# Pokétoon
**Pokétoon** (POKÉTOON; ポケトゥーン) is a Japanese web anime series of short standalone cartoons featuring Pokémon, released on the official Pokémon Kids TV YouTube channel since June 2020. Each short tells a different story in its own art style, ranging from slapstick comedy to slice-of-life drama, and the series is presented by [The Pokémon Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pokemon-company) as entertainment for children and for parents and children together.[1](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/poketoon/) • [2](https://www.serebii.net/anime/poketoon/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Anthology of standalone animated shorts, about 8 minutes each, released on YouTube[3](https://thetvdb.com/series/poketoon) • [2](https://www.serebii.net/anime/poketoon/) |
| First episode | "Scraggy and Mimikyu" (ズルッグとミミッキュ), June 5, 2020, in a retro 1940s Fleischer-style cartoon aesthetic[2](https://www.serebii.net/anime/poketoon/) • [4](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemoncheck-out-this-amazing-new-official-poketoo/1100-6478079/) |
| First wave | 8 shorts from June 2020 to December 28, 2021[5](https://www.anime.com/shows/poketoon) |
| Second wave | POKÉTOON 2024, 9 shorts from September 18, 2024 to February 14, 2025, in both vertical and horizontal formats[6](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2024) |
| Later waves | 3 Mega Evolution shorts (October 2025 to February 2026) and 2 30th-anniversary shorts (August 2026)[7](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2025) • [8](https://anilist.co/anime/215761/POKTOON-2026/) |
| Studios | DandeLion Animation Studio, Pancake, Studio Colorido, team Yamahitsuji, mimoid, StudioGOONEYS, Magic Bus, ZEXCS, NAGOMI, 100studio, and others[5](https://www.anime.com/shows/poketoon) • [6](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2024) |
| Views | The eight 2020–2021 shorts had been played more than 82 million times worldwide as of September 4, 2024[9](https://animedb.jp/en/2024/09/22215) |
## Spoilers
### Format and premise
Pokétoon is an anthology: no episode depends on any other, and viewers can watch the shorts in any order. Each episode centers on different Pokémon and tells a self-contained story, from silly physical comedy to heartwarming drama, and each is presented with a distinct art style.[10](https://socinety.com/show/poketoon-2020) • [11](https://www.centropkmn.com/seccion/anime/especiales/series-web/poketoon/) The official Japanese site describes the series as animation that children can enjoy and that parents and children can watch together.[1](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/poketoon/)
The first short, "Scraggy and Mimikyu," follows a Scraggy hunting for Poké Beans who runs into a mischievous Mimikyu on a train. GameSpot described its look as reminiscent of hand-drawn Fleischer-era cartoons, completely unlike the regular Pokémon anime.[4](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemoncheck-out-this-amazing-new-official-poketoo/1100-6478079/) Later shorts changed approach: the second, "The Pancham Who Wants to Be a Hero," used modern illustrations and heavier dialogue in a more traditional slice-of-life anime style.[12](https://nintendowire.com/news/2021/05/12/newest-poketoon-animation-showcases-pancham-training-to-become-a-hero/)
## Release history
**First wave, 2020–2021.** The series debuted on the Pokémon Kids TV YouTube channel on June 5, 2020 (AniList lists June 4, 2020).[2](https://www.serebii.net/anime/poketoon/) • [13](https://anilist.co/anime/119964/POKTOON/) After the debut, no new short appeared for nearly a year; the second episode arrived in May 2021, and the remaining episodes followed roughly monthly until "Jigglypuff's Song" on December 28, 2021, for a total of eight shorts.[12](https://nintendowire.com/news/2021/05/12/newest-poketoon-animation-showcases-pancham-training-to-become-a-hero/) • [2](https://www.serebii.net/anime/poketoon/) Nintendo and [Game Freak](https://www.edgepedia.org/game-freak) secured the PokéToon trademark, filed May 27, 2020 and approved June 16, 2020, covering animated content, video games, and merchandise.[14](https://nintendowire.com/news/2020/06/16/nintendo-and-game-freak-secure-poketoon-trademark/)
**Second wave, 2024–2025.** A new series, POKÉTOON 2024, began on September 18, 2024 with weekly releases through November 2024, then concluded with "Midnight Adventure with Murkrow" on February 14, 2025, for nine episodes.[6](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2024) This wave mixed vertical short-form videos with longer horizontal episodes and featured Pokémon from the Paldea-based games, including Pawmi, Clodsire, Gogoat, Capsakid, and Charcadet.[15](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/poketoon/2024/)
**2025 and 2026 waves.