SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN POKEMON JOURNEYS JUST YET, YOU MAY STOP READING THIS
If you are a Pokemon fan like me, you would have known that these 20 plus years franchise was one of the most successful and taking the world by storm by its different branches from console and mobile games, to anime and live action movies, merchandise and the anime.
LONGEST RUNNING ANIME
It’s anime department is one of the longest running series in Japan and around the world consisting of more than 1,000++ episodes and counting, 23 canon/non-canon movies, and 7 seasons of the anime; Original Series (Kanto, Orange Islands, and Johto Region), Ruby and Sapphire (Hoenn Region), Diamond and Pearl (Sinnoh Region), Black and White (Unova Region), XY&Z (Kalos Region), Sun and Moon (Alola Island) and the current season Journeys.
Pokemon Journeys, the current season of the anime unlike the other seasons which covers the regions of the newly released core-games has given the viewers a new taste by pretty much covering the all the past regions while discretely introducing latest region of the Sword and Shield game (Galar).
JOURNEY AROUND THE POKEMON WORLD
The first episode of Journeys covers a little the back story of Ash’s Pikachu as Pichu, It also introduced new character named Goh who soon become Ash’s travelling companion and a girl named Chloe who at first seemed not to be interested of becoming a Pokemon trainer.
The series gave us such unpredictable plot twists by not following the usual plot of the anime, such as not focusing in one region. This time, Ash along with Goh travels from one region to another as research associates.
Journey also seems not to focus on Ash and Pikachu alone, as it has shown equal character development for Goh and his Pokemon partner Scorbunny (now a Cindirace).
Journeys has also providing delights by giving Ash some of the fan-favorite Pocket Monsters such Dragonite, Gengar, Galarian Farfetch’d and Riolu (now a Lucario). We can all agree these are OG team for Ash.
JOURNEYS CONTINOUS
The Pokemon Journey’s started year 2021 in high notes with released of Journey’s 50th episode in Japan last January 8 by unveiling a new capture for Ash, his first Fossil Pokemon, first main Galar mon (if Galrian Farfetch’d isn’t counted) and another Dragon-type; Drcovish. An additional OG member of his current team.
A new anime opening was also showcased giving fans hints on what to expect on the upcoming episodes of Journeys.
MORE OF CHLOE
Chloe barely appears in the past episodes of Journeys due to her less interest of becoming a Pokemon trainer like Ash and Goh. The only Pokemon she was fond is their house-dog, electric Pokemon; Yamper. On the 49th episode marks her first capture with an Eevee who cannot evolve into any of its form.
The new opening gives as a glimpse of more character development for her, pretty much she will be joining as travel companion of And and Goh. Fans are also teases of Chloe getting a Galrian Ponyta anytime soon.
HERE COMES GROOKEY
Journeys is also the first anime to not fully introduce the regional’s starter Pokemon at once, we are left with questions on when the small monkey-grass Pokemon to appear in the anime after the sheer amount of character development given to Goh’s Scurbunny which is now a Cinderance and the capture of the cry-baby water-lizard Sobble who’s given a prominent screen time with Goh.
After 50 episodes, the new opening gives us hope for Grookey to finally be arriving in the Anime and it seems that both Ash and Goh has the interest of capturing the grass type mon. I am personally excited to see it in the anime coz he’s my starter Pokemon in Pokemon Sword, and his final evolve form is truly a powerhouse too.
LEON TO JOIN JOURNEYS
The new opening also teases us of the posibility of Leon. the World Champion from Galar region to embarking a series of adventure with Goh, Chloe and Ash. There’s also a glimpse of Ash finally entring the World champion with Leon’s Charizard vs Pikachu. But I have doubt that it will happen anytime soon.
RETURN OF WELL LOVED POKEMON CHARACTERS
The 2nd version of Journey’s opening gave as glimpse of the Alola gang which made an initial return to the anime when Ash and Goh visited the Alola Island, we also get to see Ash’s former Pokemons, the team who worked hard for Ash to earn the title of Pokemon champion.
The new opening also teases us with the return of yet some of our favorite characters from the past seasons of the Anime. Aside from Korina, a gym leader in Kalos region who may seemed to be getting a role with the character development of Ash’s Lucario and Bea, Gym leader of the Galar region who might Ash will go against in the world cup tournament.
IRIS AND FAN-FAVORITE GARY OAK!
The internet was buzzed by fan reactions from the possible return of Ash’s former companion in Unova, the dragon-typer master wannabe, Iris and the return of Ash’s most iconic rival from the original series, Gary Oak.
Iris, who bacame Ash’s travel companion back in the Black and White (Unova region) series seems to be returning anytime soon in Journeys. Tho she is not my most favorite travel companion of Ash, I am excited to see her again and imagining her hot-headed Dragonite to finally meeting Ash’s cheerful Dragonite. Also, Tho it was foreshadowed in the anime, I am also rooting to see Iris now a Unova champion like what she was in the BW game. Let’s see!
Gary Oak, he was probably Ash’s most iconic rival in the Anime back in the original series (Kanto – Johto regio). We may recall that Gary was always ahead of Ash in terms of achievement like completing the Pokedex and getting all gym badges which is pretty much a reference to their game counter-parts on Pokemon Red, Green, Blue and Yellow.
Their rivalry put an end when Ash finally defeated Gary in the Pokemon league back in Johto. Who would forget the Charizard vs Blastoise battle between them, right? I was then also when Gary chooses a different path of becoming a Pokemon researchers under the influence of his uncle Professor Oak.
We last saw Gary in the Diamond and Pearl (Sinnoh) series with him being a Pokemon researcher and the introduction of Electrive that encourages Ash in settling into a new adventure in Sinnoh. We never heared of him after DP and can we all agree that are eager to learn more about his development and how it will affect Ash who seems to not aged over time. lol
Personally speaking, I am loving the new season of Pokemon. Pokemon Journeys is a collection of nostalgic feels from the past seasons which hard-core fans like me enjoys most, while it also introduces everything about the Pokemon franchise to the newer fans.
Pokemon Journeys is currently airing in TV Tokyo every Fridays in Japan, while the english dubbed is currently streaming in Netflix in the US and select territories including the Philippines.
Screengrabs credits to ExclusivesPoke
