The 25-year story of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu is finally coming to a close as the Pokémon anime moves beyond its roots and branches off into a new journey alongside two new protagonists in the Paldea region. Just because Scarlet and Violet’s iteration of the anime marks a fresh start for the series doesn’t mean that the franchise’s poster boy isn’t still somehow going to play a role.
Ash and Pikachu still have a little gas in the tank heading into 2023, with an 11-part Aim to be A Pokémon Master special series set to begin airing on Jan. 13 that will act as a sendoff to the iconic duo. But after that, the series will officially move into a post-Ketchum timeline—at least on the surface.
Depending on where you have been looking online post-announcement, there are plenty of fans both celebrating and mourning the loss of the constant travels of Ash that have become a staple for many fans as they have gone through life. But some pockets within those discussions are more focused on where the future of the Pokémon anime might go now.
We only got a brief glimpse of the new characters, Liko and Roy, that will headline the next iteration of the Pokémon anime when it begins airing in April 2023, and no supporting information. Based on the first look the series will likely take place in Scarlet and Violet’s Paldea region and heavily featured the three Gen IX starters, but that is about all you can glean from what little was shown.
But once fans started dissecting the character designs for Liko and Roy the community quickly pointed out the hair clip being worn by Liko as being identical to that of the logo on Ash’s hat from the initial five seasons of the original series. This, paired with a very unreliably sourced leak of what the backstory for these new protagonists could end up being has fan theories flying already.
Based on a “leak” that some people source from a Japanese translation of character bios for the two new protagonists but seems to only be shared on forums like 4Chan, Liko’s backstory not only says that she is from Kanto but also has a secret tied to her family name.
“A Pokémon adoring girl hailing from the Kanto region. Transferring to the Paldea Region’s special academy to hone her skills in all manners of Pokemon care and knowledge. She has a special bond with Pokémon that few can understand. She has a frightening knack for battle and an easygoing attitude. She doesn’t talk much about her family with those around her and refuses to give her family name to any except the Professors of the campus. What secrets and mysteries could our protagonist be keeping and for what reason?”
That description has fans speculating that Liko’s need to hide her family name unless necessary, coming from Kanto, and other characteristics could point to her being Ash’s daughter. This also lines up with Ash’s trajectory at the end of his most recent tournament runs where he has become a world champion in multiple ways, meaning Liko could be trying to hide her connection to him to step out of his shadow in a way.
Likewise, her design has the community further divided on who her mom might be if Ash is indeed the father, sparking flames in old “shipping” arguments between the likes of Misty and Serena. And Roy wasn’t excluded from this talk either.
Related: Did Ash catch ’em all? How many Pokémon Ash Ketchum caught during the anime
Obviously, the “leaked” information should be taken very lightly until we get more information from The Pokémon Company and staff working on the show in the coming months, but the idea that this could be a direct continuation of sorts to the original series isn’t impossible and would act as an easy way to connect new and old concepts, fans, and more.
There is also a very high chance that the accessory in Liko’s hair is just a purposeful homage to Ash’s signature cap that made its way in as a nod to how things started back in 1997. This is something that other shows have done in the past with small visual details or names, with Yu-Gi-Oh! being a prime example since every protagonist’s name starts with “Yu” despite sharing no real connection.
Regardless of how this small detail plays out, the fan works that will come out of theorizing should make the wait until April 2023 fly by.
Published: Dec 16, 2022 04:27 pm