Game Freak, the studio globally recognized for the Pokémon franchise, has unveiled its latest project: a mobile title titled Ame nochi Hare Onna (Girl After the Rain). Scheduled for a Japanese release this winter on iOS and Android, the game centers on "Hare-onna" magical girls who harness weather patterns to uplift spirits. The reveal included a teaser trailer and key visuals showcasing the character designs by Aki Minamino and Kyōko Abe.
The game features a unique mechanic where real-time weather data from across Japan influences the experience, ensuring that gameplay shifts daily based on actual meteorological conditions. The cast includes Hiyori Kōno as the protagonist Himawari Harewatari, alongside Yuki Nagano as her Tanuki-like partner, Pon Arai. Additional magical girl and partner pairings include Mirika Kawa with Ayaka Fujimoto, and Chinatsu Hirose with Momoka Tsuji. Notably, long-time Game Freak designer Ken Sugimori has contributed a design for the "Machine Sentakki," a mysterious truck that serves as a source of power within the game's world.
Production is led by Shigeru Oomori, known for his work on the Pokémon series, with Katsunori Suginaka serving as scenario director. The project is a collaborative effort between Game Freak and CHRONOGATE Inc. This announcement follows a busy year for the studio, which recently released Beast of Reincarnation across multiple platforms in August.
While Game Freak is synonymous with the Pokémon RPGs, this move into the mobile magical girl genre marks a distinct shift in their development portfolio. With the integration of real-time weather data, it remains to be seen how the studio will balance its traditional design sensibilities with this live-service-adjacent mechanic.
