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Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu may no longer be the main characters in the Pokémonanime, but they're set to return to the spotlight next month. Disney+ is officially bringing back Pokémon: Indigo League.
The list of programming arriving on Disney+ next month reveals that Pokémon: Indigo League (Season 1) will debut allits episodes on Aug. 7, 2026. The very first season of the Pokémon anime, the Indigo League episodes, dates back to 1997, chronicling 10-year-old Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town as he sets off on a journey to become a Pokémon Master. The first season introduces Pokémon's core mechanics and lore, making it perfect for both the new generation of fans and longtime Pokémon trainers.
Pokémon: Indigo League Returns to Disney+ This August
The bond between Ash Ketchum and Pikachu has become nothing short of iconic over the years, and the Indigo League episodes are where it all began. In the first season, Ash receives Pikachu from Professor Oak, traveling across the Kanto region while being joined by Misty and Brock along the way.
The Indigo League episodes would lay the foundation for what has made the Pokémon franchise so timeless over the years. After Ash misses his chance on getting a traditional starter Pokémon like Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle, he receives the firecracker Pikachu and sparks up his rivalry with Gary Oak.
The series also sees Ash, Misty and Brock constantly pursued by and thwarting the efforts of Team Rocket — Jessie, James and the talking Meowth. As the group constantly tries to steal Pikachu and other rare Pokémon, they make for the perfect villains that are equal parts hilarious and dastardly.
Indigo League also features early gym battles and tournaments, with Ash battling various Gym Leaders across the Kanto region in his effort to collect all eight badges. And of course, there are plenty of life lessons to be learned along the way as Pokémon teach enduring themes of friendship, finding family, perseverance, and caring for others.
Could More Pokémon Episodes Be Coming to Disney+?
With the arrival of Pokémon: Indigo League on Disney+ on Aug. 7, many fans may be left wondering if more episodes of the long-running anime could be coming to the streaming platform. In the US, Pokémon's streaming has notoriously been divided across multiple platforms, with Netflix the exclusive home for new releases like Pokémon Horizons.
With 26 seasons of the main Pokémon anime, tracking down favorite and nostalgic episodes can prove to be quite difficult. Their availability is often in flux, though they have been available on platforms like Amazon's Prime Video and, more recently, on free streaming channels like Tubi. For fans looking to revisit the entire series, it seems likely that if all the episodes were to land a unified streaming home, it would be major news — something that Disney or any other streamer hasn't announced at this time.
All episodes of Pokémon: Indigo League head to Disney+ on Friday, Aug. 7.
