Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu is a stop-motion animated series made together by The Pokémon Company International and Aardman, the British studio behind Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run. New footage and artwork appeared during Aardman’s “Lights, Camera, Aardman!” panel at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where the project’s setting and tone were confirmed.
Quick answer: The series is set in Pokémon’s Galar region, stars Sirfetch’d and Pichu, is animated in Aardman’s hand-crafted stop-motion style, and is scheduled to release in 2027. No exact release date has been confirmed.
What Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu is
The project pairs Pokémon with one of Britain’s most recognizable animation studios. It is built as a stop-motion series told from the point of view of the Pokémon themselves, with Sirfetch’d and Pichu as the two leads. Director Tom Parkinson is heading the creative team at Aardman.
The collaboration was first announced on December 11, 2024, alongside a teaser short. The title was then revealed during a Pokémon Presents broadcast on July 22, 2025. The Annecy panel marked the first substantial look at the show in motion, including never-before-seen footage from the pilot and in-development production materials.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Format | Stop-motion animated series |
| Studios | Aardman and The Pokémon Company International |
| Director | Tom Parkinson |
| Main characters | Sirfetch’d and Pichu |
| Setting | The Galar region |
| Release | 2027 (no exact date confirmed) |
The Galar setting and British humor
The story takes place in Galar, the region whose geography draws heavily on the real-world United Kingdom. That makes it a natural home for Aardman, given the studio’s British roots in Bristol, and it suits the regal personality of Sirfetch’d. The panel highlighted the show’s distinctly British sense of humor, the same comedic tone that runs through much of Aardman’s best-known work.
The official synopsis frames the show as an epic journey through the wilds of Galar. Sirfetch’d and Pichu set out on a quest to help and protect Pokémon across the region, and their missions rarely go to plan. Those mishaps end up strengthening their friendship as they face peril, alliances, rivalries, unusual Pokémon, and plenty of laughs.
What the creators said at Annecy
Phil Rynda, Director of Original Animation at The Pokémon Company International, joined Aardman’s Chief Creative Director Sarah Cox for the panel. Rynda described the collaboration as a chance to tell stories from the perspective of Pokémon, made possible by Aardman’s craft and artistry, and praised the studio’s warmth and affection for the cast.
Aardman are delighted to bring the vivid physicality of Stop Frame animation into the Pokémon world. Director Tom Parkinson and team have created a hand-crafted spin on the wonderful Pokémon we all know and love with comedic storytelling that celebrates the quirks, eccentricities and charms of our heroes as they explore Galar on a delightfully offbeat quest.
Release window for Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu
The series is slated for 2027. A specific release date has not been set, and international release plans have not been detailed. Until those are announced, the 2027 window is the only confirmed timing.
Note: The reveal arrived during Aardman’s 50th anniversary year, a stretch marked by events celebrating the studio’s history, including the new film Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. For Pokémon fans, the stop-motion approach follows the success of Pokémon Concierge and points to another distinct take on the franchise built around character and comedy rather than battles.
