Pokemon Fans Will Soon Be Able to Stream All 22 Seasons of the Original Anime For Free

Exciting news for Pokémon fans. The Pokémon Company has secured a deal to allow the original Pokémon anime to be free to access in the near future. The Japanese franchise landed a deal with the Canadian brand licensing company, Wildbrain, to distribute the show in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The original Pokémon anime aired in 1997, spanning over 20 seasons and 1000+ episodes. Now fans will have the opportunity to easily access the show once more without having to pay for streaming services.

According to Wildbrain, 22 seasons of the Pokémon anime will be launched via a new single-IP FAST (free ad-supported television) channel. These seasons will cover Ash’s journey from the very beginning in 1997, all the way to the Sun and Moon era that finished in 2019. Unfortunately, this deal does not include Ash’s journey to the Galar region via the Journeys, Master Journeys, and Ultimate Journeys.

The Pokémon Company International’s Senior Director of Media Licensing, Melissa Pearce, commented on the new deal, believing that this partnership with WildBrain will introduce the anime to a new generation of trainers:

“We always strive to deliver the joy of
Pokémon
to more fans around the world, and WildBrain is the perfect partner to help us introduce a new generation of Trainers to the beloved Pokémon animation. FAST provides an ideal platform for the Pokémon brand to connect with wider audiences, offering accessible and curated content in a family-friendly environment.”

The Pokémon anime has been distributed to numerous licensing and media companies over the years. In 1998, 4Kids Entertainment distributed the show for North America up until 2006. In 2020, Netflix now has distribution rights and it’s currently the only place where fans can stream Pokémon Horizons: The Series.

‘Pokémon’ Is a Franchise Juggernaut

While the anime first came out in 1997, the Pokémon franchise first came into existence in 1996 via video games for the Gameboy Color. Each new installment follows a similar premise – a young kid (mainly 10 years old), leaves home to travel the world with their team of Pokémon, fighting gym leaders, completing the Pokédex, stopping evil teams, and becoming the very best, like no one ever was.

The Japanese juggernaut has also expanded to the competitive scene through global esports and TCG tournaments. The Pokémon Worlds event took place in Hawaii on August 16 to 18, where players all over the world competed in the TCG, VGC, Pokémon GO, and Pokémon Unite. The event will return to America next year in Anaheim, California.

Pokémon has become one of the highest-grossing media franchises, with an estimated revenue of $98.8 billion in 2019, and its films grossing over $1.156 billion at the worldwide box office. There is currently no date as to when the 22 seasons of Pokémon will be released and where they can be accessed. But fans can watch the newest season, Pokémon Horizons: The Series on Netflix. Stay tuned for more updates.