Pokemon Journey: the Series to become Netflix Original

The next saga of the Pokemon animated series, Pokemon Journey has been announced that it will be coming to Netflix this summer. For the first time in series history, the anime will be a stream-worthy series releasing new episodes at different periods of time.

Last week, the Pokemon Company was proud to announce the next installment of the adventures of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. The next chapter of the famous Pokemon duo in their adventures will be called, Pokemon Journey: the Series as it establishes the next generation of Pokemon. The series will have the first look of species that were included in Pokemon Sword and Shield, not to mention what gym leaders, challenges, and characters that were featured in the most recent title of the franchise. The new anime arc will also be featured on Netflix to release new episodes; the first time the series will release new episodes on a stream-worthy service. With the Pokemon franchise evolving more with their new audience, the series plans on taking a new direction than it never has before!

The series is to begin following the adventures of Pokemon the Series: Sun & Moon with Ash and Pikachu. The trailer of the series featured Professor Oak telling Ash to meet a colleague of his, Professor Cerise, in Vermillion City. With this short line and what is hinted at to the audience, this will feature multiple regions of the Pokemon world! The Pokemon that will be featured on the show already teased species from the Galar region, but also showed Pokemon from different regions. This may also include different scenarios of how the plot will unravel and what Ash and Pikachu will encounter.

The trailer also introduced a new character in the anime named Goh, whose partner Pokemon is Scorbunny as he travels alongside Ash and Pikachu. Goh’s goal is to catch the mythical Pokemon Mew after having a faithful encounter with the Pokemon. Assisting Ash, the pair are challenged to assist Professor Cerise in completing his research from all the Pokemon regions. The characteristic Goh has for a character is almost comparable to the rival in Sword and Shield with Hop in the game. Though the two have the same attitude radiating off of each other, there is no relation between the two characters.

Ash’s goal to become a Pokemon Master goes even further with wanting to challenge the Pokemon World Championship. This includes challenging all the gyms of the Galar region and having an official match with the region champion; Leon. The other details of the anime that displayed similarities from the Sword and Shield game included Dynamax Pokemon, showing a Snorlax growing into its G-Max form. It will be interesting how far the series will expand on this feature in the show, including the concept of how it was used during the plot of Sword and Shield.

As shared before, Pokemon Journey: the Series will be new episodes featured on Netflix. In the past, reruns of the show were featured on streaming services. After the release of the translated version of Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolutions, the remake of the movie was a sure hit after debuting on Netflix and being a Top 10 streamed movie upon the time of release. The demand for Pokemon to come to Netflix for the next installment of the anime will be beneficial to fans of the franchise and Pokemon fans everywhere as a “Netflix Original”. The debut of the anime will be on June 12, 2020, with twelve episodes already translated. Episodes of the translated anime will be released every three months with new episodes.

This new series is a completely separate story from Twilight Wings, which has a heavier focus on the actual characters in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Since Ash Ketchum is the focus on the anime, Pokemon Journey: the Series will not intertwine with Twilight Wings. New episodes for Twilight Wings are released every month and are featured online rather than on a streaming service. It is a completely different anime style than fans are used to seeing Ash like he was portrayed in the Sun and Moon series. If the success of both creates a huge following of the current generation, perhaps there will be a possible crossover in a future film installment of the series.

The animated series taking a step towards a new direction to broadcast in the United States is catering to a certain audience. The Japanese release of the series has already debuted last year and this is translated dub of the series becoming available to other demographics. If the success of the series is positive on an instant streaming service like Netflix, Pokemon Journeys: the Series will most likely remain as a Netflix Original in the inevitable future.