Ditto has taken over Tokyo’s Hanzomon Line for a limited time

One of the most mysterious monsters in the Pokémon universe is taking over one of Tokyo’s most important underground arteries – the purple Hanzomon Line. The serendipitous collaboration, running from March 2 to March 15, reminds us of the Oedo Line x Ed Sheeran collaboration last year and plays on the coincidence that the line’s signature colour closely matches Ditto’s own lilac hue.

The collab also riffs on the similar sounds of ‘Hanzomon’ and Ditto’s Japanese name, Metamon. Expect to see Ditto taking shape on the subway in the form of hanging train handles, pillars on the train platforms and even the Hanzomon line roundel in select stations and trainsets.

If you’re hoping to catch the collaboration trains, keep an eye out for the newest 18000-series trainsets, easily recognisable by their sleek purple livery. Only two of these trains feature the special Ditto-themed interiors, complete with character ads and customised train handles.

Three stations on the line – Shibuya, Hanzomon and Oshiage (Skytree-mae) – are decked out with Ditto-themed decorations celebrating the amorphous Pokémon. For a smooth photo op away from the worst crowds, we recommend heading to either Hanzomon or Oshiage instead of the always busy Shibuya.

The collaboration coincides with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 game Pokémon Pokopia, a life simulator similar to the likes of massive hits Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, where players explore a charming village in the form of a humanoid Ditto. The highly anticipated game launches worldwide on March 5, arriving just after last week’s celebrations marking Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.

Again, you’ll need to move fast to catch the playful pink blob riding the Hanzomon Line: the Ditto trains will run through March 15, while station decorations will be on display for a shorter period, ending March 8.

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