Following on from Toyota’s recreation of Pokemon’s Miraidon in 2023, Honda has announced that it is building a lifelike version of Miraidon’s ancient variant, Koraidon, in conjunction with The Pokemon Company. The Honda Koraidon Project will be unveiled to the public in Aoyama, Tokyo from March 7 to March 9.
The Honda Koraidon Project
Honda Engineers Bring Koraidon to Life
The Honda Koraidon Project is a joint venture between Honda Motorcycle and Power Products Division and its Innovation Research Excellence Center, inspired by Toyota’s popular Miraidon recreation. Prior to Toyota’s outing, Chrysler and Volkswagen made cars based on Lugia and Pikachu.
From its size to its features, the Honda Koraidon will be a real-life copy of legendary Pokemon Koraidon’s Sprinting Build from “Pokemon Scarlet.” The Honda team will attempt to recreate Koraidon’s movements through its unique self-balancing technology which was developed in 2017 but has yet to be released to the public.
Under the supervision of The Pokemon Company, the Honda Koraidon Project is set to add a whole new dimension to Koraidon. Using its self-balancing technology, the team will make its Koraidon walk on all fours, and even stand on two legs as seen in its Apex Build.
Bringing the Pokemon’s Movements to Life
“We spent countless hours studying how Koraidon moves in the game,” one designer noted. “Then we had to translate those movements into mechanical systems that could work in the real world, subject to actual physics.”
This attention to detail extended to the creature’s facial expressions and the distinctive way it carries itself when running. Servo motors and custom-designed joint systems allowed for fluid movements that captured the essence of the digital character.
Technical Specifications and Capabilities
While Honda has been selective about revealing the complete technical specifications, the Koraidon mobility device incorporates several noteworthy features:
- A sophisticated balance control system based on Honda Riding Assist technology
- Articulated limbs that move in sync with the riding experience
- A fully functional neck and head assembly that responds to direction changes
- A riding position designed to mimic the in-game experience
- Environmental considerations in its power system design
The creation also weighs approximately the same as the fictional Koraidon is estimated to weigh in the Pokemon universe, adding to the authenticity of the experience.
About Koraidon and Miraidon
Paradox Duo, Koraidon and Miraidon were introduced to the world in 2022 with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the ninth generation. They are essentially the same legendary Pokemon — Koraidon appears as the mascot in Pokemon Scarlet while Miraidon appears as the mascot in Pokemon Violet.
Koraidon is a dual-type Fighting/Dragon Legendary Paradox Pokemon, said to be an ancient relative of Cyclizar while Miraidon is thought to be a future relative. Neither of the Pokemon evolve, yet both look similar to motorbikes, making them ideal candidates for Toyota and Honda to reproduce.
