Season

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If you were looking for the game mechanic in Generation V, see Season (game mechanic). For the Pokémon GO mechanic, see Season (GO).
If you were looking for the six-week-long divisions known as League Seasons, see Play! Pokémon.

A season is a type of ordered collection of dubbed episodes of the Pokémon animated series based on how the dub is aired. They usually share an opening, and are often 52 or fewer episodes long. They do not necessarily align with any particular story arc.

In the United States, each season is released over the course of a year.

  • Initially, the English dub was aired in syndication or on Kids' WB. Similar to most American shows, each season started between August and September, and aired new episodes for the following nine months, with three months (usually during the summer) taken off to begin production for the next season, during which reruns air.
  • Starting with season 9, the English dub was aired on Cartoon Network or Disney XD. Each season started between January and June, and aired new episodes regularly over the course of the following year. Between seasons, there was either no break or a break of up to three months long.
  • Starting with season 23, the English dub has been released on Netflix in quarterly batches of roughly 12 episodes.

Seasons are used by all dubs based on the English dub. Seasons are also used in some capacity in Asia, although the exact definitions used by these dubs vary. In Japan, there is no concept of seasons in the Pokémon animated series, where new episodes air nearly every week.

In contrast to seasons, series are multi-year runs of episodes with significant story, character, and even art style differences. Whereas dub seasons are mostly annual, series usually correspond to generations of the Pokémon franchise. Unlike seasons, series exist in both the Japanese version and dubs.

List of seasons

There are three distinct definitions of a season used in official media: the televised airings, home video releases, and digital releases. Since season 7, these definitions have coincided.

  • The television definition used by Region 4 home video releases and formerly on Pokémon TV, Toonami Jetstream, and Cartoon Network Video, corresponding to groups of episodes that aired regularly over the course of a year with a break taken in between.
  • The digital release definition is used by DisneyNOW, digital home video releases, and currently used by Pokémon TV, matching the TV definition except between the second and third season and the fifth and sixth season, where it splits the seasons by series or arc.
  • The home video definition is used by most Region 1 home video releases, in particular those produced by VIZ Media, corresponding to groups of episodes that share the same opening and are part of the same series or arc.

