Pokémon animation
Pokémon animation (Japanese: ポケモンアニメ Pokémon anime) is a term that refers collectively to all animated works in the Pokémon 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 the core series or spin-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 eponymous Pokémon animated TV series, which debuted in 1997 in Japan and 1998 in the United States, and has spawned a number of tie-in movies and other related 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 the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Latin America, and Brazil.
Animated works made in Japan are often referred to as "anime" in English, although The Pokémon Company International generally avoids using the term outside of social media posts. Some event Pokémon in the core series games based on individual Pokémon from Pokémon animation, such as Ash's Pikachu and Glaseado Mountain Cetitan, have their location set as "Pokémon Cartoon"IV-V, "the Pokémon cartoon"VI, or "the Pokémon animated show"VII+.
Production
- Main articles: Production of Pokémon animation, Pokémon animated series → Staff
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 as dubbing into other languages.
The animated series and their tie-in media are produced by the Japanese animation studio OLM. Until the fifth season episode A Crowning Achievement, the series was animated using cel animation; from Here's Lookin' at You Elekid! onwards, all episodes are digitally animated. TV Tokyo, MEDIANET, and ShoPro are the executive producers for the series, while the production 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 with Iyuno.
Other pieces of animated media have been produced by Japanese studios apart from OLM. These include Creatures, Inc., which has produced various computer-animated trailers, commercials, and YouTube shorts; Studio Colorido, which produced the miniseries Pokémon: Twilight Wings; WIT STUDIO, which produced the miniseries Pokémon: Hisuian Snow; dwarf studios, which produced the stop-motion animated series Pokémon Concierge; Bones, which animated the GOTCHA! music video; and CoMix Wave Films, which animated the Challenge the World! commercial.
Not all Pokémon animated works are primarily produced by Japanese companies, however. For example, Bidoof's Big Stand and Pokémon: Path to the Peak were produced by TAIKO Studios, based in both the United States and China, and The Journey of One Dream and Homecoming were also produced in China.
List of animated works
TV series
- Main article: Pokémon animated series
The Pokémon animated TV series has been broadcast on TV Tokyo nearly every week in Japan since its debut on April 1, 1997. In the United States, it premiered in syndication on September 7, 1998; it is no longer shown on traditional TV, and is instead released on Netflix. Each episode is roughly 25 minutes long.
In Asia (including Japan), it is divided into eight series, with the first being Pocket Monsters (1997) and the newest being Pocket Monsters (2023). In the West, it is divided into two animated series: Pokémon the Series and Pokémon Horizons: The Series, which are further divided into seasons.
Movies
- Main article: Pokémon movie
From 1998 to 2020, an animated feature-length work that served as a tie-in to Pokémon the Series was released in theaters annually, most often focusing on a Legendary or Mythical 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 the Pocket Monsters the Movie Series (劇場版ポケットモンスターシリーズ, lit. Pocket Monsters: Movie Version Series) on the Japanese official site, while the live-action movie POKÉMON Detective Pikachu is listed under Other Movies (その他の映画).
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 as YouTube.
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 – 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 – present | June 17 – August 5, 2022 |
Pokémon Evolutions |
September 9 – December 23, 2021 | September 9 – December 23, 2021 |
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 |
Pokémon: Paldean Winds | 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 Animated Encyclopedia |
May 13, 2024 – present | June 11, 2024 – present |
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 |
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 |
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 |
Pokémon Masters Animated Trailer |
June 27, 2019 | June 27, 2019 |
Challenge the World! |
July 22, 2023 | July 23, 2023 |
Music videos
These are animated music videos that were released for songs. Most of these were released on YouTube.
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 |
You're sleeping soundly, Snorlax! |
February 16, 2024 | N/A |
POKÉDANCE |
February 27, 2024 | February 27, 2024 |
Glorious Day |
March 9, 2024 | N/A |
References
External links
This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation. |