ThePokemon ScarletandVioletanime, now known asPokemon Horizons, is looking to be an adaptation of the series that’ll change what fans expect from the anime for a long time. Not only has the protagonist of the last twenty-six years,Ash Ketchum, bowed out of this season, it’s also set to deal with concepts not found in the Generation 9 games such as the Rising Volt Tacklers, Roy’s mysterious Poke Ball, and more.
However, the new series has also made it clear that even though the series plans to move on from Ash,Pokemon ScarletandViolet’s anime won’t be going forward without Pikachu.Horizonsintroduces Captain Pikachu, who has big shoes to fill following immediately after the Pikachu who led the charge of becoming an icon for the entirePokemonfranchise.
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Pokemon: Pikachu’s Near-Unending Legacy
Everyone who knows aboutPokemonknows Pikachu, andeveryone who knows Pikachuhas at least heard ofPokemon. One reason why the Mouse Pokemon shot up to mascot status was because of Ash Ketchum and his partner, as the duo broughtPokemonto TVs across the world. As iconic as this critter is, some fans dislike that Pikachu ended up being the face of the franchise.
Pikachu’s anime-driven spotlight grew to be so large that Ikue Otani, the voice actress who gave the creature a proper voice in the TV show, had her voice put into the games in place of Pikachu’s more generic cry.Pokemon Legends: Arceuschanged Pikachu’s voiceback, andScarletandVioletalso kept the classic cry, which left some fans confused. Speculation on why lingered in somePokemoncommunities, as some thought it was a sign the franchise was distancing itself from Pikachu’s image.
Pokemon Horizons: What Captain Pikachu Needs to Accomplish
Horizonsand Captain Pikachuwere formerly revealed soon after Ash’s departure made headlines. It felt like a bittersweet message to fans that Pikachu wasn’t losing its mascot status, as announcing Captain Pikachu and Professor Friede may have been too soon in replacing the original Pikachu. This came off asa insensitive to some, so much so that fans used Captain Pikachu to (correctly) predict Friede would also have a Charizard due to its typical mascot status.
For the series to stubbornly shove in a new take on its mascot, so soon afterPokemon ScarletandViolet’sperformance issues became a common talking point, replacing the Pikachu that started it all could affect the franchise’s imagein Generation 10 and beyond. However, these problems can easily be dealt with as long asHorizonsmanages to do one thing: write Captain Pikachu in a fun, unique way.
Regardless of why the Captain was added toHorizons, if this new Pikachu manages to stand out from Ash’s partner with his own personality and good writing, he’s in the perfect position to be a fan-favorite. His artwork seems to point to a bossy character, and the name of Friede’s team - the Volt Tacklers - implies that there’s more to this Pikachu’s “captain” title than a cute gimmick. Ifthe newPokemonanimedoes its best to show that Captain Pikachu is different, he may end up being just as memorable as the original.
When it comes to showcasing other Pikachu, the anime has made a fair number of distinct inclusions. One example is Jimmy’s Pikachu named Spike, who loves the same rock music as his trainer and would head-bang to it. Despite only being in one episode, this Pikachu is still remembered by fans today. Captain Pikachu can be just as memorable as long as writers execute him with plenty of care. Viewers will finally get to see what Captain Pikachu is like whenPokemon Horizonsbegins airing in Japanon April 14, knowing that - for better or worse - Pikachu will always bePokemon’s mascot.
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