Pokemon Welcomes Paldea Region and Gen 9 to Its Anime

Pokemon is one of the most powerful franchises in the world, and it has amassed a fanbase in the billions. From its first steps in the ’90s, Pokemon has come a long way with its anime and games. That was made clear this month when Pokemon Scarlet and Violet went live to stunning sales. And now, it seems the anime is bringing the games’ region to life with a special starter in tow!

The update went live this week when Pokemon Journeys posted a new episode. The release comes after Ash’s big win at the tournament deciding the world’s top Pokemon trainer. In order to give Ash a breather, the anime swapped focus to Goh this week, and the episode ended with a little short all about the Paldea region. So this time, it seems the Gen 9 world is being unpacked by Team Rocket well before Ash and the crew!

Here's the preview for the first of Team Rocket Paldea specials coming up – featuring Sprigatito!#Anipoke pic.twitter.com/vvuBt0t5Yi

— Anipoke Fandom (@AnipokeFandom) November 25, 2022

What Are These Shorts?

The shorts, as you can see above, are one-minute jaunts through the Paldea region with Team Rocket as our guides. While Jesse and James explore the new land, audiences are given some glances at the massive region and all its greenery. Of course, the group also runs into its share of Pokemon, and the first Gen 9 debut comes courtesy of Sprigatito.

The cute grass-dark Pokemon is adorable in this little special, and it gives us the anime’s first foray into Gen 9. Meowth may be jealous of the new kitty, but the Team Rocket member won’t have long to fret. There are two more specials on the horizon, and each will introduce one of the remaining Paldea starters: Fuecoco and Quaxly.

If you want to check out these shorts, they are being shared on YouTube shortly after Pokemon Journeys shares new episodes in Japan. As for the new games, well – Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a hit. Despite the game’s poor graphics and performance, Pokemon’s new title is selling unlike any Nintendo before it. In fact, the games sold 10+ million copies in just three days which marks Nintendo’s largest launch of all time.

What do you make of this special update? Are you excited to see the Pokemon anime take on the Paldea region? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.