Cannes – The Pokémon Company International kicked off MIPTV by announcing its newest feature-length animated film, Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction, which is now available for license. The movie features Ash and Pikachu, plus other classic Pokémon as well as those making their animation debut from the blockbuster Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games. With more broadcast and VOD partners signed, brand-new TV animation in homes, and the new movie on the horizon, 2014 promises to be a strong year for Pokémon animation.
Pokémon’s expanded VOD offerings include deals with Netflix and Hulu. Fans in all Netflix territories have enjoyed classic Pokémon seasons and movies since content launched in March, and fan favourite Pokémon animation also debuted on Hulu in the U.S. in February. The Netflix and Hulu deals come after The Pokémon Company International launched the Pokémon TV application for iOS and Android devices in 2013.
Fans in Russia will once again enjoy their favourite animated episodes, as Pokémon and Russian free-to-air broadcaster 2X2 recently signed a deal to begin airing Pokémon the Series: XY this September. The season, which is already airing in numerous markets around the world, brings the total number of Pokémon episodes to nearly 800. 2X2 joins European partners including CITV in the UK, Gulli in France, K2 in Italy, YEP! in Germany, Clan TV in Spain, TV4 in Sweden, TV2 in Norway, VT4 and Club RTL in Belgium, and Disney XD in markets across Europe. Other broadcast partners are Cartoon Network in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America; Eleven in Australia; etv in South Africa; and YTV in Canada.
A leading children’s entertainment franchise, Pokémon features a wide array of offerings including video games, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, animation, and various licensed products. Pokémon X and Pokémon Y recently became the fastest-selling video games for the Nintendo 3DS system, selling nearly 12 million copies worldwide since their October 2013 launch and adding to the more than 245 million Pokémon video games sold to date. With more than 20 billion Pokémon TCG cards shipped globally and animation licensed for broadcast in more than 160 countries and in more than 30 languages, Pokémon is a long-standing hit among fans around the world.
