Believe it or not, the Pokémon anime has been ongoing for 25 years and last month, the series’ protagonist Ash Ketchum together with his partner Pokémon Pikachu finally became the world’s top trainer after winning the Masters Eight Tournament. Now, after a quarter of a century, the series is ending Ash and Pikachu’s journey together and will continue with two brand new central protagonists called Liko and Roy.
As reported by Kotaku, Ash’s 25-year arc will conclude with 11 special episodes starting on 13 January 2023 in Japan that will feature all our beloved Pokémon characters such as Brock, Misty, James, Jessie, Meowth and more. These would also be the final episodes of the current Pokémon Journeys: The Series.
Not much is known about the new protagonists and how their story will tie in with Ash’s, though you can view a sneak peek of their character designs in the YouTube video abovd. What’s confirmed is that the new leads, Liko and Roy will be accompanied by Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.
Interestingly, despite the show running for decades, Ash is still technically 10 years old in the anime. Well, maybe there’s a time shift in the finale, though as things stand, Ash is the perfect candidate for employers everywhere when he finally grows older as he already has 25 years of experience while still being a 10-year-old! 😛
Jokes aside, this is a really historic moment in anime history and for Pokémon in general as we bid farewell to our beloved Ash, Pikachu and the rest of the gang. Let’s see how the franchise will evolve moving forward!
What do you guys think? Do share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: Thinking of Getting Pokémon Scarlet & Violet? Here Are 5 Reasons It’s A Must-Buy for M’sian Gamers!