More details are finally being revealed about the new Pokémon anime reboot, including looks at a possible villain and the reveal that the first episode will air in Japan as an hour-long special on April 14.
The series’ first proper trailer debuted after episode 8 of Pokémon: Aim to Be a Master and can now be seen on Pokémon’s Youtube channel. The trailer features new footage of Liko seemingly at school and confirming Sprigatito is hers, as well as a new key visual which offers clearer looks at some of the characters seen in the trailer. Notable among these is a man with two-toned black and white hair, who seems to be partnered with the new Pokémon Ceruledge, as well as the silhouette of Rayquaza high in the sky on the poster.
Pokémon’s New Villain or Rival?
Ceruledge, as a Pokémon, has an edgy look to it and is said to be created by donning armor cursed with grudges–definitely not the sort of Pokémon typically used by the good guys in the anime. The character doesn’t look to be too overtly evil, however, so it’s possible this is more of a rival-type character than a true villain. Given that both Liko and Roy have been shown to be in possession of a rare and mysterious artifact (a pendant and a fancy Poké Ball, as on display in the image), it’s possible that this character may be after their artifacts towards unknown ends, as he does appear to be battling Liko in the trailer. Also prominent on the key visual is the recently revealed Professor Friede, shown riding a Charizard, and his Captain Pikachu (who will seemingly be voiced by Ikue Ohtani, as always). Behind him is a mysterious airship, which may well be what Pikachu is the Captain of.
The key visual also features a variety of Pokémon, including new ones (like Pawmi), old ones that appear in Paldea (like Rockruff), and Pokémon that can’t be found in Scarlet and Violet at all, like Alolan Muk and Slugma. Since Liko and Roy are already stated to be on a globetrotting adventure akin to Ash’s travels during Pokémon Journeys, it’s not surprising that some species not found in the games are prominent, although why these Pokémon, in particular, remains a mystery. It’s also interesting to note that while Liko is shown in a school uniform in the trailer, her uniform doesn’t match those seen in either version of the game.
With the new Pokémon series’ debut just over a month out, fans are finally getting a clearer picture of what the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet anime will be like, and it’s shaping up to be a fairly significant shift, even if the series’ tone seems to be about the same. At present, there is still no news on an international release.