Who is Iono? Exploring Pokemon Horizons' latest character

Much of Pokemon Horizons thus far has taken place in the Paldea region, so it's only natural to see some familiar faces during the series' run. Fans who have spent some time in Paldea via Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have already seen the likes of Nemona and Brassius, and Episode 15 also introduced its heroes to Iono, the leader of the Levincia City gym.

But who is this bubbly and electric streamer? Much of her identity has yet to be elaborated on in Pokemon Horizons. Fortunately, for fans who may only watch the animated series, there is quite a bit of backstory to be gleaned from her presence as a character in the Scarlet and Violet titles.

In case watchers are curious, it isn't a bad time to examine what we know about Iono as she exists in Pokemon Horizons and in the larger franchise.

---

What we know about Iono in Pokemon Horizons and beyond

From what watchers have learned in Pokemon Horizons, Iono is a friend of Dot/Nidothing, as they're both successful streamers. However, while Dot is quite reclusive in person, Iono is jubilant and much more gregarious. Much like in the games, Iono has a focus on Electric-type Pocket Monsters like her beloved Bellibolt.

Iono's identity was fairly well-known to many Pokemon fans due to her appearance in Scarlet and Violet, the Nintendo Switch Generation IX titles that take place in Paldea. In those games, Iono is the gym leader of Levincia City, much like she is in Horizons, and goes to great lengths to collaborate with notable individuals, including the player character.

Iono hosts her regular stream "Iono Zone" from Levincia and has a massive legion of fans, so much so that she remarked in her early debut trailers before Scarlet and Violet's release that it can be tough for her to spend time outdoors with her Pokemon. As an Electric-type trainer, Iono fits the theme as she is incredibly high energy in her broadcasts.

Interestingly enough, Iono also has a penchant for switching up languages in the middle of her streams, sometimes even in the middle of individual sentences. In Scarlet and Violet, her Pokemon team consists of Bellibolt, Wattrel, Mismagius, and Luxio. However, she utilizes Kilowattrel, Electrode, and Luxray when you rematch her.

When it comes to Pokemon Horizons, fans have only seen Iono's Bellibolt so far, but there may be more creatures on the way depending on how long the Rising Volt Tacklers spend in Levincia in subsequent episodes. Iono has also appeared in the Pokemon Trading Card Game and in one spin-off manga, but not much was added to her overall character or backstory.

Perhaps as Pokemon Horizons continues, viewers will learn a few more things about Iono that Scarlet and Violet players haven't been privy to. It's anybody's guess, but the new animated series certainly has enough room to do so. One thing is for certain: Iono's popularity has ranked quite high among fans since her debut, and Horizons has only complemented it.