Pokémon the Series

Logo Season name Medium Debut episode Final episode Episodes
Season1 logo.png Pokémon:
Indigo League
Television
Television
EP001
Pokémon - I Choose You!
EP057
The Breeding Center Secret
52
Digital release
Digital release
EP001
Pokémon - I Choose You!
EP057
The Breeding Center Secret
52
Home video
Home video
EP001
Pokémon - I Choose You!
EP080
Friends to the End
79/78
Season2 logo.png Pokémon:
Adventures in the Orange Islands
Television
Television
EP052
Princess vs. Princess
EP105
Charizard Chills
52/49
Digital release
Digital release
EP052
Princess vs. Princess
EP116
The Rivalry Revival
60
Home video
Home video
EP081
Pallet Party Panic
EP116
The Rivalry Revival
36/34
Season3 logo.png Pokémon:
The Johto Journeys
Television
Television
EP106
The Pokémon Water War
EP157
The Fortune Hunters
52
Digital release
Digital release
EP117
Don't Touch That 'dile
EP157
The Fortune Hunters
41
Home video
Home video
EP117
Don't Touch That 'dile
EP157
The Fortune Hunters
41
Season4 logo.png Pokémon:
Johto League Champions
All EP158
A Goldenrod Opportunity
EP209
Machoke, Machoke Man!
52
Season5 logo.png Pokémon:
Master Quest
Television
Television
EP210
Around the Whirlpool
EP262
You're a Star, Larvitar!
52
Digital release
Digital release
EP210
Around the Whirlpool
EP274
Hoenn Alone!
64
Home video
Home video
EP210
Around the Whirlpool
EP274
Hoenn Alone!
64
Season6 logo.png Pokémon:
Advanced
Television
Television
EP263
Address Unown!
AG040
Watt's with Wattson?
52
Digital release
Digital release
AG001
Get the Show on the Road!
AG040
Watt's with Wattson?
40
Home video
Home video
AG001
Get the Show on the Road!
AG040
Watt's with Wattson?
40
Season7 logo.png Pokémon:
Advanced Challenge
All AG041
What You Seed is What You Get
AG092
Judgment Day!
52
Season8 logo.png Pokémon:
Advanced Battle
All AG093
Clamperl of Wisdom
AG145
Pasta La Vista!
52
Battle Frontier logo.png Pokémon:
Battle Frontier
All AG146
Fear Factor Phony
AG192
Home is Where the Start Is!
47
Season10 logo.png Pokémon:
Diamond and Pearl
All DP001
Following A Maiden's Voyage!
DP052
Smells Like Team Spirit!
51
Pokémon Battle Dimension logo.png Pokémon: DP
Battle Dimension
All DP053
Tears For Fears!
DP104
Sleepless In Pre-Battle!
52
Galactic Battles Logo.png Pokémon: DP
Galactic Battles
All DP105
Get Your Rotom Running!
DP157
Gotta Get a Gible!
52
Season 13 Logo.png Pokémon: DP
Sinnoh League Victors
All DP158
Regaining the Home Advantage!
DP191
Memories are Made of Bliss!
34
Season 14 logo.png Pokémon:
Black & White
All BW001
In the Shadow of Zekrom!
BW048
Battle for the Underground!
48
Season 15 logo.png Pokémon: BW
Rival Destinies
All BW049
Enter Elesa, Electrifying Gym Leader!
BW097
Unova's Survival Crisis!
49
Season 16 logo 2.png Pokémon: BW
Adventures in Unova and Beyond
All BW098
Beauties Battling for Pride and Prestige!
BW142
The Dream Continues!
45
Pokémon the Series XY logo.png Pokémon the Series:
XY
All XY001
Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!
XY049
Bonnie for the Defense!
48
Season 18 logo.png Pokémon the Series:
XY Kalos Quest
All XY050
Pathways to Performance Partnering!
XY093
All Eyes on the Future!
45
Season 19 logo.png Pokémon the Series:
XYZ
All XY094
From A to Z!
XYS05
The Legend of X, Y, and Z!
48
Season 20 logo.png Pokémon the Series:
Sun & Moon
All SM001
Alola to New Adventure!
SM043
When Regions Collide!
43
Season 21 logo.png Pokémon the Series:
Sun & Moon—Ultra Adventures
All SM044
A Dream Encounter!
SM092
Turning the Other Mask!
48
Season 22 logo.png Pokémon the Series:
Sun & Moon – Ultra Legends
All SM093
Lillier and the Staff!
SM146
Thank You, Alola! The Journey Continues!
54
Season 23 logo.png Pokémon Journeys:
The Series
All JN001
Enter Pikachu!
JN048
A Close Call... Practically!
48
Season 24 logo.png Pokémon Master Journeys:
The Series
All JN049
To Train, or Not to Train!
JN090
Showdown at the Gates of Warp!
42
Season 25 logo.png Pokémon Ultimate Journeys:
The Series
All JN091
The Spectral Express!
JNS05
Distant Blue Sky!
54

Pokémon Horizons: The Series

Logo Season name Medium Debut episode Final episode Episodes
Season 26 logo.png Pokémon Horizons:
The Series
All HZ001
The Pendant That Starts It All (Part One)
HZ045
From So Far Away
45
Original series (list) Indigo LeagueAdventures in the Orange Islands
The Johto JourneysJohto League ChampionsMaster Quest
Ruby and Sapphire (list) AdvancedAdvanced ChallengeAdvanced BattleBattle Frontier
Diamond and Pearl (list) Diamond and PearlBattle DimensionGalactic BattlesSinnoh League Victors
Black & White (list) Black & WhiteRival DestiniesAdventures in Unova and Beyond
XY (list) XYKalos QuestXYZ (Mega Evolution Specials)
Sun & Moon (list) Sun & MoonUltra Adventures‎Ultra Legends
Journeys (list) JourneysMaster JourneysUltimate Journeys (The Arceus Chronicles)
Horizons (list) Horizons
Specials (list) Pikachu's Winter VacationSide StoriesPokémon Chronicles
Planetarium specialsPikachu shorts
Mewtwo ReturnsThe Legend of Thunder!Pichu Bros. in Party Panic
The Mastermind of Mirage PokémonA Ripple in Time
Complete listMovies


Project Anime logo.png This article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon animation.