‘Pokémon Evolutions’ animated series premieres on YouTube this Sept.
The Pokémon Company has announced that a brand new Pokémon animated series will premiere this September as part of the franchise's 25th anniversary celebration.
The company said in a press release that the eight-episode animated series titled Pokémon Evolutions will feature stories spanning various regions in the franchise. The first episode of the limited series will begin in the Galar region, most recently explored in the latest video game series Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, and will culminate in the Kanto region, originally explored in Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green in 1996.
Each episode of the web-exclusive series will explore every region in the franchise and will be featured in reverse chronological order from which they were first explored in the games: Galar, Alola, Kalos, Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto. The company said that familiar tales from Pokémon lore will be told from a fresh perspective in every episode.
“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,” he added.
Check out the trailer of Pokemon Evolutions below:
The first episode of the animated series will premiere exclusively on the official Pokémon YouTube channel and Pokémon TV. Below are the titles and premiere dates of Pokemon Evolutions:
- Sept. 9: “The Champion” featuring the Galar region
- Sept. 23: “The Eclipse” featuring the Alola region
- Oct. 7: “The Vision” featuring the Kalos region
- Oct. 21: “The Plan” featuring the Unova region
- Dec. 2: “The Rival” featuring the Sinnoh region
- Dec. 9: “The Wish” featuring the Hoenn region
- Dec. 16: “The Show” featuring the Johto region
- Dec. 23: “The Quest” featuring the Kanto region
Apart from the upcoming limited series, a Pokémon live-action series is also in early development at Netflix. Although details about the upcoming project remain scant as of now, it is reportedly being eyed to be a live-action adaptation just like Warner Bros.' 2019 film Detective Pikachu, which starred Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith.
Currently, there are a number of Pokémon series that are available on the streaming service, including Pokémon: Sun & Moon - Ultra Legends, Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution, Pokémon Journeys, and Pokémon XY.
(Images from Pokémon)