How to win your date’s affection with a Pokémon Koiking (Magikarp) bag…WHAT?

You have to love advertorials…especially Japanese advertorials (articles that are actually advertisements).

BANPRESTO released an advertorial about how a guy won a date’s affection thanks to his Pokémon Koiking (Magikarp) bag…WHAT?

It goes a little something like this (cue that swanky romance music)!

On a Sunday, university student Miyuki is meeting classmate Kosuke for a date.

When he arrived, he showed up with a fish and Miyuki had to ask if that was a bag?

Kousuke answers, “This is my Koiking bag.  The Pokémon Koiking is my favorite.  That’s why I brought it today.”

What Kousuke had was a character lottery bag.  And immediately Miyuki was drawn to it and loved how it felt.

And thanks to Kousuke bringing his Koiking bag, he was able to lessen the distance with him and Miyuki.

Kousuke not only took Miyuki to the park, but he scored some points thanks to his Koiking bag that he was also able to get Miyuki to come to his house.

Damn Kyousuke has mad skills!  Or was it skill?  Or was it the magic of Koiking/Magikarp?

And guess what Miyuki saw at Kousuke’s house…Koiking plates and glasses.  And awww…they shared a toast!

And Kyousuke then says, “On our next date, shall we go see the carp in the pond? (thank you Koiking!)

And a link of how lucky guys (and gals) can take part in a Koiking lottery.  So, perhaps lucky individuals can be as lucky like Kyousuke!

So, after reading this advertorial, I had to laugh (sorry Koiking/Magikarp fans).

OK, Koiking is a classic Pokémon created by Sugimori Ken, as popular (or infamous) the character is, he’s also the weakest and possibly the most useless Pokémon (although those who are patient to evolve him to Gyarados, I give you props for that!  Heck, I give high props to those who didn’t evolve their Magikarp and beat the final boss with it).

He flops around and nothing makes lightning Pokémon users happy than to perform a one-hit defeat on it.

In fact, each time I have played a Pokémon game and see these characters near a pond or a lake fishing for Magikarp, I find it funny, because then you have to battle them and they hope to beat you with three useless Magikarp.

But perhaps in Japan, a guy can win over a date with a Koiking bag. In fact, Koiking is being celebrated right now in Japan, especially at a popular takiyaki restaurant right now.

In America or another country outside of Japan, do you think you can win the admiration of a woman with a Koiking/Magikarp bag?  Do you think you would receive admiration?  Do you think you receive awkward attention?  Or would you bust out in song and sing the American “Pokémon” theme?

Feel free to comment below!