Premiering September 9 on The Official Pokémon YouTube channel, Pokémon Evolutions is a new web-exclusive animated series that takes viewers to a different Pokémon region with every episode, from Kanto to Galar. Or should we say from Galar to Kanto, as the series explores the various Pokémon regions in reverse chronological order.
Another element of the seemingly endless celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary, Pokémon Evolutions is an oddly named trip back through time, exploring the major regions from each of the series’ eight generations. That means the first episode, September 9’s “The Champion,” takes place in the Galar region of Sword and Shield, telling a story of everyone’s favourite purple-haired hero, Leon, brother of Hop.
And we work our way backwards from there, from Alola to Kalos, Unova to Sinnoh, Hoenn to Johto, until we make it all the way back to Pokémon Red and Green’s Kanto region. Expect each episode to tell familiar stories of the different regions from a fresh perspective. The show is being produced by The Pokémon Company International in collaboration with OLM Studios, who you might know from their work on Yo-Kai Watch, Zoids, or just about all of the Pokémon movies.
Here’s a schedule, so you know which region’s episode is airing when.
- Thursday, Sept. 9: “The Champion” featuring the Galar region
- Thursday, Sept. 23: “The Eclipse” featuring the Alola region
- Thursday, Oct. 7: “The Visionary” featuring the Kalos region
- Thursday, Oct. 21: “The Plan” featuring the Unova region
- Thursday, Dec. 2: “The Rival” featuring the Sinnoh region
- Thursday, Dec. 9: “The Wish” featuring the Hoenn region
- Thursday, Dec. 16: “The Show” featuring the Johto region
- Thursday, Dec. 23: “The Discovery” featuring the Kanto region
“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,” said Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International via official announcement. “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.”
And that should mark the end of the celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary and the beginning of its 26th. May the Pokémon anniversary celebrations never end.
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