Pokemon Celebrates Year of the Snake with Ekans

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, The Pokémon Company released a heartwarming animated short on their YouTube channel to celebrate 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 a shimmering Shiny variant. The Shiny Ekans's fascination leads to a comical tumble onto a passing Arbok, triggering a surprising evolution after a playful threat from its fellow Ekans. Accepted into the Arbok group, the golden Shiny Arbok leads its new companions away.

This brief but touching video resonated deeply with viewers. One fan commented, "Even though we were able to meet, it’s sad to say goodbye," highlighting the emotional connection formed between the two Ekans. Another compared their interaction to children, emphasizing that differences in appearance didn't hinder their immediate friendship.

Many viewers also expressed a wave of nostalgia, recalling their first encounters with Shiny Pokémon. One shared, "When I was playing Gold and Silver, the first differently colored Pokémon I saw was Arbok. It ran away, and I never caught it—a regret I still carry! But I'm so happy to see them again like this!"

Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company prepared various events and merchandise to enhance the Lunar New Year celebration.

Pokémon GO's Lunar New Year Event

Pokémon GO joined the festivities, announcing its Lunar New Year event on January 9th, 2025. This event boosted the encounter and Shiny rates for several snake-themed Pokémon. The 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 includes themed Field Research tasks, special 2 km Eggs featuring Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi, and a Timed Research rewarding players with rare Zygarde Cells—essential for evolving Zygarde.