List of Pokémon special episodes explained

, abbreviated from the Japanese title of and currently branded in English as, is a Japanese anime television series produced by animation studio OLM for TV Tokyo. It is adapted from the Pokémon video game series published by Nintendo.

These special episodes includes Mini series, Pikachu shorts, television specials etc.

Pikachu shorts

English title Japanese title Japanese release date English release date
1 Pikachu's Vacation July 18, 1998 November 12, 1999
When Ash Ketchum and his friends stumble upon a Pokémon-only vacation resort, they decide to let their Pokémon have a day of fun and relaxation and let all their Pokémon out as the trainers go relax on their own.
2 Christmas Night December 22, 1998 November 25, 2006
Pikachu, Togepi, and more of Ash, Misty and Brock's Pokémon cause havoc on Christmas Eve.
3 Kanga Games December 22, 1998 November 25, 2006
The Pokémon go exploring the mountain.
4 Pikachu's Rescue Adventure July 17, 1999 July 21, 2000
Ash, Misty, and Tracey's Pokémon sneak away on vacation and find an area with a nice waterfall and a huge tree. Suddenly, a storm kicks up.
5 Winter Games December 22, 1999 November 23, 2004
Pikachu and his friends join their first winter games.
6 Stantler's Little Helpers December 22, 1999 November 23, 2004
Pikachu and his friends wants to help Stantler to be on a Sleigh team.
7 Pikachu & Pichu July 8, 2000 April 6, 2001
While in a city, Pikachu wanders off and meets a pair of mischievous Pichu brothers.
8 Delibird's Dilemma December 22, 2000 June 17, 2006
Ash's, Misty's, and Brock's Pokémon must find Santa's missing presents before midnight.
9 Snorlax Snowman December 22, 2000 June 17, 2006
A retelling of Frosty the Snowman, starring the same Pokémon and featuring a Snorlax-shaped snowman.
10 Pikachu's PikaBoo July 7, 2001 March 18, 2003
Pikachu and Ash and Misty's other Pokémon play hide-and-seek in a mansion and its gardens.
11 Camp Pikachu July 13, 2002 January 20, 2004
Pikachu reunites with the Pichu brothers, and they all have a campout with Ash and Misty's other Pokémon.
12 Gotta Dance! July 19, 2003 June 1, 2004
Pikachu and Ash, May, and Brock's other Pokémon have a dance with Meowth.
13 align=center August 1, 2004 align=center
Pikachu and his friends will enjoy the festival.
14 align=center March 18, 2005 align=center
Pikachu and his friends are going to find Mew.
15 align=center August 1, 2005 align=center
Pikachu and his friends will enjoy the Ghost Festival.
16 Pokémon 4D: Pikachu's Ocean Adventure May 20, 2006 July 1, 2008
Pikachu and his friends are going to the ocean adventure.
17 Pikachu's Island Adventure August 1, 2006 April 1, 2007
Pikachu and his friends are going to an island adventure.
18 align=center August 1, 2007 align=center
Pikachu and his friends are joining the exploration club.
19 align=center August 1, 2008 align=center
Pikachu and his friends are going to an ice adventure.
20 align=center August 1, 2009 align=center
Pikachu and his friends are searching for something during an adventure.
21 align=center August 1, 2010 align=center
Pikachu and his friends are going to a wonderful strange adventure.
22 align=center August 1, 2011 align=center
Pikachu and his friends will enjoy the summer bridge story.
23 align=center July 3, 2012 align=center
Pikachu and his friends along with Meloetta are going to search for Rinka berries.
24 Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade July 14, 2012 February 15, 2013
Pikachu, Pansage, Oshawott, Snivy, their trainers' Pokémon and the Pokémon from other regions help Meloetta retrieve a tree's special berries.
25 Eevee & Friends July 13, 2013 December 6, 2013
Pikachu and friends meet an Eevee and its evolved brothers and sisters, including the new Pokémon Sylveon.
26 Pikachu, What's This Key? July 19, 2014 February 2, 2015
Pikachu and the other Pokémon of Ash and his friends meet a Klefki who has keys that open up portals to other worlds.
27 Pikachu and the Pokémon Music Squad July 18, 2015 December 21, 2015
Pikachu and the other Pokémon of Ash and his friends want to sing and dance together.

