Kawaii has been embraced by the Japanese government as one of its main cultural exports and the linchpin of its “soft power” strategy.

From New York to Yokohama, an unstoppable wave of yellow monsters is infiltrating public venues, performing strange rituals and targeting young humans. Having already dominated Japan and conquered a number of overseas markets, the “Pocket Monsters” video game series, now in its 20th year, is entering a new realm: reality.