Aardman's stop-motion Pokémon series is set in Galar — and it's a perfect fit

The Pokémon Company has revealed new details about Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu, the stop-motion animated series made in collaboration with Aardman — the Bristol studio behind Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. The show is coming in 2027, and first footage from the pilot episode was shown at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week.

The series is set in Galar, the region introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield — and also the region where Sirfetch'd made its debut. The team pointed out that Galar is geographically modelled on the UK, making it a natural fit for an Aardman production. The British sensibility extends beyond the setting: Aardman chief creative director Sarah Cox described the show as "comedic storytelling that celebrates the quirks, eccentricities and charms of our heroes as they explore Galar on a delightfully offbeat Quest," with director Tom Parkinson leading the hand-crafted production. Phil Rynda, director of original animation at The Pokémon Company International, called it "a unique opportunity to tell stories from the point of view of Pokémon," crediting Aardman's craft and "warmth and affection for this much-loved Pokémon cast."

The project was first teased in 2024, and a brief teaser surfaced last year. The Annecy footage — which also included in-development production material — hasn't been made public yet, so a wider release is still pending.