NINTENDO IS READYING POKEMON INVASION OF U.S.

DAN ALAIMO

ATLANTA -- A video game that is a television show with lots of licensed products and marketing muscle. That is the Pokemon phenomenon that Nintendo of America, Redmond, Wash., plans to unleash on the United States in September.

Nintendo previewed Pokemon during the Electronic Entertainment Expo here last month. Some of the components of the massive marketing program include a Game Boy video game, a handheld "virtual companion" called Pokemon Pikachu, an animated children's television series that will air five days a week in the top 40 U.S. markets, and a 150-character toy line from Hasbro, Pawtucket, R.I.

While the actual game product may not see much exposure in supermarkets -- it is for the Game Boy product, which traditionally does not sell or rent well in supermarkets -- other licensees are likely to have a significant effect if the franchise takes hold here as it has in Japan, said industry observers. Over two and a half million pieces of Pokemon licensed toys sold in their first 30 days on the market in Japan, noted Peter Main, Nintendo's executive vice president of sales and marketing, during the company's press briefing prior to the E3 Expo.

In all, Pokemon products resulted in $4 billion in retail sales during their first 18 months on the market in Japan. Pokemon started as a video game and later branched out into television, virtual pocket pets and licensed merchandise.

"Pokemon has been the hottest craze in Japan and we believe it will become the same kind of cultural phenomenon in North America," said Main.

"Pokemon's phenomenal success in Japan demonstrates the power of this brand," said Alan Hassenfield, chairman and chief executive officer of Hasbro.

Pronounced "POH-kay-mahn," the game involves finding, capturing, collecting and training 150 virtual pet monsters, according to a Nintendo official.

Other merchandising tie-ins in Japan have included trading cards, CDs, comics and more than 1,000 different products ranging from puzzles to snacks.