Pokemon Celebrates Year of the Snake with Ekans

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

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

The short depicts a humorous and touching scene where the Shiny Ekans falls from a tree onto an Arbok, leading to an unexpected evolution. The newly evolved Shiny Arbok is then embraced by its peers, creating a memorable moment.

The video's heartwarming narrative resonated deeply with viewers. Many commented on the endearing interaction between the Ekans, highlighting the themes of friendship and acceptance regardless of differences. Nostalgia also played a significant role, with several users recalling their own early encounters with Shiny Pokémon in games like Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company launched various events and merchandise to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Pokémon GO's Lunar New Year Event

Pokémon GO joined the festivities with a Lunar New Year event, starting January 9th, 2025, as part of its Dual Destiny season (December 3rd, 2024 – March 4th, 2025). This event 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, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and a Timed Research offering rare Zygarde Cells. This comprehensive event offered players a diverse range of ways to participate in the Lunar New Year celebrations.