One-Punch Man Star Joins Pokemon Horizons

With Ash Ketchum leaving the Pokemon anime as its star, so to did the major villains of the television series leave too. Jesse, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket sailed into the sunset to follow Ash, still trying to steal his Pikachu. Pokemon Horizons has brought in two new trainers to take Ash’s place in Liko and Roy and with them, a new collection of villains has been throwing some big challenges their way. The Explorers have been a thorn in the anime trainers’ side and one of their leaders has been cast.

Makoto Furukawa might be best known for his role as the “Hero For Fun” Saitama, the anime character who stars in the series One-Punch Man. Never managing to find an opponent that has been able to defeat him, the One-Punch Man is set to make a comeback in the anime’s third season. While the upcoming season has been confirmed, a release date and/or studio responsible for the anime adaptation have yet to be confirmed. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding Yukimura’s character, and the Explorers, though we doubt that the Pokemon character will be as physically strong as Saitama. On top of One-Punch Man, Furukawa has also had roles in anime franchises including Blue Lock, Dr. Stone, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and My Hero Academia to name a few.

One-Pokemon Man

Pokemon’s Official Social Medial Account confirmed that Furukawa would be taking on the role of a major Explorer. While Liko and Roy have had some problems with the Explorers in the past, they also have some major allies in the Rising Volt Tacklers that have been a big help along the way. Unlike Team Rocket, the Explorers have been quite serious, and dangerous, in their attempt to steal Liko and Roy’s mysterious artifacts.

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At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Pokemon Horizons premiered its first English Dub trailer, promising that Liko and Roy’s adventures were set to arrive on Netflix. While the series has yet to receive an official release date, this September will see Ash Ketchum’s final episodes hitting the streaming service. 

What do you think of Saitama taking on the role of a Pokemon villain? Do you think the Explorers stack up against Team Rocket? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Pokemon.