Pokémon's Staggeringly Beautiful New TV Show Is An Unprecedented Effort

Published Aug 29, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT Chris is a Gaming Editor at ScreenRant. He has been a professional writer since 2009, and has written for top TV, comics, movie, and video game outlets like Engadget, Polygon, Destructoid, and more. He brings with him an expertise in every game genre, no matter how niche or mainstream. You may know him as the former Managing/Reviews Editor of Destructoid, where he published hundreds of game reviews across every genre, including MMOs, sports games, and Metroidvanias. Find Chris on Twitter @_SRChris. Pokémon is a global force, and many different forms of media contribute to that. Obviously, the games are a huge part of that success, but plenty of other thriving arms of the franchise contribute, especially the Trading Card Game, which is still in high demand. But the TV shows also helped usher in a new generation of Pokémon fans, especially given their accessibility, as most other forms of the franchise require reading, while the TV show can be enjoyed by people of all ages. That's extended through the original series featuring Ash, as well as Pokémon Horizons, which started in 2023. There's also a new series that's coming in 2027, and we got a chance to check out a panel with the creators to see how it was coming along. Earlier this year, we got a brief teaser for Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd and Pichu, which is being handled by Aardman Animations. Most of you will probably recognize the name, or their massive global franchises like Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and many others. They've been in business for decades, and now they're partnering with The Pokémon Company on a brand-new show set to debut on Disney+ in 2027. Yep, you heard that right: Disney+ is going to be the exclusive streamer for the project, which was announced live at Pokémon Worlds/XP 2026. At the event, we got a closer look at the actual puppets (using Aardman's terminology) that are featured in the show, including the titular Sirfetch'd and Pichu, as well as Impidimp, Diglett, and Fletchling. The scene was extraordinarily detailed, and Aardman spoke about all the work that went into making it look this gorgeous, featuring Director Tom Parkinson, Creative Director Natalie McKay, and Creative Lead James Young. McKay explained that "262 people from Aardman" are working on the project, and that one episode takes approximately 110 weeks. Two to three episodes run in parallel to save time, but not every episode can be filmed simultaneously, as they "only have so many puppets and animators." The team notes that there are roughly "12-13 Sirfetch'd" puppets, and "13 Pichus," which can be articulated (on stage, Parkinson showed how the character's mouths can open, and even the hair can be ruffled on Sirfetch'd). We got a sneak peek of Pokémon Tales through a 13-second clip for the pilot, and that took Aardman one entire week to film. It's not just the puppets that take a ton of time, either: trees can have "hundreds" of unique pieces of bark to make them feel lifelike. These stats are simply staggering. Pokémon is as big as it's ever been, and that's evident at Pokémon Worlds/XP 2026, where a whopping 50,000 people are in attendance, not to mention all the folks playing Pokémon Go throughout the city. Aardman has not commented on any future seasons or follow-ups, but the phrase "season one" was used by the moderator on the panel, and with the title "Pokémon Tales," I hope to see more Aardman creations in the future, whether it's another season of The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu (which would make perfect sense given that the puppets are already primed), or something else from the world of Pokemon entirely. TV Show(s) Pokémon Video Game(s) Pokemon Red and Blue, Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Crystal, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Sapphire, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Pokemon Platinum, Pokemon Black and White, Pokemon Black and White 2, Pokemon X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon Winds and Waves, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Pokemon Legends Z-A First Film Pokemon: The First Movie First TV Show Pokémon First Game Pokemon Red and Blue Genres RPG Pokémon is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori, launched by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures in 1996. Centered on fictional creatures called Pokémon, the series spans video games, trading cards, animation, films, merchandise, and competitive events. Players assume the role of Trainers who capture, battle, and trade Pokémon. It is one of the highest-grossing entertainment franchises in history.