The Final Chapter for Ash and Pikachu Awaits Fans, With New Confirmation from The Pokémon Company

The Pokémon Company has today addressed the rumours and long-running questions around the future of the Pokémon anime series. Ultimately, we have ended up in a middle-ground, with essentially a response of ‘There’s more to come in the future… BUT‘. The future of the anime is secure at this time, but we will, in 11 episodes, see the departure of a duo we have been following for multiple decades. To be specific, the upcoming episodes are pitched as a “final chapter for Ash and his Pikachu”

Following Ash’s historic win as Pokémon World Champion — the culmination of his adventures spanning 25 seasons — fans can commemorate his storied journey with a collection of special episodes set to conclude the current “Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series” season. These episodes are pitched as “[featuring] fan-favorite Pokémon and characters, including Misty and Brock, and they will provide a glimpse at what the future may hold for the world’s strongest Trainer in this final chapter for Ash and his Pikachu“.

According to The Pokémon Company,

The forthcoming special episodes not only celebrate Ash’s monumental achievement, but they also act as an expression of gratitude from Pokémon to all the fans who have joined him and his partner Pokémon Pikachu along the way. Fans can also look forward to what’s to come in the new animated series, which will represent everything they love about Pokémon animation, including action, adventure, friendship and Pokémon.

So if Ash and Pikachu are leaving… what about the TV anime? It has been confirmed that a new animated series will follow dual protagonists named Liko and Roy in the Japanese version of the series — as they set off on action-packed adventures across the Pokémon world. The new series will premiere across markets in 2023 and beyond, and it will feature Paldea first partner Pokémon Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly from the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet video games, as well as the Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza in its Shiny form. According to the announcement, “Fans can look forward to unraveling the mysteries of the Pokémon world — from exciting Trainer battles to fun Pokémon encounters“.

Expect to hear more about the new series in the coming months.

Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

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