As Ash Ketchum’s days as the young hero of the Pokémon anime continue to count down in the last few episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, a new duo is set to replace him when the new anime series begins airing in Japan on April 14.
The duo, Riko and Roy, will start their Pokémon journey off in the Paldea region with the Gen IX starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly by their sides. Although Ash and Pikachu won’t be there this time around, we can expect these new characters to encounter similar challenges as they battle other trainers, catch new Pokémon, and explore the region.
To accompany the new Pokémon anime series, there will also be a new manga series drawn by Yamadaka Kei. Like the anime, the manga will start on April 14 in the May issue of Monthly Corocoro Comic in Japan.
The manga is based on the story told in the anime, so don’t expect to see Ash and Pikachu here either. This is Roy and Riko’s time to shine.
The first look at the manga raises one big question—what kind of Poké Ball is Roy holding? There are so many different types of Poké Balls in the franchise, from Master Balls to Beast Balls, but we haven’t seen a ball quite like the one Roy is holding.
Alternatively, it could be a special Tera Orb, which shares a similar design with Poké Balls. The Terastal phenomenon is one of the main feats of Gen IX and the Paldea region, so the ball in Roy’s hand could have something to do with that.
Either way, we’ll find out soon when the new Pokémon anime and manga series both drop on April 14 in Japan.
Published: Mar 15, 2023 02:40 pm