New promotional material has given Pokémon fans additional information about the anime series' new protagonist.The video, which was posted on the franchise's official Twitter account, reveals that Liko has an awe-inspiring pendant and a proactive personality, meaning she wants to find and learn new things through her own effort. The video also offers information about Liko's traveling companion Roy and Pokémon professor Friede, as well as his partner Captain Pikachu. Furthermore, it confirms that the new anime will debut sometime in 2023.
Ash Ketchum and Pikachu Exit as Pokémon's Protagonists
Towards the end of last year, the Pokémon franchise stunned the anime community by announcing that Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series would be the swan song for long-time protagonist Ash Ketchum and his faithful Pikachu. The show saw Ash finally win a championship in the form of the World Coronation Series and be crowned Monarch (aka the strongest trainer). However, many fans have speculated that Ash won't be completely absent from the anime going forward, theorizing that Liko is likely his daughter.
Viewers also get to see affectionate interactions between Liko and her pocket monster partner -- Sprigatito, one of the ninth-generation starter Pokémon -- in the promotional video. The ninth generation of Pokémon debuted in the franchise's latest games, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which dropped exclusively for the Nintendo Switch in November 2022. Alongside the wealth of new adorable and powerful creatures, the games introduce players and fans to the Spain-inspired region of Paldea.
Scarlet and Violet garnered massive hype and anticipation before their release, becoming the most pre-ordered titles in Pokémon history so far. However, the games ultimately received a mixed response from critics and players largely due to the substantial amount of performance bugs and (sometimes game-breaking) glitches. While many individuals quickly embraced the hilarity of Scarlet and Violet's issues, creating fun memes and videos to share mind-boggling examples, others sought total refunds from Nintendo.
Another new Pokémon series is coming our way beyond the one that will prominently feature Liko, Roy, Friede and Captain Pikachu. Pokémon Concierge, a stop-motion animated show that will follow resort worker Haru as she interacts with guests and their pocket monsters, will premiere on Netflix sometime in the near future. The streaming service has not confirmed the exact release date at the time of writing.
Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series is available to stream on Netflix. It's currently unclear what platform will house the new Pokémon anime with Liko.
Source: Twitter