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Friday, February 24, 2023, saw the Pokemon Company announce two new characters for the upcoming anime entry in the franchise. The series will not feature Ash Ketchum and Pikachu as the main protagonistic duo. It is set to premiere on Friday, April 14, 2023.
While Ash’s Pikachu may not be a part of the upcoming Pokemon series, fans will see another version of the Pocket Monster: Captain Pikachu. This idea is supported by words from the vice president of marketing for the franchise’s eponymous company.
New Pokemon anime series set to stay rooted in tradition with a Pikachu as main mascot for company, series
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The latest news surrounding the upcoming Pokemon anime series is the introduction of new characters, Friede and Captain Pikachu. The two are said to be a professor and partner duo who will battle alongside protagonists Liko and Roy. There is currently no information on who the voice actors for Friede and Captain Pikachu will be.
The inclusion of Captain Pikachu in the new series was likely a marketing move made to keep the franchise’s mascot consistent. Words from the vice president of marketing for The Pokemon Company, Taito Okiura, further support this. He claimed on Friday that Pikachu “will continue to have a significant presence in the animated series and remain an icon for the brand.”
Liko and Roy were announced as the two new protagonists of the upcoming series in prior press releases, replacing long-time main character Ash Ketchum. Like Friede and Captain Pikachu, there is currently no voice actor information for Riko and Loy. However, a key visual teased Liko as being a girl with a “mysterious pendant,” likely referencing an overarching plot for the series.
As mentioned earlier, the series is set to premiere on April 14, 2023, and will continue airing weekly on Fridays at 6:55 pm Japanese Standard Time (JST). The franchise’s eponymous company previously stated in an English press release that the anime would premiere in 2023 “and beyond,” with the latter statement likely referring to international releases.
In addition to Liko and Roy as the new protagonists, the series will feature several new iterations of the eponymous creatures. This will include the ninth-generation starters from the Scarlet and Violet video games for the Nintendo Switch. These starters are Grass-type Sprigatito, Fire-type Fuecoco, and Water-type Quaxly.
The anime will also feature the Legendary Dragon-Flying-type Rayquaza in its shiny form. A shiny form is an alternate colorway variant of a specific Pokemon, which is highly sought after among hardcore players of the franchise’s games.
Follow along for more anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
