Pokémon animation
Pokémon animation (Japanese:ポケモンアニメPokémon anime) is a term that refers collectively to allanimated works in thePokémon franchise.[1][2][3][4][5] These can serve as narrative works in and of themselves, or act as promotional material for other aspects of the brand. Most Pokémon animation adapts the events and world of thecore series orspin-off games, with varying degrees of creative freedom. However, some works are independent of this theming, and can explore their own original concepts.
The longest-running series of Pokémon animation is the eponymousPokémon animated TV series, which debuted in 1997 in Japan and 1998 in the United States, and has spawned a number of tie-inmovies and otherrelated media. Since then, additional animated works such as miniseries, shorts, animated trailers, and music videos have also been released.Pokémon.com publishes a guide on where to watch Pokémon animation in theUnited States, theUnited Kingdom,France,Germany,Italy,Spain,Latin America, andBrazil.
Animated works made in Japan are often referred to as "anime" in English, althoughThe Pokémon Company International generally avoids using the term outside of social media posts. Someevent Pokémon in thecore series games based on individual Pokémon from Pokémon animation, such asAsh's Pikachu andGlaseado Mountain Cetitan, have their location set as "Pokémon Cartoon"IV-V, "the Pokémon cartoon"VI, or "the Pokémon animated show"VII+.
Production
Several steps are taken to produce an animated work, generally in the following order:
- Pre-production: Includes planning, series construction, and character design. Reference sheets are created during this phase.
- Production: Includes the screenplay, storyboards, key animation, in-between animation, coloring, special effects, backgrounds, CGI, and video editing.
- Post-production: Includes the recording, mixing, and editing of voice acting,narration, and sound effects, as well asdubbing into other languages.
The animated series and their tie-in media are produced by the Japanese animation studioOLM. Until thefifth season episodeA Crowning Achievement, the series was animated usingcel animation; fromHere's Lookin' at You Elekid! onwards, all episodes are digitally animated.TV Tokyo,MEDIANET, andShoPro are the executive producers for the series, while theproduction committee Pikachu Project is the executive producer for the movies. In the West, The Pokémon Company International currently oversees localization and distribution of the series in partnership withIyuno.
Other pieces of animated media have been produced by Japanese studios apart from OLM. These includeCreatures, Inc., which has produced various computer-animated trailers, commercials, andYouTube shorts;Studio Colorido, which produced the miniseriesPokémon: Twilight Wings;WIT STUDIO, which produced the miniseriesPokémon: Hisuian Snow;dwarf studios, which produced thestop-motion animated seriesPokémon Concierge;Bones, which animated theGOTCHA! music video; andCoMix Wave Films, which animated theChallenge the World! commercial.
However, not all Pokémon animated works are primarily produced by Japanese companies. For example,Bidoof's Big Stand andPokémon: Path to the Peak were produced byTAIKO Studios, based in both the United States and China, andThe Journey of One Dream andHomecoming were also produced in China.
List of animated works
TV series
- Main article:Pokémon animated series
The Pokémon animated TV series has been broadcast onTV Tokyo nearly every week in Japan since its debut on April 1, 1997. In the United States, it premiered insyndication on September 7, 1998; it is no longer shown on traditional TV, and is instead released onNetflix. Each episode is roughly 25 minutes long.
In Asia (including Japan), it is divided into eightseries, with the first beingPocket Monsters (1997) and the newest beingPocket Monsters (2023). In the West, it is divided into two mainline animated series:Pokémon the Series andPokémon Horizons: The Series, which are further divided intoseasons.
Movies
- Main article:Pokémon movie
From 1998 to 2020, an animated feature-length work that served as a tie-in toPokémon the Series was released in theaters annually, most often focusing on aLegendary orMythical Pokémon. These films were initially a large success worldwide, with all 23 films having received wide releases in Japan, the first three movies receiving wide releases internationally, and later films occasionally receiving limited releases outside of Japan.
The animated movies are considered part of thePocket Monsters the Movie Series (Japanese:劇場版ポケットモンスターシリーズGekijōban Poketto Monsutā Shirīzu, "Pocket Monsters: Movie Version Series") on the Japanese official site, while the live-action moviePOKÉMON Detective Pikachu is listed underOther Movies (Japanese:その他の映画Sonota no Eiga).
Limited series
Limited series typically tell a complete story in a limited number of episodes. Individual episodes of these series are most often shorter than those of the TV series. Many of these series were released directly by The Pokémon Company or The Pokémon Company International on web platforms such asYouTube.
