Starting on September 9, 2021, a new eight-episode Pokémon animated mini-series in celebration of Pokémon’s 25th anniversary—Pokémon Evolutions—will begin airing on Pokémon’s official YouTube channel along with Pokémon TV, the latter of which just recently received an app on the Nintendo Switch.
These eight episodes won’t be released all at once, but instead rolled out at different points, with September and October each having two episodes released and December containing the final four. The schedule of these episodes is included further on.
Each of these episodes focuses on one of the eight main regions in the Pokémon world and some of the prominent characters or moments in those regions. For instance, in the first episode, “The Champion,” it features Leon, Hop, and the player character in the Galar region, including a climactic battle against Eternatus assisted by Zacian and Zamazenta.
Quoted from the press release:
“‘Pokémon Evolutions’ is both an exciting new collection of animation for the brand and a thank-you to the millions of fans around the world who have joined us on this journey over the past 25 years,” said Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “Each region has been a touchstone for new generations of Pokémon Trainers as the brand has grown, and we wanted ‘Pokémon Evolutions’ to pay homage to that legacy while also being innovative and contemporary. It’s a new adventure and familiar all at once. And, with the last episode set in Kanto, ‘Pokémon Evolutions’ is a meaningful way to end our anniversary celebrations in the place where it all began for Pokémon 25 years ago.”
Official Press Release
Episodes and Release Dates
- Sept. 9, 2021: “The Champion,” taking place in Galar
- Sept. 23, 2021: “The Eclipse,” taking place in Alola
- Oct. 7, 2021: “The Visionary,” taking place in Kalos
- Oct. 21, 2021: “The Plan,” taking place in Unova
- Dec. 2, 2021: “The Rival,” taking place in Sinnoh
- Dec. 9, 2021: “The Wish,” taking place in Hoenn
- Dec. 16, 2021: “The Show,” taking place in Johto
- Dec. 23, 2021: “The Discovery,” taking place in Kanto
