Ekans Shines in Pokemon's Year of the Snake Celebration

Pokémon is ringing in the Lunar New Year of 2025 with a special celebration centered around the Year of the Snake, featuring the beloved snake Pokémon Ekans and Arbok. Dive into the details of this festive event, including a heartwarming animated short and exciting in-game festivities.

Pokémon Celebrates the Year of the Snake

Releases an Animated Short, Featuring a Shiny Ekans and Arbok

On January 29, 2025, Pokémon's YouTube channel unveiled a delightful animated short to honor the Lunar New Year, celebrating the Year of the Snake. This charming video showcases a playful interaction between two Ekans perched in a tree, with one being a striking Shiny variant. The Shiny Ekans, captivated by its surroundings, tumbles onto a passing Arbok and evolves amidst a playful tussle with its companions. Embraced as one of their own, the golden Arbok leads the others out of the forest, leaving a touching impression on viewers.

The short video tugged at the heartstrings of many fans. One viewer poignantly remarked, "Even though we were able to meet, it’s sad to say goodbye," reflecting on the brief but meaningful encounter between the Ekans. Another fan drew parallels to childhood friendships, noting how the Ekans bonded instantly despite their differences in appearance.

The animated short also evoked nostalgia among some, with one fan reminiscing about their first encounter with a Shiny Ekans in Pokémon Gold and Silver: "When I was playing Gold and Silver, the first Pokémon of a different color I encountered was Arbo. For some reason, it ran away from me at the time, and I was unable to catch it, something I still regret. However, I am very happy that we were able to meet again like this!"

Beyond the animated short, The Pokémon Company has lined up a variety of events and merchandise to enhance the Lunar New Year celebrations for fans.

Pokémon GO’s Lunar New Year Event

Kicking off on January 9, 2025, Pokémon GO launched its Lunar New Year event as part of the Dual Destiny season, running from December 3, 2024, to March 4, 2025. This event boosts the encounter and Shiny rates for snake-like Pokémon, including Ekans, Onix, Gyarados, Dratini, Dunsparce, Snivy, and Darumaka. Despite Darumaka's more humanoid appearance, its design is inspired by the Daruma doll, symbolizing good luck and perseverance.

The event also features themed Field Research tasks and special 2 km Eggs containing Makuhita, Nosepass, Meditite, Duskull, and Skorupi. Additionally, a themed Timed Research offers players a chance to collect rare Zygarde Cells, essential for altering Zygarde’s forms.

Join in the celebrations and experience the joy of the Lunar New Year with Pokémon!