** A three-episode series featuring Mega Evolution Pokémon ran from October 3, 2025 to February 13, 2026, with episodes centered on Kangaskhan, Gardevoir, and Altaria.[7](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2025) Two further shorts marked Pokémon's 30th anniversary: "カメールと、夏のつづき" (Kameil to, Natsu no Tsuzuki; Wartortle and the Ongoing Summer) on August 12, 2026 and "いたずらエルフーンとさせるかマフィティフ" (Mischievous Whimsicott? Not on Mabosstiff's Watch!) on August 19, 2026, both premiering on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.[16](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2026/08/260807_a01.html) • [8](https://anilist.co/anime/215761/POKTOON-2026/)
## Production
Each short is produced by a different animation studio, which is the main source of the series' varied visual styles. Studios credited across the series include DandeLion Animation Studio, Pancake, Studio Colorido, team Yamahitsuji, mimoid, StudioGOONEYS, Magic Bus, ZEXCS, NAGOMI, Polygon Pictures, TENKY, and Shirogumi.[5](https://www.anime.com/shows/poketoon) • [10](https://socinety.com/show/poketoon-2020) • [6](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2024) The 2025 Gardevoir short involved 100studio, with production linking its bases in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.[17](https://www.digitaltoday.co.kr/en/view/3586/hike-100-studio-joins-production-of-pokemon-animation-with-gardevoir-tomorrow-too)
The 30th-anniversary short "カメールと、夏のつづき" was directed by Shingo Yamashita, the animation creator known for the Netflix anime film "超かぐや姫！", with animation by Studio Chromato, which Yamashita leads, together with Studio Colorido; the cast included [Kana Hanazawa](https://www.edgepedia.org/kana-hanazawa) as Wartortle.[18](https://kai-you.net/article/96237)
## International release
The shorts were first released only in Japanese on the Japanese Pokémon Kids TV channel. An official English-language release began on June 17, 2022, when "Scraggy and Mimikyu" debuted on Pokémon TV, with a new episode each Friday through August 5, 2022; the Pokémon TV app was also available on [Nintendo Switch](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch).[19](https://www.pokemon.com/us/news/poketoon-episode-1-is-available-now-on-pokemon-tv) Spanish-language playlists for Latin America and Spain followed on YouTube.[11](https://www.centropkmn.com/seccion/anime/especiales/series-web/poketoon/)
## References
1. [ポケモンアニメシリーズ「POKÉTOON」公式サイト, The Pokémon Company](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/poketoon/)
2. [PokéToon, Serebii.net](https://www.serebii.net/anime/poketoon/)
3. [POKÉTOON, TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/series/poketoon)
4. [Pokemon – Check Out This Amazing New Official Poketoon Animation Done In A Classic Style, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pokemoncheck-out-this-amazing-new-official-poketoo/1100-6478079/)
5. [Pokétoon, Anime.com](https://www.anime.com/shows/poketoon)
6. [Poketoon (2024), TheAnimeList](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2024)
7. [Poketoon (2025), TheAnimeList](https://theanimelist.net/anime/poketoon-2025)
8. [POKÉTOON (2026), AniList](https://anilist.co/anime/215761/POKTOON-2026/)
9. [The new series of Pokemon anime "Pokétoon" starts today!, アニメ大全](https://animedb.jp/en/2024/09/22215)
10. [POKÉTOON (2020–2026), Socinety](https://socinety.com/show/poketoon-2020)
11. [POKÉTOON, Centro Pokémon](https://www.centropkmn.com/seccion/anime/especiales/series-web/poketoon/)
12. [Newest PokéToon animation showcases Pancham training to become a hero, Nintendo Wire](https://nintendowire.com/news/2021/05/12/newest-poketoon-animation-showcases-pancham-training-to-become-a-hero/)
13. [POKÉTOON, AniList](https://anilist.co/anime/119964/POKTOON/)
14. [Nintendo and Game Freak secure PokéToon trademark, Nintendo Wire](https://nintendowire.com/news/2020/06/16/nintendo-and-game-freak-secure-poketoon-trademark/)
15. [ポケモンアニメシリーズ「POKÉTOON 2024」公式サイト, The Pokémon Company](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/ex/poketoon/2024/)
16. [WEBアニメ「POKÉTOON」の新エピソードが公開！, ポケットモンスターオフィシャルサイト](https://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/2026/08/260807_a01.html)
17. [Hike's 100 Studio joins production of Pokemon animation 'With Gardevoir Tomorrow Too', Digital Today](https://www.digitaltoday.co.kr/en/view/3586/hike-100-studio-joins-production-of-pokemon-animation-with-gardevoir-tomorrow-too)
18. [ポケモンWebアニメ「POKÉTOON」新エピソード公開 監督は『超かぐや姫！』の山下清悟, KAI-YOU](https://kai-you.net/article/96237)
19. [POKÉTOON Episode 1 Is Available Now on Pokémon TV, Pokemon.com](https://www.pokemon.com/us/news/poketoon-episode-1-is-available-now-on-pokemon-tv)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Anime and manga › Anime series, episodes, and franchises › OVAs, ONAs, and streaming-original anime*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license