Baby Pikachu's origin story will be explored in the new Pokemon anime series

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Adorable baby Pikachu is adorable

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

A trailer for the new Pokemon anime series based on the first episode has been released, which looks set to explore the origin story of Pikachu as a Pichu before the little mouse met Ash. The first episode is titled "the Birth of Pikachu," and will give us our first look at the adorable baby Pikachu's story in the Kanto region. 

The trailer was released on the official Japanese website for the anime series, with the show set to air in Japan on November 17. While the trailer is in Japanese, Crunchyroll reports that the Pichu depicted appears to allude to Pikachu before the little mouse was all grown up and teamed up with the iconic trainer. 

A synopsis for the first episode was also detailed on the website, and thanks to Crunchyroll's translation, we know it reads:

"In a forest somewhere in Kanto, there once was a lonely Pichu. This Pichu - who was still quite young - had a certain encounter and farewell. This took place shortly before Ash and his partner Pikachu started travelling together. This is the beginning of the anime "Pocket Monster."" 

"A lonely Pichu" - are you crying yet? Because I am. In the trailer you can also see Pokemon new and old make an appearance, including Pokemon from Pokemon Sword and Shield's new Galar region - which makes sense given the new series will launch shortly after the worldwide release of the game. 

The series will see Ash join up with a new companion and protagonist by the name of Gou, who apparently dreams of finding Mew and catching em' all. With a new art style that's more in-keeping with the cartoony look of the Pokemon: Sun and Moon animated series than the original 1997 series, the adventure will once again begin in the Kanto region. 

Can't wait to jump into Sword and Shield? Be sure to check out our latest Pokemon Sword and Shield preview or watch the video below. 

Heather Wald
Heather Wald
Evergreen Editor, Games

Heather Wald is the Evergreen Editor, Games at GamesRadar+. Her writing career began on a student-led magazine at Bath Spa University, where she earned a BA (Hons) in English literature. Heather landed her first role writing about tech and games for Stuff Magazine shortly after graduating with an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University. Now with almost seven years of experience working with GamesRadar+ on the features team, Heather helps to develop, maintain, and expand the evergreen features that exist on the site for games, as well as spearhead the Indie Spotlight series. You'll also see her contribute op-eds, interview-led features, and more. In her spare time, you'll likely find Heather tucking into RPGs and indie games, reading romance novels, and drinking lots of tea.