Pikachu's Winter Vacation

Pikachu's Winter Vacation is a series composed of several Pikachu shorts that are related to Winter and Christmas. There are three different sets of segments.

EP# Title Original air date English air date
1 "Pikachu's Winter Vacation" (ピカチュウのふゆやすみ) December 22, 1998 November 25, 2006
This episode is split into two parts:
  • : Pikachu, Togepi, and more of Ash, Misty and Brock's Pokémon cause havoc on Christmas Eve.
  • : The Pokémon go exploring the mountain.
2 "Pikachu's Winter Vacation 2000 or Pokémon Pikachu's Winter Vacation 2" (ピカチュウのふゆやすみ2000) December 22, 1999 November 23, 2004
This episode is split into two parts:
  • : Pikachu and his friends join their first winter games.
  • : Pikachu and his friends wants to help Stantler to be on a Sleigh team.
3 "Pichu & Pikachu's Winter Vacation 2001" (ピチューとピカチュウのふゆやすみ2001) December 22, 2000 June 24, 2006
October 14, 2006
This episode is split into three parts:
  • : Ash's, Misty's, and Brock's Pokémon must find Santa's missing presents before midnight.
  • : A retelling of Frosty the Snowman, starring the same Pokémon and featuring a Snorlax-shaped snowman.
  • : When playtime turns into a fight, the Pichu Brothers get separated. Compounding this, Pichu Little is soon miles above the ground with only balloons on a string keeping him up, and a wild Murkrow bent on popping the balloons is flying around.

Special episodes from main anime series

Pokémon Journeys Special (2022)

Spin-off

Pokémon Chronicles (2002-2004)

ONAs

The Two Professors (2018)

The Two Professors (Japanese: W Professors W Professors) is a series of short episodes which was released to promote .

Title Release date
1 September 25, 2018
2 October 10, 2018
3 October 24, 2018

Cube-Shaped Pokémon on Cubie Island?! (2023)

Cube-Shaped Pokémon on Cubie Island?! (Japanese: マルジャナイ島のシカクなポケモン!? Square Pokémon on Not-Round Island!?) is a series of animated shorts which was released to promote Pokémon Quest.

Title Japanese release date US release date
1 April 8, 2023 April 9, 2023
2 April 28, 2023 May 1, 2023
3 June 18, 2023 June 18, 2023
4An Opening in the Night Sky (よぞらにあいた あな, An Opening in the Night Sky)September 23, 2023October 3, 2023
5My Precious Friends (たいせつな なかま, Precious Friends)September 30, 2023October 4, 2023

Pokémon: Path to the Peak (2023)

Pokémon: Path to the Peak (Japanese: PATH TO THE PEAK 頂へのきずな Path to the Peak: Bonds to the Peak) is a series of animated shorts which are based on Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Title Japanese release date US release date
1 The Club August 14, 2023 August 11, 2023
2 Regionals August 18, 2023 August 16, 2023
3 Internationals August 25, 2023 August 23, 2023
4 Worlds September 1, 2023 August 30, 2023

The Adventures of Snorlax & Cubone (2023)

The Adventures of Snorlax & Cubone (Japanese: カビゴンとカラカラ Kabigon and Karakara) are four shorts released as part of Project Snorlax.

