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 encounter between two Ekans, one of which is a Shiny variant. The short depicts the Shiny Ekans' accidental fall onto an Arbok, leading to a surprising evolution and a heartwarming acceptance by the Arbok community.
The video's brevity didn't diminish its impact, sparking emotional responses from viewers. Many commented on the bittersweet nature of the Ekans' brief friendship, while others drew parallels to childhood friendships, emphasizing the universality of connection regardless of differences. The appearance of a Shiny Pokémon also evoked nostalgic memories for some, recalling their own early encounters with Shiny Ekans and Arbok in games like Pokémon Gold and Silver.
Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company also organized several events and released themed merchandise to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Pokémon GO's Lunar New Year Celebration
Pokémon GO joined the festivities with a Lunar New Year event, starting January 9th, 2025, and running as part of the Dual Destiny season (December 3rd, 2024 – March 4th, 2025). The event featured increased encounter and Shiny rates for snake-themed Pokémon, including Ekans, Onix, Gyarados, Dratini, Dunsparce, Snivy, and Darumaka (whose Daruma doll inspiration symbolizes good luck).
Additional event highlights included themed Field Research tasks, special 2km Eggs containing Pokémon like Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and a Timed Research event rewarding players with rare Zygarde Cells.
