The Pokémon Company announces a new era of protagonists in its upcoming series as Ash Ketchum ends his 25-year-long journey.

After defeating Galar Champion Leon in the Masters Eight Tournament in the recent progression of the anime, longtime Pokémon protagonist Ash Ketchum has finally attained his goal of being the best trainer in the world.

Ash and his iconic Pokémon partner Pikachu were ultimately named the champion after years of losses in different tournaments, marking the end of a 25-year story arc for the anime.

However, fans may be left wondering what comes next for Ash and Pikachu now that he has achieved what he set out to do in that first episode back in 1997.

Now, Gizmodo reports that the Pokémon Company has just announced its next Pokémon anime series, and for the first time in 25 years, the main anime storyline will not feature Ash and Pikachu.

Pokémon To Release Special Episodes

As of now, Ash and Go's adventure together is still in its last episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series in Japan, but their journey will soon come to an end.

However, fans will still be able to witness extra episodes to celebrate Ash and Pikachu's 25 years of adventures. The episodes will premiere in Japan on January 13, 2023, and the concluding anime will be titled Pocket Monster Mezase Pokémon Master.

Although no details have been revealed yet on what the special episodes will cover, it appears likely that popular mainstay characters such as Misty and Brock, Dawn, Serena, Pokémon like Charizard and Greninja and Lucario, and many more, will make appearances as tribute.

Pokémon Tribute For Ash Ketchum

While the official release refers to this as the "last chapter" for Ash and Pikachu, it also states that these episodes will "offer a glimpse at what the future may hold" for Ash, according to IGN.

Longtime Ash voice actors Rica Matsumoto and Sarah Natochenny paid tribute to the character online after hearing the news, with Natochenny writing, "No matter what lies beyond his final chapter, he'll live eternally in the hearts of many generations to come."

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Are new Protagonists for Next Pokémon Anime?

According to Anime News Network, the new Pokémon series, which comes after Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series and debuts in 2023, will have two heroes named Liko and Roy, based on the Japanese version. However, the current details seem to imply that, similar to Ash, the new protagonists might get new names when the series is dubbed.

Additionally, the upcoming series will feature the three new Paldea starter Pokémon, namely Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

This change of characters marks a significant turning point for a franchise that, for almost 25 years, has been characterized by its resistance to change in most media forms, including its nostalgic video games and trading card games.

After saying goodbye to a young hero from Pallet Town, it seems time for the anime branch of the series to attempt something new for the next generation of trainers.

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