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

After 26 years of adventures in the Pokémon anime, the perpetually 10-year-old Ash Ketchum has finally hung up his hat. But after steadfastly refusing to age its main character for most of its run, The Pokémon Company is finally doing something unexpected in Pokémon Horizons: letting its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, grow up.

The news comes from a recent CoroCoro reveal of the next Pokémon Horizons arc, "Mega Voltage," confirming a time skip that will age Liko and Roy by approximately three years. New character designs show Liko, Roy, and Dot noticeably taller and more mature:

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Interestingly, these characters share a universe with Ash Ketchum, even if he's currently absent from the anime. This implies that Ash, Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and the rest of the supporting cast have also aged three years off-screen. Will we see an older Ash Ketchum in this arc, or ever? The speculation among fans is already running wild.

Mega Voltage will also feature the return of Mega Evolutions, likely coinciding with their return as a mechanic in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We also see Liko's Floragato has evolved into Meowscarada, and Roy boasts a shiny Mega Lucario.

One notable absence in the reveal is Friede, captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. His partner Pikachu is present, seemingly wearing Friede's goggles, which appear cracked. This has led fans to speculate about Friede's fate—a worrying sign indeed.

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The Mega Voltage arc begins airing in Japan on April 11th, but the English dub will likely lag behind. Previously, we gave Pokémon Horizons Season 2 a 5/10 rating for its inconsistent strengths. Hopefully, this time skip will inject some much-needed energy into the Rising Volt Tacklers.