- The classic Pokemon animated series, Pokemon: Indigo League, is now available for streaming on Disney+, allowing fans to revisit the iconic adventures of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu.
- Originally premiering in the United States in 1998, Pokemon: Indigo League follows Ash’s journey from Pallet Town to become a Pokemon Master, accompanied by his loyal Pikachu and friends Brock and Misty.
- The release of Pokemon: Indigo League on Disney+ offers both nostalgic viewers and new audiences the chance to experience the origins of the beloved Pokemon franchise, which began with the creation of the original Game Boy title in Japan in 1996.
The beloved Pokémon animated classic has found a new streaming home on Disney+, offering fans a chance to revisit where it all began. The series introduces audiences to Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, who becomes his closest companion.
Additional episodes of Pokémon: Indigo League are now streaming on Disney+. This comes after the streamer released the show with an initial batch of 27 episodes on August 7, 2026. It is the first season of the classic animated television series that initially premiered in the United States on September 8, 1998.
The classic anime follows ten-year-old Ash Ketchum as he sets out from Pallet Town to become a Pokémon Master. After oversleeping, he receives a stubborn and electrifying Pikachu instead of a traditional starter Pokémon. Along the way, former Gym Leaders Brock and Misty join him as he catches iconic companions like Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander.
This release lets both nostalgic viewers and younger audiences experience the origin of the world’s most recognizable video game franchise.
How Ash and Pikachu became pop-culture icons
It all started back in 1996, when Satoshi Tajiri created the original Game Boy title in Japan. Nintendo brought them west in 1998 with Pokémon Red and Blue. Its “catch ’em all” concept turned a video game into a shared experience on playgrounds everywhere, as kids traded and battled with friends.
Nintendo backed that momentum with toys, a trading card game, and the animated series that introduced Ash and Pikachu. That series brought the franchise an emotional center through their bonding. Ash’s long, stumbling path toward becoming a Pokémon Master turned him into an underdog audiences kept rooting for.
After serving as the face of the franchise for more than 25 years, Ash made history by becoming World Champion before stepping aside for new protagonists. His friendship with Pikachu and long-lasting legacy remain firm in popular culture today.
Pokemon: Indigo League is now available on Disney+.
