Pokémon Unveils Ekans for Lunar New Year Festivities

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 on January 29th, 2025, showcases a delightful encounter between two Ekans, one of which is a Shiny variant.

The short film depicts a humorous yet touching scene where the Shiny Ekans falls from a tree onto an Arbok, leading to a surprising evolution. The newly evolved Arbok, embraced by its peers, showcases a heartwarming message about acceptance and friendship.

The video resonated deeply with viewers, sparking nostalgic memories and heartwarming comments. Many shared their own experiences with Shiny Pokémon, highlighting the emotional connection fans have with these rare creatures.

Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company is celebrating the Lunar New Year with various in-game events and merchandise.

Pokémon GO's Lunar New Year Event

Pokémon GO joined the festivities with a Lunar New Year event, starting January 9th, 2025, and running as part of the 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.

Players can also participate in themed Field Research tasks, hatch special 2 km Eggs featuring Pokémon like Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and complete a Timed Research to earn valuable Zygarde Cells. This multifaceted celebration ensures fans can enjoy the Year of the Snake in various ways.