A new preview for Pokémon Horizons spotlights Liko, one of the anime’s two new protagonists.
Released on Pokémon’s Official YouTube channel, this ten-minute sneak peek of Episode 1 introduces Liko, a soon-to-be trainer that plans to study Pokémon at the Indigo Academy in Kanto. In contrast to the iconic Ash Ketchum, Liko is a more introverted character that occasionally has trouble expressing her true feelings to others. However, she runs into similar difficulties with her partner Pokémon Sprigatito, which runs away shortly after she receives it.
This clip had its worldwide debut at Pokémon’s first-ever SDCC panel, “Pokémon: Bringing Iconic Animation to Global Audiences,” which was held at the San Diego Convention Center on Thursday, July 20. The purpose of this event was to show how the popular anime is localized from Japanese to English and other international versions. Pokémon fans also got to see Horizons’ first English-language trailer in addition to a trailer for Pokemon: Ultimate Journeys, the final part of which is set to launch on Netflix starting Sept. 8. This 12-episode series will bring Ash and Pikachu’s story to a close after over two decades on air. The international release window for Pokémon Horizons has not yet been announced.
Accompanying Liko on her quest is Roy, another fledgling trainer that sets out to discover the mystery behind an ancient Pokeball. Similarly, Liko possesses an unusual glowing pendant, which appears to be a target of a Pokémon organization called Team Explorers, a potential replacement for Team Rocket. Aiding the pair with their respective goals is Professor Friede, an ambitious researcher who travels in an airship with his partner, Captain Pikachu. Earlier this year, Pokémon released a promo video introducing Friede and the other members of his crew, which is known as the Rising Volteckers.
In addition to hosting the preview for Horizons, SDCC 2023 also features several booths manned by Pokémon’s licensing and publishing partners. The toy company Jazwares is previewing numerous Pokémon collectibles that will become available later this year. Insight Editions is also spotlighting its upcoming Pokémon Baking Book by passing out special recipe cards to those who visit the company’s booth. This book will become available to purchase starting Sept. 8. Mattel and Bandai Namco are also offering con-exclusive Pokémon merchandise, in addition to product previews and giveaways.
While waiting for the international premiere of Pokémon Horizons, viewers can watch Pokémon Journeys and Pokémon: Ultimate Journeys on Netflix.
Source: YouTube