an incredible surprise: an official collaboration with Pokémon. As players from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs were introduced, the stadium was filled with BGM from the Pokémon games.
But the real highlight came when superstar Shohei Ohtani made his appearance. While all eyes were on Ohtani himself, fans quickly spotted his official Pokémon pairing on the big screen: Mega Garchomp, a Pokémon with nearly identical height and weight stats. The crowd and the internet went wild as the league officially acknowledged the popular "Garchomp Ohtani" (ガブリアス大谷) meme, making it a hot topic once again.
So, where did the "Garchomp Ohtani" meme come from? (We've covered it before!)
The comparison first surfaced during the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) when fans noticed a striking similarity in their official stats. Shohei Ohtani is listed at 193 cm tall and 95 kg. According to the official Pokédex, Garchomp stands at 1.9 m and weighs 95 kg—a near-perfect match. The uncanny resemblance had fans declaring, "That's basically just Shohei Ohtani!"
Adding another layer to the coincidence, Garchomp was introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, games set in a region inspired by Hokkaido. Ohtani famously began his professional career with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, making the "Ohtani = Garchomp" theory feel even more legit (somehow).
(Image: @Mittyan0911)
The entire pre-game ceremony was a Pokémon fan's dream. Beyond the game music and on-screen graphics, a young fan even walked onto the pitcher's mound holding a Poké Ball, as if ready to "catch" a player. When the athletes were introduced, their walk-up music was replaced with classic Pokémon BGM, creating a perfect fusion of anime and baseball.
The biggest surprise was that each player was paired with a Mega Evolved Pokémon. When Ohtani's turn came, Garchomp appeared right beside him, reigniting the "Shohei Ohtani = Garchomp" meme. Fans on social media loved it, with many commenting, "They're definitely doing this on purpose, lol."
While the official MLB broadcast didn't clearly show the outfield screens, Japanese fans captured the player-Pokémon pairings for Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Seiya Suzuki, and Shota Imanaga.
Shohei Ohtani: Mega Garchomp
Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Mega Charizard X
Seiya Suzuki: Mega Swampert
Shota Imanaga: Mega Alakazam
(Image: @Pokerusu_TV)
The fan reaction was electric, with many seeing it as official confirmation of the meme. The shared stats between Ohtani and Garchomp fueled a new wave of jokes: "Ohtani having the same height and weight as Garchomp is hilarious. It has to be true, right?" "Can we get Ohtani to guest voice in the Pokémon anime now?" "The organizers are in on the joke. This is basically canon!" "From now on, we have to cheer 'Go, Garchomp Ohtani!'" and "Who can stop this Garchomp? It's basically a cheat code!"
The term "Garchomp Ohtani" (ガブリアス大谷) even started trending, sending the topic's popularity through the roof.
It looks like the "Garchomp Ohtani" phenomenon isn't slowing down anytime soon. Could we one day see Shohei Ohtani step onto the field as a real-life Pokémon Trainer with Garchomp by his side? After this, anything feels possible!