'Pokemon' bullet trains hit the rails

East Japan Railway Co. on Saturday started operating special bullet trains illustrated with "Pokemon" characters as summer vacation nears for schoolchildren nationwide.

Peekaboo: A boy and his parents wave from inside a bullet train featuring Pikachu, a popular character in the "Pokemon" animation series, at JR Ueno Station on Saturday. KYODO PHOTO

A total of 13 bullet trains with the illustrations will run on the Tohoku, Joetsu, Akita, Yamagata and Nagano shinkansen lines until Sept. 23, JR East said.

The railway operated the seasonal "Pokemon" trains for the first time last year, which proved very popular among children and their families. The number of trains was thus increased from seven last year, JR East said.

The schedules of the special trains will be changed every day.

Passengers can check the timetable on JR East's Web site one day prior to traveling, the company said.