A Pokémon short directed by Shingo Yamashita has been free on YouTube since August 12

On August 12 a new short from the POKÉTOON series appeared on the official Pokémon channel: “Kameil to Natsu no Tsuzuki,” or “Wartortle and the Continuation of Summer.” It is official content, free, and needs no account or subscription — exactly the kind of thing this section exists to point at.

The credits explain the interest. Shingo Yamashita, one of the most influential animators of his generation, directs, with a script by Aya Satsuki, character designs and chief animation direction by Riiki Miura, and music by Kyōsuke Kagawa. Animation is by Studio Chromato together with Studio Colorido. The cast includes Sayaka Senbongi as Rikuto and Kana Hanazawa as Wartortle, alongside Tasuku Hatanaka, Akiko Hiramatsu, Natsumi Haruse and Michiyo Murase.

The story is small on purpose: Rikuto visits his grandmother on an island at the end of summer and runs into an odd Wartortle — a differently colored tail, a shell covered in moss — who turns out to have been his father's friend since his father was a child. No tournaments, no gyms; it is a reunion short, the format POKÉTOON has been using to lend the brand to directors and studios outside the weekly production line.

Two practical notes. It is posted on the official Japanese channel and the audio is Japanese: check the subtitle button before pressing play, because language availability depends on the video and isn't always there on day one. And don't go looking for third-party channels reuploading it “already subtitled” — when the material is free at the official source, watching it there is what keeps the tap open for the next one.

Pokémon is owned by The Pokémon Company; the short was posted on its official YouTube channel.