The Japanese soccer team participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil has chosen one of the most well-known character in anime and video games, Pikachu, as its newest mascot. During the announcement, Adidas also mentioned the presence of 10 more Pokémon (Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and others) supporting the Samurai Blue team. With the agreement between Adidas and Nintendo, the Japan Football Association would get the attention of all the kids and adults who love Pokémon and extend their support to their soccer/fútbol/日本語 team. A commercial by Japanese idol girl group AKB48 will be making its debut its debut soon.
[Source]: Anime News Network: Pikachu, AKB48 Teams Up With Adidas to Support Japan’s 2014 World Cup Team [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2014-03-13/pikachu-akb48-teams-up-with-adidas-to-support-japan-2014-world-cup-team] via NintendoLife.com: Pikachu And His Pokémon Pals Are Throwing Their Support Behind Japan’s World Cup 2014 Campaign [http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/03/pikachu_and_his_pokemon_pals_are_throwing_their_support_behind_japans_world_cup_2014_campaign].