The Pokémon Company has announced that it will be releasing a new, limited animated series to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise. This series will feature adventures spanning various regions in the Pokémon world.
The Pokémon Company announced in a press release that Pokémon Evolutions will premiere on September 9 as an eight-episode web-exclusive series celebrating the quarter-century mark for the global entertainment franchise. You can check out the trailer for the show in the tweet below from @Pokémon itself.
An all-new adventure begins in Pokémon Evolutions!
In celebration of #Pokemon25, this new eight-episode series features different Trainers around the Pokémon world as they grow and evolve with their Pokémon!
🗺️ Tune in for episode 1 on 9/9: https://t.co/1pfSM9O5z8 pic.twitter.com/vgNkWabz4c
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) September 2, 2021
Pokémon Evolutions is set to take fans on a nostalgic trip through each of the various regions that have been explored by fans throughout Pokémon's video game titles over the years. The series will begin in the Galar region, most recently explored in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, before eventually building up to its finale in a region where so many budding trainers first set foot — Kanto.
The web series will explore each of the regions on an episode-by-episode basis — though as intuitive fans may have guessed during the previous paragraph — this will take place in a reverse chronological order from which they were explored in the games: Galar, Alola, Kalos, Unova, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto.
Vice President of Marketing for The Pokemon Company, Colin Palmer, spoke more about the premise of Pokémon Evolutions and why it has been important to include each of the new regions in the upcoming show. “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,” says Palmer.
“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.”
Whilst little has been revealed about the plot of Pokémon Evolutions, The Pokémon Company has said that the show will explore "familiar tales from Pokémon lore" with a "fresh perspective in every episode". Throughout 2021, in line with the celebrations, The Pokémon Company has released several exhibits on its website which allow fans to explore each of the regions that are set to feature in the show. Each mini-showcase takes fans on a journey through its region offering tidbits of information about the cities, Pokémon, and champions that can be found across the games.
In other Pokémon news, Nintendo recently added a new streaming service to the Nintendo Switch in the form of Pokémon TV. The Switch marks the latest platform to receive Pokémon TV after its previous releases for mobile devices and Smart TVs.
The Pokémon Company also shared a more detailed look at the upcoming game Pokémon Legends: Arceus during a recent Pokémon Presents. At the event, details surrounding the game's new Pokémon were shown off to fans alongside a new trailer for the title. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is slated to be released for Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.