A preview of some new characters from the upcoming Pokémon anime includes a variation of the famous electric type Pikachu.

Captain Pikachu and the Pokémon Professor, Friede, who will appear in the new Pokémon animated series, were recently revealed by the Pokémon Company. This announcement was accompanied by a character image that provided a detailed look at the pair's design. Professor Friede, dressed in a stylish brown bomber jacket with goggles attached to his brow, is accompanied by Captain Pikachu. The Pokémon mascot retains the character's classic appearance, albeit with a Captain's hat on top of his head and his arms folded. This duo will assist the new anime's deuteragonists in their quest to discover the mysteries of their unique pendant and Poké Ball.

 

The vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International, Taito Okiura, expressed his excitement at featuring Pikachu in the new series and claimed that the character would "remain an icon for the brand."

Pokémon Debuts New Anime's Professor and His Sea-Faring Pikachu_0

The as-yet-unnamed Pokémon series successor will focus on the dual protagonist pairing of Liko and Roy. It will shift from the traditional episodic storytelling the franchise has used until now and venture into a serialized narrative across the Pokémon world. The series promises to show the characters venturing across the land, similar to the recent Pokémon Journeys series. Additionally, a major narrative element will focus on the previously mentioned pendant worn by Liko, which Friede and Captain Pikachu will play a big role in uncovering the mystery of.

 

Pokémon's Enduring Influence

Pokémon is an anime franchise that has been running since 1997 and has always followed the adventures of the long-time protagonist, Ash Ketchum. After over 1,200 episodes of following the aspiring Pokémon master, Ash's story will come to an end in Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series. The franchise will then move forward, with Liko and Roy serving as the franchise's new faces. This reboot anime project will hit Japanese airwaves in April 2023, with a western release following soon after.

This reboot has many similarities to the recent Pokémon Scarlet and Violet video games, such as Liko hailing from the game's Paldea region and her pendant resembling the symbol used to identify the Terastal mechanic. It's unclear what role this pendant will play in the story just yet, but everything will be revealed once the show airs.

Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series recently released a new batch of episodes on Netflix in the US. These feature moments in the conclusion of Ash and his beloved Pikachu's journey, with the final episodes expected to appear in the future.

Source: The Pokémon Company, via Twitter