The long-awaited release of Pokémon‘s latest anime series is less than a week away.
This weekend, November 17th, The Pokémon Company’s soft reboot of the long-running TV series will see star Ash Ketchum return to his hometown of Pallet for the first time in years. The reason? Having emerged victorious in the Alola League and now considered a bonafide champion, the beloved Trainer is said to be retracing the steps of his journey thus far to reflect on his achievements and decide what to do next.
We already know, of course, that the hero will be revisiting every previously visited region – from Kanto all the way up to Alola – as well as Sword and Shield’s UK-inspired Galar. What remains unclear, however, is how new character Gou fits into the overarching plot. We’ll undoubtedly find out more on that front in the near future, but for now, all eyes are on a special episode due to air prior to the series’ official start date.
Previous teasers have already hinted at an origin story for Ash’s Pikachu and, thanks to a new trailer, we’ve got our best look yet at what that will entail.
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Sporting the new animation style it’ll have, there’s still no mistaking such an iconic scene. In what’s sure to be an overwhelming nostalgia trip, the special episode is recreating Ash’s first-ever meeting with Pikachu. Given that the primary focus appears to be on exploring the yellow mouse’s life before he evolved into the franchise’s beloved mascot, it’s likely that the scene in question will be presented at the end of the episode, bringing Pikachu’s story full circle, so to speak.
As for when Western viewers can expect the usual dub to arrive, The Pokémon Company has yet to confirm a date, though we imagine it won’t be far behind.