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Pokémon rings 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 2025 Lunar New Year.
Pokémon Celebrates the Year of the Snake
A Shiny New Animated Short Starring Ekans and Arbok
On January 29th, 2025, The Pokémon Company’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 dangling from a tree, one of which is a striking Shiny variant. A captivating fall leads the Shiny Ekans into an unexpected meeting with an Arbok, culminating in a surprising evolution after a playful threat from its new companions. Accepted into the Arbok group, the golden Shiny Arbok leads its new family away.
This brief but touching video resonated deeply with viewers. One fan commented, "Even though their meeting was brief, saying goodbye was sad," highlighting the emotional connection between the two Ekans. Another viewer likened their interaction to that of children, emphasizing that differences in appearance didn't hinder their instant friendship.
Meanwhile, many viewers expressed nostalgic feelings upon seeing the Shiny Pokémon, recalling their first encounters with Shiny Ekans in Pokémon Gold and Silver. One shared, "My first differently colored Pokémon in Gold and Silver was Arbok. It ran away, and I always regretted it! I'm so happy to see them again like this!"Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company has organized exciting events and merchandise to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
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-themed 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 is more humanoid, 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 rewarding players with rare Zygarde Cells—essential for evolving Zygarde.
