Pokémon Shiritori

Pokémon Shiritori (Japanese: ポケモンしりとり Pokémon Shiritori) is the first Japanese ending theme of Pokémon Journeys: The Series. It debuted in JN002, replacing Type: Wild of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon. It aired until JN071, when it was replaced by Supereffective Type.
It was produced by Junichi Masuda and performed by the Pokémon Music Club. The full version of the song was first released as a digital single on April 26, 2020.
==Ending animation==
===Synopsis===
The title of the song is shown. The waveform of the song appears in the background with many Poké Balls. Pokémon appear in a line, moving right-to-left as they are named, in a game of , where each word has to begin with the same that ended the previous word. For each Pokémon, its name is shown with the final kana highlighted, and a Poké Ball shape flashes in the color of the Pokémon in the background, its position corresponding to the initial kana of the Pokémon's name in order. The shiritori chain ends in failure (a Pokémon whose name ends with ン "n", which cannot occur at the beginning of a word) and a jingle plays. The background Poké Balls flip to briefly show silhouettes of various Pokémon and other Poké Balls change in size to the beat. Another line of Pokémon is shown and ends successfully. The following scene differs between variants. After that, the title of the song is shown again at the end.
===Characters===
Pokémon that appear in the shiritori chains are listed in the lyrics section and are not included below.
====Pikachu → Mew Ver. (JN002 - JN019)====
=====Pokémon=====
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
====Mew → Zamazenta Ver. (JN020 - JN039, JN041 - JN069)====
=====Pokémon=====
* ()
* ()
* ('s; Mimey)
* () (JN021-JN069)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* ()
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
====Pikachu → Mew Ver. (JN040 - JN070)====
=====Pokémon=====
* ()
* ()
* ('s; Mimey)
* ()
* ()
* ()
* ()
* 
* 
* ()
* 
* 
* 
====Full Size Version====
=====Pokémon=====
* Sableye
* Sylveon
* Golisopod
* Mimikyu
* Guzzlord
* Scorbunny
* Snom
==Lyrics==
===TV size===
====Pikachu → Mew Ver. (JN002 - JN019, JN040 - JN070)====
! Japanese
! English
|-
| lang="ja" | <ab>
</ab>
| <ab>Let's play Pokémon 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with Pokémon techno
Let's join together Pokémon names
If there's an "n" at the end, you lose
Okay, let's go, one more time!
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with the Music Club
Let's join together Pokémon names
If you learn a lot of names
You can do it! That's a great success!
Let's play Pokémon Shiritori</ab>
|}
|}
====Mew → Zamazenta Ver. (JN020 - JN039, JN041 - JN069)====
! Japanese
! English
|-
| lang="ja" | <ab>
</ab>
| <ab>Let's play Pokémon Shiritori
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with Pokémon techno
Let's join together Pokémon names
Even with an "n" at the end, I love it
Okay, let's go, one more time!
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with the Music Club
Let's join together Pokémon names
If you learn a lot of names
You can do it! That's a great success!
Let's play Pokémon Shiritori</ab>
|}
|}
===Full version===
! Japanese
! English
|-
| lang="ja" | <ab>
</ab>
| <ab>Let's play Pokémon Shiritori
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with Pokémon techno
Let's join together Pokémon names
If there's an "n" at the end, you lose
Okay, let's go, one more time!
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with the Music Club
Let's join together Pokémon names
If you learn a lot of names
You can do it! That's a great success!
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with Pokémon techno
Let's join together Pokémon names
Even with an "n" at the end, I love it
Okay, let's go, one more time!
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
, , 
Shiritori with Pokémon techno
Let's join together Pokémon names
If there's an "n" at the end, you lose
Okay, let's go, one more time!
Shiritori with the Music Club
Let's join together Pokémon names
If you learn a lot of names
You can do it! That's a great success!
Let's play Pokémon Shiritori</ab>
|}
|}
==Video==
===Pikachu → Mew Ver.===
===Mew → Zamazenta Ver.===
===Full Size Ver.===
==Variants==
#JN002 - JN019: Pikachu → Mew Ver. The lyrics are displayed in red text. During the jingle, the Pokémon Center healing sound effect plays with a circular waveform consisting of pink dots. During the first chorus section, the silhouetted in the background are from the first stanza of Pokémon in Can You Name All the Pokémon?. During the second chorus section, five wheels each with a circular chain of five Pokémon move and rotate, similarly to a scene in the ending animation of Fantasy in My Pocket.
#JN020: Mew → Zamazenta Ver. The lyrics are displayed in blue text. During the jingle, a blue line goes across the screen, which is cleared as the level up sound effect plays by a series of red, green, and blue arrows with the first partner Pokémon of the corresponding type. During the first chorus section, the silhouetted Pokémon in the background are from the last stanza of Pokémon in Can You Name All the Pokémon?. During the second chorus section, , , , and an are displayed each in chains of three, with all four as well as Mimey dancing at the end.
#JN021 - JN039: Mew → Zamazenta Ver. Ash's Riolu replaces its .
#JN040 - JN070: Episodes alternate between Pikachu → Mew Ver. in even-numbered episodes and Mew → Zamazenta Ver. in odd-numbered episodes. Unlike in the first variant, Pikachu → Mew Ver. uses the animation from the second variant with Pikachu, Raboot, Yamper, Riolu, and Mimey for the second chorus section.
JN ED 01.png|The first variant (JN002 - JN019)
JN ED 01 2.png|The second variant (JN020 - JN039, JN041 - JN069)
JN ED 01 2 Egg.png|The Pokémon Egg in the second variant
JN ED 01 2 Riolu.png|Ash's Riolu in the second variant
JN ED 01 3.png|The third variant (JN040 - JN070)
==Trivia==
* Pokémon Shiritori was used as the ending song for 70 consecutive episodes, more than any other ending.
* The first verse of the song is composed entirely of images of Pokémon in the exact same poses as their official artwork (except for Victreebel's, which is flipped, and Ditto). Starting with the second verse, all images of Pokémon are depicted in varying poses.
* Despite Riolu and Raboot already since evolving into a Lucario and a Cinderace, respectively, during the events of JN045, this is not reflected in subsequent episodes until the song's retirement.
==Staff==
Director 	
*	
* 坂本鼓太郎
Animation supervisor 	
* (JN020 - JN070)	
* 安田周平
Key animators 	
* (JN020 - JN070)
* (JN020 - JN070)
* (JN020 - JN070)
* (JN020 - JN070)	
* 海老沢咲希
* 柳原好貴
* 酒井裕未
* 山崎玲愛
3D CGI 	
*	
* 新村文孝
Assistant coordinator	
* (JN020 - JN070)	
* 吉田昌平
Category:Japanese ending themes
es:EDJ46
it:Pokémon Shiritori
ja:ポケモンしりとり
zh:宝可梦接龙