| Feature | Japanese run | English run |
|---|---|---|
 Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs | February 8 – March 7, 2010 | November 10, 2010 |
 Pokémon Origins | October 2, 2013 | November 15–22, 2013 |
 Pokémon Shorts | N/A | November 22, 2016 – June 16, 2021 |
 Pokémon Generations | December 9, 2016 – February 2, 2017 | September 16 – December 23, 2016 |
 The Two Professors | September 5 – October 24, 2018 | September 5 – October 24, 2018 |
 Pokémon: Twilight Wings | January 15 – November 5, 2020 | January 15 – November 17, 2020 |
 POKÉTOON | June 4, 2020 – February 14, 2025 | June 17 – August 5, 2022 |
 Pokémon Evolutions | September 9 – December 23, 2021 | September 9 – December 23, 2021 |
 The Delicious Day with Pokémon | February 15, 2022 – October 17, 2023 | March 14, 2022 – December 19, 2023 |
 Pokémon: Hisuian Snow | May 18 – June 22, 2022 | May 18 – June 22, 2022 |
 Discover Pokémon Together | N/A | March 31 – October 2, 2023 |
 Cube-Shaped Pokémon on Cubie Island?! | April 8 – June 18, 2023 | April 8 – June 18, 2023 |
 Pokémon: Path to the Peak | August 14 – September 1, 2023 | August 11–30, 2023 |
 | September 6 – December 13, 2023 | September 6 – December 13, 2023 |
 The Adventures of Snorlax & Cubone | December 8–29, 2023 | December 8–29, 2023 |
 Pokémon Concierge | December 28, 2023 – present | December 28, 2023 – present |
 Pokémon Spotlight: Ceruledge | September 25 – October 18, 2024 | February 9–13, 2024 |
 Animated Pokédex | May 13 – December 27, 2024 | June 11, 2024 – January 31, 2025 |
 PokéMinutes | July 19, 2024 – present | August 2, 2024 – present |
 monpoké Short Animation | February 19, 2025 – present | N/A |
Specials
Several Pokémon-related animated specials have been released. Unlike TV series or limited series, their stories generally do not continue across multiple episodes.
| Feature | Japanese debut | English debut |
|---|---|---|
 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate! | March 23, 2007 | September 8, 2006 |
 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness | September 9, 2007 | September 1, 2008 |
 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky - Beyond Time & Darkness | April 12, 2009 | October 9, 2009 |
 Bidoof's Big Stand | February 9, 2022 | January 11, 2022 |
 The Journey of One Dream | N/A (February 28, 2023 in mainland China) | N/A |
 Detective Pikachu & the Mystery of the Missing Flan | October 25, 2023 | October 25, 2023 |
 The Untold Story of Pecharunt | January 15, 2024 | January 15, 2024 |
 Homecoming | February 9, 2024 | February 9, 2024 |
 Bubble Beam Berry Blast | June 6, 2024 | June 4, 2024 |
 Turning the Tera Tide | July 14, 2024 | July 9, 2024 |
 A Clefairy Bedtime Story | September 12, 2024 | September 12, 2024 |
 Chasing the Moon | September 17, 2024 | September 17, 2024 |
 Meandering to a Bright Future | January 29, 2025 | January 29, 2025 |
 Dragonite and the Special Delivery | February 27, 2025 | N/A |
 Pokécology Diary | N/A (April 22, 2025 in mainland China) | N/A |
Trailers and commercials
- Main article:Pokémon commercial
These works tend to be short, and are intended to promote a specific game or event. Some notable animated trailers are listed below:
| Feature | Japanese debut | English debut |
|---|---|---|
 Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 Animated Trailer | May 17, 2012 | August 8, 2012 |
 Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Animated Shorts | November 1, 2012 | March 26, 2013 |
 Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer | November 16, 2014 | November 20, 2014 |
 With TAG TEAM Pokémon-GX, the Pokémon TCG Will Never Be the Same! | November 30, 2018 | August 24, 2018 |
 Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer | June 27, 2019 | June 27, 2019 |
 Challenge the World! | July 22, 2023 | July 23, 2023 |
 Trainer's Pokémon Return to Pokémon TCG | August 19, 2024 | August 19, 2024 |
 Nine Adventures | November 21, 2024 | N/A |
 Pokémon: Discover Paldea | January 18, 2025 | January 16, 2025 |
Music videos
These are animated music videos that were released for songs. Most of these were released onYouTube.
| Feature | Japanese debut | English debut |
|---|---|---|
 GOTCHA! | September 29, 2020 | September 29, 2020 |
 Pokémon 25 Virtual Concert | February 27, 2021 | February 27, 2021 |
 Piplup Step | November 3, 2021 | N/A |
 It'll be fine! | January 14, 2022 | N/A |
 Celestial | September 29, 2022 | September 29, 2022 |
 One and Only | July 12, 2023 | July 12, 2023 |
 Pokémon Party | August 4, 2023 | August 4, 2023 |
 Ghost Dive | September 20, 2023 | N/A |
 The Pokémon Inside My Heart | October 20, 2023 | N/A |
 Biri-Biri | November 18, 2023 | December 4, 2023 |
 JUVENILE | December 22, 2023 | N/A |
 You're sleeping soundly, Snorlax! | February 16, 2024 | N/A |
 POKÉDANCE | February 27, 2024 | February 27, 2024 |
 Glorious Day | March 9, 2024 | N/A |
 After Epochs | May 10, 2024 | N/A |
 Lucky | May 24, 2024 | May 24, 2024 |
 Departure Song | January 28, 2026 | N/A |
References
External links
 | This episode article is part ofProject Anime, aBulbapedia project that covers all aspects ofPokémon animation. |
