Pokémon rings in the Year of the Snake with a charming animated short featuring the serpentine Pokémon Ekans and Arbok. Discover more about this delightful video and how The Pokémon Company is celebrating the 2025 Lunar New Year.
Pokémon Celebrates the Year of the Snake
A Shiny New Animated Short Starring Ekans and Arbok
On January 29th, 2025, Pokémon's YouTube channel unveiled a heartwarming animated short celebrating the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Snake.
The short film showcases a humorous encounter between two Ekans hanging from a tree, one of which is a striking Shiny variant. The Shiny Ekans' fascination leads to a comical fall onto a passing Arbok, triggering an unexpected evolution after a playful threat from its peers. Now recognized as one of their own, the golden Arbok leads its newfound companions away into the forest.
The brevity of the video hasn't stopped it from touching the hearts of many YouTube viewers. One fan commented, "Even though we were able to meet, it’s sad to say goodbye," expressing the bittersweet feeling of the Ekans' brief interaction. Another compared their bond to that of children, emphasizing that differences in appearance are inconsequential, as the two Ekans instantly formed a friendly connection despite the Shiny variation.
Meanwhile, others expressed a wave of nostalgia upon seeing the Shiny Pokémon, recalling their first encounters with Shiny Ekans in Pokémon Gold and Silver. One shared, "When I was playing Gold and Silver, the first differently colored Pokémon I encountered was Arbok. For some reason, it ran away, and I never caught it—something I still regret. However, I'm very happy we were able to meet again like this!"Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company has organized various events and released merchandise to enhance the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Pokémon GO's Lunar New Year Event
Pokémon GO launched its Lunar New Year event on January 9th, 2025, boosting the encounter and Shiny rates for snake-like Pokémon. This event is part of the Dual Destiny season, running from December 3rd, 2024, to March 4th, 2025.
Pokémon with increased encounter rates include Ekans, Onix, Gyarados, Dratini, Dunsparce, Snivy, and Darumaka. While Darumaka has a more humanoid appearance, its inspiration from the Daruma doll symbolizes good luck and perseverance.
The event also features themed Field Research tasks, special 2 km Eggs containing Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and a Timed Research event rewarding players with rare Zygarde Cells, crucial for evolving Zygarde.
