The day has finally come, and what a day it is! In Japan, the two-part premiere of Pokemon Horizons debuted, and fans are already talking about some of the things shown in it. The premiere highlighted one of the two new main characters, Liko, and the beginning of her Pokemon journey. The reason the premiere was so anticipated was that many were wondering if it would be able to “hold in the fans,” if you will, due to how Ash Ketchum had been the lead in the anime for 25+ years. Well, while we can’t say whether it will or not, we will say they threw a curve ball, just like in the original!
If you recall, in the first episode of the anime with Ash, he and Pikachu survived a terrifying experience with some Spearow only to meet the Pokemon we would later find out was Ho-oh—a tease of many things to come.
As for Liko, she had that kind of moment too. It was previously noted that one of Liko’s “traits” was that she had a mysterious crystal given to her by her grandmother. In the two-part premiere, Liko’s crystal “activates,” and when it does, a Pokemon appears before her. That Pokemon appears to be tied to Terapagos, a Pokemon we’ll meet in the upcoming DLC for Gen 9 via “The Indigo Disk.” There is some question about whether it’s a pre-evolved form of the legendary Pokemon or some kind of “depowered form” like we’ve seen with other Legendary Pokemon like Zygarde. But either way, it’s a tease of what’s to come.
Unsurprisingly, the anime is trying to tie things into the upcoming DLC. Gen 9 was a big hit despite all its bugs and glitches upon launch. Plus, if Pokemon Horizons can shed some light on what to expect from the two DLC packs we’re getting before they release, that would be a good reason for fans to stay around and watch the anime as it progresses—something to keep in mind.
It’s safe to say that the adventures of Liko, and eventually Roy when he debuts, will be important to the overall franchise going forward. If the anime can keep its fans, it’ll help the series grow and continue to do numbers across many markets.
But that’s far from a guarantee, and while the premiere may have been good, it won’t be until later that we see whether it’s a success or not.
