Pokemon revealed two new characters from the upcoming animated series. Of course, fans will be happy to know that Pikachu is back, but not how they expected it.
In December 2022, Pokemon announced the departure of Ash Ketchum, the main character on the show for the past 25 years. After achieving his dream of becoming World Champion, Ash, and Pikachu are moving on to live adventures off-screen.
At the time, it was also revealed that Pokemon would get its first duo of main characters, Liko and Roy. Currently, there isn’t much information about the new Pokemon protagonists. However, we know they are young, a boy and a girl, traveling through Paldea. This is the only region left to be explored in the Pokemon anime since it was only released in November 2022.
Ash and Pikachu returned for a final 11-episode arc. This arc started on January 13 with an episode titled “Winds of Beginning! The Endless Road!!” In the episode, Ash rescues a Latias from being captured by Team Rocket. The final episode for Ash and Pikachu is scheduled to air on March 24 and will be titled The Rainbow and the PokĂ©mon Master!”
Through Twitter, Pokemon introduced two new characters who would be part of the new show.
Friede is one of the characters revealed. It is a young man with aviator gear; in both his jacket’s sleeves, we can see Charizard patches. He is accompanied by Captain Pikachu, a Pikachu who wears a white flight captain hat.
Fans have speculated that Friede might have a Charizard, considering his jacket or some connection to Charizard. Others fans were disappointed at the choice of adding Captain Pikachu since this Pokemon is best known for being Ash’s partner. However, from a branding perspective, it makes. Pikachu is the face of Pokemon.
According to the announcement, Friede and Captain Pikachu are the companions of Liko and Roy. No further details were shared.
In the Spring 2023 issue of Otomedia magazine, anime director Kunihiko Yuyama confirmed that Ash would be back at some point in the future.
The director didn’t offer details about the timeline of this return, but fans can rest assured that Ash is coming back to the screen.
The new Pokemon show features new characters and new stories. The anime will take place in Paldea, the region introduced by Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
The show starring Liko and Roy might come sooner than fans expect. Ash’s Pokemon had 25 seasons, and the show aired for the first time in 1997. Each season had between 36 and 82 episodes that aired consistently every week.
For 25 years, Pokemon had no breaks in between seasons. Season one, titled Indigo League, finished on January 21, 1999. Season two, Adventures in the Orange Islands, premiered the following week, on January 28, 1999.
If Pokemon stays consistent with this schedule, we might know the premiere date for the new show. Ash’s final episode is airing on March 24, 2023. So the new show could premier the following week, on March 31, 2023.
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