‘Pokemon the Series: Sun & Moon’ Shares Gorgeous New Opening

Pokemon may be busy with its gaming pursuits as of late, but the franchise hasn’t left its anime fans behind. After all, a new opening has gone live for Pokemon the Series: Sun and Moon, and it is one of the show’s best yet.

As you can see below, the opening begins with a very familiar friend. Pikachu is seen smushing his face as if he were cleaning his cheeks, but he’s distracted when Ash Ketchum comes running across the clearing.

The opening continues as Pikachu hitches a ride on his trainer’s shoulder, and Ash decides it would be a great idea to go cliff jumping. The pair dive into the ocean below and what follows is a sweet montage.

Fans watch as Ash spends some time with his new Alola Pokemon, and they are as cute as fans will remember. As the trailer continues, fans see Ash have a quiet moment under a sunset. The aspiring Pokemon Master is seen staring at one of his PokeBalls, but he is taken from his somber moment by Kiawe and others.

Of course, Professor Kukui makes a brief appearance. The older man is seen bothering Ash as the boy tries to study, and the trailer continues with close-up montages featuring Lillie amongst others.

Finally, the new reel comes to an end as Ash engages in a fiery match, and Team Rocket gets schooled yet again. Eevee also shows up with its brand-new shaggy hairdo, and fans are praising animator Yasushi Nishiya for leveling up the show’s opening animation.

So, what do you make of this cute opening? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Not caught up on all things Pokemon? You can check out the official synopsis of its 20th season below:

“What starts as a summer vacation in the tropical Alola region turns into the next exciting chapter in Ash Ketchum’s quest to become a Pokémon Master! There’s plenty for Ash and Pikachu to explore in this sunny new region, with exciting new Pokémon to discover and interesting people to learn from along the way—including the cool Professor Kukui and the fun-loving Samson Oak.

More new faces will help guide Ash’s Alolan adventure, in the form of a group of skilled Trainers—Kiawe, Lana, Mallow, and Sophocles—and a mysterious research assistant called Lillie. Frequent foes Team Rocket have also made the trip to Alola, looking to swipe some high-powered new Pokémon. But they have some heavy competition on the villainy front: the ruffians of Team Skull, who delight in causing chaos and may have more sinister intentions…”