Where to download original Pokémon TV series as HD episodes arrive on mobile for first time

Nostalgia, I choose you! The Pokémon Company has announced that the classic first season of the Pokémon animated TV series is heading to mobile devices in digitally enhanced high definition quality for the first time.

Pokémon the Series: Indigo League is available to purchase in HD on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and Amazon in both the UK and US for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

The series is also available on Amazon Prime Video which means any Prime-compatible device - Fire TV boxes, games consoles, smart TVs - can be used to stream the 52 total episodes with a Prime subscription.

The Indigo League HD collection consists of four volumes, with 13 episodes per volume, and stars the series' goofy hero Ash Ketchum and his trusted Pikachu taking on the Pokémon League Challenge.

Based on the first generation of Nintendo's Pokémon games for Game Boy, the anime series features the ever-popular franchise's most iconic monsters (Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle) and supporting characters (Brock, Misty, Gary, Prof. Oak).

The series was an enormous success during the franchise's zeitgeist-grabbing popularity in the late 1990s, with Pokemon fans gleefully tuning in to see memorable locations from Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow transposed to a cartoon TV show.

Prepare for trouble

Unfortunately for nostalgic viewers or curious newcomers, the "entire first season" available in HD end a little abruptly as the final 23 episodes of the Indigo League story arc are not available to purchase or stream.

The episodes available take Ash's self-appointed mission to beat all eight Gym Leaders to a total of six before the fourth volume ends at "The Breeding Center Secret". This means the Pallet Town trainer's final two Gym clashes and the ultimate Pokémon League tournament are absent from the list.

The incomplete season issue has also been a problem for Netflix subscribers, with the streaming app's standard definition-quality episodes also halting at episode 52. If you are still keen though, individual episodes are priced at £2.49 on Amazon, Google and Apple's UK digital stores, while each volume costs £19.99.

While not quite as well-watched today, the anime series is still going strong with its latest season based on the Nintendo 3DS games, Pokémon Sun and Moon. The Pokémon Company itself isn't doing too badly either, as mobile game Pokémon Go helped the company recently post profits of $143.3 million (£111.6m) - an incredible 2450% rise year on year.