Title Release date
1 Episode 1 December 8, 2023
2 Episode 2 December 15, 2023
3 Episode 3 December 22, 2023
4 Episode 4 December 29, 2023

Standalone ONAs

EP# Title Original air date English air date
1 A Ripple in Time (時の波紋) February 12, 2022 align=center
2 February 9, 2022 January 11, 2022
3 align=center align=center
4 October 25, 2023 October 25, 2023
5 February 9, 2024 February 10, 2024

Television specials

English title Japanese title Japanese release date English release date
December 30, 2000 December 4, 2001
Mewtwo, who has been hiding out in the Johto region since last he was seen, has been located by Giovanni. Now the Rocket Boss wants to recapture the powerful Pokémon to again use him for his own purposes.
Pokemon: The Legend of Thunder December 30, 2001 June 3, 2006
June 10, 2006
Jimmy meets his old friend, Marina, at a Pokémon Center. The two of them, later teaming up with Vincent, discover and attempt to foil an attempt by Hun and Attila to steal Raikou.
Pokémon: The Mastermind of Mirage PokémonOctober 13, 2006 April 29, 2006
Ash, May, Max, and Brock meet up with Misty and Professor Oak to investigate Dr. Yung's new Mirage Pokémon system. But when the mysterious Mirage Master appears with a Mirage Mewtwo, Ash is forced to fight him to stop his plans to dominate the world with his Mirage Pokémon.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (2007-2009)

The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series (Japanese: ポケモンのダンジョン Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, also ポケダン Pokédan is an animated shorts of Pokémon anime based on the game with the same name. They were made for explaining parts of the games.

Title Japanese release date US release date
1 March 23, 2007 September 8, 2006
2 September 9, 2007 September 1, 2008
3 April 12, 2009 October 9, 2009

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (2010)

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Japanese: ポケモンレンジャー 光の軌跡 Pokémon Ranger: Traces of Light) is an original short animation of the Pokémon anime based on the game with the same name.

Title Japanese release date US release date
1 February 28, 2010 November 10, 2010
2 March 7, 2010 November 10, 2010

Pokémon Origins (2013)

Prologue to films

Title Japanese air date English air date
1 January 1, 2000 align=center
It is an anime short about three minutes long. The special is based on the life of the Slowking that was featured in . Slowking's life on Shamouti Island is very simple and carefree. It was intended to be an extra for Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
2 July 11, 2013 January 11, 2014
It is a special episode that serves as a prologue to .
3 July 17, 2014 November 6, 2014
It is a short that serves as a prologue to .
4 June 19, 2015 December 3, 2015
It is a special episode that serves as a prologue to Hoopa and the Clash of Ages. It was available in Japan along with the purchase of a ticket for .

Hoopa's Surprise Ring Adventures (2015)

Hoopa's Surprise Ring Adventures (Japanese: フーパのおでまし大作戦!! Hoopa's Appear Plan!!) is a series of short episodes that was released to promote .

Title Japanese release date US release date
1 April 23, 2015 December 11, 2015
2 April 30, 2015 December 11, 2015
3 May 7, 2015 December 11, 2015
4 May 14, 2015 December 11, 2015
5 May 21, 2015 December 11, 2015
6 May 28, 2015 December 11, 2015

Planetarium specials

This is a list of special episodes that were shown exclusively at planetariums and museums in Japan.

Title Japanese air date
1 Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation: Planetarium: Challenge from the Sky (ポケットモンスターアドバンスジェネレーション プラネタリウム 天空からの挑戦) May 29, 2004
2 Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl: Get Together! Pokémon Planet Center (ポケットモンスターダイヤモンドパール・あつまれ!ポケモンプラネットセンター) June 3, 2006
3 Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl: Get Together! Pokémon Star Festival (ポケットモンスターダイヤモンドパール・あつまれポケモン星まつり) May 31, 2008
4 Pocket Monsters Best Wishes!: Celestial Globe of Light and Shadow (ポケットモンスター ベストウイッシュ 光と影のテンキュウギ) June 11, 2011
5 Pocket Monsters XY: Celestial Debris (ポケットモンスター XY 宇宙の破片) July 12, 2014
6 Pocket Monsters Sun & Moon: Planetarium (ポケットモンスター サン&ムーン プラネタリウム) September 10, 2017
7 Pocket Monsters: Message from the Aurora (ポケットモンスター オーロラからのメッセージ) August 29, 2020

Other special episodes

EP# Title Original air date English air date
1 July 18, 2003 December 1, 2003

External links