Pokémon is turning 30 on February 27, 2026! A special animation featuring a chubby, adorable early-style Pikachu has been released.
Pokémon dropped a special animation on January 1, 2026, hyping up the 30th anniversary of Pocket Monsters.
The original Game Boy games, Pocket Monsters Red & Green, hit shelves on February 27, 1996 (Heisei 8), marking the birth of the series. So, 2026 is officially the memorial year for Pokémon’s 30th birthday.
And, fun fact: February 27th is officially recognized as “Pokémon Day” by the Japan Anniversary Association. Back in the 25th anniversary, they went all out with events both in and out of the games.
The animation shows a watercolor-style Pikachu in its early, chubby form, waving before returning to its Poké Ball. The 20-second clip ends with the message, “30th anniversary, starting now,” giving off major “new year, who dis?” vibes.
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