The Pokémon Anime Is Finally Aging Up Its Main Cast After Almost 30 Years

After 26 years of adventuring successful the Pokémon anime, protagonist Ash Ketchum yet called it a time astatine the tender property of perpetually 10-years-old. But aft adamantly refusing to property up its leader for astir of the anime's run, The Pokemon Company appears to yet beryllium doing the unthinkable successful Pokémon Horizons and letting its caller protagonists, Liko and Roy, turn up a bit.

The quality comes from the caller CoroCoro uncover of the adjacent arc successful Pokemon Horizons, Mega Voltage, which confirmed that this caller arc see a "time skip" that volition property up Liko and Roy by astir 3 years. This includes caller designs for the main formed that shows Liko, Roy, and Dot looking noticeably taller and much mature than before:

What's more, these kids beryllium successful the aforesaid beingness arsenic Ash Ketchum, adjacent if he's not successful the anime astatine the moment. So this means that, off-screen somewhere, Ash has besides aged 3 years with them, arsenic person the remainder of the pack of Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and everyone else. Will we spot the grown up Ash Ketchum successful this arc, oregon ever? Who knows? But fans are already speculating that things whitethorn beryllium headed successful that absorption either present oregon successful a aboriginal season.

Mega Voltage volition besides diagnostic the instrumentality of Mega Evolutions, apt to coincide with Mega Evolution returning arsenic a mechanic successful the crippled Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We tin besides spot that Liko's Floragato evolved astatine immoderate constituent into Meowscarada, and Roy's got a shiny mega Lucario.

One notable lack successful the uncover is Friede, skipper of the Rising Volt Tacklers. His partner, Pikachu, is contiguous and seems to person Friede's goggles, and fans look to deliberation they've spotted cracks moving crossed the sides of the goggles, possibly suggesting that thing not-so-great has happened to Friede — uh oh.

The Mega Voltage arc volition statesman airing successful Japan connected April 11 of this year, though it won't amusement up successful the United states for a bit, arsenic the English dub is importantly behind. We've been a spot chill connected the anime bid since it aired, giving Pokémon Horizons Season 2 a 5/10 for "refusing clip and again to perpetrate to its strengths." Here's hoping the clip skip infuses immoderate caller vigor into the Rising Volt Tacklers.

Rebekah Valentine is simply a elder newsman for IGN. You tin find her posting connected BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a communicative tip? Send it to [email protected].