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

Pokémon is celebrating the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake, with a delightful animated short featuring Ekans and Arbok. This heartwarming video, released on January 29th, 2025, showcases a humorous encounter between two Ekans, one of which is a shiny variant. The video's charming depiction of the Pokémon has resonated with fans, evoking feelings of nostalgia and joy.

The short film depicts a playful interaction between the Ekans, culminating in the shiny Ekans' evolution into Arbok after a surprising encounter. The evolved Arbok, now golden, is then followed by other Arbok, highlighting a sense of belonging. The video's brevity hasn't diminished its impact; viewers have expressed emotional connections to the story, comparing the Pokémon's interaction to that of children.

The nostalgic element of the shiny Pokémon has also struck a chord with fans, prompting many to recall their own experiences encountering shiny Pokémon in games like Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company is hosting various events and releasing 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, launched on January 9th, 2025, as part of its Dual Destiny season (December 3rd, 2024 – March 4th, 2025). This event features increased encounter and shiny rates for snake-themed Pokémon, including Ekans, Onix, Gyarados, Dratini, Dunsparce, Snivy, and Darumaka. The event also includes themed Field Research tasks, special 2km Eggs containing Pokémon like Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and a Timed Research offering rare Zygarde Cells.

This multifaceted celebration offers fans a variety of ways to participate in the Year of the Snake festivities, combining heartwarming animation with engaging in-game events.