Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master

Format	Anime
Genre(s)	Adventure Comedy Fantasy
Studio(s)	OLM, Inc. Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (Japan) TPCi (English dub)
Series	Pokémon
Air date	January 13 to March 24, 2023
Running time	22 minutes
Episodes	11

Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master (Pokémon: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master in Japan) is a miniseries of Pokémon the Series and final arc of the 25th season, Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series, covering the last 11 episodes of the season. It was announced by The Pokémon Company on December 16, 2022, and premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo on January 13, 2023, and in North America on September 8, 2023. The miniseries' title in Japanese is referenced to the first and most recurring Japanese opening song, Aim to Be a Pokémon Master.

This is a special eleven-episode epilogue to Pokémon Journeys: The Series, featuring Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, in their final Pokémon the Series episodes, where they end their journey together and exit the anime after serving as the main protagonists for 26 years. Two new main characters, Liko and Roy, star in the next generation of Pokémon anime based on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet two weeks later.

The miniseries also see the returns of Misty and Brock, Ash's traveling partners from the original series (the latter for Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl). Cilan, Ash's companion in Pokémon the Series: Black and White, guest starred in one episode. Ash rotates his Pokémon in each episode and the Legendary Pokémon Latias plays an important role.

Episodes

1. The Road Most Traveled!
2. A Fated Face Off!
3. Must Be Our Heroes and the Witch!
4. Bearing Down Easy!
5. A Squad Worth of Passion!
6. The Same Moon, Now and Forever!
7. Ride, Lapras, Ride!
8. Getting to the Heart of it All!
9. Rocket Revengers!
10. Ash and Latios
11. The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!

Special

1. Distant Blue Sky! (English dub only)

Music

• Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master -with my friends- (JP), Gotta Catch Em All (EN)
• Ending: One Hundred Fifty-One (most episodes), Brock's Paradise (episode 3), Riding on Lapras (episode 7), Face Forward Team Rocket! (episode 9), Type: Wild (episode 11)

Gallery

Japanese logo

Japanese poster

Elements from Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias are included in episode 10.

Ash's epilogue

Pokémon anime's Twitter post commemorate Ash's final episode.

Trivia

• The poster of the miniseries is identical to the original Japanese poster of the original series. Unlike the original Japanese poster of the series, it features all of Ash's Pokémon that he owned for the past 25 years.
• Bearing Down Easy! was originally listed as Kindness Right on the Tic! on various TV guides.
• In the English dub, Distant Blue Sky! is part of the miniseries, serving as its 12th episode, even though it was released separately from the aforementioned story arc in the original Japanese.