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Pokémon Horizons: The Series (simply as Pokémon Horizons, known in Japan as Pocket Monsters or Pocket Monsters 2023 or referred to informally and by fans LikoRoy) is the eighth and the current series of Pokémon the Series. The anime is based on the Ninth Pokémon generation games, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The series premiered in Japan on April 14, 2023, with an hour-long special. A trailer for the English dub premiered during San Diego Comic-Con 2023; the dub itself is currently set to premiere on BBC iPlayer and CBBC in the United Kingdom on December 2023, and on Netflix in the United States on March 7, 2024.
For the first in Pokémon anime history, Pokémon Horizons: The Series features an all-new cast of characters and a more linear plot without many ties to previous anime series.
Starring in the new anime series are Minori Suzuki (JP)/Alejandra Reynoso (EN) as Liko, Yuka Terasaki (JP)/Anjali Kunapaneni (EN) as Roy, and Taku Yashiro (JP)/Crispin Freeman (EN) as Friede. Ikue Otani voiced Captain Pikachu, continuing her iconic role as a different iteration of the franchise's mascot.
Plot[]
The series stars dual protagonists Liko and Roy, replacing Ash Ketchum and Pikachu, along with the three Paldean First partner Pokémon as they adventure through the Pokémon world, with the Legendary Pokémon Terapagos and Shiny Rayquaza playing important roles. Liko is from the Paldea region, and wears a mysterious pendant and Roy is from the Kanto region who possesses a mysterious Poké Ball.
Other recurring characters they encountered such as Friede, the commander of Rising Volt Tacklers and his partner Pokémon, Captain Pikachu, who joined Liko and Roy on their adventures, Amethio, a member of the mysterious organization "Explorers", which is after Liko's equally mysterious pendant, and Nidothing (Dot), an online streamer who wears cute costumes. Various characters from the Pokémon games made guest or recurring appearances.
Unlike past series, Horizons takes a one-year time skip with recurring appearances of Uruto, Roy's rival.
Seasons[]
- Season 26: Pokémon Horizons: The Series (Episodes 1-45)
- Season 27: Pokémon Horizons: The Search for Laqua (Episodes 46-89)
- Season 28: Pokémon Horizons: Mega Voltage (Episodes 90-present)
Episodes[]
Manga[]
The series had a manga adaptation. The manga started its full serialization in the magazine's May issue on April 14.
Accolades[]
- EGA’s Hermes Awards 2025
- Best Performance for an Animated Series - Alejandra Reynoso (Winner)
- Best Dub Audio Mixing for a Series - Pokémon Horizons: The Series
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Just like the previous series, the anime's title is named Pocket Monsters in Japan.
- Both series featured the 2D "Pocket Monster" logo, though with a new design.
- Both the Japanese logo and the English logo have a split color design, with blue and red coloring. The Japanese and Korean logo is split horizontally, with blue on the top half and red on the bottom half, and the English logo is split vertically, with blue on the left half and red on the right half.
- Both series featured the 2D "Pocket Monster" logo, though with a new design.
- Horizons is the first anime series in which none of the protagonists participate in a major competition or Pokémon League.
- This is also first Pokémon anime series to be unionsized.
- This is also first Pokémon anime series to have a time skip.
- Like Ash Ketchum in the original series until Journeys, Liko reads the episode title.
- Liko also replaced the role of the narrator from the previous series, similar to Ash and Lillie in Pokémon the Series: Sun and Moon.
- Some English episode titles shared the same name as the Japanese ones, unlike the previous series.