The Pokémon Anime Is Finally Aging Up Its Main Cast After Almost 30 Years

After 26 years of thrilling adventures, Ash Ketchum, the eternally 10-year-old protagonist of the Pokémon anime, has finally hung up his hat. However, The Pokémon Company, after years of resisting the idea, is finally allowing its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, to age in the upcoming Pokémon Horizons arc.

The recent CoroCoro reveal of the "Mega Voltage" arc confirms a significant time jump, advancing Liko and Roy approximately three years. New character designs showcase a noticeably taller and more mature Liko, Roy, and Dot. This development has significant implications, as these characters share a universe with Ash Ketchum. This implies that Ash, along with Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and the rest of the familiar faces, have also aged three years off-screen. The possibility of seeing a grown-up Ash Ketchum has ignited fervent speculation among fans.

The "Mega Voltage" arc will also see the return of Mega Evolutions, a timely coincidence given Mega Evolution's comeback as a mechanic in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Liko's Floragato has evolved into Meowscarada, and Roy boasts a shiny Mega Lucario. One notable absence is Friede, captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. While his partner Pikachu is present, seemingly wearing Friede's goggles with visible cracks, fan theories suggest Friede may have encountered misfortune.

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The "Mega Voltage" arc will premiere in Japan on April 11th, but the English dub, currently lagging behind, will follow at a later date. While previous reviews of Pokémon Horizons have been mixed (scoring a 5/10 for inconsistent strengths), this time skip offers a potential boost to the series and the Rising Volt Tacklers.