In a shocking twist, the Pokemon Company has recently announced that Ash Ketchum and his iconic Pikachu will be departing thePokemonanime after 25 long years. ForPokemonfans, this is pretty massive news, as Ash has always been the leading protagonist of the show, and his journey to become the best Pokemon Trainer in the world has always been at the very core of the show, propelling the rest of the action. Now,Pokemonis getting prepared to start anew, with two new protagonists and potentially a new region.
After 25 long seasons,Ash finally became Pokemon World Championjust a few months ago, and now it seems as though he’s finally ready to bow out of the competition, and let some new characters take center stage. While fans surely haven’t seen the last of Ash, two new protagonists are set to take the spotlight. Named Liko and Roy, the newPokemonseries follows these protagonists as they battle and train in their home region of Paldea.
RELATED:Ash’s Greatest Victories and Defeats in the Pokemon Anime
Liko and Roy - Pokemon’s New Protagonists
Following the announcement thatAsh Ketchum is leaving thePokemonanime, the Pokemon Company revealed that a brand-new series ofPokemonwould be releasing. Though its name hasn’t been revealed, this new series will follow Liko and Roy, two young Pokemon trainers who are about to set off on their very own adventure. In the promotional art for the new series,Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s starters can be seen, with Quaxly, Fuecoco, and Sprigatito all surrounding the new protagonists.
The presence of these starter Pokemon does suggest that this newPokemonseries will be set in Paldea, where these particular starters are from. The Pokemon Company hasn’t officially announced the region that the show will take place in, but it would make sense that it would tie into the latestPokemongames. Even when the show revolved around Ash, he would often journey to new regions that coincided with recent game releases, with some of the most recent seasons seeing the hero venture toPokemon Sword and Shield’s Galar region.
Aside from their names and the three starter Pokemon, nothing else has been revealed about the newPokemonseries, or its dual protagonists. Presumably, the general tone and story formula will remain largely the same, with both protagonists journeying together across the region to collect more Pokemon, meet some friendly faces, and put a stop to any organized crime along the way. It seems like a safe bet to assume fans will get to meet some ofPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s most popular characters in the show, such as the Academy’s enigmatic Director Clavell, biology teacher Jacq, and Professor Sada and Turo. It also seems likely that Liko and Roy will eventually have to face off against Paldea’s colorful Gym leaders, including the likes of Iono,Ryme, and Larry.
While these new protagonists are sure to be a great addition to thePokemonmythos, those who aren’t ready to let go of Ash and his beloved Pokemon can say one final goodbye by watching thePokemon Ultimate Journeysseries on Netflix. A handful of special episodes are being released for the series that ties up Ash’s story, and give a hint about what the future could hold for the new champion. Along with that, fans will get to seethe return of iconic characters like Brock and Misty, as well as their well-known collection ofPokemon.
MORE:Ash and Pikachu’s Goodbye Could Have Major Rippling Effects on Gen 10 Pokemon Games and Beyond
