Pokemon Celebrates Year of the Snake with Ekans

Pokémon Rings in the Year of the Snake with a Charming Animated Short

Pokémon celebrated the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake, with a heartwarming animated short featuring Ekans and Arbok. The video, released January 29th, 2025 on Pokémon's YouTube channel, showcases a delightful interaction between two Ekans, one of which is a Shiny variant.

The short depicts the Shiny Ekans falling from a tree onto an Arbok, leading to an unexpected evolution. The newly evolved Shiny Arbok is then accepted by its peers, creating a touching moment for viewers. The video's simple yet evocative storytelling resonated with fans, with many commenting on the endearing nature of the Ekans' friendship and the nostalgic appeal of the Shiny Pokémon.

The release of the animated short wasn't the only way Pokémon celebrated the Lunar New Year. The Pokémon Company also launched in-game events and released special merchandise.

A Special Pokémon GO Lunar New Year Event

Pokémon GO joined the festivities with a Lunar New Year event starting January 9th, 2025. This event, part of the Dual Destiny season (December 3rd, 2024 – March 4th, 2025), boosted the encounter and Shiny rates for several snake-themed Pokémon, including Ekans, Onix, Gyarados, Dratini, Dunsparce, Snivy, and Darumaka. The event also featured themed Field Research tasks, special 2km Eggs containing Pokémon like Makuhita and Meditite, and a Timed Research offering rare Zygarde Cells.

This multifaceted celebration showcased Pokémon's commitment to engaging with its global fanbase and celebrating diverse cultural events.