Pokemon Journeys May End Its Hiatus Soon

Pokemon has well over a 1,000 episodes to its name, but fans have gone weeks now without any new content. The anime was forced into hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak which has left fans eager for any news on its return. But as Japan takes its first steps out of its State of Emergency, netizens are thinking it will only be a matter of time before Pokemon Journeys returns. And thanks to one of the show’s sound directors, it seems the anime may leave its hiatus behind before too long.

For those who have not heard, Japan began relaxing its State of Emergency orders within the last couple weeks. Now, the country has confirmed it will be ending the period entirely as Japan comes to terms with its new normal. This means work will begin on a large scale once more, and barring any severe outbreaks, it looks as if Pokemon Journeys won’t be exempt from this back-to-work order.

Fans have not heard anything about an official return date for Pokemon Journeys, but one of its staffers has been getting things ready for resumed production. Masafumi Mima is the sound director behind hit anime like My Hero Academia, but he also oversees Pokemon. One of the biggest concerns in the anime industry regarding health is recording sound as voice actors most often perform together in Japan. It is not advised to have so many people speaking in an enclosed space, but Mima has found some ways to secure the area.

Over on Twitter, Mima began posting photos of the studio he records in, and it has been overhauled with brand-new safety measures. As production gets underway on his anime again, Mima has found way to partition each actor into their own booth with divider walls, personal recording equipment, and more.

The studio will also have strict rules put in place for actors recording dialogue. Not only will actors have to wear masks all day until they record, but they will be subjected to temperature checks at home and in the studio. Cast members will also be asked to limit personal items to a certain area in the studio, and any small talk is discouraged. For the well-being of their careers and others, these actors are being asked to come in to do their job and that alone. That is the best way to ensure the health of both actors and thee anime industry. So if you have been missing Pokemon Journeys, it will hopefully return before too long!

Do you think Pokemon Journeys will resume before too long…? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

HT – ANN