Pokémon Ecology Encyclopedia Donates 20 Million Yen in Royalties to Support Animal Behavioral Ecology Research

Pokémon Ecology Encyclopedia has donated ¥20 million (approximately $135,000 USD) from its royalties to support animal behavioral ecology research in Japan, The Pokémon Company announced on June 18.

The donation was made with the goal of contributing to the further development of fundamental biological research in Japan. The funds will be provided to the Biologging Support Fund, which helps sustain long term research using biologging, a scientific method that studies animal behavior by attaching small measuring devices to animals.

Pokémon Ecology Encyclopedia Celebrates First Anniversary

Released in June 2025, Pokémon Ecology Encyclopedia is a unique reference book that examines the ecology of Pokémon, the mysterious creatures of the Pokémon series, through the lens of real world behavioral ecology.

The book was created around The Pokémon Company's philosophy of enriching both the real world and the virtual world through the existence of Pokémon.

June 18, 2026, marked the first anniversary of the book's release. The title has become a major success, surpassing 800,000 copies in circulation. It was selected as one of Japan's annual bestsellers for 2025, appeared in the Nikkei MJ Hit Product Rankings, and ranked No. 1 in the children's book category of the first half of 2026 bestseller rankings compiled by Nippan.

Giving Back to Real World Wildlife Research

The book's planning, composition, and writing were handled by Yoshinari Yonehara of The Pokémon Company, while illustrations were created by Chihiro Kinoshita.

Both creators earned doctoral degrees through research conducted at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, where they studied animal behavior and ecology using biologging techniques.

The knowledge gained through their academic research played a key role in the creation of Pokémon Ecology Encyclopedia, helping introduce readers to both the appeal of Pokémon and the fascinating world of living creatures.

To further expand this cycle of knowledge, a portion of the book's royalties is being returned to the University of Tokyo's Behavioral Ecology Measurement Group through the Biologging Support Fund. The donation aims to support the advancement of behavioral ecology and fundamental biological research in Japan.

What Is the Biologging Support Fund?

The Biologging Support Fund supports research that records the natural behaviors and movements of wild animals through the use of small monitoring devices attached to them.

Because biologging research requires continuous fieldwork and long term monitoring of wildlife populations, the fund was established to provide stable, medium to long term support for these scientific efforts.

Source : ORICON NEWS