The upcoming Pokémon anime is receiving a manga adaptation.
As detailed on Anime News Network, Kei Yamadaka’s upcoming manga will also star next-generation protagonists Liko and Roy. Monthly Coro Coro Comics magazine will launch the series in its May issue, which, like the anime, is scheduled for release on Apr. 14. In its April issue, the publication gave readers a sneak peek of the comic with a special nine-page preview.
Pokémon’s New Protagonists Liko and Roy
Earlier this month, Pokémon gave fans a closer look at Liko and Roy in a brand-new trailer. The trailer revealed that Liko possesses a mysterious pendant of unknown origin, which she presumably investigates in the series. Similarly, Roy possesses a strange Pokeball. He appears motivated to search for rare Pokémon since he declares that “he wants to challenge the Pokémon from the legends!” The trailer also features Captain Friede, showcasing the Pokémon professor riding on the back of a black Charizard. Towards the end, two previously unseen characters are shown briefly for the first time.
In December 2022, Pokémon announced that Ash and Pikachu’s decades-long journey would finally conclude in a special 11-episode subseries titled Aiming to be a Pokémon Master. This series debuted in Japan on Jan. 13 and its last episode has a planned air date of March 24. The wrap-up of Ash’s and Pikachu’s story has proven the fanbase’s love of them, as the beloved duo’s impending departure prompted hundreds of emotional Pokémon fans to bid their farewells on social media.
Members of the animation community have also paid their respects. Sarah Natochenny, who has provided Ash Ketchum’s English voice for over a decade, made a tribute post to Ash on Twitter, writing, “It’s been an extraordinary privilege to have been the English voice of Ash Ketchum for what will be 17 years. No matter what lies beyond his final chapter, he’ll live forever in the hearts of many generations to come.” Kiana Mai, a storyboard artist for Big City Greens, went one step further, creating a brief animation of Team Rocket bidding a tearful farewell to their long-time enemy. This scene highlights that Team Rocket, like Ash and Pikachu, has been a staple of the series since the beginning. On Dec. 29, 2022, A YouTuber called Art of Bry Paz posted a colorized and dubbed version of the sequence on their channel.
The new Pokémon manga launches on April 14. The previous seasons of the Pokémon anime are available on Netflix and Prime Video.
Source: Anime News Network
