Pokémon Anime Ages Up Main Cast After Nearly 30 Years

After an incredible 26-year journey, Ash Ketchum, the beloved protagonist of the Pokémon anime, has finally bid farewell at the timeless age of 10. However, The Pokémon Company is breaking tradition with the new series, Pokémon Horizons, by allowing its fresh protagonists, Liko and Roy, to mature.

The latest scoop from CoroCoro magazine about the upcoming arc, Mega Voltage, has confirmed a significant "time skip" that will age Liko and Roy by approximately three years. This development is accompanied by new character designs that portray Liko, Roy, and Dot as noticeably taller and more mature:

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These characters share the same universe as Ash Ketchum, implying that, even though he's not currently in the spotlight, Ash and his friends like Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, and Serena have also aged by three years off-screen. The burning question remains: will we see a grown-up Ash Ketchum in this arc or perhaps in a future season? Speculation is rife among fans, and the excitement is palpable.

The Mega Voltage arc promises to reintroduce Mega Evolutions, aligning with their anticipated return in the game Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Additionally, we'll see Liko's Floragato evolve into Meowscarada and Roy with a shiny Mega Lucario, adding more depth to the storyline.

One intriguing omission from the reveal is Friede, the captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. While his partner Pikachu appears, sporting Friede's goggles, which ominously show cracks, fans are left wondering about Friede's fate.

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The Mega Voltage arc is set to premiere in Japan on April 11 of this year, though fans in the United States will have to wait a bit longer due to the lag in the English dub. Our recent review of Pokémon Horizons Season 2 gave it a 5/10, citing its reluctance to fully embrace its potential. With the time skip, we're hopeful that the Rising Volt Tacklers will bring renewed vigor to the series.