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Pokemon Celebrates Year of the Snake with Ekans

Author: Joseph Mar 22,2025

Pokémon is ringing in the Year of the Snake with a charming animated short featuring the serpentine Pokémon Ekans and Arbok! Read on to discover more about this delightful video and how The Pokémon Company is celebrating the Lunar New Year of 2025.

Pokémon Celebrates the Year of the Snake

A Shiny New Animated Short Starring Ekans and Arbok

Pokemon Celebrates Year of the Snake with Ekans

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 follows a humorous encounter between two Ekans hanging from a tree – one of which is a striking Shiny variant! The Shiny Ekans's accidental tumble onto a passing Arbok leads to an unexpected evolution, and a heartwarming tale of acceptance unfolds as the golden Arbok joins its peers.

The video's brevity hasn't stopped it from capturing the hearts of Pokémon fans. One YouTube commenter poignantly expressed, "Even though we were able to meet, it’s sad to say goodbye," highlighting the bittersweet nature of the Ekans' brief interaction. Another viewer compared the scene to children playing, emphasizing that differences in appearance didn't hinder their immediate friendship. The heartwarming encounter between the two Ekans, one a standard variant and the other a Shiny, resonated deeply with viewers.

Meanwhile, the appearance of the Shiny Pokémon evoked a wave of nostalgia for many, triggering memories of their first encounters with Shiny Ekans in Pokémon Gold and Silver. One fan shared, "When I was playing Gold and Silver, the first differently colored Pokémon I encountered was Arbok. It ran away, and I still regret not catching it! I'm so happy to see them again like this!"

Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company has organized a range of events and merchandise to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Pokémon GO's Lunar New Year Event

Pokemon Celebrates Year of the Snake with Ekans

Kicking off on January 9th, 2025, Pokémon GO launched its Lunar New Year event, boosting the encounter and Shiny rates for several snake-themed Pokémon. This event is part of the Dual Destiny season, running from December 3rd, 2024, to March 4th, 2025.

Trainers can expect increased encounters with Ekans, Onix, Gyarados, Dratini, Dunsparce, Snivy, and Darumaka. While Darumaka's humanoid appearance might seem out of place, its inspiration from the Daruma doll, a symbol of good luck and perseverance, makes it a fitting addition to the event.

The festivities also include themed Field Research tasks, special 2 km Eggs featuring Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and a Timed Research event rewarding players with rare Zygarde Cells, crucial for evolving Zygarde.