The Pokémon Anime Is Finally Aging Up Its Main Cast After Almost 30 Years

After 26 years of incredible adventures, Ash Ketchum, the eternally 10-year-old Pokémon protagonist, has finally hung up his hat. However, The Pokémon Company, after steadfastly refusing to age their iconic hero, is seemingly embracing change in Pokémon Horizons, allowing its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, to grow up.

Recent reveals from CoroCoro magazine, showcasing the upcoming "Mega Voltage" arc, confirm a significant time jump. Liko and Roy will age approximately three years, sporting new, noticeably taller and more mature designs, alongside Dot. A Reddit post, showcasing the CoroCoro pages, highlights these changes: > All the new arch 5 pages from coro coro today! byu/BikeOk4256 in pokemonanime

This development is particularly interesting, considering Liko and Roy share a universe with Ash. This implies Ash, Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and the rest of the familiar faces have also aged three years off-screen. Will we see the grown-up Ash? The possibility has ignited considerable fan speculation.

Mega Voltage also marks the return of Mega Evolutions, likely coinciding with their reintroduction in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The arc previews show Liko's Floragato evolved into Meowscarada, and Roy wielding a shiny Mega Lucario.

One notable absence is Friede, captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. His partner Pikachu is shown wearing Friede's goggles, which appear cracked, sparking fan concern about Friede's fate.

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The Mega Voltage arc premieres in Japan on April 11th, with the English dub expected later. Given our previous 5/10 rating for Pokémon Horizons Season 2, citing its inconsistent execution, this time skip is a welcome development, potentially revitalizing the Rising Volt Tacklers storyline.