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

After 26 years of adventures in the Pokémon anime, the perpetually 10-year-old Ash Ketchum has finally hung up his hat. However, after steadfastly refusing to age its protagonist for most of the show's run, The Pokémon Company is finally doing something unexpected in Pokémon Horizons: letting its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, grow up.

The recent CoroCoro reveal of Pokémon Horizons' next arc, "Mega Voltage," confirmed a significant time skip, aging Liko and Roy by approximately three years. New character designs showcase a noticeably taller and more mature Liko, Roy, and Dot.

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Interestingly, these characters share a universe with Ash Ketchum, even if he's currently absent from the anime. This implies that Ash, along with Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and the rest of the supporting cast, have also aged three years off-screen. Will we see the grown-up Ash in this arc or a future season? Only time will tell, but fan speculation is already running wild.

"Mega Voltage" also marks the return of Mega Evolutions, likely coinciding with their return as a mechanic in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We see 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. His partner Pikachu is present, seemingly wearing Friede's goggles, which appear cracked. This has led fans to speculate about Friede's fate—a worrying sign indeed.

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The "Mega Voltage" arc begins airing in Japan on April 11th, but the English dub will likely lag behind. While we previously gave Pokémon Horizons Season 2 a 5/10 rating for its inconsistent strengths, this time skip offers a glimmer of hope for renewed energy within the Rising Volt Tacklers storyline.