Summary
Pokémon Horizons introduces new main characters and a larger, more diverse cast to bring freshness to the series. The series breaks from the standard formula, offering a longer-running plot and more realistic character development. With an ongoing storyline and new dynamics, Pokémon Horizons marks a major change in the Pokémon anime.
Every anime fan knows that Pokémon The anime is one of the longest-running series in the history of the genre, with over 1,200 episodes featuring Ash Ketchum and his trusty Pikachu. A series cannot achieve such numbers without success, but many stories with the same characters will inevitably start repeating.
That's why there was both excitement and hesitation when it was announced that a new Pokémon series with all-new main characters would launch in 2023. While there are always segments of fans who Despite being vocally in favor of removing Ash, believing it would shake up the anime for the better, there were also many fans who feared losing the hero they had known for over 20 years. After all, what would Pokémon be without Ash and Pikachu to lead it?
Pokémon was trying to change things even before Ashes
The product line has been tested with various retools over the years
The Pokémon anime is quite unique in that it reinvents itself every few years to better fit the current era of Pokémon video games. Every time a new game comes out, Ash will set out to that new area, looking for new companions and, most importantly, new Pokémon to catch. Sometimes these involve stylistic improvements; While the Kanto era through the Sinnoh era all look pretty similar, Pokémon Black & White has an updated art style and is entirely in widescreen form (partially introduced through Sinnoh).
However, as the series continued, it became clear that more than just a change in art style was needed. XY takes a more Shonen-like approach, focusing more on battles and action. Sun & Moon incorporates more with not only a radical change in art style but also by having Ash stay in one location (the school) instead of traveling with a group of friends. Finally, Journeys did away with a lot of old tropes, such as Pokémon Gym badges, and took Ash around the world instead of being tied to just one area at a time.
These efforts helped freshen up the series and keep things from getting too stale, but there were other limitations that they couldn't really do anything about. For example, Ash has definitely undergone a lot of character development in the series, but the majority of his character development took place in the previous seasons, making him a fairly static character. in some of the following sections. And of course there's always the matter of Pikachu's power level, which can fluctuate wildly from season to season. Additionally, as Ash achieves more and more, he has fewer achievements.
Pokémon Horizons solved the series' problems by starting fresh
New characters and new stories await
Even among the Pokémon refreshes, there are many aspects that haven't changed across the seasons: Ash will travel throughout the new region, collecting eight badges while encountering the local Evil Team, who will certainly carry out some world domination plans involving legendary Pokémon. It all starts to become formulaic after a while, even if it accurately reflects the games. That's why Sun & Moon and Journeys chose to try something new – the old formula was so outdated.
However, keeping Ash and Pikachu was somewhat limited, and in the end, it was time to say goodbye. As world champion, Ash's story has nowhere to go. Ultimately, the series could start over from scratch, creating an opportunity to change some of the core elements of the series and update them for a more modern era.
Pokémon Horizons did just that. First, it chose to have two main characters – a boy and a girl, Roy and Riko. Even though Ash's companions have their own storylines at times, they can't help but feel like side characters, since everyone knows they won't stay, while Ash will. By having two main characters from the start, their stories (theoretically) carry equal weight. Pokémon Horizons also completely abandoned the old formula; Roy and Riko show no interest in collecting Gym badges or becoming champions, just like Ash. They have their own goals, even if it takes a while to find them.
Rising Volt's handlers completely changed the dynamic of the series
The larger cast helps set Pokémon Horizons apart
However, the most important thing is that Riko and Roy will not be two lone children traveling randomly. Pokémon Horizons introduced a group of adventurers, the Rising Volt Tacklers, made up of adult characters that Riko and Roy can count on when times get tough. Chief among them is Friede, their mentor and guardian. Friede and the Rising Volt Tacklers reflects an older audience of Pokémon fans and has more realistic issues. This also comes with the airship Brave Olivine, giving Riko and Roy a home that Ash never really had.
Although Ash never worried about money, and the concept was rarely brought up outside of Team Rocket's bankruptcy, the Rising Volt Tacklers often needed money for food reserves, ship maintenance, and other expenses. Suddenly, Pokémon had a new formula with new dynamics, traveling the world on their ship and doing jobs for people along the way, providing new storytelling opportunities.
Even better, Pokémon Horizons is conceived with a long-term storyline, opening with a mysterious pendant that thrusts Riko into the story. Instead of being Ash's ongoing (and perhaps never-ending) adventures, Pokémon Horizons feels like it has a specific story it wants to tell. While there's nothing wrong with a more episodic Ash era, the anime genre has evolved a lot since Pokémon debuted in the 1990s. Nowadays, having an ongoing plot is almost mandatory and it feels as though Horizons' plot is quite well-planned and well-paced.
While much of this could have been done with Ash, starting over with new characters is a great way to signal that things are changing dramatically. Liko and Roy are given more opportunity for character development than Ash did in Journeys, and the series' larger cast allows for the development of other characters such as Friede and the other Rising Volt Tacklers. Even its villains, like Amethio, have had some major developments.
By completely changing the series' formula, incorporating the ongoing plot from the first episode and changing up the main characters to give better opportunities for character growth and development, Pokémon Horizon has firmly established itself as a whole new era for the Pokémon anime.