Game Freak announced Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, a brand-new mobile IP — Ame nochi Hare Onna (雨のちハレ女), rendered in English as Rainy Day, Sunny Girl — a free-to-play “laundry game” for iOS and Android that ties Japan’s real-time weather forecasts into play. The studio posted a key visual and teaser PV alongside the reveal and set a Japan-only winter 2026 launch window.

The tagline is “Tomorrow’s weather will become magic.” Per Game Freak’s PR TIMES release, real-world weather “affects every aspect of the game,” with nationwide Japanese forecasts shaping a different daily experience. Weather data partner Weathernews is involved; the first official livestream was staged from a Weathernews studio.

Director and producer is Shigeru Ohmori (大森 滋), Pokémon series director and concept/senior director on Pokémon Pokopia. Scenario direction is Katsunori Suginaka of Chronogate, which is co-developing with Game Freak. In an exclusive comment to Famitsu, Ohmori said the idea “was born from the idea, ‘If you’re going to check the weather forecast every day to do laundry, why not make a game that uses the weather forecast?’ It’s a game that will make your daily life more fun and cheerful.”

Set in modern Japan, the story follows magical “Hare-onna” (Sunny Girls) who turn weather into power to brighten people’s moods, partnered with divine messengers called Kumorin. Lead character Himawari Harewatari (晴渡 ひまわり) is voiced by Hiyori Kōno and designed by Aki Minamino; her Kumorin partner Pon Arai (洗井 ぽん) is voiced by Yuki Nagano and designed by Game Freak’s Kyōko Abe. Anime News Network also listed additional Hare-onna / Kumorin pairs revealed with the cast package.

Official specs: genre “laundry game,” free with in-app purchases, Japan / Japanese only at launch, © GAME FREAK inc. Developed by CHRONOGATE Inc. Official X is @hareonna_info. Game Freak scheduled the first Harejobu Meeting #1 livestream for Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. JST (Ohmori, Suginaka, Kōno, Nagano; MC Weathernews caster Airi Yamagishi) and will show more at its Tokyo Game Show 2026 booth when TGS opens Sept. 17 at Makuhari Messe.

For a studio defined by Pokémon, a laundry/weather magical-girl mobile title is an oddball bet — and a reminder that Game Freak still greenlights original IPs outside the monster franchise when the hook is daily and local.

Sources