The official Japanese Anime PR Twitter account posted an Anipoke Special Episode Key Visual poster on December 16th, 2022.

Key Visual for Anipoke Special Episode Unveiled
Pocket Monsters: The Distant Blue Sky will air on
December 23rd (Fri.) at 6:55 p.m. on TV Tokyo.
*The broadcast date and time will differ in some areas.
A one-episode story about the encounter between Satoshi and Pikachu and the mysterious boy Haruto.
Be sure to watch it!

アニポケ スペシャルエピソードのキービジュアル公開
「ポケットモンスター 遥かなる青い空」は
12月23日(金)よる6時55分から
テレビ東京系で放送‼
※一部地域では放送日時が異なります。
不思議な少年・ハルトとサトシ、ピカチュウ の出会いを描く1話限りの物語
ぜひご覧ください！

On December 23rd, 2022, the official Japanese Twitter account reminded people that this episode was available to watch on the official Japanese YouTube channel. The video was region locked to Japan only. It was available from December 23rd, 2022 to January 13th, 2022. This episode was specifically labeled as a missed-program stream (見逃し配信).

Anipoke Pocket Monsters: The Distant Blue Sky
What did you think!?
The adventures of Satoshi, Pikachu, and a boy named Haruto.
It was a wonderful episode that makes us say "Thank you" for the simple things we may take for granted.
It will be available to watch from today until Friday, January 13th, 2023!
Be sure to watch it!

アニポケ「ポケットモンスター 遥かなる青い空」
いかがでしたか⁉
サトシ、ピカチュウ と、少年・ハルトの冒険
当たり前のものにも「ありがとう」と思える、素敵なエピソードでした
公開期間は本日から2023年1月13日(金)まで!
ぜひご覧ください

CoroCoro Comic's Official website posted an article about this episode just before the original airing on December 23rd, 2022. They also tweeted about the page on the official CoroCoro Comic Twitter account to promote it.

Anipoke is just around the corner! Another story about Satoshi and Pikachu! Special one-night-only episode "The Distant Blue Sky"!


The anime "Pocket Monsters" will start airing soon! It airs every Friday at 6:55 p.m. and it is very popular! In this article, we'll introduce you to the Pokémon and characters that will appear in today's episode, as well as comments from the voice actors and director, and other Anipoke information you won't find anywhere else! At the end of tonight's broadcast, there's a trailer for the final chapter of Satoshi and Pikachu's journey!


▲ Satoshi and Pikachu continue their journey to become a Pokémon Master. This is the story of a mysterious boy they met during those adventurous days.

Satoshi arranges to meet his mother, Hanako, in Tonari Town, but when he wakes up, Pikachu is gone!　In his panic to find Pikachu, a mysterious boy named Haruto appears.


▲ Tonari Town is nearby. They decide to sleep and then head there, but Pikachu went missing!?


▲ "You're looking for Pikachu, aren't you?" In the forest, Satoshi meets a mysterious boy named Haruto.

Haruto says he saw Pikachu being kidnapped. It seems that "strange guys in strange clothes" were the kidnappers...!! Satoshi decides to search for Pikachu with Haruto!


▲ The search for Pikachu is lead by Haruto, who seem to live around here and is knowledgeable about the forest!


▲ The strange guys in strange clothes who want Satoshi's Pikachu are......!!

Satoshi and Haruto gradually become friends, but Haruto has a secret......!? No way, it's a shocking turn of events!!


▲ Haruto loves Pokémon but has never touched one before.


▲ Satoshi struggles to find and get Pokémon for Haruto to touch.


▲ However, Haruto has a reason for not touching Pokémon...!?


▲ What does this picture of the sky have to do with the title "The Distant Blue Sky"? And who are these silhouettes? Check out today's broadcast for the rest of the story!

【アニポケまであとちょっと！】サトシとピカチュウのもうひとつのお話！ 一夜限りのスペシャル回「遥かなる青い空」!!
サトシとピカチュウのもうひとつのお話！一夜限りのスペシャル回「遥かなる青い空」!!
毎週金曜よる6時55分から大好評放送中！
アニメ「ポケットモンスター」まもなく放送スタート！
この記事はアニメ放送直前に、今日の放送回に登場するポケモンやキャラクターの紹介、声優さんや監督からのコメントなどなど、ほかでは聞けないアニポケ情報をお届けするコーナー!!　今夜の放送の最後には気になるサトシとピカチュウの旅、最終章の予告映像もあるぞ！
▲ポケモンマスターを目指して旅を続けるサトシとピカチュウ。これは、そんな冒険の日々に出会った、不思議な少年との物語。
サトシは母・ハナコとトナリタウンで会う約束をするが、目が覚めるとピカチュウがいない!?　あわててピカチュウを探すサトシの前に、不思議な少年・ハルトが現れる。
▲トナリタウンはすぐ近く。一晩過ごして向かおうとするがピカチュウが行方不明!?
▲「ピカチュウ探してるんでしょ？」森の中でサトシは不思議な少年・ハルトと出会う。
ハルトはピカチュウがさらわれるのを見たという。そしてさらったのは「変な服着た変なヤツら」らしい……!!　サトシはハルトと一緒にピカチュウを探すことに！
▲この辺りに住んでいるのか、森のことにもくわしいハルトとピカチュウを大捜索！
▲サトシのピカチュウを狙う変な服の変なヤツらって……!!
少しずつ仲良くなるサトシとハルトだったが、ハルトにはある秘密があって……!?　まさかの衝撃展開に!!
▲ポケモンが大好きだけど、まだ触ったことがないというハルト。
▲サトシはハルトのため、ポケモンを探して触れ合わせようと奮闘する。
▲しかしハルトには、ポケモンに触れないまさかの理由が……!?
▲この空の絵はタイトルの「遥かなる青い空」と何か関係が!?　そしてこのシルエットは!?　続きは今日の放送をチェックしよう!!

The official Japanese Anime PR Twitter account posted a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this Anipoke episode with a production artwork piece on December 22nd, 2022. The pictures featured Satoshi and Pikachu.

A glimpse behind the scenes of the Anipoke production
It's original drawings of Satoshi and Pikachu from the next episode.
It's a work done by the production team from the 1997 "Pocket Monsters" anime!
The mark on the hat is...

アニポケ制作の舞台裏をチラ見せ
次回の放送からサトシとピカチュウ の原画をご紹介
1997年のアニメ「ポケットモンスター」制作陣も迎えた作品! 帽子のマークは…