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Japanese broadcast network TV Tokyo revealed on Friday, February 10, that the newest anime in the Pokémon franchise would premiere in April 2023. The series will premiere and regularly air on Fridays at 6.55 pm JST. While no trailer was released alongside the announcement, fans got two key visuals - one for the series overall and one focusing on the series’ female protagonist.
Especially noteworthy about this latest anime series entry is that it will be the first without Ash Ketchum as its protagonist. Ash has been the protagonist for every anime entry in the franchise since it premiered on April 1, 1997. For many, Ash represents the franchise as a whole, both in terms of its anime television series and the nine generations of video games.
Latest Pokémon anime series set to focus on new protagonists Liko and Roy and feature all three 9th generation starters
The official premiere date for the new anime entry in the Pokémon franchise is Friday, April 14, 2023, at 6.55 pm Japanese Standard Time (JST). The latest announcement also revealed two key visuals, with one focusing on the female protagonist, Liko. She’s described as a girl with a “mysterious pendant,” likely a nod to the new series’ overarching plot.
The Pokémon Company has stated in its English press release that the anime will premiere in 2023 “and beyond.” This could indicate that international releases for the new series are on the horizon and coming sooner or later. The fact that this message is specified by other sources to have come in the English press release further suggests this.
The anime series will feature 9th-generation starters Grass-type Sprigatito, Fire-type Fuecoco, and Water-type Quaxly. All three appeared in the Scarlet and Violet games released last year for the Nintendo Switch. The anime is also said to feature the Legendary Dragon-Flying-type Rayquaza in its Shiny form.
A Shiny Pokémon is one whose colors differentiate from its original form, being spawned in video games with an incredibly low drop rate. Exact rates vary by game and can be affected by certain items and other extenuating factors. Typically, the best odds are still as high as one in several hundred. However, the exact rates vary, as mentioned above.
A collection of 11 special episodes to conclude the Ultimate Journeys: The Series anime entry in the franchise premiered in Japan on January 13. These 11 episodes served as the “final chapter” for Ash and Pikachu and seemingly marked the last time the iconic duo appeared in one of the franchise’s anime series.
Follow along for more anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
