Pokemon Horizons Premiere Shares First Stills

Pokemon is gearing up for a new era, and we are getting a new look at what it will bring. For those who don't know, the Pokemon anime brought Ash Ketchum's reign to an end last week, and now the franchise is preparing its new series. Pokemon Horizons will go live in April with two new leads at the helm, and a first look at the anime's premiere has been released.

As you can see below, the artwork showcases three different shots from Pokemon Horizons. The first still highlights Liko, the female lead of the new Pokemon anime, as she approaches Sprigatito. The second image puts Roy on center stage as Fuecoco sits across from the boy. And finally, Quaxly is seen in the third shot running away from a mascot that is known throughout the Paldea region.

Obviously, the first episode of Pokemon Horizons is going to focus on introducing all these characters, and that is hardly a surprise. After all, Liko and Roy are brand-new to the anime, and Pokemon will need to endear them to anime fans. The loss of Ash and his Pikachu is weighing on fans, that much is obvious. It will be difficult for fans to embrace a new protagonist after spending decades with Ash, but these newcomers are pretty adorable from what we've seen to date.

For those curious about Pokemon Horizons, the new anime is slated to drop in Japan on April 14th. No simulcast has been announced for the show outside of Japan at this time. This new series will focus on Liko and Roy as the two trainers travel the Paldea region as academy students. They will work with new characters like Freide and Captain Pikachu as they level up their trainer skills. So if you want in on this new era of Pokemon, mark down April 14th on your calendar.

And of course, Pokemon fans outside of Japan will want to know more about Ash's final episode. His exit went down last week as Pokemon: Aim to Be a Pokemon Master wrapped. Currently, the anime has only aired this farewell season in Japan as the English dub is still working on Pokemon Journeys. At this time, no information has been shared about the dub's plan for Pokemon: Aim to Be a Pokemon Master, but netizens are hopeful the series will be tackled shortly.

What do you think about this latest look at Pokemon Horizons? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.