Ash’s Pokémon adventures in Hawaii-inspired Alola are almost at an end.
As is tradition whenever a new Generation of games is imminent, the anime series has begun wrapping up the loose ends of its current narrative and is about ready to send its eternally youthful hero off to explore and discover new challenges. In what form those will present themselves remains to be seen, but now that Ash is officially a League champion, perhaps he’ll be taking some time off from battling to catch some new ‘Mons?
Understandably, The Pokémon Company is keeping said story beats close to its chest, though it has seen fit to give fans a sneak peek of the TV show’s new season by providing a number of stills taken from an upcoming episode (thanks, Serebii).
Focusing on Generation 1 ‘Mon Kangaskhan might seem like an odd choice for a series intended to coincide with the release of Sword and Shield next month, but bear in mind that events are intended to unfold a little differently this time. Unlike Ash’s previous escapades, this year’s semi-reboot won’t just be set in the newest location (in this case, it’s the UK-inspired Galar) but all of them. From Kanto and Johto to Hoenn and Sinnoh, every last region that Master Ketchum and Pikachu have ever visited together will be returning, with even a stop-off at his hometown of Pallet on the agenda.
Why is the show’s teenaged star about to partake in an epic quest of global proportions? That’s anyone’s guess, though we imagine it’ll likely have something to do with the introduction of a brand new co-star. This time around, Ash will be sharing screen time with the mysterious Gou and how the pair’s personal goals intertwine will likely be a key focal point of the series’ semi-reboot. So many questions still remain but for now, we’ll just have to make do with today’s welcome tease.
Pokémon‘s new season begins next month in Japan, with a Western release no doubt due shortly after.
